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Increase the Online Visibility with top SEO Company in Maryland
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Are you running business online and would like to appear on first page of Google’s result page? As a leading SEO Company in Maryland we can assist you to help to rank on the top. We apply SEO techniques according to Google algorithms, thus no need to worry about output. Read ahead the article till end so as to know about our working procedure.
1. Link Building:
Link Building acts as a fuel to the method of SEO techniques. It needs the creation of inbound links which have your website URL and necessary search phrases. These hyperlinks are posted at different sites (forums, blogs and other such sites). When a user clicks these back links, he instantly redirected to the website. More the number of clicks, higher will be your ranking! Thus you require to appoint an efficient SEO Company in Maryland for this purpose.
2. Social networking Websites:
Several Search engine optimization firms are switching to Twitter, Facebook and Orkut for internet marketing. They make profiles on these websites and utilize them for SBM (social bookmarking)!
3. Key phrase Analysis:
An efficient SEO Company IN Maryland searches for strong search phrases that are related to your website content and pertaining to your niche. You must optimize these keywords for getting top ranks. The Search engine optimization companies investigate for necessary key phrases and incorporate them on hyperlinks, articles, newsletters as well as other such things to offer you top search engine rank.
Apart from the regular tasks offered by an effective Maryland SEO Company, you should also put in little efforts from your side. When you are supplied with the necessary key phrases, by a Search engine optimization company, you’ll have to comprise these keywords in your web content. Moreover, you must make your website user-friendly, comprehendible and appealing so that site visitors find it interesting. If they like your website, they will visit your site again and again.
Ultimately, I would like to say that if you are completely unaware of the concepts of SEO and, you want to hire the best SEO Company in Maryland, you need to have a look at several websites and blogs based on SEO techniques. They’ll provide you suggestions on hiring these companies. Thus, be smart and select a swift and inexpensive service provided by these SEO companies.
An efficient SEO Company in Maryland offers you swift, effective and reasonable search engine optimization services so as to rank your website high in the tops lists of search engines.
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https://medium.com/@click2website/increase-the-online-visibility-with-top-seo-company-in-maryland-694aaf36eef3
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['Alexa Birch', 'Click Website']
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2020-12-21 12:47:29.204000+00:00
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['Web Development', 'Website Design', 'Seo Company', 'SEO']
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My Heroines are Trans Women
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My Heroines are Trans Women
Some women have to fight daily for the right to be themselves
Photo by Ted Eytan on Flickr
My boss is standing by my desk wringing her hands again.
“Um, Kitty? Stella* is, um… would you mind?” she says.
“Not at all. Where is she?” I ask.
Hers is a wordless reply, a finger pointing toward the ladies. Before I’ve gotten up, she’s already scuttled off back to her office.
Stella is one of our sound engineers and she is a trans woman. While the world’s largest public media broadcaster for which we work is indeed a forward thinking organization, some of us still have difficulty dealing with the reality of transgender staff.
As a result, many ignore Stella and look through her. Others like my boss seem embarrassed by her presence, and some male colleagues subject her to regular harassment and verbal abuse.
And they are vicious.
This is why Stella is in tears in the bathroom again and I cannot for the life of me understand why my boss couldn’t find it in herself to comfort her. My boss is a woman, I’m a woman, Stella is a woman and yet female solidarity has failed her once more.
Somehow, I seem to be one of the very few people Stella can talk to even though I’m a lowly assistant. She is at least 15 years my senior, an accomplished sound engineering professional, and a recording artist. We struck up an immediate rapport the day I arrived. Becuse I greet and smile at every human who walks past my desk, which encompasses the whole department.
Many people pay me no heed because they’re running to and from the studios, but Stella always says hi, even when she’s in a hurry. And when she’s not, we have a chat.
She is the first trans woman I meet and she graciously shares her story with me, teaching me about gender dysphoria and body dysmorphic disorder.
More than that, she schools me in courage as she weathers daily humiliation while keeping her head up. Despite the frequent tears, she is unapologetically herself, a professional woman who demands to be treated as such.
With the same respect and courtesy she extends to everyone.
Unlike many of my colleagues, I do exactly that.
Why wouldn’t I?
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https://asingularstory.medium.com/my-heroines-are-trans-women-c68467d0eae5
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['A Singular Story']
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2020-06-11 09:25:13.562000+00:00
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['Culture', 'Women', 'Feminism', 'Equality', 'Transgender']
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The Questions of Intuition
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The Questions of Intuition
There is a subtle power in this set of questions. I call them the “intuition” questions. My mentor and friend Ray Rood shared this set of questions with me many years ago. (Interested in hearing Ray and I talk? We are hosting a podcast together, check it out on iTunes or listen to Episode 1 here.)
Intuition is being tuned in to what is happening in any given situation. It is the result of careful, thoughtful observation of what has happened and predicting what could happen. It is something (I believe) that happens more subconsciously than with our active involvement. Nevertheless, it is available to each of us.
This power question set is a tool to help clarify and articulate what we know. It is being tuned into what is happening just below the surface. Often times we “know” but we don’t know that we know or we are unwilling to trust what we know. The simple question, “what do I know” helps create a pause to listen, really listen, to our hearts.
If we were sitting over coffee I bet I could ask you to tell me about a time that you “knew” you needed to make a change, or you felt like something good or bad was going to happen, but you didn’t act on it because “I didn’t know . . but I kind of knew.” Asking ourselves: What do I know, reminds us that often we do know more than we give ourselves credit for. It is a tool that helps us perceive what is happening around us.
What am I going to do about what I know is the second and equally important part of this question equation. Knowing what we know is good, but taking the next step and acting on what we know is where the power comes.
I have had moments in my life where I knew I needed to move in a new direction. I needed to quit a job, or shift a friendship, or move in a new direction. It’s not always easy to listen to those “heart promptings.” There have been times in my life where things “aren’t bad” and yet I know that I need to move forward. It’s when things “aren’t bad” that it’s hardest to listen to our heart’s guidance. (Or at least that’s been my experience.)
It works the other way too. Years ago I saw a poster of a teacher laughing with a Chinese student. I knew at the moment that would be me. It took months for that knowledge in my heart to work its way to my head. But it was there, and following that path to China was life-changing.
Taking action is where things get a little riskier and scary. It is also where things get a whole lot more interesting. What do I need to do about what I know calls us to movement. Acting on what we know challenges us to be active participants in our lives rather than passive receivers. We always have a choice between reactive(acting on what is happening as it happens) or being proactive(predicting what will happen and acting to be prepared and/or ready.)
These are not easy questions. They may call us to scary and hard things. They are worth asking. The questions are worth following to see where they lead. Let’s tune our ears to hear.
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https://medium.com/@amyhoppock/the-questions-of-intuition-e0de585624d7
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['Amy Hoppock']
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2020-12-23 22:07:40.317000+00:00
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['Personal Growth', 'Questions', 'Intuition', 'Clarity', 'Questions Worth Asking']
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Working with IBM Carbon Design
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Working with IBM Carbon Design
The 1st part in a series in a new designer’s experience with using open-sourced design systems
Base Image from billschannel
It’s almost as if TRON from 1982 were a design system- in the good way.
Image from 1982 Tron
IBM was founded in 1911 and has grown to employ more than 400k employees in 170 countries. Notably, the oldest computing company in the world, IBM, started with the tabulating machine. Over the years, IBM has given the world typewriters, floppy disks, PCs, printers and has been at the cutting edge of AI and gaming hardware. Currently, IBM is a CS research company in 2020. No more hardware, no flashy phones, and no dope cutting edge glasses- just world-renowned, Nobel prize-winning research. So what does this have to do with their design system Carbon, an evolution of Design Language? Everything looks exactly like what a user would expect from a company that creates clean, sleek information delivery vehicles.
First, it’s worth noting Jeoff Wilks, Director of Product Management, has some interesting notes about his design system in an article for Adobe (ironically enough, not compatible with Carbon Design). Carbon is open-sourced and is available to the public. Still, the goal was for IBM’s 400k employees to adopt a system without being forced. In other words, I can use it, I can build a website or app with it, but it’s not really for me.
Home page of Carbon Design
I want to look at a few aspects of this design system across a few key areas; comprehensiveness, ease of use, accessibility, versatility, tutorial support, and examples in the wild. The above does not capture everything, but I look for these things in a design system when learning a new one as a new designer.
Comprehensiveness: YES, VERY, 10/10. This system is exceptionally comprehensive. From grid guidelines to icons, Carbon has it all — but the key to any design system is not too much. They created a typeface called Plex, an intentional throwback to Westminster, an excellent icon family, and a classic blue-tone color pallet. A study in classic IBM iconography.
PLEX by IBM
As mentioned above, Carbon is not a versatile open-source design system. If I was tasked with creating an eComm shop with Carbon, I might struggle. Carbon generally lacks softness and doesn’t have an inviting nature. But that’s not really what it is for. If I were asked to create a medical interface with a trusted, scientific, and cold feel, Carbon would be my first stop. Also, I would love to see what an interaction designer could do with Motion because it appears relatively limited in its current iteration.
Ease of use is a double-edged sword. The UX for the end-user was considered at every step, which, in my opinion, is the whole point. But the flip side is a very robust backend for the UX/UI designer. First, Carbon is only available on Sketch. After speaking to an IBMer, I found out that Carbon is only available on Sketch due to licensing limitations (always a consideration with a massive conglomerate). This Sketch caveat also means Carbon is only available to Apple users.
Carbon on Sketch
As for downloading and diving in, Carbon takes a bit of time to learn, but their website shows the basics of design through Carbon’s lens, frames, grids, buttons, and design rules on their website. For instance, I’m still looking for icons to mockup a bottom nav for my daily UI.
Interface of Carbon Design
Accessibility is key to any decent product. Carbon gives the designers the tools to make the right decisions according to 508 & WCAG guidelines and is linked to automated testers. Automated testers can’t be trusted to catch everything. Still, if the designer uses Carbon’s accessibility rules from the jump, they should be in good shape.
*IBM has an intra-office automated tester that you know has to be top-notch. Not open to the public, though.
Versatility — I feel that was covered above, so I’m going to jump into tutorial support. Herein lies the major stumbling block for this open-sourced design system- access to experts using it. I must follow a million designers on Youtube that have taught me everything about, Sketch, XD, Photoshop, After Effects, Illustrator, Figma, Axure, Excel, dieting, grammar, interview prep, folding a fitted sheet, you getting the point? When people of my generation want to know something, they look for a video on how to do it. Carbon does have a video series on Youtube, and it is relatively limited. I would say Carbon is for the advanced fullstack developer and go about my merry way. Still, it is open-sourced, and there are attempts at explaining the system to everyone. I also had a pretty hard time finding a non-IBM Carbon interface to use as an example.
Plug and play is the goal, but some of us need more plug>tutorial>play to get going. Carbon is great because it is focused. It is also vast — how can it be both? Little tricks like typography, line weight, color, and templates (ya know designs system stuff). That’s how Watson AI and Hybrid Cloud divisions and some 2000 other patents IBM has; share a visual continuity. Download and play — but before that, thoughts?
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https://medium.com/@matthewreinhold/working-with-ibm-carbon-design-de289e477673
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['Matthew Reinhold']
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2020-11-15 18:04:50.757000+00:00
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['Carbon Design System', 'Ui Ux Design', 'UI', 'IBM', 'Design Systems']
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Derivatives
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CALCULUS DERIVATIVES
Derivatives
The most important element of calculus
All the elements that we introduced in the last posts, as functions, continuity, and least upper bounds are the essence of calculus, but the real powerful concepts are derivatives and integrals. In this case, we will introduce derivatives, that will allow us to define derivatives.
Differentiable function
From secant line to derivative
The accurate definition of the tangent line starts with the definition of the secant line, a secant line is a line that intersects the curve at a minimum of two distinct points.
Now we can use limits to move this secant line to the tangent line, we will use the following definition:
Tangent line first approach definition, self-generated.
If h≠0, then the two distinct points (a, f(a)) and (a+h, f(a+h)), determine a straight line whose slope is determined by the definition.
As h approaches to 0, the slope of the tangent line should be:
Tangent line definition, self-generated.
A function is differentiable at a if the tangent line exists, in this case the limit is denoted by f’(a) and is called the derivative of f at a. A function f is differentiable if f is differentiable at a for every a in the domain of f.
Examples of derivatives
The derivative of a constant function
The easiest function to derive is the constant function f(x) = c:
Derivative of a constant function, self-generated.
Thus f’(a)=0, that means that the slope of the function is always 0.
The derivative of a linear function
The derivative of a linear function f(x) = cx+d:
Derivative of a linear function, self-generated.
Thus f’(a)=c, that means that the slope of the function is always c.
The derivative of a quadratic function
The derivative of a linear function f(x) = x²:
Derivative of a cuadraticfunction, self-generated.
Thus f’(a)=2a, that means that the slope of the function depends on a.
Non-differentiable functions
Now we check chat happens when we try to differentiate a no differentiable function, as we introduced in previous posts about limits, we will use the right-hand and left-hand limits to check if f’ exists.
The function that we will use is f(x) = |x|, first, le’ts evaluate the value at x=0.
The derivative of f(x), self-generated
Now we can see that the side limits of this function do not match at 0 and the limit at 0 does not exist:
The derivative of f(x) is not continuous, self-generated.
So, the derivative of f(x) is not continuous, and the function is not differentiable at x=0.
Differentiability implies continuity
This is an example of the application of a very important theorem:
If f is differentiable at a then f is continuous at a.
Conclusion
In this post, we started playing with derivatives, they allow us to know the gradient of functions. The gradient is the value that deep learning uses to change the functions in each epoch, trying to find a local minimum for the problem that it tries to solve.
Next post will show how to calculate the derivative of any function.
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https://medium.com/ai-in-plain-english/derivatives-fe804cf17412
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['Adrià Serra']
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2020-09-16 12:53:23.337000+00:00
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['Deep Learning', 'Machine Learning', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Data Science', 'Calculus']
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Messaging Groups: The new 24x7 call bridge
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One upon a time, the top echelon of the organization used to have access to a prized possession called a ‘conference bridge’. This was like a virtual meeting room that would be used by everyone who is invited for some very important discussion that cannot happen in person either due to the urgency or at times due to logistics. Few years down the line, this became more common and multiple layers of leadership had access to this. Later, this started trickling down to online platforms which easily integrated into the most popular mailing apps. It became increasingly convenient to schedule ‘bridge calls’ or ‘web meetings’ for lower priority discussions too. As time progressed, desktop apps started getting into mobiles, mobile internet became faster and the boundaries between devices started blurring. This is when newer mechanisms of collaboration started emerging. There were one-to-one messengers, there were many-to-many messengers, there were group audio and video conferencing apps via mobile and what not. And, somewhere in between all this, even the boundaries between the people and their priorities blurred.
Teams Channels, WhatsApp Groups, Slack Channels — all became a common alternative to conferencing. These mechanisms are asynchronous, can have designated members added almost-permanently, can have administrative controls and are usable 24x7. While on one side, this has given an enormous advantage for people to asynchronously collaborate and quickly have short conversations, on the other side it has equally started intruding into your available time. You could be part of several groups or channels with a different set of people and all of them may be demanding attention in a very short span of time. Since there is no set time-limit for a conversation, some of these discussions can span across few days or even weeks and it does not meet the objective of ‘having a discussion to reach a conclusion’ because someone keeps typing and inputs keep flowing without much regulation or at times even without direction. Another advantage is that there is no need to check for someone’s availability for these conversations, by nature they are expected to be asynchronous. What’s the flip side — well, people take others personal time for granted, if you are on a group — you are expected to respond and can’t shut off the group after 6 pm or during weekends.
Where does all this take us? It is for us to decide — we can consume it as a tool or get consumed by it. There should be a clear agenda, lifetime and expectation of outcome specified for such a group. Whatever discipline we used to have in conference calls earlier should be maintained here too, just that people have the liberty to respond asynchronously. Care has to be taken that even if the tool allows you to access people 24x7, people should not be expected to respond 24x7. There are much better ways to manage crisis than ping 50 people at 1 am while the response is solicited only from one.
(All opinions expressed are based on personal views of the author, the content is in no way related to or endorsed by his employers / partners / customers)
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https://medium.com/@satish-subramanian/messaging-groups-the-new-24x7-call-bridge-85ec94a59406
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['Satish Subramanian']
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2021-11-18 16:53:54.713000+00:00
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['24x7', 'Collaboration', 'Time Management', 'Messaging', 'Self Improvement']
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Novi ste poduzetnik? Uz posao.hr postavite uspješne poslovne temelje!
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in Both Sides of the Table
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https://medium.com/sidrome-freelance/novi-ste-poduzetnik-uz-posao-hr-postavite-uspje%C5%A1ne-poslovne-temelje-c2374c6c5c6b
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[]
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2017-01-11 10:09:11.138000+00:00
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['Poslodavac', 'Posao', 'Siguran Start']
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Access Fantasy Premier League Data (20/21) on Google Sheets
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I love FPL for two reasons — football and data. While I understood the former, getting access to the latter was always a frustrating process. When I looked online a couple of years ago, it took me a while before I could get my hands on raw player data on Excel / Google Sheets.
This motivated me to make a tool that extracts the data daily and downloads FPL data onto a Google Sheet. So without further ado, here’s the link:
The Google Sheet works in the background, and automatically fetches the latest FPL data every 12 hours. You can bookmark this link and come back to it whenever you need access — this Sheet will work in perpetuity.
Of course, you will not be able to edit the original sheet, so you can create a copy in order to do your own analysis. You could also copy the FPL data on Excel if that’s your tool of choice.
Snapshot of the data
I’ve taken the liberty to do some of my own analysis, which you will find in the same sheet. I’m going to quickly jump ahead and provide a brief explanation of each module. There are 4 in total:
Raw FPL data Transfer recommendation for the next gameweek Transfers made by the global top 100 FPL managers in the last gameweek Team composition of the top 100 FPL managers as of the last gameweek
1. Raw FPL data
In the sheet called “Data”, you will find over 30 datapoints for all current Premier League players, such as Points, Goals, Cost, Form, Total Transfers among others.
How can you use it? This will depend entirely on you.
2. Transfer recommendation for the next gameweek
Transfers are recommended based on certain numerical calculations.
I realised that when making player transfers, the two most important variables for me were:
Player form Upcoming fixtures difficulty
Player form is the average points earned by the player in the last one month (roughly 5 games), and Upcoming fixtures difficulty is the sum of difficulty of opposition teams for the next 5 games.
I created a third variable called FD Index;
FD Index = Player form / Upcoming fixtures difficulty
You’ll notice that the higher the value of FD Index, the more likely the player is to succeed in the near future (the next 5 games).
In the sheet called “Transfer Pick”, you will find the recommendations sorted in descending order of FD Index (best to worst).
3. Transfers made by the top 100 FPL managers in the last gameweek
The idea is to aggregate the transfer activity of the top 100 FPL managers from the last gameweek, and identify crucial players that I maybe missing out on (or players that I need to get rid of).
Global Top 100 Managers
Note that usually a transfer is made keeping the player’s next 5 gameweeks in mind.
For example, you’ll see that on GW8, thirty of the top 100 managers transferred in Bruno. This sheet will give you the info before GW9, so you can make a similar transfer then, and still hope to receive 80% points overlap over the next 4 gameweeks.
Remember that you are aggregating the top 100 managers, instead of following 1 particular manager, hence maximizing your chances of success.
4. Team composition of the top 100 FPL managers as of the last gameweek
Similar to the last sheet, we tap into the aggregate brains of the best FPL managers, and find out what the current teams look like for the top 100 managers.
For example, as I write this article, a whopping 89 of the top 100 managers possess Bruno Fernandes, and 85 possess Mohamed Salah. If you’re missing out on these players, it should raise an immediate red flag.
Note: All of the above data is calculated as of the most recent gameweek
That’s about it for now.
I’m always looking for ideas on analyzing the data to achieve actionable insights, so do reach out and I will be happy to chat about feedback and feature requests.
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https://medium.com/@wafirmanakad/access-fantasy-premier-league-data-20-21-on-google-sheets-ee2cefce07cd
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['Wafir Manakad']
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2020-12-30 09:20:03.608000+00:00
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['Analytics', 'Google Sheets', 'Football', 'FPL', 'Programming']
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Are CSRF Tokens Necessary?
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by: Matt McEachern, Posh Co-founder and CTO
CSRF, which stands for Cross-Site Request Forgery, is a common attack vector for vulnerable web applications with potentially catastrophic consequences. At number 8 in the 2013 OWASP TOP 10*, CSRF is an age-old attack that has been well-known by both hackers and implementers [1].
While there is a multitude of accepted prevention techniques, each has its pros and cons. Amongst the most popular and recommended techniques are ones that implement a CSRF Token. The CSRF Token technique requires that all state-changing endpoints accept an additional parameter (i.e. the CSRF Token) whose value was sent alongside the html/css/js of the web application. Upon each request, the web application’s backend server verifies the correctness of this token and rejects the request if it does not correspond to the session. A decent analogy is that while session cookies authenticate the request’s browser, CSRF Tokens authenticate the code that’s making the request. While effective, a downside to the CSRF Token pattern is that it requires stringent developer effort and changes to client-side code.
Beyond CSRF Tokens, there are many other techniques that aim to thwart CSRF attacks [2]. Each technique depends on certain assumptions of the web application security model, especially the Same Origin Policy (SOP) which is implemented by all modern browsers today.
In this post, I provide a quick summary of CSRF and the SOP, while highlighting a few shortcomings of the SOP in thwarting CSRF attacks. Then, I discuss a suite of prevention techniques that don’t involve CSRF Tokens and bring attention to their pros and cons.
*In the updated 2017 OWASP Top 10, CSRF has been “retired, but not forgotten.”
Quick Summary of CSRF
CSRF is the execution of a “forged” request to a web application's backend server from an unknown origin. The scenario can best be explained by example:
Let’s say you just logged into banking.example.com to check your account balances and pay off your credit card. Because you’re logged in, your browser now holds a session cookie for banking.example.com. This cookie gets sent by the browser with every request to banking.example.com’s backend server — otherwise, you’d be logged out if you refreshed the page or closed the browser window.
In the same browser, you then decide to check your email and see one that’s titled, “Re: Your Google Account May be Compromised.” That seems scary. You think, “Dang, I hope my account is okay!” Your emotions and fear go against your logic, and you open the email. It says, “go to the following link to secure your account.” Instinctively, you click the link without even reading the URL.
Your browser proceeds to open the link, which loads an inanimate white page. The URL’s origin is getpwned.example.com. Well, it’s only a white screen, and you think, “that was weird” so you close the tab and go on with your day. Later you find out that your entire checking account balance has been wired to an unknown account in China.
What happened? When your browser opened the webpage at getpwned.example.com, it began executing all kinds of nasty javascript code. It turns out this javascript, which was sent amongst the contents of the webpage, made requests to banking.example.com, instructing it to transfer all of your checking account balance to the unknown account. Because your browser was holding cookies for banking.example.com, it’s default behavior was to attach them to each outbound request.
In summary: javascript code from getpwned.example.com made fully authenticated requests to banking.example.com, effectively stealing all your money. This is CSRF.
In the example, it’s important to note that the victim had to be tricked into visiting the malicious website. This trickery is the result of Social Engineering. Such carefully executed Social Engineering is not always needed to perform CSRF attacks, however. In fact, every single webpage you visit can perform CSRF; surfing the Web requires a lot of trust.
Fortunately for users like you, security-minded implementers have introduced CSRF preventions into their web applications that would prevent catastrophic scenarios like the one in the banking.example.com example. As mentioned previously, CSRF Tokens are one such prevention technique. Many of these techniques depend on the Same Origin Policy.
The Same Origin Policy
The Same Origin Policy (SOP) is a critical component of the web application security model. It outlines a series of policies and rules for how code and data can interact across origins and is implemented by all modern web browsers.
One of the major goals of the SOP is to prevent malicious websites from accessing sensitive information or making state-changing requests to other web applications. While the SOP has been widely successful at thwarting a Pandora’s Box of problems, there are subtleties that can still leave web applications vulnerable to cross-origin attacks like CSRF, as discussed below.
Relaxed Restrictions Within the SOP
Despite the various rules and restrictions outlined by the SOP, there are certain resource-sharing actions that are unrestricted.
One type of relaxed restriction is the ability to embed cross-origin content via the following HTML tags [3]:
<script>
<link>
<img>
<video>
<audio>
<object>
<embed>
<applet>
<frame>
<iframe>
It’s important to note that while cross-origin resources can be freely downloaded and embedded using these tags, javascript running in the browser cannot access or read the contents, save high-level information like image dimensions, actions performed by a script, etc.
It’s also important to note that when embedding these resources, you’re instructing the browser to make HTTP(S) GET requests.
While the following look’s strange, your browser would execute the GET request without restriction.
<img src=”https://dashboard.example.com/post-message/hello">
It’s irrelevant whether the response is a valid image — the request is still executed. This is why it’s important that state-changing endpoints on your web application cannot be invoked with the GET method.
Okay, so the browser can make unrestricted GET requests. I’ll just make sure that all of my state-changing requests can only be invoked by other methods like POST. Under the SOP, I’m safe, right?
Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.
There are also ways to execute POST requests without restriction by the SOP. These request formulations are where the most damage is done by CSRF.
Via the <form> tag, modern browsers that implement the SOP still allow cross-origin POST submit actions. An intricate CSRF attack could, for example, use javascript to create a hidden <form>, populate its fields, and auto-submit, effectively sending an authenticated cross-origin POST request. This is bad news, as POST is one of the standard methods for state-changing actions.
But why in the world does the modern web infrastructure allow such madness?
A likely explanation is that to deprecate this functionality would mean lots of breaking changes to the millions of web applications deployed globally. This functionality is a legacy feature that will likely not be changed in the name of backwards compatibility.
So to what degree can these cross-origin POST <form> requests be exploited?
It turns out that there are limits to the formulation of the request itself. To highlight a few:
You cannot set custom headers
The Content-Type header is limited to one of the following values:
application/x-www-form-urlencoded multipart/form-data text/plain
So using a <form> is the only way to submit unrestricted cross-origin POST requests?
Unfortunately, it’s yet-again not that simple.
Certain unrestricted cross-origin requests can also be formulated using XHR/fetch. All requests can in fact be classified into 1 of 2 bins: “simple” and not “simple” [4]. Cross-origin “simple” requests can be freely sent under the SOP.
A “simple” request is one that meets the following conditions:
The method must be either GET, HEAD, or POST
Only the following headers can be set manually:
Accept Accept-Language Content-Language Content-Type* DPR Downlink Save-Data Viewport-Width Width
*For the Content-Type header, there are only 3 allowed values:
application/x-www-form-urlencoded multipart/form-data text/plan
For XMLHttpRequestUpload objects, no event listeners can be registered
The request cannot use a ReadableStream object
It’s interesting to note that the cross-origin requests allowed by various HTML tags are a strict subset of these “simple” requests.
Wow, that’s a lot to take in. So the browser can execute any of these “simple” requests without restriction by the SOP?
Yes, with one distinction:
Unless Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) is configured, javascript running in the browser will not be able to read the response. Again, it’s important to take note: These cross-origin “simple” requests are still successfully executed.
So what happens when attempting to make a request that isn’t “simple”?
At last, this is where the SOP comes to the rescue!
In this scenario, before making the request, the browser will send a “preflight” request to the target resource URI. A preflight request uses the OPTIONS method and allows the server to respond with a whitelist of allowed actions. This whitelist is used by the browser to determine if the request is allowed. If the request oversteps its bounds, the browser will block the request. It won’t be sent. Plain and simple.
The whitelist of allowed actions is called a Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) policy. CORS lets web application developers deliberately and intentionally relax certain constraints of the SOP. This is important because making “non-simple” cross-origin requests are still an important functionality of many web applications.
So to prevent CSRF attacks, is it sufficient to require all my endpoints to only accept “non-simple” requests (and let the preflight response disallow all cross-origin invocations)?
This question hints at a suite of CSRF prevention techniques that don’t depend on CSRF tokens. The techniques can be summarized as follows:
Require all backend endpoints to accept only “non-simple” requests.
When incoming requests are “simple” (i.e. they don’t overstep the conditions outlined above), let the server simply reject them.
Carefully Configure your CORS policy to never allow cross-origin requests that aren’t “simple”.
An example technique that falls into this suite would be a web application server whose endpoints require the presence of a Content-Type header with the value, application/json.
So is this sufficient?
Yes, in theory.
But in practice, this is not always the case. Ugh, more caveats!
To assume protection from CSRF by requiring only “non-simple” requests is to trust the browsers’ implementation of very nuanced details of the Same Origin Policy. As others have pointed out, historically there have been various bugs and loopholes that have allowed hackers to bypass preflight for “non-simple” requests [5]. Prominent examples include a vulnerability in Flash that allowed for non-standard headers to bypass preflight, and a bug in Chrome’s Navigator.sendBeacon API which allowed for non-standard values in the Content-Type header to bypass preflight [6,7].
There are arguments for why certain CSRF-prevention techniques that force requests to be “non-simple” are not sufficient enough to prevent CSRF (e.g. the bugs and loopholes referenced above). But even the arguments in favor of CSRF Tokens, however, depend on the proper implementation of the SOP (i.e. not allowing read-access to the response of a cross-origin request). So from the many points of view, we are all placing trust in our friends who are implementing modern browsers to adhere to the SOP. Web security in general requires faith and trust in a lot of different people, institutions, hardware, and software.
Conclusion
If there are only a few things I hope you take away from this post, they’re these:
Even when the Same Origin Policy is implemented perfectly as documented, there are still subtleties that allow for certain authenticated cross-origin requests to be executed, including GET and POST. As defined above, all “simple” requests fall under this category.
Various protection techniques, including the popular CSRF Token or the rejecting of all “simple” requests, still depend on the SOP to be implemented as documented.
CSRF is a very serious attack vector that requires attention by web application developers.
At Posh, we are bringing modern Conversational AI to the forefront. Our mission is to make natural conversation the new user interface.
References
[1] https://www.owasp.org/images/7/72/OWASP_Top_10-2017_%28en%29.pdf.pdf
[2]https://github.com/OWASP/CheatSheetSeries/blob/master/cheatsheets/Cross-Site_Request_Forgery_Prevention_Cheat_Sheet.md
[3] https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Security/Same-origin_policy#Cross-origin_network_access
[4] https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/CORS#Simple_requests
[5] https://www.nccgroup.trust/us/about-us/newsroom-and-events/blog/2017/september/common-csrf-prevention-misconceptions/
[6] https://hackerone.com/reports/44146
[7] https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=490015
|
https://poshai.medium.com/are-csrf-tokens-necessary-3a6976bf1f34
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['Posh Ai']
|
2020-08-07 16:32:42.590000+00:00
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['Csrf', 'Csrf Protection', 'Csrf Token', 'Chatbots', 'Conversational Ai']
|
Auget Accepts APL as Payment Method
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by Marvin Dumont
New merchants are accepting Apollo Currency (APL) as payment method.
AUGET now accepts APL. The online retailer describes itself as a “new French brand of scented candles.”
You can buy APL at the following exchanges:
Join BitMart’s 6 Million APL Giveaway: http://bit.ly/2KA1tOk
Merchants can email media@apollocurrency.com
#Payments #Retail
Apollo Fintech is a leading blockchain company that develops world-shaping fintech solutions for a global economy. Apollo has offices in Africa and North America with plans to expand in Asia, Europe and Latin America. Apollo Fintech is becoming a global leader in Government Blockchain solutions, as well as pioneer of international mass adoption.
Learn more at aplfintech.com.
|
https://medium.com/@apollofintech/auget-accepts-apl-as-payment-method-3b5cd7fbbd3c
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['Apollo Fintech']
|
2020-12-25 02:43:35.075000+00:00
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['Payments', 'Retail', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Ecommerce', 'Apollo']
|
Dear Tech Companies: If you build it, will they come?
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Each story in our Dear Tech Companies series focuses on issues in the tech space and provides strategies and solutions to companies looking to invest in meaning solutions that will drive impactful industry change and make the industry more accessible to Black, Latina, and Native women.
photo credit: Maderla/Shutterstock.com
You’ve heard the saying before: “If you build it, they will come.” But when it comes to creating programs that support race and gender equity in tech, that’s not necessarily true.
We hear all the time about high-quality, compelling programs — from one-day hackathons to after-school programs — that are well-intentioned and certainly provide on-ramps for women of color to gain computing skills. But these one-off initiatives often don’t address the greater barrier to representation in tech that has been decades in the making: that Black, Latina, and Native American women do not often feel welcome in technology spaces.
This starts early. Women of color switch out of STEM degree tracks at higher rates than other competitive degree tracks. Why? They often anticipate feelings of exclusion and discrimination. It’s been shown that women avoid STEM majors because they are concerned about anticipated gender bias — one reason why women make up only 11% of the tech workforce. Simply anticipating discrimination causes women of color to steer clear of STEM careers, so it’s not hard to see why Black, Latina, and Native American women are so underrepresented in tech (they make up 5% of the tech workforce, to be exact).
Technology spaces have for decades been ones where women, especially Black, Latina, and Native American women, have been — or felt — unwelcome, and building programs will not immediately fix this. Tech companies need to be mindful of systemic barriers and build programs that both acknowledge and undo these underlying issues. Without addressing these systemic issues, simply building programs that promote diversity in tech isn’t enough. If you build it, Black, Latina, and Native American women won’t necessarily come.
If your company or organization wants to ensure that women of color feel welcome in the tech sector, consider how your programs can address their concerns. Here are three things tech companies must consider when building and implementing programs aimed at increasing female Black, Latina, and Native American representation in tech:
Thoughtful program design. This may seem obvious, but it is crucial that your program resonates with the audience you are trying to reach. The Kapor Center’s work to expand digital pathways for Native American girls is a great example of culturally relevant programming. If your program is trying to reach Black, Latina, or Native women, it needs to consider gender and race barriers to computing — and then it must work to remove those barriers. Consider that girls are less likely than boys to be exposed to computing as kids. It’s impossible to move forward without acknowledging where we’re starting from. Hackathons may seem helpful, but have you asked your beneficiaries whether they do, too? Are they necessarily the best way to introduce people to computing? Visible teachers and mentors. A key part of building a welcome environment? Teachers, instructors, and program leads that look like the demographic you want to engage. Yes, your program can succeed even if it isn’t run entirely by people from the community it serves — but you will be much more successful if you spend the time, energy, and money it takes to build partnerships with organizations truly embedded in those communities. This may take extra time and resources, but having visible representation makes a huge difference. Marketing is key. In order for women of color to want to engage with your programs, the marketing has to resonate with them — and reach them. Are you recognizing the unique experiences of Black, Latina, and Native American women rather than viewing women of color as a monolith? Do your marketing materials include images of the demographic you wish to reach? Are you advertising on the platforms where your target demographic spends time? In a historically non-diverse sector, thoughtful marketing goes a long way towards creating a welcoming space.
Considering these three factors allows us to show up for women of color in ways that promote long-term equity and not short-term fixes by authentically prioritizing an atmosphere and culture of belonging. Let’s design diversity programs that create meaningful pathways into real tech careers, especially for Black, Latina, and Native American women — not just ways for companies to promote themselves or to check a box.
|
https://medium.com/reboot-representation/dear-tech-companies-if-you-build-it-will-they-come-1a749fd73c50
|
['Reboot Representation']
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2020-12-16 17:36:09.264000+00:00
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['Diversity In Tech', 'Women In Tech', 'Diversity']
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2020~ Clarity, Intention & Transition
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It’s been a helluva a year, which is a major understatement. There are a lot of things about 2020 that the world wishes did not happen, global pandemic, racial unrest, murder hornets and natural, as well as man-made disasters…
But there’s more.
C Hagland- Myopia
I am sure this will be one of many posts about the chaotic year none of us could have imagined. Urban Dictionary has a number of submissions on what many are calling the worst year ever. While it has not been good, there are some things that go beyond the normal visual acuity standard.
When the year started, there was very little foresight of the impending storm we would all weather. I remember feeling the anticipation of opportunities and potential. I started the year convening with futurists in North Carolina, and enjoying connection time with special people in New Orleans, New York, San Antonio, Kansas City and Washington DC. I was making travel plans for the coming months to be part of large conferences and secured a coveted Platinum Pass for SXSW, excited to be attending my classmate’s film premiere during the festival.
In January, while I was at the Communities of the Future gathering, I was speaking with a friend who works for Homeland Security. He mentioned something called COVID-19 and said I should be careful as I traveled, particularly as I had recently spent the holidays with my son in Asia and was planning a trip to the Middle East in the spring for the Global Entrepreneurship Congress.
The news started to report more about the virus in March as we were hosting the Startup Champions Summit in San Antonio. Many of our members opted to stay away and there was a sense of something bigger looming. There was a small flurry of information that was building about the virus and impact on the economy. As we prepared to depart, we realized the need to centralize and cull information to support entrepreneurs and our respective communities.
Ecosystem builders approach their work with system level thinking. Illustrations of an ecosystem are often pictured as distributed networks. My fellow Startup Champions understood the way we were going maximize the collective knowledge of our community and wider circles of connections was an open sourced, hub and spoke model. The resource needed to be easily accessible, live where people could easily find, and be part of. It also needed to be very intentional so we could be sure it was relevant to the mission; we launched Ecosystems Unite on Facebook in March 2020 as the world started to shut down.
Often times we feel we should be all things to all people, a one stop shop where you can find anything and everything. After all, we need to make the most of our time and efforts, since those are life commodities you will never get back. Prior to the pandemic, many of us were spending time, as if it was an ever flowing, infinite resource. The moments in our lives when we usually become aware of its limits are when we lose someone that was special to us. Time does, in fact, keep ticking, it is incredibly precious and it stops for each of us eventually. It is uncommon to share grief publicly; the pandemic put dying front and center universally.
“Maybe death is the great equalizer, the one big thing that can finally make strangers shed a tear for one another.”― Mitch Albom
By early April, it felt like the world was on pause. Pictures of empty streets in large metropolitan areas, car-less highways and nature reclaiming the Earth, real or imagined. There was talk of reset and restoring normalcy back to the world. While many could not wait until they could ‘get back to their lives’ again, others of us had little desire to ‘return to normal’. The halt gave us time to assess ways the old system were not valuable and moved discussion towards emerging something different. I shared my effort to articulate the need to design the new normal (here).
In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, we seldom give ourselves a chance to really look at what and how we are operating. The virus pulled the emergency brake on a runaway train and stop us in our tracks.
As we started to collectively ascertain how these disparities played out in our professional lives, we were confronted in the US, yet again, by the death of black people at the hands of law enforcement. As the names Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor were becoming familiar outside of their respective communities, George Floyd’s tragic death, turned the focus of the nation from the virus. The Black Lives Matter movement and exhortation for equity and justice amplified. While videos of blacks killed by the police are not a new phenomenon, this torturous viewing showed the inhumanity depicted was undeniably avoidable at any time in the almost nine excruciating minutes of its duration.
By the time my adopted home of Tulsa, Oklahoma commemorated the 99th anniversary of the largest race massacre in modern history, and prepared for the Juneteenth celebration of emancipation, tensions were soaring. The egregious and churlish decision of politicians to host an indoor rally less than two miles from the historic site of Black Wall Street revealed the egocentric nature of policymakers and so called leaders. It shifted my definition of leadership, and I no longer consider it synonymous with management and governance. Rereading Margaret Wheatley’s “Who Do We Choose to Be?” , reminded me the importance of exercising individual freedom in a way that is additive, and to utilize it in fear and doubt, or to seek to contain and control it, shameful. Wheatley also expressed the need to abide and act.
“The energy now spent on self-protection can be converted into positive energy if we’re willing to encounter reality and see it clearly. Facing reality is an empowering act — it can liberate our mind and heart to discern how best to use our power and influence in service for this time.”― Margaret J. Wheatley
ABIDE also became an important framework for facing racial justice. In my work in cultural competency, I have long focused on inclusion, equity and belonging. The movement focus shifted through the years from:
Diversity
Diversity + Inclusion
Diversity + Inclusion + Equity and/or Diversity + Inclusion + Belonging
While it grows more holistic, this still felt a bit off kilter until I was introduced to a roadmap by Fay Horwitt of Forward Cities. It emphasizes the need for access as a vehicle for change. (You can read about their eloquent approach here). My framework views ABIDE this way:
Access is the path
Belonging is a goal
Inclusion is an action
Diversity is a fact
Equity is a condition
I traveled across the country over the summer and experienced how differently people acted and reacted to the virus, racial tension and turmoil of events, natural and human driven. The political race grew more polarizing by the day, parts of the country were ablaze, literally and the COVID numbers continued to rise. Disasters are often unifying, people come together in moments of crisis, our humanity and compassion are usually aroused in the face of human suffering; this year was different. We did not come together as a society; distrust and fear, by now were too baked into our daily existence. It will take a great deal of effort and time to heal and bridge the chasm.
Not everything was doom and gloom, there were some highlights and truly good things that happened and are continuing. People are resilient and innovative, we are adaptive and industrious. During the atrophy of our ‘dial it in’ mode prior to the pandemic, most of us just operated on autopilot. This period has sparked the need to be agile, pivot and amend our every day existence. We became more intentional about how we spent time and with whom. We became hyperaware of who mattered, reached out and stayed connected. Prioritization of small and simple things mattered as we realized the risk and preciousness of each moment and interaction. With so much loss in this time, what we gained and regarded became more valuable.
Our state of being, moved in new directions because of circumstances beyond our control. Much of this was forced, but there were monumental parts driven by our own desire to manage our future. Record number of US citizens voted in the recent election. Vaccines were developed in remarkable time and are now being distributed globally. A private company built and launched a rocket into space. The big wins in people’s daily lives consisted of new ways to make things work. Supporting children to learn and connect virtually, weekly Zoom calls with high school classmates, contact-less grocery shopping all developed from need and purpose. The choice to not squander and sit in wait for something else to happen derived positive outcomes.
The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot. ~ Michael Altshuler
With the loss of loved one, jobs and other life changes comes movement. The world is not in the same place as it was when the year started, and it will never be again. We, the citizens of the world have collectively taken one huge step together and we are starting to realize what that shift entails. Many are changing careers, others’ are moving or altering their life conditions. This occurs for people all the time, the difference is we are doing so, this time, en masse.
Working with entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders, I know the most successful ones are those who adapt. Darwinism is often misconstrued and misinterpreted to be about the “fit”, as in fitness; vitality and health. Actually Darwin said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent; it is the one most adaptable to change.” It was Herbert Spence who coined, “survival of the fittest” as part of the Social Darwinism movement that spawned and supported laissez faire capitalism and class stratification to justify imperialism, colonization and racism. That is no longer blindly accepted.
One of the most efficacious joys in my life was introduced in a book recommended at the futurist gathering. This Could Be Our Future by Yancey Strickler envisions society that is not driven by the pursuit of financial maximization. Strickler introduces a simple and elegant framework to look beyond the near term orientation= BENTO. It is a mapping method for making values and goal driven actions and it has shifted my mindset from doing, in the hope of things turning out the way I yearn; to focusing on how I spend my energy towards the vision I strive to manifest. I do this as a member of the Bento Society, my Future Me is evolving and I am in a glorious community of practice. Connecting and becoming part of this group has not only opened doors, it has widened the threshold and expanded my perspective and knowledge.
For more information: https://bentoism.org/
A few big takeaways from 2020:
Keep dreaming, but don’t get stuck on one dream. Agility is crucial for success.
Success is defined by YOU. Do not let anyone else tell you what you should find valuable.
Define your boundaries, expand your borders. So much you cannot/will not control, but you can still be autonomous and the limitations on what you can do are up to you.
“Remember this year? It was a good year, actually. This was the year you stopped waiting around for things to happen. And somehow, as soon as you stopped waiting, as soon as you started doing things, making things, claiming your own space, speaking up for yourself? That’s when your real-life began.” — Heather Havrilesky
As I publish this, it’s the winter solstice and the biggest planets in the solar system are conjoining in the night sky. It will be the longest night of the year and in the morning, the sun will rise. We will slowly gain more light. Turning the page on this chapter, there is nothing written yet. My Future Me is called to try things and collaborate.
How will you use the clarity and intention realized in 2020?
|
https://medium.com/@ceciliawessinger/2020-clarity-intention-transition-c23c56eb5148
|
['Cecilia Wessinger']
|
2020-12-22 01:06:35.393000+00:00
|
['Year In Review', 'Meaning', 'Purpose', '2020', 'Covid 19']
|
Top 5 Quick SEO Wins for Your Business
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1. Check the Length of Your Text
The shorter your blog or article the more likely Google is to rate your website as “thin” and not relevant or valuable for readers. In fact, the recommended word count for blogs and articles is anywhere around 1,000–2,600 words. Anything less tends to rank pretty low.
This might be a surprise to some, especially considering the low attention span of readers today. However, keep in mind that today’s consumers are savvy and can easily fish out content for the sake of content vs. high-quality content that actually shares valuable, action-oriented, and authentic information.
A longer blog or article that shares detailed, accurate, and value-packed information directed at your ideal audience is going to keep your reader on your page for longer and that is what improves your ranking in Google.
But don’t take my word for it! Neil Patel, SEO master and co-founder of Neil Patel Digital, has written plenty on the topic and even suggests pushing for 3,000 words. His data proves that the longer (and more valuable to your reader) the blog, the better.
Source: Neil Patel (https://neilpatel.com/blog/longer-content-ranks-better/)
2. Add Outbound, Internal, and Inbound Links
By linking to previous blog posts or articles you’ve posted (internal links) or outside sources (outbound) you are saying to Google: “Look how relevant and related I am to other content out there!”
The key to this tip is understanding that Google cares a lot about relevancy and authority. By linking out to credible and trustworthy sources throughout your own site, you are indicating that your content is high quality and communicates accurate information.
To further establish yourself as a credible source on your topic, your writing should also be original and add to the conversation in a new way as opposed to regurgitating information.
Another way to build relevancy and rank in Google when it comes to links is to have backlinks (or inbound links) to your content. Backlinks are when another website links to your piece of content.
This is essentially another website saying “hey, we like what this other website is saying, go check them out!” The more backlinks you have to your site, the better you will rank because Google now has reason to believe that your website is a credible and relevant resource.
3. Don’t Forget About the Meta Description
Never heard of a meta description before? Don’t worry, this is a frequently missed component of a website. Although minor as this detail might seem, the meta description is super important when it comes to ranking (and how your website appears) on Google.
The meta description is the summary you see below the link to your site on Google (see image below). This is the text that Google searchers will read before deciding to click on your website. Each page on your site needs its own unique meta description. If you don’t fill in this information yourself, your website server will most likely fill in the blanks for you.
Your meta description invites your readers in and gives them a snapshot of exactly what they can expect from your page. To get more clicks to your site (and as a result, increase your Google ranking) make sure your text is inviting and clearly describes what your page is about. The recommended length for a meta description is 155–160 characters.
One thing to keep in mind though is that search engines are no dummies. If they think your meta description doesn’t accurately describe the page they might remove your description for their own. This doesn’t happen too frequently but it’s important to keep in mind as you craft the perfect description for your site.
Google image screenshot
4. Make Sure Your Content Is Easily Understood by a 6th Grader
It doesn’t matter if your target audience is college-educated professionals with years of experience because when it comes to successful website copy, blogs, and articles, your writing should be sixth-grade reading level or below.
Unless you are publishing a study or writing in an academic journal, most people want to read the way that they talk. They don’t want to use unnecessary brain power deciphering the meaning behind your complicated language and industry-specific jargon.
Google keeps track of how long users spend on your website and if readers are leaving your page because they feel confused or overwhelmed by your writing, then you aren’t really doing yourself or your reader any favors. If your content is easy to read it keeps people on your page for longer, which increases your Google ratings.
5. Include Key Search Terms or Phrases
Keyword research is the bread and butter of SEO. If you don’t know what keywords you want to rank for or what your competitors are ranking for, then it’s time to dig in and figure that out.
Keywords are the search terms that users are typing into Google’s search bar. It’s important to understand who exactly your target audience is and what solutions they are looking for before you begin implementing any keywords or phrases into your site.
Understanding your target audience and their buyer’s journey will allow you to better predict what search terms they are typing into Google so that you can try and rank for those terms.
By including key search terms and phrases that your target audience is searching for into your website copy, blogs, and articles, you make it easier for your website to pop up first. The best way to get into the mind of your ideal customer is by hearing directly from them. Use websites like Quora, Reddit, Wikipedia, and Facebook groups to seek out exactly what language, keywords, and phrases your audience is using and what questions they are asking.
Neil Patel is a great resource for keyword research planning and I highly recommend you check him out because there is a lot more to it than just popping in some commonly searched words to your blog. Like all SEO strategies, the more time you spend on this, the more it will pay off in the long run.
Source: Neil Patel (https://neilpatel.com/blog/keyword-research/)
Take a deep breath and remind yourself that you’ve got this! SEO is complicated for everyone (except maybe our buddy Neil Patel) and it always takes time to figure out the right strategy. When it comes to SEO, the more you learn and implement the more it will pay off in your ranking and the more love you will get from Google.
What SEO strategies are you implementing that you have found successful? I’d love to hear them!
|
https://bettermarketing.pub/top-5-quick-seo-wins-for-your-business-7cdac443dc9f
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['Megan Elizabeth Clark']
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2021-04-21 15:03:15.173000+00:00
|
['SEO', 'Search Engine Marketing', 'Copywriting', 'Search Engine Optimizati', 'Copywriting Tips']
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Choosing Sean: Teaching for Today
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Deeper learning experiences are needed by our students. Not in two years, not in six months, not next week. Deeper learning experiences are needed by our students today. Right now. This very moment. We need to structure environments where students are deeply engaged in their lives as they are living them.
Sean, center, group outing during Wondercon 2011 in San Francisco.
I know this is true because during the last days of the 2010/11 school year, the worst fear of every teacher was realized for me. My student was murdered. Sean (15), and his younger brother Kyle (13) tragically died in a murder/suicide, killed by their father. Sean was my favorite that year. In fact, Sean was my favorite student of all time. He was the kid I wished I could have been at fifteen. He swaggered into school with confidence, intelligence, and a never-ending stream of comic book superhero references. Sean and I became close immediately. This closeness in our relationship only increased as we spent many hours together in my after-school Graphic Novel Project, touring statewide on the weekends, selling student made comics at conventions.
Learning Is Funny, Sometimes
I am still processing the fact that Sean’s death, which affected me so much as a person, has also affected my understanding of pedagogy completely. Deeper learning is a direction that feels right because it allows for a truly student-centered pedagogy. Take this case in point: On one afternoon session of the Graphic Novel Project I asked Sean, along with another student, to generate up a series of four panel funny strips. We were getting ready to attend a comic convention the following day to sell our comics and I had wanted to try a new marketing gimmick to get customers to our student-run sales table. I told them to make a comic strip, in black and white, on a piece of copy paper. The funniest one was to be the winner. “The winner of what Yurick?” the kids asked. I told them to get to work so that they could see. While the rest of the group was packing, the two team members in charge of marketing worked hurriedly on their comic strips. A half hour passed and I demanded to see the comics. The other team member handed me his strip ideas.
Funny, but not what I was looking for.
Sean handed me a comic strip:
“Muffin vs. Man” by Sean Fuchs 2010
I laughed out loud and instructed the students to go to the copier and make 100 prints of the comic. Sean’s eyes went wide, “100 copies… Why?”
“Tomorrow, the first 100 people we see will get a free comic — your comic!” Sean looked really excited. Later after class he approached me and said that he had never seen his art copied 100 times. He felt incredibly honored. The next day he, and the other students, distributed the comic to everyone at the convention as they were urging attendees to visit our booth.
Sean, far right, holding his comic “Muffin vs. Man” at the Socal Comic Convention in Oceanside, CA in 2010
The “Man vs. Muffin” comic may not seem like a deeper learning experience, but it was. Through a rapid iteration process, Sean was able to communicate his vision and see how his work had value, not just to himself, but to others. What I received was a reminder that laughter, silliness, and creativity are accessible to all my students. The most powerful part of the entire experience for me was when I laughed. I hadn’t expected to. In that moment, my pedagogy shifted. It reminded me to get out of the way of my students, and allow myself to be open to surprises. Sean, far right, holding his comic “Muffin vs. Man” at the Socal Comic Convention in Oceanside, CA in 2010.
Risk
Facilitating deeper learning experiences is a risky endeavor. The tenets surrounding the practices of deeper learning are new to educators. How are we supposed to know how to successfully balance a “mastery of core academic content” with “collaboration” or “problem-solving & communication”? We know that the goals of deeper learning are ones our students need, but sometimes we are afraid of taking risks because we are unsure that they (and we) will be successful. We are afraid to fail. But this is a fear we must confront. While it may be important to give students access to content, it is equally important that we facilitate experiences that connect them to a love of life. This is the heart of deeper learning practices: a pedagogy centered in student engagement, enrichment, and love of learning. And, on a very basic level, we risk our hearts.
Every year students flood into schools and we, as educators, charge ourselves with caring about these people, and establishing relationships, that we know have expiration dates attached to them. We know that, by the end of the year, we will love this huge group of students that are going to leave us to go onto the rest of their lives. We know that we need to let them go, grieve the loss, and make room in our hearts for a whole new group of students. Changing students yearly isn’t the same loss as a student dying — but they both represent the passing of time. We risk all of this because on a plain and simple level — we know that this is the right thing to do in that we know that teaching and passing on knowledge to others is preferable to living in safe seclusion away from others. But would that even save us from experiencing loss? All relationships end, the good and the bad. Life is finite. I wasn’t aware of how much this paradigm affected my own heart until the year that Sean died. I had fooled myself, every year prior to that moment, that there was more time. That, although my role as their (the students’) teacher was ending, there would be more time. When Sean died I realized that there really is never a guarantee of more time.
Sean, second from the right, at Wondercon 2011.
I counseled a lot of our students after Sean’s death and often we would talk about how terrible the entire experience had been. I would say to my students, “You know, if Sean had died just one year earlier, we never would have known him. He would have never been my student, or your classmate. If I had to choose between not knowing Sean, and having read about a tragedy that happened to an anonymous high school student, and knowing Sean and having to deal with this pain — I would choose knowing Sean.”
This idea, the idea of choosing Sean, is my motivation. Not only do I want to make sure that kids like Sean, the ones who are weird and love comics, are lifted up within our system, but I also want to ensure that we remember that the lives of our students are happening right now. Death is the one guarantee we have in this existence, but life is something we craft. We need to craft experiences in the classroom that are worthy of our students’ time, because now is the only time we really have.
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https://medium.com/pyd-studio/choosing-sean-b3da6005d526
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['Patrick Yurick']
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2020-05-26 23:21:09.891000+00:00
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['Art', 'Loss', 'Comics', 'Education', 'Teaching']
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張竹君指確診數字下降僅表面
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A columnist in political development in Greater China region, technology and gadgets, media industry, parenting and other interesting topics.
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https://medium.com/@frederickyeung-59743/%E5%BC%B5%E7%AB%B9%E5%90%9B%E6%8C%87%E7%A2%BA%E8%A8%BA%E6%95%B8%E5%AD%97%E4%B8%8B%E9%99%8D%E5%83%85%E8%A1%A8%E9%9D%A2-be2ff3f8283d
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['C Y S']
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2020-12-25 10:29:24.288000+00:00
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['Government', 'Hong Kong', 'China']
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[S1;Ep8] Secrets of the Zoo: North Carolina (2020) Episode 8 “Running Otter Time”
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⭐A Target Package is short for Target Package of Information. It is a more specialized case of Intel Package of Information or Intel Package.
✌ THE STORY ✌
Its and Jeremy Camp (K.J. Apa) is a and aspiring musician who like only to honor his God through the energy of music. Leaving his Indiana home for the warmer climate of California and a college or university education, Jeremy soon comes Bookmark this site across one Melissa Heing
(Britt Robertson), a fellow university student that he takes notices in the audience at an area concert. Bookmark this site Falling for cupid’s arrow immediately, he introduces himself to her and quickly discovers that she is drawn to him too. However, Melissa holds back from forming a budding relationship as she fears it`ll create an awkward situation between Jeremy and their mutual friend, Jean-Luc (Nathan Parson), a fellow musician and who also has feeling for Melissa. Still, Jeremy is relentless in his quest for her until they eventually end up in a loving dating relationship. However, their youthful courtship Bookmark this sitewith the other person comes to a halt when life-threating news of Melissa having cancer takes center stage. The diagnosis does nothing to deter Jeremey’s love on her behalf and the couple eventually marries shortly thereafter. Howsoever, they soon find themselves walking an excellent line between a life together and suffering by her Bookmark this siteillness; with Jeremy questioning his faith in music, himself, and with God himself.
✌ STREAMING MEDIA ✌
Streaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a provider. The verb to stream refers to the procedure of delivering or obtaining media this way.[clarification needed] Streaming identifies the delivery approach to the medium, rather than the medium itself. Distinguishing delivery method from the media distributed applies especially to telecommunications networks, as almost all of the delivery systems are either inherently streaming (e.g. radio, television, streaming apps) or inherently non-streaming (e.g. books, video cassettes, audio tracks CDs). There are challenges with streaming content on the web. For instance, users whose Internet connection lacks sufficient bandwidth may experience stops, lags, or slow buffering of this content. And users lacking compatible hardware or software systems may be unable to stream certain content.
Streaming is an alternative to file downloading, an activity in which the end-user obtains the entire file for the content before watching or listening to it. Through streaming, an end-user may use their media player to get started on playing digital video or digital sound content before the complete file has been transmitted. The term “streaming media” can connect with media other than video and audio, such as for example live closed captioning, ticker tape, and real-time text, which are considered “streaming text”.
This brings me around to discussing us, a film release of the Christian religio us faith-based . As almost customary, Hollywood usually generates two (maybe three) films of this variety movies within their yearly theatrical release lineup, with the releases usually being around spring us and / or fall respectfully. I didn’t hear much when this movie was initially aounced (probably got buried underneath all of the popular movies news on the newsfeed). My first actual glimpse of the movie was when the film’s movie trailer premiered, which looked somewhat interesting if you ask me. Yes, it looked the movie was goa be the typical “faith-based” vibe, but it was going to be directed by the Erwin Brothers, who directed I COULD Only Imagine (a film that I did so like). Plus, the trailer for I Still Believe premiered for quite some us, so I continued seeing it most of us when I visited my local cinema. You can sort of say that it was a bit “engrained in my brain”. Thus, I was a lttle bit keen on seeing it. Fortunately, I was able to see it before the COVID-9 outbreak closed the movie theaters down (saw it during its opening night), but, because of work scheduling, I haven’t had the us to do my review for it…. as yet. And what did I think of it? Well, it was pretty “meh”. While its heart is certainly in the proper place and quite sincere, us is a little too preachy and unbalanced within its narrative execution and character developments. The religious message is plainly there, but takes way too many detours and not focusing on certain aspects that weigh the feature’s presentation.
✌ TELEVISION SHOW AND HISTORY ✌
A tv set show (often simply Television show) is any content prBookmark this siteoduced for broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, cable, or internet and typically viewed on a television set set, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are usually placed between shows. Tv shows are most often scheduled well ahead of The War with Grandpa and appearance on electronic guides or other TV listings.
A television show may also be called a tv set program (British EnBookmark this siteglish: programme), especially if it lacks a narrative structure. A tv set Movies is The War with Grandpaually released in episodes that follow a narrative, and so are The War with Grandpaually split into seasons (The War with Grandpa and Canada) or Movies (UK) — yearly or semiaual sets of new episodes. A show with a restricted number of episodes could be called a miniMBookmark this siteovies, serial, or limited Movies. A one-The War with Grandpa show may be called a “special”. A television film (“made-for-TV movie” or “televisioBookmark this siten movie”) is a film that is initially broadcast on television set rather than released in theaters or direct-to-video.
Television shows may very well be Bookmark this sitehey are broadcast in real The War with Grandpa (live), be recorded on home video or an electronic video recorder for later viewing, or be looked at on demand via a set-top box or streameBookmark this sited on the internet.
The first television set shows were experimental, sporadic broadcasts viewable only within an extremely short range from the broadcast tower starting in the. Televised events such as the 2020 Summer OlyBookmark this sitempics in Germany, the 2020 coronation of King George VI in the UK, and David Sarnoff’s famoThe War with Grandpa introduction at the 9 New York World’s Fair in the The War with Grandpa spurreBookmark this sited a rise in the medium, but World War II put a halt to development until after the war. The 2020 World Movies inspired many Americans to buy their first tv set and in 2020, the favorite radio show Texaco Star Theater made the move and became the first weekly televised variety show, earning host Milton Berle the name “Mr Television” and demonstrating that the medium was a well balanced, modern form of entertainment which could attract advertisers. The firsBookmBookmark this siteark this sitet national live tv broadcast in the The War with Grandpa took place on September 1, 2020 when President Harry Truman’s speech at the Japanese Peace Treaty Conference in SAN FRASecrets of the Zoo: North Carolina CO BAY AREA was transmitted over AT&T’s transcontinental cable and microwave radio relay system to broadcast stations in local markets.
✌ FINAL THOUGHTS ✌
The power of faith, love, and affinity for take center stage in Jeremy Camp’s life story in the movie I Still Believe. Directors Andrew and Jon Erwin (the Erwin Brothers) examine the life span and The War with Grandpas of Jeremy Camp’s life story; pin-pointing his early life along with his relationship Melissa Heing because they battle hardships and their enduring love for one another through difficult. While the movie’s intent and thematic message of a person’s faith through troublen is indeed palpable plus the likeable mThe War with Grandpaical performances, the film certainly strules to look for a cinematic footing in its execution, including a sluish pace, fragmented pieces, predicable plot beats, too preachy / cheesy dialogue moments, over utilized religion overtones, and mismanagement of many of its secondary /supporting characters. If you ask me, this movie was somewhere between okay and “meh”. It had been definitely a Christian faith-based movie endeavor Bookmark this web site (from begin to finish) and definitely had its moments, nonetheless it failed to resonate with me; struling to locate a proper balance in its undertaking. Personally, regardless of the story, it could’ve been better. My recommendation for this movie is an “iffy choice” at best as some should (nothing wrong with that), while others will not and dismiss it altogether. Whatever your stance on religion faith-based flicks, stands as more of a cautionary tale of sorts; demonstrating how a poignant and heartfelt story of real-life drama could be problematic when translating it to a cinematic endeavor. For me personally, I believe in Jeremy Camp’s story / message, but not so much the feature.
FIND US:
✔️ https://www.ontvsflix.com/tv/112783-1-8/secrets-of-the-zoo-north-carolina.html
✔️ Instagram: https://instagram.com
✔️ Twitter: https://twitter.com
✔️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com
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https://medium.com/@getsho-rt-y-s-3/s1-ep8-secrets-of-the-zoo-north-carolina-2020-episode-8-running-otter-time-5fd1e65b825c
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['Getsho Rt Y S']
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2020-12-19 11:42:57.060000+00:00
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['Politics', 'Coronavirus', 'Documentary', 'Technology']
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Music Producer + Criminal Justice Reform Advocate Weldon Angelos Pardoned By President Donald Trump
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There have not been many mornings in 2020 where some have woke up to really good news but for Weldon Angelos, the man who thought his life was ruined for selling $600 of Cannabis, that was just the case in December 2020.
President Trump has been the source of multiple media controversies over the course of his entire career and rarely are they for positive things. Lately, the presidential pardons are being spotlighted. Being pardoned by the President is for some, a second chance at life and for Cannabis prisoners, especially those who are serving time for non-violent offenses, a presidential pardon is their only hope.
President Trump pardoned Angelos on December 13 at the request of Alice Johnson, whose sentence was previously lifted by Trump at the request of Kim Kardashian.
Music is in his blood and quickly Weldon found himself around the movers and shakers of the hip hop world and became friends with Daz Dillinger and Napoleon from The Outlawz. He recorded an album with Snoop Dogg in the infamous Claremont Mansion (remember MTV Cribs y’all)which had an unreleased Tupac verse! Weldon was on his way to becoming a superstar. Snoop Dogg was quoted saying, “He had to provide means for his family and himself, It wasn’t like it was a violent crime he was committing — he was just hustling.”
“I’ve put most of my focus on advocacy and trying to get people out of prison so they don’t have to suffer what I went through.” -Weldon
Weldon returned from the White House earlier this year to deliver a letter on clemency. This letter was signed by celebrities and political figures and will actually be an open letter, enabling MORE people to sign it. With hopes for the president to grant clemency to what Weldon referred to as “the most deserving group.” You can see all the signatures here.
The Department Of Justice has been the gatekeeper of the pardon office since the 1930s.
“The people who prosecute us should not also be the people who decide that we get mercy or there was a mistake. The DOJ is not in the business of second-guessing their work. They always recommend a denial” — Weldon
Find more about Weldon and support Project Mission Green www.theweldonproject.org
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https://medium.com/@maggiemayi/music-producer-criminal-justice-reform-advocate-weldon-angelos-pardoned-by-president-donald-99605af4703b
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['Maggie May Wilson']
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2020-12-24 00:55:11.477000+00:00
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['Cannabis News', 'Presidential Pardon', 'President Trump', 'Criminal Justice Reform', 'Weldon Angelos']
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Cultural & Linguistic Competency Training Program
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OSPI has provided cultural and linguistic competency professional development training resources to Local Education Agencies in the state to support educators in providing more equitable classroom environments. These resources can be delivered as full- or half-day cultural and linguistic competency-focused workshops to educators, administrators, and other staff using video and text-based resources. These include structured activities, guiding questions, participant-led discussions, and video demonstrations of best practices in real classrooms. These materials are based on the work of Gary Howard and Dr. Eugenia Mora-Flores who are renowned experts in the areas of cultural competency and English Language Learners.
The key components of this training include:
One (1) user license per district for the online professional development course (Becoming a Culturally Responsive Teacher with Strategies for Language Acquisition);
(Becoming a Culturally Responsive Teacher with Strategies for Language Acquisition); A facilitator’s guide to support district-based facilitators in delivering course material, which also includes a schedule for presenting a half-day or full-day workshop; and
to support district-based facilitators in delivering course material, which also includes a schedule for presenting a half-day or full-day workshop; and One (1) user license per district to the Program Resource Center, which is a virtual resource and collaboration center that includes materials to further support district-delivered professional development sessions.
For questions about content and facilitation, email title2quality@k12.wa.us
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https://medium.com/system-school-improvement/cultural-linguistic-competency-training-program-266d3dafc5d2
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['The Office Of Superintendent Of Public Instruction']
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2019-10-06 15:21:01.105000+00:00
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['Education']
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Skiff News 15 Oct 2021
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# Events from this week
Cassie brought Brighton Generator to The Skiff, a chance for creative people to get together, work on their projects and swap ideas.
# Events next week
Monday 18th: Show & Tell
In: The Mess (Kitchen) at 12.30pm
Tom is running Show & Tell on Monday, this gives people five minutes to talk about… whatever they like! Then five minutes for people to ask any questions they have.
It’s a very random and fun event. Previously people have used their five minutes to introduce themselves and what they do, talk about a personal project, show some recent work done for a client or their own enjoyment, and ask questions about something they’re stuck on.
It’s low stress and very friendly, you don’t have to talk but we’ll all be very welcoming if you do.
Friday 22nd: Skiff Board Games Night
In: The Skiff from 7pm — late (come along whenever you can)
Chris is running a board games night on Friday, here’s what he has to say about it:
We have a good selection of games and people to explain how they work, co-op games, social deduction games, drink friendly party games, all the games!
Feel free to bring along some drink or a friend, and any games you have that you want to try and teach to people :)
If you haven’t been along before or don’t really play games but are keen for a social, then you’ll have a great evening. The games range from 3 player up to 10+ and are all super easy to learn :)
Will kick off at 7 but feel free to come along later, people tend to filter in and slowly join in!
# Skiff Mates Personal Projects
Stuart is building a 3D flying game as part of his game-a-month experiment. See how he’s doing at Show & Tell on Monday
# Cuteness, good boy edition
Brody, Ruby and Lucky are three good boys (and girls) posted on Slack recently, join us in the #furry_coworkers channel for more
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https://blog.theskiff.org/skiff-news-15-oct-2021-1eb57b20c809
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['Paul Silver']
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2021-10-15 15:58:15.857000+00:00
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['Coworking', 'Dogs', 'Events', 'Personal Project']
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The Four Horsemen of the Restaurant Apocalypse?
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So restaurants continue to pursue growth where they can readily find it, but at what long-term cost? “Annual profitability for restaurants across all segments in the US is considerably less than 10%; losing up to 30% of top line revenues is not a path to a successful future even if total sales increase by 20%,” assessed Boston University professor Christopher Muller, Ph.D., a leading academic expert in the field of restaurant management.
Everything certainly appears on track for a successful future for the delivery marketplaces themselves — the top four in the US are flush with billions of dollars in capital investment. Uber and Grubhub are already public; Doordash and Postmates are expected to join them soon. But are these rapidly-growing delivery juggernauts technology partners ushering in a new era of restaurant innovation or are they the Four Horsemen of the restaurant apocalypse (at least for restaurants as we know them)?
“Annual profitability for restaurants across all segments in the US is considerably less than 10%; losing up to 30% of top line revenues is not a path to a successful future even if total sales increase by 20%.”
The Question of Incrementality
Michelle Gauthier, CEO of NYC-based Mulberry & Vine, did the same math as Muller. “We are losing money on delivery orders, or, best-case scenario, breaking even,” she told The New Yorker last year, citing the 30% surcharge levied by the delivery giants. Her math puts her at odds with that of the delivery apps themselves.
Delivery orders show considerable downward pressure on gross margin but are still profitable if you count costs of goods sold (COGS) only and attribute none of the operating costs of running a restaurant (e.g. facilities, insurance, taxes, managers, and other overhead). Source: Wall Street Journal, “Consumers Love Food Delivery. Restaurants and Grocers Hate It,” March 9, 2019
According to the 3PD marketplaces, restaurants are already burdened with costs that do not increase at additional order volumes — overhead (including facilities, insurance, etc.) and labor (presuming the kitchen is not already operating at max throughput). Therefore, a single additional order fulfilled by a restaurant incurs food cost (generally 30–35%) but no other added spend; even after the 3PD takes 15–45% off the top, restaurants are still left with plenty of profit to justify the delivery. The argument holds up with a single order from a net-new customer — its gross profit that flows straight to the bottom line. But the numbers morph into a far less rosy picture if the transaction is instead from a customer who would have visited the restaurant (to dine-in or pickup). This potential cannibalization comes in two forms: direct and indirect.
But when considering the net operating margin of the restaurant as a whole, each delivery could be a money-losing proposition.
A 3PD order that would have come to the restaurant for that same dining occasion creates direct cannibalization. For example: a mom who would have stopped by Popeye’s (or picked up drive-thru) with her family on the way home from work, but instead ordered via a delivery app. In the case of a $40 family dinner (assuming she orders the same items), the restaurant trades $40 in revenue and a $4 profit for $30 in net revenue (after 25% delivery fee) and a $6 loss (if all other contribution costs are held constant). According to a 2017 Morgan Stanley report, 43% of delivery customers say it replaced a meal at a restaurant (up from 38% the year before). Even with a 15% price increase on the delivery passed on to consumers (on top of the $5+ in fees also charged to the consumer), Popeye’s still makes no money.
Indirect cannibalization is harder to measure, coming in the form of delivery orders which eliminates a dine-in meal at the same restaurant another time. For example: a millennial who orders Shake Shack on Wednesday with his roommates and decides to readjust the location of his date on Friday because he “just had Shake Shack on Wednesday.” Indirect cannibalization has a similarly problematic economic impact but requires far-longer to observe.
Gauthier’s experience has shown these indirect, harder to measure costs to be just as big of challenge as the 3PD fees. “On paper, delivery costs 30% per order. But that’s not taking into account the other costs of delivery,” Gauthier told me a year after her New Yorker interview. “The amount of money spent on re-sends or refunds (for missing items, spilled items, etc), the amount of time spent fielding calls about those issues or customers wondering where their order is, plus the negative reviews we get due to the deliverer, not us. It’s far more costly than most operators even realize.”
The question of incrementality is core to the raging debate over whether restaurants (in their current form) can sustain the cost of third-party marketplaces. Earlier this year, Wingstop’s CEO Charlie Morrison said he believes 80% of the chain’s delivery business to be incremental. How he arrived at that number is a little less clear, but that would be strong; most brands would need 70% of third-party orders to be truly incremental for a third-party relationship to be margin neutral. For smaller or higher-end brands with increased costs (such as Gauthier’s Mulberry & Vine) the number may be higher. But even for those making it work today, can they sustain it? And what happens once restaurants cede control of the customer and dining experience — customer lifetime value (LTV) may be even more encumbered than single-visit profit margins.
Two statistics suggest any existing incrementality is short-lived. First, “U.S. consumers spend more at restaurants as a percentage of their food dollar than any other country on earth. While that doesn’t necessarily mean that it won’t continue to increase, there are limits” (Restaurant Business). Furthermore, in-store traffic has been steadily declining in most restaurant segments for years (down 4% in the most recent TDN2K Black Box research). So where’s all this incremental spending supposed to come from — do we really believe delivery will result in consumers eating more or that’s it’s all coming at the expense of grocery?
Greg Flynn, CEO of Flynn Restaurant Group, the largest restaurant franchise company in the country, recently ran a test eliminating delivery at some of his Applebee’s locations. The results suggest delivery was already cannibalizing sales: “So far, we’re seeing our dine-in and carside-to-go business rise faster in the markets where we canceled delivery than in markets where we still maintain it,” said Flynn.
“[Online travel agencies] permanently took 10% out of the profit structure of the hotel industry as traffic came through their channel. I believe the restaurant industry is at [a similar] inflection point,” Flynn said in May. He’s right — though the impact was likely even larger.
We’ve Seen This Story Before: Hotels and Online Travel Agencies
In the early days of online travel agencies (OTAs), commissions typically averaged 5–10% and the partnership was a no-brainer way for hotels to sell excess inventory. Hotel rooms and airlines seats are perishable; an unused seat or room is meaningful lost revenue in a highly fixed-cost business so a new channel to ensure peak utilization was welcomed by the operators. But instead of being a source of supplemental income that had no impact on the core business, the ease offered by OTAs rapidly attracted consumers who wanted to avoid calls with travel agents. In recent years, not only has the share of transactions booked through OTAs risen drastically, but so too has the commission rate, now as high as (an eerily-similar) 30%.
In the early-2000s, OTAs still represented a relatively small share of industry revenue (for an unbelievably-detailed narrative of the birth and evolution of OTAs, check out Skift’s The Definitive Oral History of Online Travel). But starting in 2011, OTAs experienced a meteoric rise. Commissions captured by OTAs grew more than 50% over four years (2011–2015); hotel revenues grew at half the pace. OTAs were beginning to assert a stranglehold on the industry.
By 2015, the top four OTAs — Priceline, Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity — controlled 95% of the online travel market, each with multi-billion dollar valuations. The first iteration of the Four Horsemen, perhaps? Today, Expedia owns Orbitz and Travelocity; Priceline is under the Booking Holdings umbrella which also includes Kayak (and OpenTable) among others. Two Mega Horsemen. The consolidation only further strengthened their negotiating leverage with hotels and airlines. By most estimates, OTAs now control 40–70% of all hotel bookings in the US. Bookings Holdings and Expedia Group combined for more than $25B in revenue in 2018 and are collectively worth more than $100B. Marriott, the world’s largest hotel chain, is worth just over $40B at time of publication. This follows so-called Aggregation Theory which describes how platforms “come to dominate the industries in which they compete in a systematic and predictable way” (Ben Thompson of Stratechery).
As their growth accelerated, the leading OTAs began to more aggressively court consumers, including through direct online advertising. “The concept promoted by the OTAs called the ‘billboard effect’ claimed the visibility given to hotels by listing with OTAs resulted in many more [direct to hotel website] bookings,” according to 2016 Kalibri Labs study “Demystifying the Digital Marketplace”. “The study indicates, unequivocally, this ‘billboard effect’ does not exist and it appears that the multibillion-dollar marketing spend by the OTAs has benefited the OTAs at the direct expense of [hotels].”
Not to skip ahead in our story, but the parallels are obvious with Grubhub’s hijacking of search engine advertising for restaurants (e.g. buying ads against a restaurant’s name which show up above the search results in Google), building Grubhub-owned websites that compete with a restaurant’s own site in those rankings (New Food Economy), charging for non-delivery phone calls (NY Post) and recently conspiring with Yelp to expand on that practice (Vice).
The same Kalibri Labs report (2015, 2016) showed from 2014–2016, while guest-paid revenue grew 4–8% year-over-year, hotels themselves captured ~0.5% less of the net revenue (~$600M and $730M in lost net operating income each year). “This additional cost reduced the asset value of the overall hotel industry by at least $7.5B [in 2015 and $9B in 2016],” the report concluded; a major economic redistribution.
It follows logically from Aggregation Theory that industries with greater supplier fragmentation (e.g. more suppliers to be aggregated by a platform) experience more severe disaggregation. And so it was with OTAs. While online bookings spread rapidly through both the airline and hotel industries, the impact was not as severe for airlines; the top four airlines in the country (Southwest, Delta, American, United) control nearly two-thirds of the North American market, according to 2018 data released by Upgraded Points. The top-10 own 89% market share. As a result, airlines are able to drive nearly 70% of bookings through direct channels (largely as a result of their investment in loyalty programs that drive repeat purchasing), a mirror image of the ratio in the hotel industry where there is a far greater diversity of options and operators. Restaurants face even more extreme supplier fragmentation. In fact, this concentration in the airline industry allowed them to more actively fight back, launching a joint venture in 1999 — Orbitz.com — an airline controlled OTA to combat the risk of disaggregation from third-parties.
Announcement of Orbitz.com, a joint venture of leading US airlines.
The rapid expansion of OTA market share from 2010–2015 had meaningfully slowed by 2017… 20 years after the launch of the first OTA (see chart at bottom of this section). The impact was already severe but hotels were ready to start fighting back.
In 2016, many major hotel chains spent hundreds of millions on marketing campaigns encouraging customers to join their loyalty programs and “Book Direct.” Major hotels had invested meaningfully in loyalty incentives and modern booking experiences on their websites (“owned” channels). Hilton’s “‘Stop Clicking Around’ campaign contributed to a 60% increase in HHonors enrollments and a shift toward direct channels in the third quarter of 2016” (McKinsey).
Marriott started promoting “Book Direct” in 2016.
The investments paid off as the period from 2016 to 2018 saw the exact opposite trend of the previous five years: “The increase for [direct to hotel booking] is 50% more rooms sold per month on average compared to OTA rooms sold per month during the same period,” (Kalibri “Book Direct Campaigns 2.0”). Furthermore, loyalty member direct bookings were able to drive a 9% price premium to OTA bookings, in large part due to upsell opportunities in the owned booking experience (in spite of most hotels guaranteeing lowest prices on their sites). Many analysts believe the industry has stabilized and a new equilibrium reached; but the impact of OTAs was permanent and had significant knock-on effects.
As the expected return on invested capital in the hotel industry declined in the face of decreasing profitability, hotels built fewer new rooms. Some analysts believe this under-investment in additional supply was instrumental in creating the opportunity for AirBNB to grow rapidly and become a massive new threat to hotels — recent estimates by Morningstar Equity Research suggest AirBNB could be worth $53 to 65B, making it far larger than Marriott.
|
https://medium.thanx.com/four-horsemen-restaurant-apocalypse-64947b3d9657
|
['Zach Goldstein']
|
2020-10-15 17:18:15.188000+00:00
|
['Marketing', 'Loyalty', 'Customer Engagement', 'Restaurant', 'Delivery']
|
PTSD, Belt buckles and Cheeseburgers
|
My Dad used to beat me like a Salvation Army drum!
I was brutalized more than my two older brothers possibly because I would always stop, square up to my father, and vociferously point out that I disagreed with his parenting style.
This obviously afforded him both access and opportunity.
My brothers encouraged my rebellion — it saved their hides over and over again. I also take full responsibility for whatever brain damage my brother Jeff received as a child. I’m sure I gave him more than one concussion experimenting with gravity and physics on his arguably square head. He sported a “butch cut” for most of his young life to hide the corners, but the barber solved our conundrum when he once charged Jeff four dollars for a haircut and said, “that’s a buck for each side!”
In addition to trying out every new toy on his God-blunted skull, my eldest brother and I would use our brother’s immense melon to deflect the big right hand swung by my oversized Mom. She would invariably send that flesh JDAM (aka “smart bomb”) flying into the big GM backseat whenever she forgot the words “quiet please,” and decided to send us her militant version of sign language.
I understand now that both my parents suffered from PTSD.
During the Civil War they called it condition called the “irritable heart” or “soldier’s heart.” In World War I they called it “Shell Shock” and in World War II it ranged from “Battle Fatigue” to “War neurosis” and even Hysteria.
Whatever you wish to call it, Mom and Dad had it in spades.
Poor Belinda
At this point I consternated over sharing with you my exploits from February of 1982 when I met Belinda Carlisle (hence the Go-Go’s reference). I was at a nightclub and restaurant on the top of the Satellite Hotel. Me, innocently holding a full bottle of Tanqueray and she, sporting a coke-fueled look of what I thought was fascination but was most likely boredom.
My other option was relating to you the true story of my Dad, PTSD and hamburgers….Cheeseburgers actually.
Whiteway’s
Whiteway Hamburgers was a Warren, Michigan culinary institution. It was as relevant to 8 Mile as Woodward. No police officer that ever worked 8 Mile (no matter which side of the DMZ) can say they never ate there. I remember as a child seeing the massive menu board high above the 18-foot long Vulcan stove that ran 24 hours a day.
|
https://medium.com/@arcadiacognerati/ptsd-belt-buckles-and-cheeseburgers-e5070d63cd80
|
['Arcadia Cognerati']
|
2019-02-25 17:40:19.851000+00:00
|
['Left Of Bang', 'Profiling', 'Human Behavior', 'PTSD', 'Neuroscience']
|
How to run SQL on S3 files with AWS Athena
|
How to run SQL on S3 files with AWS Athena
A walkthrough example of how you can query the S3 files using AWS Athena
aws
Amazon Athena is an interactive query service that makes it easy to analyze data directly in S3 using SQL. In this tutorial, we will show how to connect Athena with S3 and start using SQL for analyzing the files. Athena is serverless, and you pay only for the queries you run. It scales automatically which means that the queries run fast even with large datasets.
Scenario
Assume that you have a csv file at your computer and you want to create a table in Athena and start running queries on it. For simplicity, we will work with the iris.csv dataset. The steps that we are going to follow are:
Create an S3 Bucket
Upload the iris.csv dataset to the S3 Bucket
Set up a query location in S3 for the Athena queries
Create a Database in Athena
Create a table
Run SQL queries
Create an S3 Bucket
You go to services and search for the Amazon S3. then you click on the orange button “ Create bucket “
I created a bucket called “ gpipis-iris-dataset “
Upload the iris.csv to the S3 Bucket
You click on the orange button “ Upload” and you upload the iris.csv file from your local computer. As you can see, in the gpipis-iris-dataset bucket there is the iris.csv file. Notice that our iris.csv file does not contain headers
Notice that we could have created an S3 bucket and uploaded the file using Boto3 or the AWS CLI.
Set up a Query Location
In the console search for the service “Athena”. Once you are in Athena, go to setting and defining a location for the queries.
In the setting define the Query result location. I chose the “ s3://gpipis-query-results-bucket/sql/”. Click “ Save “
Create a Database
To create a database named my_iris_db , enter the following CREATE DATABASE statement.
CREATE DATABASE mydatabase
and choose Run Query. Finally, confirm that the catalog display refreshes and mydatabase appears in the Database list in the navigation pane on the left.
Notice that we could create a database alternative as we will show below.
Create a Table
We can create a table with an SQL statement or using the console. In our database, we click on the “ Create table” and then “ from S3 bucket data “.
Then in the database, we choose “ my_iris_db” that we created before, but we could also create a new one at this step. Then the table name can be “ iris” and the location is our S3 bucket where is the iris.csv file, in my case is the “ s3://gpipis-iris-dataset/ “
Then we choose the format of the file. In our case is csv.
Then we define the column names and their data type.
Finally, we do not add a partition and we click on the Create table
At the same time, we can see the query that was generated and run under the hood.
As we can see, the table iris appeared in the “ my_iris_db “
Run SQL queries
Now we are in a position to run any query that we want. Let’s say that we want to get the average of every sepal length and width for every variety.
Notice that when we created the table, it assumes that the csv file does not contain the headers. Otherwise, we need to define it in the SQL statement by adding the TBLPROPERTIES ('skip.header.line.count'='1')
Bonus Part: How to Convert CSV to Parquet
If you want to create a parquet table instead of csv you can run the following query.
|
https://medium.com/towards-artificial-intelligence/how-to-run-sql-on-s3-files-with-aws-athena-19693569f358
|
['George Pipis']
|
2020-12-29 22:12:33.672000+00:00
|
['AWS', 'Amazon', 'Sql', 'S3', 'Athena']
|
Is staying safe online possible?
|
I was asked a question on Twitter today. The question was, “Is staying safe online possible?” This is a great question because I increasingly see a sense of apathy in users due to the frequent threats to online safety that are reported. They ask questions such as “If big companies can’t protect themselves, what chance do I have?” or “If identity theft is inevitable, what is the point of protecting oneself?” Let’s look at the question in an Aristotelian manner. We first must establish what staying safe is. Let’s start with this definition:
Being safe online is having the knowledge, ability, and opportunity to utilize the Internet and Internet-based resources without subjecting oneself to harm*
Having the knowledge, ability and opportunity to utilize the Internet and Internet-based resources without subjecting oneself or others to harm*
*harm is being described as the following:
Unauthorized disclosure of personal or sensitive information
Identify theft
Misuse of computing resources due to unauthorized access or presence of malicious code
Persuasion or coercion to perform actions due to misrepresentation or incorrect facts presented in phishing emails
With this definition in hand, I can now consider whether this is possible. First, this definition means that no harm, as described above, would come to the individual despite the frequency of use as long as they utilized sufficient knowledge, ability, and opportunity. I believe this is false. Even those equipped with sufficient knowledge, ability, and opportunity will eventually come to some harm in utilizing the Internet and Internet-based resources. So, what if I revise my definition to this?
Being safe online is having the knowledge, ability, and opportunity to minimize the harm* and frequency of harm caused due to the use of the Internet and Internet-based resources.
This definition allows for someone to be safe online but still have harm occasionally occur. However, in such occurrences, the damage done would be minimized. For example, if personal information were disclosed, the individual would be able to recognize that disclosure quickly and work with persons and companies to restrict the value the ability of a malicious user to employ the information disclosed and to reduce the amount of damage incurred through use. More specifically, if a person entered a username and password in a fake web site, they would realize their mistake and change their password on the legitimate site before an attacker would have the ability to utilize their credentials. They would also utilize different credentials for other sites so the information gained would have no value if employed for other Internet services.
Using this definition, I believe I could say that it is possible to stay safe online. However, the possibility is not probability. Those that would be safe under this definition must have the knowledge, ability, and opportunity. If the majority of people utilizing the Internet do not have this, then the majority of users are not safe. Our logical step, therefore, is to educate users to give them the knowledge and ability and to make the technology and environment that will provide them with the opportunity something that is available to the majority of users.
This post was written as part of the Dell Insight Partners program, which provides news and analysis about the evolving world of tech. To learn more about tech news and analysis visit TechPageOne. Dell sponsored this article, but the opinions are my own and don’t necessarily represent Dell’s positions or strategies.
|
https://medium.com/security-thinking-cap/is-staying-safe-online-possible-b8ae29dc9ced
|
['Eric Vanderburg']
|
2017-08-21 17:41:34.779000+00:00
|
['Cybersecurity', 'Dell', 'Online', 'Cyber Safety', 'Internet']
|
AR & VR — Discover How They Are Transforming the AEC Industry
|
The construction industry often encounters challenges such as delays, reworks, work stoppages, and cost overruns. According to an Autodesk report, $31.3 billion was the cost of reworks in the USA in 2018.
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are two of the latest buzzwords in the AEC industry. These technologies are helping industry professionals tackle hurdles across different stages of construction to save time, money, and ensure accurate design.
VR uses computer technology to create a simulated environment. Unlike traditional user interfaces that depend on screens, VR immerses users in a 3D world where they can interact with the objects. The content and imagery in VR aim to stimulate the senses (touch, hearing & sight) to provide a real-life experience in the virtual world.
VR can be used in -
1. Design stage
Early-stage concept validation
Visualize the impact of design changes
Marketing
Through VR mock-ups, all the stakeholders can be given a walkthrough to get an idea about what the design will look like. VR offers a very high degree of visualization so that stakeholders get an idea of how the building is going to look and feel. This also makes it a very good marketing tool.
Any impact of a design change will also show up in VR. During design reviews, for example, if an architect moves a column, the effect it will have on everything else in the model will be visible.
2. Coordination stage
VR allows you to perform coordination review by being present physically in the virtually designed space, marking up the issues, or even fixing them. Revit models will automatically update the drawings accordingly. The enhanced visualization in VR makes the clash detection process interactive and fast.
AR, also known as mixed reality, is a blend of the virtual and the real world where digital information is overlayed on the real world. The crux of AR is that the real world remains central to the user experience, which is enhanced by virtual details.
AR can be used in -
1. Construction stage
AR has revolutionized site inspection during the construction stage. In the traditional process, site inspectors go to the site to inspect a predetermined area with their drawings, create markups and fill reports for submission.
With AR, a site inspector visits the site with the AR goggles and simply walks around the predetermined area. This is an automated procedure where the distances are checked and markups are created digitally. Once markups are created, they can be sent directly to the office with still images from the VR Goggles. Watch this video to see AR in action during site inspections.
VR & AR are two sides of the same coin. AR superimposes digital images over the real world whereas VR creates an artificial environment from scratch.
User is partially immersed into the experience
Fully immersed into the experience
Augmentation of the real world
Replaces reality
A sense of presence in the real world
No sense of real-world presence
To sum up, VR offers plenty of benefits during the pre-construction stage whereas AR’s gains come during the construction stage. Both these technologies have immense potential that can be tapped to bypass common construction challenges.
We would love to know your thoughts on the role of AR & VR in the construction industry in the comments section below. You can also share your thoughts or views on the article.
At Pinnacle, we specialize in refining your designs to make them more efficient, low cost, and safe. To learn more about us, visit our website. Alternatively, you can also write to us at bim@pinnaclecad.com.
|
https://medium.com/@pinnacleinfotechcad/ar-vr-discover-how-they-are-transforming-the-aec-industry-87eff9c01df3
|
['Pinnacle Infotech']
|
2021-01-07 04:18:06.445000+00:00
|
['VR', 'AR', 'Architecture', 'Bim', 'Construction']
|
US and China trade agreement drove gold negative pressure
|
US and China trade agreement drove gold negative pressure
Trading Outlook:
A near term drift back as part of a retracement of the big bull run continues. We continue to believe that this will prove to be a medium term buying opportunity, but on a near term basis the correction is still progressing, with the 50% Fibonacci retracement at $1527 a potential initial target area.
Support:
$1536 — Old 24th September high and intraday 14th January low
$1528–50% Fibonacci retracement of $1445/$1610
$1518 — Old key October highs
Resistance:
$1548–38.2% Fibonacci retracement of $1445/$1610
$1557 — Old key breakout
$1563–10th January high
Today’s Morning Commentary:
As the US and China prepare to sign the first phase of their trade agreement, risk appetite has been positive. This drove gold lower yesterday and maintains the negative pressure today. It also means that the retracement of the big bull run continues. The move in the past 24 hours has now broken a three week uptrend and momentum indicators are reflective of a market in correction mode. A break of the support at $1540 (last week’s low) today now means that a new near term downtrend (with lower high at $1563, and a lower low) is forming. The RSI is back under 60 now, whilst MACD lines are closing in on a bear cross. Finding the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement (of $1445/$1610) at $1548 as a pivot resistance the market is open for 50% Fib at $1528 as an initial target now. We still see that gold is just unwinding the excess of the December into January bull run and believe that the medium term outlook is still positive. There is support in the range of the old breakouts $1518/$1536 which we see will likely be an area to bring the next significant higher low. For now though, the correction is on.
Chart of the day:
|
https://medium.com/@HantecMarkets/us-and-china-trade-agreement-drove-gold-negative-pressure-33b88302595e
|
['Hantec Markets']
|
2020-01-14 09:54:39.743000+00:00
|
['Trade', 'Technical Analysis', 'Stock Market', 'Gold', 'Forex']
|
Toronto Raptors vs Philadelphia 76ers Free Game 6 Pick, 5–9–2019
|
Free NBA Playoff Pick by Tanner Edwards of SportsPicksForum.com
Toronto Raptors vs Philadelphia 76ers
Time: Thursday, May 9, 8:00 PM EST
Odds: Sixers +2, 213
Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinal will tip off tonight in Philadelphia with the Toronto Raptors leading this series 3–2 as they look to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals with a win. The Raptors have taken control of this series after back-to-back wins over the Sixers but now the series shifts back to Philadelphia with the Raptors favored by -2 on the road.
The Raptors managed to bounce back from a 2–1 series deficit and are now one game away from playing the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference finals. Toronto annihilated the 76ers 125–89 in Game 5 to take a 3–2 series lead and it appeared the Raptors sucked the life out of the Sixers. Kawhi Leonard is averaging 31.2 points and 8.2 rebounds in the series and the Sixers defense has not been able to slow down the All-Star forward. Power forward Pascal Siakam posted his fourth 20-point outing of the series when he tallied 25 points in the Game 5 win. Toronto held the Sixers to a playoff-low 89 points in a great defensive effort that completely shut down Joel Embidd. The Raptors will need to keep up the defensive intensity in Game 6 to clinch the series.
The 76ers have their back up against the wall with their season on the line as they head back to their home court where they were 34–12 on the season. Philadelphia didn’t show up in Game 5 and C Joel Embiid has looked like a shell of himself in this series, averaging 10+ fewer points than he did in the regular season. Ben Simmons has also disappeared in this series and is averaging 9.4 points per game in this series, after averaging 16.9 points per game during the regular season. Simmons’ inability to shoot the ball has really hurt this Sixers offense and he makes it more difficult for his teammates to get open looks with poor spacing. The 76ers turned the ball over 19 times which led to 31 points from Toronto. Bad turnovers have plagued the Sixers all season and the issue is magnified in the playoffs.
You have to question how the Sixers will respond coming off their worst game of the playoffs? Embiid’s health has been a mystery and this team can not win without the All-Star center contributing on both ends of the floor. Jimmy Butler has stepped up his game in the playoffs and is trying to will this team to a win. The Sixers home crowd will certainly try their best at motivating this once exciting team. I liked the Raptors in 7 games before the series started and I will stick with my prediction. Philadelphia is capable of stealing Game 6 as they are backed into a corner but they will need Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris to come out of hiding. I’ll back the Sixers +2 as home dogs in Game 6 as they make an effort to save face in this series.
Raptors vs Sixers FREE NBA Pick: Philadelphia 76ers +2
|
https://medium.com/verifiedcappers/toronto-raptors-vs-philadelphia-76ers-free-game-6-pick-5-9-2019-36dbd5e997a4
|
['Sports Picks Forum']
|
2019-05-09 11:47:49.939000+00:00
|
['Basketball', 'NBA', 'Sports Betting', 'Sports', 'Gambling']
|
Media Manipulation: Sadly, We’re Being Discouraged From Thinking About Sustainability
|
Photo by Jordan Sanchez on Unsplash
You’re being played.
But not by me. Because I’m being played too.
Let me promise you the following.
Besides catchy headlines using (basic) media manipulation tricks to get your attention for a greater good, I’ll be as honest, transparent and human as I can.
Because — you see — just like me, you too are eager for more honest conversations. The kind that also makes us wonder how a healthier world and a fairer society can come to life.
The kind that rarely shows up in the news. Not analysed in depth, anyways.
Ever wondered why?
Sustainability and Media Manipulation
I’m standing somewhere in the middle of communicating the urgency of designing a more sustainable and regenerative world — which I do for a living.
While pursuing to become better in the areas of communication, social media and marketing, I stepped into Trust me, I’m Lying, a book written by leading media strategist Ryan Holiday.
Tired of a world where algorithms drive everything to extremes and opinions masquerades as fact, he exposes how media manipulation works. I stand with him.
And I hope you too stand with us.
My +250 articles written to help individuals and organisations contribute to a more sustainable world had an audience of 423k and 589k page views between October 1–31, 2020.
I got many keywords like sustainability, deforestation, CSR, soil erosion, car pollution and a couple of others on Google’s top organic searches.
I like to think I’m one of the good guys. Not just because I identify where I get my information from.
But also because I credit those who created the information I’m using in the first place (like the United Nations or Nature, the scientific magazine) and the pictures I use.
Just like I quote my favourite authors when sharing perspectives I know I got from reading their books or blog articles.
But Ryan’s book makes me realise the digital news system is rigged against me from the start. That I’m part of a competition that isn’t fair.
That I (and all my colleagues producing sustainability-related content) always start far behind the pole position.
It’s like that feeling when you’re a kid and you’re about to play soccer with your older brother’s friends, knowing they’ll kick your ass. Or when you think you’re signing brilliantly until someone suddenly turns down the volume.
The ugly world on TV and newspapers vs. the beautiful world outside
Rutger Bregman is a Dutch Historian who said in his recent — and incredibly fantastic — book “Humankind: A Hopeful Species” we humans are (some deep down) pretty decent.
Unfortunately, many (not to say most) of today’s news feed us with the opposite idea and keep us under this mistrust bubble where we are given information that too often leads to conflict and triviality — he says. And you and I agree, don’t we?
As a result, we believe the world is a scary, dangerous place. That people are dangerous and that we should not trust those we don’t know.
If we think about it, it’s even among the first things we teach our children. Not to trust strangers.
If only we had more opportunities and community spaces to get together and socialize. We could then become aware there’s more holding us together than what is tearing us apart.
And build structures based not on control and mistrust. But on our ability to collaborate and co-create innovative solutions, like Bregman briefly and beautifully mentions in this 4 min video.
But why aren’t we being taught different perspectives on how to build better societies and a healthier planet more often, instead of crappy content?
Why is today’s media talking so little about how to adopt a sustainable lifestyle and dedicating so much time to sharing futile information?
Here’s why.
The world might be boring. But the news is incredibly exciting
To spread and drive clicks — which is what everyone in the online business media is looking for because it’s what ultimately gives them ads money — the news needs to provoke extreme emotions. Especially negative ones. Says Ryan, not me.
Anger, fear and outrage are the top ones.
But too negative and pessimistic aren’t good either. Causing laughter is good, but not too good.
And that’s really sad, isn’t it?
That the truth is less interesting than the accusations.
That anger or surprise triggers a desire to act (to share and comment), under which natural chemical reactions are actually taking place inside us as if we were in the jungle running from a lion and for our lives.
The famous fight-or-fly response.
Our clicks are being shamelessly manipulated. Meet the web economics.
Creative writing as an engagement tool
I went back to Ryan’s book to get you this quote:
”No smart marketer is ever going to push a story with the stink of reasonableness, complexity or mixed emotions.”
I tell you this: if Ryan is right, other kinds of content creators looking for your attention will always be one step ahead of me.
Because the truth is reality, especially the better and sustainable kind of reality we should aim at creating, is complex.
Not black or white. Not 100% right or wrong. Just complex.
Like the Universe and our chromosomes. With many, constantly evolving, variables to be considered.
But if Bregman’s theory holds, decency and the same natural ability to collaborate that brought us this far will help us exit this manipulation.
And both you and I have a role to play here.
You can use your fingers and your mouth to help spread the message of how important it is that we are all conscious of controversial and trivial headlines.
Mind poorly checked facts and spicy writing too. They’re used to grab readers’ attention at the cost of reason, balance and critical thinking.
Also, if someone says they know the answer to a highly complex issue, they most likely don’t. Don’t trust them.
As for me, I hereby challenge myself to exit the search engine optimisation limitations that often — too often — limit my creative writing and prevent me from trying to make art out of writing.
I’m going all-in for the theory (I just made up) that vulnerable and creative writing is as or even more powerful than sensational headlines.
And I’ll use it to deliver a message:
We urgently need to design human structures that help both improve the planet’s health and rescue people’s well-being and joy to live.
I’ll be sharing my journey (adventures, challenges and ideas) as a sustainability educator too.
Thanks for reading me.
|
https://medium.com/@toolsforgood/media-manipulation-why-you-dont-really-care-about-sustainability-focused-content-be53ace46ca3
|
['André Agrela Gonçalves']
|
2020-12-07 12:07:23.632000+00:00
|
['Media Criticism', 'Society', 'Marketing Strategies', 'Sustainability', 'Climate Change']
|
寫給年經3: 關於我不是菁英的5個理由. 菁英改變糟糕習慣，平凡與糟糕習慣共存。
|
太麻煩、沒有資源、沒有時間......，面對問題、面對想法，我的第一個想法永遠都是找個我不想行動的理由。
這就是我跟菁英的第一個差距。想法可以荒謬、行動可以無釐頭，但是第一個想法如果是不行動的藉口，一個改變自己的想法就失去了實踐的可能
“ When asking what, you’re learning.
When asking why, you’re solving.
When asking how, your’re doing. “
|
https://medium.com/%E7%99%BE%E6%B8%A1%E4%BA%BA/%E5%AF%AB%E7%B5%A6%E5%B9%B4%E7%B6%933-%E9%97%9C%E6%96%BC%E6%88%91%E4%B8%8D%E6%98%AF%E8%8F%81%E8%8B%B1%E7%9A%845%E5%80%8B%E7%90%86%E7%94%B1-ft-%E6%9B%B8%E8%A9%95-%E8%B5%B0%E5%90%91%E8%8F%81%E8%8B%B1%E7%9A%84%E4%B9%9D%E5%A0%82%E8%AA%B2-%E4%BA%BA%E6%89%8D%E8%87%AA%E9%80%A0%E8%80%85-58051e774e0a
|
[]
|
2018-11-10 12:36:28.661000+00:00
|
['Work', 'Books', 'Self Improvement', 'Writing', 'Education']
|
Why Dec 1st is better than Jan 1st for New Year’s resolutions
|
I decided this year things would be different. Instead of waiting until January 1st to start my New Year’s resolutions to get healthier and have more energy, I decided to get a jump start on the season by starting on Dec 1st. There are many reasons for this decision.
First, I know I must make lifestyle changes in order to achieve the goals I have for my life. When you understand change must happen in order to achieve your life’s vision, then the best way to make this happen is to get started right away while there is momentum.
“Nothing happens until something moves” -Albert Einstein
Second, in previous years I would wait until the new year to tackle difficult resolutions and use the month of December to indulge my every whim knowing that January 1st was right around the corner. The problem with that mindset was that I would feel additional shame and frustration on January 1st because I had let things get so out of control in December.
Third, the things that I knew that were not good for me like sugar, gluten and alcohol were consumed in larger quantities than normal because I treated the month of December like a freebie. So, on January 1st I had an even bigger nut to crack than if I had just started on December 1st.
So, this year it’s going to be different. I am making changes today because I know I must make these changes in order to succeed. I can visually see how happy I will be on January 1st when I will have a month’s head start on the new year. How exciting to know the changes I make now will propel me forward in a new and better way! 2020 has been a difficult year for so many reasons and I want 2021 to be a breakout year for health and fitness. Having a vision of a brighter tomorrow is so important.
“Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning.” — Gloria Steinem
So, what are the 3 most important things I can do for my health in 2021? I plan to hit the pause button on sugar, gluten and alcohol until I achieve the weight I want to be in order to feel my best. I also want to have the energy to accomplish the things most important to me in life.
Why these 3? After keeping a journal for the past couple of months I see these 3 things are my biggest triggers and have created the most harm to my body. I know better, but I have not done better. This is the hardest thing to admit. But now that I am focused on it and plan to take action, I know the universe will conspire to help me.
|
https://medium.com/@carolmcnierney/why-dec-1st-is-better-than-jan-1st-for-new-years-resolutions-a4aadcd71d8c
|
['Carol Mcnierney']
|
2020-12-03 22:00:27.284000+00:00
|
['New Year', 'Weight Loss', 'Vision', 'Health', 'Resolutions']
|
Longest Night
|
Longest Night
Photo by Martin Adams on Unsplash
to throw away the weights of burden carried for long
casting off shadows dark, set upon spirits forlorn
holding beacons in those times old of Druidic roots
fetes to gather, breathing life in cyclic octaves
may it be the promise thru winter-tide
that lives within for morrow’s sight
beams of hope beckoning the light
past the darkest murk near the end of time
in the hollow of darkness we toss away
the heft of sighs and scraps carried in sleigh
rejoicing in cycles death and birth
journeying on, past the grief of yesteryear
the longest darkest night my friend
is for the soul devoid of kindred brethren
for to weather many a storm in the heart’s flow
together we shall light the splint of glow!
Viraji Ogodapola
Thanking Zay Pareltheon for taking us through Druidic times via this week’s prompt:
|
https://medium.com/scrittura/longest-night-c925f281c82c
|
['Viraji Ogodapola']
|
2020-12-09 13:57:28.566000+00:00
|
['Prompt', 'Night', 'Scrittura', 'Winter Solstice', 'Druid']
|
Top 8 Content Writing Courses in Delhi NCR
|
Delhi, being the public capital and home to numerous tech companies, hustles on a different level. Various institutes in this megacity have come up with their content writing courses.
|
https://medium.com/@thakur78520/top-8-content-writing-courses-in-delhi-ncr-1930751ac60d
|
['Shreya Thakur']
|
2020-12-22 18:46:00.473000+00:00
|
['Online Courses', 'Content Writing']
|
Algorand Community
|
Introduction
Algorand has had an incredible month, growing ~65.00% over the course of only 30 days. Originally founded in the year 2017 by MIT Professor and world-renowned cryptographer, Silvio Micali, just four years later — Algorand is now a $5.0 billion blockchain. The explosive and global growth of Algorand is taking the decentralized world by storm, but it isn’t happening by accident. Although Algorand has arguably the best technology of any blockchain, with its novel pure-proof-of-stake mechanism, the people in the community are what make Algorand a digital place people love to be. This blog highlights a few of the amazing and wonderful people building on Algorand.
Addie Wagenknecht
A seminal innovator in the open-source movement, Addie Wagenknecht is paving a path forward for humanity at the confluence of art and machines. Addie is changing the world, and the way people change the world at the same time. She is a globally renowned innovator and her perspectives on computer science and engineering are shockingly scintillating. Her knowledge depth in software and hardware, are only paralleled by her own imaginative genius. One conversation with her will change the way you think about the world. Check out her Wikipedia Page.
Fabrice Benhamouda
One of the most brilliant cryptographers on the planet, Fabrice is passionate about solving problems on the Algorand blockchain. One of the most beloved members of the Algorand community, Fabrice takes a service-oriented approach to solving problems on the blockchain by engaging with developers directly in the Algorand Discord and Developer Forum. Developers are constantly amazed at his ingenuity, as well as humbly appreciative of his time. Fabrice sets a standard for excellence, leading by example to build the best blockchain — read his Research to learn more.
Autumn Moss Penaloza
Charming, charismatic, and kind, Autumn is a Head of Community with Algorand. Moreover, she is inspiring a better future for gender equality and the advancement of female engineers. Autumn has the ability to light up any room or conference call with positive energy, along with her warm and welcoming demeanor. She’s building a professional, dedicated, and collaborative community — and it’s unlike any other blockchain community out there. To learn more about Autumn, connect with her on LinkedIn.
Liz Baran
One of the generations great innovators, Liz Baran is a technical genius driving the next generation of Algorand technologies. Before migrating to Algorand, Liz was one of the inventors behind Amazon’s Alexa — check out U.S. Patent №10,163,436 and her YouTube Video harmonizing her skillset to send Algo via voice command. Now she is a leader in the Algorand developer community, authoring amazing articles and inspiring new creations on the Algorand blockchain. Her talent for simplifying complicated technology to create scalable and sustainable solutions is truly one of a kind.
Keli Callaghan
A leader on the Algorand marketing team, Keli Callaghan conducts interviews with entrepreneurs and developers around the world building on the Algorand blockchain. She has an electric personality and the ability to engage with and understand some of the most complex cryptographic concepts happening in the decentralized universe. She is a game changer for marketing and for growing the Algorand community. Keli is also an Algorand guru on Twitter, make sure to follow her!
Conclusion
As part of the Algorand ecosystem, it is our great privilege at Fortior Blockchain to work with and be inspired by these great leaders in the Algorand community. Additionally, this is just a small list of the incredible people growing the Algorand ecosystem. Finally, we do truly believe people, not technology shape the future — although having the best technology certainly helps.
|
https://medium.com/@fortiorblockchain/algorand-community-90ff15c9cfe9
|
['Fortior Blockchain']
|
2021-09-06 20:07:41.618000+00:00
|
['Globalization', 'Finance', 'Algorand', 'Blockchain', 'Cryptocurrency']
|
What’s Love Got To Do With It?
|
I’m a great many things: a New Yorker and first generation American, millennial plant mom, sentient jukebox, and most controversial, a sex worker.
I’ve been what some people call a high-end escort for five years now, and have been in relationships, ranging from just dabbling in dive bar hangs to falling completely head over Louboutins in love, for about half that time. I don’t find dating incompatible with my line of work at all, despite the legitimate complications. Another thing I am: a romantic. A non-monogamous one, but a lover all the same. I love the rush of falling into conversation, finishing a lover’s sentences, settling into comfortable silence, naked physically and emotionally. I relish learning someone’s body and what makes them happy, and I adore helping them figure out what I enjoy. I love the slow burn of repeated engagement, both people peeling off layers of themselves that they keep buttoned up otherwise. I prefer to feel things strongly, rather than not at all. But how does any of this work when you’re in the business of love, the business of sex? Some may wonder: does the entire endeavor lack meaning for me? Is it all fake? How are (off-duty) relationships possible, considering what I do? I mean, it’s not like I’m an accountant, or travel agent, or web designer, not on paper at least.
When Playboy approached me for a piece following sex workers and their love lives over the course of a year, I decided to take the chance to clear the whorephobic air. There is a lot to dispel: what relationships look like, how we find them, what can go wrong, what we’re worried about…I don’t think I’ve ever seen escorts’ love lives explored in the context of a large mainstream publication in a way that is both humanizing and hopeful. Social and legal issues abound, and sex workers understandably shy away from using our own voices to tell our stories. So often are we cast as scheming jezebels or tragic fallen women that some of us even believe the toxic narrative. This time, I spoke for the first time about my own journey through connections, inside and outside of the demimonde.
Okay, so what’s the skinny? I fell in love with a client. We had a non-exclusive arrangement, and I happily flourished in my personal and professional life, though the lines were more blurred than I imagined they’d be when I began. I went on amazing dates with my favorite clients, traveled around the world, exchanged stories about our lives, and experienced authentic intimacy. I was — and am — largely myself, intentionally. And I’ve worked quite hard to be such, as I much prefer it this way. When time with my clients (they often feel like friends) was over, I returned, sated, to the rest of my life. I had someone to cuddle and binge Peaky Blinders with after coming back from my favorite speakeasy. I thought, at first, that it would be a difficult jump, managing multiple relationships, each with their own set of impermeable boundaries and expectations. But existing in both worlds felt as natural as breathing. Queue non-monogamy.
I wrote once about my thoughts on the relationship escalator — the social script of expectations for intimate relationships, where individuals follow a set of visible markers towards a clear goal (marriage, merged assets, children, etc.) — and how I reject this notion. I truly enjoy having a complete life that I can intertwine with someone else’s as we both choose, sans societal pressure and a hell of a lot more communication and trust. There’s no escalator to ascend, no highest (or end) point. I simply am able to celebrate and be celebrated by my intimate partners as often and as deeply as we’d like. Non-monogamy isn’t all sexy hookups though; it requires so many discussions about jealousy, about needs that change, and iCalendar updates. It’s about knowing what you want and resolving to express that explicitly, when the dictates of polite society say nice women really shouldn’t. When I reflect on my time as an escort, I know I’ve learned and loved much more fully than I would have without it.
Can relationships be difficult as a sex worker? Yes. Are they worth it? Also yes, personally and professionally. I’m not sure what affaires du cœur are in my future, but since I’ve thrown out the rulebook, I guess anything’s possible…
website | my twitter | my instagram | my blog | onlyfans
|
https://medium.com/@brejolie2/whats-love-got-to-do-with-it-f62f052c115a
|
['Bre Jolie']
|
2020-08-19 16:00:42.670000+00:00
|
['Sex Work', 'Relationships', 'Nonmonogamy']
|
Trump Gets Some Of His Wall, Not All Of It
|
Border wall prototypes
Trump Gets Some Of His Wall, Not All Of It
The rest could very well depend on whether Democrats are able to retake the House or Senate this fall
Congress has agreed on a $1.3-billion spending bill that needs to pass by the end of the week. The big question was whether Trump was on board with it, since it only gives him $1,600,000,000 of the $25-billion he was demanding for “the wall”. So things were touch-and-go for a while. The bill is also very particular about how and where the wall funds can be spent.
Washington Post reporter Mike DeBonis lays it out in a Tweet (click on the graphic to view the specifics — it’s interesting):
Trump’s kind of right to try to get all his wall funding up front: because he knows darn well that if Democrats retake either the House or Senate, those funds dry up. (Although maybe not: Democrats are finding wall funding is a very easy thing to trade for things they want, and does a lot less dramatic damage than many of the other things the President wants).
Of course the President needs to justify why this is still a “win” for him. And of course he took to Twitter to do that:
The Washington Post says the big win for Republicans and Trump in the end is an increase of $78-billion in military funding, while Democrats got $52-billion for domestic programs they want (but apparently as a direct result of Trump’s intervention, they didn’t get the huge infrastructure package they wanted to rebuild commuter rail service between New York and New Jersey — two states that didn’t vote for him).
The Post also points to a couple of other significant late things that snuck in: money to improve background checks for gun buyers and language that federal funds can be spent to research gun violence, which is currently not allowed.
In what’s expected to be a largely symbolic gesture, many Democrats in the House are likely to vote against the spending bill, in protest of the fact that it does not contain a DACA fix, (something Trump is trying to blame them for). But they can don’t have the numbers to stop the bill’s passage, unless radical House Republicans decide to also block it because it also doesn’t defund Planned Parenthood and rip federal funds away from so-called “Sanctuary Cities”.
In case you’re a real masochist, here’s the entire bill, all 2,232 pages of it.
|
https://ericjscholl.medium.com/trump-gets-some-of-his-wall-not-all-of-it-60fcf2a675a0
|
['Eric J Scholl']
|
2018-03-22 14:22:17.057000+00:00
|
['Budget', 'Mexico', 'Donald Trump', 'Congress', 'Trump']
|
The Just World Fallacy: Why People Bash Assange And Defend Power
|
I write a lot about how important it is for political dissidents to research and understand cognitive biases, the large number of well-documented logical glitches in the way human brains process information. I do this because the science of modern propaganda has been in research and development for more than a century, so if public domain psychology is aware of these glitches we can be absolutely certain that the propagandists are as well, and that they are exploiting those glitches currently.
If you don’t cultivate a healthy respect for just how advanced modern propaganda has become, you won’t be able to understand what the propagandists are doing when observing the behaviors of the political/media class, and you’ll almost certainly wind up being fooled by the propaganda machine in various ways yourself.
The fact that people think of themselves as rational creatures, but in reality have many large cognitive vulnerabilities which can and will be exploited to cause them to interpret data in an irrational way, is not some amusing-yet-inconsequential bit of trivia. It’s an absolutely crucial piece of the puzzle in understanding why the world is as messed up as it is, and in figuring out how to fix it. The immense political consequences of this reality extend into every facet of civilization.
For example, have you ever wondered why ordinary people you know in real life often harbor highly negative opinions about Julian Assange, seemingly to no benefit for themselves, even while he’s being viciously persecuted for his truthful publications by some of the most corrupt political forces on the planet? You’ve probably correctly concluded that it’s because they’re propagandized, but have you ever wondered why that propaganda works? Even on some of the more intelligent people you know?
The reason is partly because of a glitch in human cognition known as the just world hypothesis or just world fallacy, which causes us to assume that if bad things are happening to someone, it’s because that person deserves it. Blaming the victim is more psychologically comfortable than seeing that we live in an unjust world where we could very easily become victim ourselves someday, and we select for that comfort over rational analysis.
In the early 1960s a social psychologist named Melvin Lerner discovered that test subjects had a curious tendency to assign blame for an unfortunate event to the victims — even when said event couldn’t logically have been their fault — and to assign positive attributes to people who received good fortune — even if their fortune was due solely to random chance. Lerner theorized that people have an unconscious need to organize their perceptions under the fallacious premise that the world is basically just, where good things tend to happen to good people and bad things tend to happen to bad people. Nothing in a rational analysis of our world tells us that this assumption is in any way true, but tests by Lerner and subsequent social psychologists have backed up his theory that most of us tend to interpret events through the lens of this irrational assumption anyway.
Like other cognitive biases, this one fundamentally boils down to our annoying psychological tendency to select for cognitive ease over cognitive discomfort. It feels more psychologically comfortable to interpret new information in a way that confirms our preexisting opinions, so we get confirmation bias. It feels psychologically comfortable to assume something is true after hearing it repeated many times, so we get the illusory truth effect. It feels more psychologically comfortable to believe we live in a fair world where people get what they deserve than to believe we’re in a chaotic world where many of the most materially prosperous people are also the most depraved and sociopathic, and that we could be next in line to be victimized by them, so we get the just world fallacy.
When news first broke in November of last year that the Trump Justice Department was preparing to charge Julian Assange for 2010 publications by WikiLeaks, establishment Democrats suddenly began babbling about “karma”. These people weren’t Buddhists or Hindus, yet when the Trump administration (who they claim to oppose) began an aggressive assault on the free press (which they claim to support), they began reaching for eastern philosophical concepts which have no evidentiary basis whatsoever in order to justify it. Their irrational belief in a just world was psychologically more comfortable than going against their confirmation bias about the guy who spilled dirt on Queen Hillary, so they selected it. Not because it was more truthful, but because it was more comfortable.
You see this more and more often as facts in evidence make it abundantly clear that the Trump administration’s persecution of Assange pose the greatest threat to the free press in modern history, both among the rank-and-file citizenry and among the political/media class. Countless opinion segments and articles have flooded the mainstream media denying that Assange’s persecution poses a threat to press freedoms, on the basis that Assange is different from the mainstream press in some way.
This isn’t due solely to the fact that these establishment lackeys know they’ll never publish anything which inconveniences power like Assange did (many mainstream journalists sincerely believe that they hold power to account in some way); a lot of it is due to the fact that it’s much more psychologically comfortable to believe that Assange is being savagely persecuted because he deserves it. Believing that Assange is getting what’s coming to him is just plain more psychologically comfortable than believing you’re in an endlessly out-of-control world where bad things happen to good people, and that in fact you live in a world where your own government will torture and imprison a journalist for publishing embarrassing facts about it. And it’s certainly a lot more comfortable than believing you could be next.
The just world fallacy explains so much about what’s going on today. It explains why everyone scrambles to defend their government when it begins victimizing a sovereign nation for refusing to comply with the demands of the powerful. It explains why people have been so easily propagandized into believing that poverty is caused by the laziness of the poor rather than the exploitation of the rich. It explains why people are so quick to justify the censorship of a perceived political enemy on the internet. It explains why any time video footage of a controversial police shooting goes viral, the comments are always flooded with people saying the victim should have known better than to get down on the ground so slowly or reach for his wallet so quickly. It explains why attempts to discuss rape culture are so often bogged down by moronic comments about how its victims should behave. It explains why people justify mass government surveillance claiming that if you’ve got nothing to hide, you’ve got nothing to worry about. Some of these issues are more obvious to those on the left of the partisan divide, and some of them are more obvious to those on the right, but the impulse to create a false sense of safety in yourself is the exact same in all examples.
Even those who are wide awake to what’s going on in the world and don’t fall for any of the victim-blaming dynamics described above still often fall for a victim-blaming illusion of their own: the impulse to blame the propagandized masses for being propagandized, instead of blaming the propagandists. This one is just as deluded as any of the others, and it works for the same reason: it’s just plain more psychologically comfortable to believe that someone is being victimized by the system because of some flaw in the victim.
If we had a just and fair world, creating propaganda would be illegal along with murder, theft, fraud, and every other infraction on an individual’s personal sovereignty. To be clear, I don’t think that trying to make it illegal would work. I believe we need to evolve beyond the manipulations so they no longer affect us, but that requires us to see it as the serious offense that it is. If in the future we are to evolve to see it clearly, propaganda will elicit an instant and aggressive backlash from the collective against the propagandist. But right now it doesn’t, and it’s protected in part by people who believe that the crime of manipulation is outweighed by the crime of being trusting. Deliberately manipulating people for money, power or both is an attack on people’s psychological sovereignty, and until we see it as such then we will never turn our anger where it’s meant to go: on the perpetrators. If we can’t eradicate propaganda then we will never be able to see and understand what’s going on in the world clearly enough to fix it.
In reality, we live in a very unjust world. We live in a world where money is the only real valuing system, and money selects for ruthlessness. Money elevates those who will do what it takes to get ahead, and so money elevates sociopaths. No amount of muddle-headed magical thinking about “karma” is going to make that untrue. There is no grand arbiter in the sky selecting for goodness and badness. We must select good and badness. People must be held to account for their actions by those that observe that those actions are unjust. Great things happen to bad people, and awful things happen to good people, and when culture elevates greed and sociopathy that is only going to get more true until we put an end to it.
It is psychologically comfortable to believe that we live in a just world. It is much less psychologically comfortable to understand that we don’t, and that we never will unless we fight very hard for it. One is an illusion, the other is reality. A preference for reality over comfort is the primary factor which separates those who serve corrupt power from those who speak out against it.
________________
The best way to get around the internet censors and make sure you see the stuff I publish is to subscribe to the mailing list for my website, which will get you an email notification for everything I publish. My work is entirely reader-supported, so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around, liking me on Facebook, following my antics on Twitter, throwing some money into my hat on Patreon or Paypal, purchasing some of my sweet merchandise, buying my new book Rogue Nation: Psychonautical Adventures With Caitlin Johnstone, or my previous book Woke: A Field Guide for Utopia Preppers. For more info on who I am, where I stand, and what I’m trying to do with this platform, click here. Everyone, racist platforms excluded, has my permission to republish or use any part of this work (or anything else I’ve written) in any way they like free of charge.
Bitcoin donations:1Ac7PCQXoQoLA9Sh8fhAgiU3PHA2EX5Zm2
|
https://medium.com/@caityjohnstone/the-just-world-fallacy-why-people-bash-assange-and-defend-power-33aa587437ad
|
['Caitlin Johnstone']
|
2019-07-23 13:01:23.471000+00:00
|
['Julian Assange', 'Media Criticism', 'Propaganda', 'Politics', 'Corruption']
|
Reinforcement Agent
|
In my previous articles, I have given a brief detail on reinforcement learning and some of its algorithms.
Today, I am going to tell you about some simple explanation about how reinforcement agent work in an environment that is never interact before.
Photo by Daniel Cheung on Unsplash
Reinforcement agent when acting within an unknown environment, it learns the optimal behavior to achieve the value function to get the reward. The behavior of agent will be controlled by the policy. First of all, an agent link with input values. Then it changes representation of that data set. This will help to agent to identify hard input representation and it will help to go forward than initial input values.
|
https://medium.com/analytics-vidhya/reinforcement-agent-3bb7d1611a1b
|
['Imalka Prasadini']
|
2020-12-08 16:12:51.740000+00:00
|
['Reinforcement Learning', 'Agents']
|
Natural Cannabis: The Conclusive Direct
|
Have you ever loaded a great dish and simply taken a minute to appreciate the basic benefits of your preferred woman, Mary Jane? Have you ever taken a 2nd to value the decedent crystal protection or breathed at night, abundant fragrance of the natural herb you are ready to smoke?
It is quite risk-free to state we have all valued an especially high quality set of cannabis. There’s absolutely nothing rather like obtaining a great bag, the type you understand is most likely to leave you in the throes of jubilance after simply a couple of tokes.
Yet, have you ever questioned: Where did this weed originate from? How was it expanded? Exactly what is within this wonderful grow that I love a lot? What am I really placing within my body?
There’s more to cigarette smoking cigarettes weed compared to basic dankness and strength. What makes some cannabis various compared to others is how it is expanded. When it concerns placing something within your body, it is essential that the compounds you are selecting are really great for your health and wellness. Much like those homegrown spinach salads you shovel into your gobs at Entire Foods, so to ought to your weed be held to the exact same high stand of manufacturing.
It is not simply “hip” to appreciate your bodies, men. It is actually the distinction in between durability and illness. It is time to place health and wellness initially in all elements of life. Indeed, this consists of your cannabis.
Since previously the birth of the hipster, there was a cumulative of those that choose to take in the healthiest plants, foods and compounds for human usage. Sadly, contemporary farming methods are more heck curved on automation instead of the physical health and wellness and ecological damages triggered by these techniques.
So what is with all this undesirable food manufacturing? As the world populace has escalated over the previous century, the need for food put stress on manufacturers that succumbed to the contemporary commercial technique of farming. Farming ended up being regarding automation, with no factor to consider for the damages that manufacturing had on both the planet and the item themselves.
Harmful compounds such as chemicals, harmful plant foods and hydroponics have ended up being so normalized in contemporary farming and food manufacturing that lots of seldom consider what impacts these chemicals and techniques carry our food. We never ever truly take a 2nd to marvel how this fresh summertime squash entered into this supermarket and into our layers.
A brand-new motion in create manufacturing is quickly acquiring increasingly more grip. Currently, some manufacturers pursue high quality over amount, which winds up providing customers much healthier items around the world. Rather than the shortsighted vision of automation, concentrate is rather moving to the method these items are created.
Certain, the food I consume might be moving to a healthier technique of manufacturing, however what does it need to finish with Cannabis?
Cannabis is one of the most commonly utilized, non-addictive compound on the planet. It is so thoroughly noticeable with more stress compared to we can matter, and since it is primary fight was its course I medication category and has for that reason been unlawful for the majority of its presence, many people do not truly think about how it is expanded.
If we’re most likely to stringently check the method our veggies and fruits are expanded, does not it make good sense to prefer the exact same cautious procedure to be utilized for our cannabis? Besides, we’re placing whatever within our bodies. There ought to be equivalent discrimination for whatever we take in.
If we desire our salads to be natural, we ought to desire our weed to be natural as well.
So, let’s discuss cannabis farming. There are conventional modern farming techniques with ‘super chemicals’ that are meant for fast development, farming and usage. This is the simplest method. Much like the automation of corn, lettuce of veggies en masse, so to exist mass techniques for expanding your weed. After that, there is the method nature has meant for it to be — natural.
Inning accordance with US Legislation, the cannabis market cannot lay declare the exact same natural tag as various other crops can. Since cannabis is still unlawful at the government degree, it is not yet feasible to obtain the exact same degrees of authorization as lawful compounds. It’s not a lot thought about a grow as it’s a medication. The tag “natural” needs accreditation by the US Division of Farming, a government company.
However federal government accredited or otherwise, natural cannabis still definitely exists. And it’s the method to go when selecting your item.
Beginnings of Natural Cannabis
The Uproot Guy
Jeff Lowenfels, A Harvard grad, attorney, and enthusiastic Alaskan gardener provided birth to a brand-new age of growing cannabis that establish the tone for the natural motion in The u.s.a..
His uncommon however noticeably audio horticulture motions were sufficient to tremble up a tornado among the cannabis farming motion and trigger lots of house and yard proprietors to concern conventional horticulture techniques. “Allow the ‘no rake’ motion started!”, as enlabelled in among article in the Alaska Send off. The no rake motion describes the concept of not disrupting the plant’s dirt and just enabling the dirt take its all-natural program. This implies, no outdoors, human disturbance. It implies no chemicals, no chemicals and no damage to the completed item. It implies enabling the planet to produce plants without requiring abnormal development.
His guidance was audio and there was evidence to suit the declare that natural was king.
Given it had not snowed throughout the autumn period in Alaska, some property owners were discovering their yards appearance more green and rich Nature was delegated take its program in a typical method The yard clippings and fallen leaves were laid off to degeneration, leading to the plants to feeding themselves, without human disturbance. As Jeff terms it “Teaming With Microorganisms”.
Yards appeared to be perfect; precisely how one would certainly desire them when the snow melts in the springtime. The turf was green, fertile and tidy.
Throughout the fall period when the fallen leaves autumn and strike the ground, compost up, and are laid off, nature take its program. With no fertilizer to disrupt. This procedure that occurs is called a “dirt food internet”. When you exclude all the additional human disturbance, the procedure is called: natural. Go number.
A dirt food internet is comprised of the neighborhood of microorganisms that lives totally or partly in the dirt. The dirt food describes a rather complicated living system in concerns to the dirt and how it interacts with the plants, pets, and the atmosphere about it.
When Alaskan property owners and gardeners saw their eco-friendlies more vibrant in their flower compared to before, words began to spread out. Expanding organically was a no-brainer: much far better for the atmosphere, more all-natural, and much far better outcomes.
As time took place, create ended up being increasingly more prominent. All of a sudden, it was really en style to purchase, expand and consume just organically expanded food And as the health food motion penetrated the material of culture, people started looking for natural options to not simply their food, however in whatever they taken in. Obviously, this all-natural chain of occasions ultimately result in the prefer for an natural cannabis or smoke and consume.
In specifies such as Colorado and California, where the health food pattern was especially durable natural cannabis expanded in appeal.
Across the country, generation is removaling more to an age of approval and legalisation of cannabis.
With specifies starting to legalize not just clinical use, however likewise leisure, more stipulations for the techniques of cannabis cultivation will fall under location. As a matter of fact, they currently are. And therefore, starts real age of natural cannabis cultivation.
Let’s reduced to the chase after: What is truly so incorrect with non-organic?
If we have smoked, consumed and ingested inorganic cannabis so far, why ought to we button to natural currently?” We consume non-organic food constantly, so can we manage with taking in non-organic cannabis with no unfavorable adverse effects? Let’s take a look at the drawback of non-organic cannabis.
Toxic substances
It might not instantly be obvious when you are enjoying your preferred stress, however those ‘super chemicals’ and ‘specialized grow foods’ do bring chemicals and toxic substances.
These toxic substances remain in no chance all-natural and are not expected to be funneled with our bodies.
The toxic substance, Piperonyl butoxide (PBO), it’s a synergist chemical; that’s often contributed to chemicals to enhance their efficiency. Piperonyl butoxide (PBO) and bifenthrin are simply a few of one of the most typical toxic substances discovered in the dirts utilized in mass-produced farming
Bifenthrin is an artificial pyrethroid that’s utilized in the cannabis market to ‘bomb’ grow-rooms between crops to manage crawlers mites. However the plants might not have been provide at the moment, it was discovered that bifenthrin application results in long-lasting contamination of devices, lights, air flow systems, and the basic work environment.
“Cigarette smoking cigarettes can produce pyrolysis substances with unidentified toxicities, and inhaled chemicals go into the blood stream without initially going through first-pass metabolic process by the gastrointestinal and hepatic systems. Consequently, inhaled chemicals are generally provide at a lot greater degrees in the body compared to those that are by mouth ingested.” — Pesticide Utilize on Cannabis, Cannabis Security Institute, 2014
Take a min to believe this over to on your own. Do you discover it attractive to breathe in a seriously extreme chemical utilized to eliminate big amounts of bugs? Do you wish to breath in something that’s so harmful, it wipes out flocks of microorganisms en masse? Yes, I really did not believe so.
Steels and Salts
Non-organically expanded plants are packed with hefty steels and salts. Consequently, this has a significantly unfavorable effect on the plant’s whole make-up.
Sprinkle soluble nitrogen, any type of sprinkle that fallen leaves the pot of an expanding grow, is still nutrient-laden. As sprinkle fallen leaves your pots, it takes together with it the steels and salts to its last factor of drain rivers, lakes, or the world’s seas.
Implying that these hazardous toxic substances are being pressed back into the beginnings of the expanding atmosphere, transforming the contamination of plants and create into a vicious circle of damage both to people and to the planet.
However we cannot preference a lot of these underscored unfavorable impacts when we take in non-organic cannabis, there are unfavorable impacts that are occurring behind the scenes. By utilizing salts and steels in the expanding cannabis plants, it blends with the rain, contaminating the groundwater. This problems in the regional atmosphere, contaminating rivers, lakes, and seas.
Advantages Of Natural Cannabis
Natural veggies are in some cases two times the cost of non natural veggies. Are the advantages well worth it? I assumption that depends upon that you ask.
When you take a look at the advantages of natural cannabis,it will appear quite unexpected that it is not commonly prominent. Let’s have a look at the end product that makes it into the hands of clients in addition to the ecological effect or organically expanded cannabis.
Much far better Strength, Preference and Taste
Mom Nature makes tastier rewards.
The important things that ought to truly offer you on going natural when it concerns weed? Natural cannabis preferences much far better and has more taste.
When you pressure feed the plants with crappy dirts full of hazardous toxic substances, it is never ever great for the general preference of the completed item. When you allow your cannabis expand normally, it will expand the manner in which it’s normally likely to expanded the method it is been expanding for countless years. And all of us ought to understand much far better compared to to mess with Mom Nature.
Like any type of grow, cannabis has complicated demands in purchase for it to expand efficiently. When your concentrate is automation, you are damaging nature’s made complex techniques by including chemicals.
Nature is a complex woman and it’s difficult to suit her wonder completely. If you mess with the method a grow normally expands, you can wager your behind that disappoint it is complete prospective.
Natural plants are delegated their very own gadgets and are for that reason enhanced for taste and scent. Mom Nature makes tastier rewards. Natural cannabis creates the ideal quantity of terpenes, terpenoids and cannabinoids:the fragrant mixes that provide cannabis its odor. cannabis owes its wonderful or citrus scent to the lots of these substances provide within its stems and fallen leaves.
Simply put, the more terpenoids and terpenes there are, the much far better the cannabis will odor and the more taste the end product will have.
Most importantly? Natural is constant. You will never ever take a look at natural cannabis and marvel, “What did the grower placed in this? Exist concealed toxic substances I might unknown regarding?”, You never ever need to marvel since you understand that it is all all-natural. Consequently, all individuals can appreciate the solid impacts of their unhindered item.
And Mom Nature Thank you You Kindly
Natural cannabis is finest for Mom Nature overall. Rather than manipulating the procedure ourselves, when we allow the microorganisms run the reveal, the grow can expand the method it is expected to.
This is much far better for the dirt, as the retentive prospective of the dirt for nutrients and sprinkle are enhanced and nutrition losses are reduced also. As a bi-product, it’s likewise much far better for the sprinkle, leaving it tidy, all-natural, and without any type of salts, steels, and chemicals.
When we permit Mom Nature take manage, it enables the biodiversity in the
location
to stay untouched. For that reason, the outcomes are ideal and the item is the very best it can be.
When people remain from the expanding procedure we have the ability to see the all-natural genes meant for the cannabis to appearance, preference, and odor, all while guaranteeing a healthier and lasting environment.
Much far better For The Atmosphere As a Entire
Much like every natural grow, expanding natural cannabis has a much less unfavorable effect on the atmosphere.
When you create natural nutrients, it needs much less refining compared with the more harmful options. When you expand natural cannabis, you do not need to discard or eliminate the staying chemicals or chemicals left.
Much like the food dirt internet explained previously, expanding cannabis organically includes all-natural composts that can be left as is. If you enable an all-natural cycle, the cycle of life will flourish separately.
Natural development is lasting, as it creates crops while likewise developing an environmental stabilize to avoid dirt fertility or insect issues. There’s no require for hefty insect eradication since the environment will normally take these issues into account.
Much more secure To Take in
Since cannabis was legalized in a number of specifies throughout the USA, it is ending up being more typical to depend on chemicals when expanding cannabis. These chemicals are implied to produce more crops and maintain away dangerous pets and weeds. Nevertheless, lots of cultivators are utilizing harmful chemicals for revenue. Like other agricultural market, cultivators sacrifices money and time for high quality and security.
When you breathe in nonorganic cannabis, you are breathing in greater than THC and various other cannabinoids;.you are breathing in chemicals and various other harmful neurotoxins. By not including chemicals, natural cannabis maintains your health and wellness dangers reduced, enabling you to enjoy all the advantages of cannabis without all the included dangers.
How Is Natural Cannabis Expanded?
Picture rich green areas, protected in gorgeous, peaceful greenhouses. Every one of these greenhouses includes the purest of cannabis plants, diligently sprayed with the cleanest sprinkle, in a environment that’s unpolluted and untainted.
These plants all appreciate the advantages of all-natural development. No require for privacy or automation. No require for chemicals or abnormal compounds. Just one of the most all-natural, ideal plants that God’s green planet would certainly need to provide.
This the desire that’s quickly ending up being the truth for the natural cannabis motion. No doubt, no complication. Simply natural, all-natural, healthy and balanced cannabis for everybody.
So how is everything done? Permit us to be your spirit overviews on this mission for natural knowledge.
Dirt
Organically expanding your plants begins with your tool. In many cases, that is the dirt.
Truthful Cannabis expands their buds in dirt groomed to offer the grow with what it requirements normally. By feeding the microbial life that feeds the grow we permit cooperative connections in the dirt look for precisely what the grow requirements. Just like the Rev’s Real Living Organics. Real Living Organics was designed to expand top quality clinical cannabis, however has ever since been embraced and is well fit to expand create also. Your fruits, veggies, natural herbs as well as your preferred blossoms. With Real Living Organics, you allow nature take its program and permit your grow to do what they’re configured to do.
Natural farmers can invest years pet grooming their areas to prepare for their crops. The quantity of nutrients in the dirt, the sprinkle thickness it can hold, and the high quality of watering all play extremely important consider expanding organically.
Every rainfall, the worms appear and take down natural issue, leaving small hillsides of nutrient-rich castings in its location. Microorganisms consume these castings transforming them into grow offered nutrients. These nutrients are one of the most differed and all-natural nutrients and are the very best method to feed your dirt. The more differed the products that enter into pet grooming your dirt, the much far better the high quality your cannabis will be.
Light
Expanding organically implies to utilize all-natural sunshine, however because of restrictions with place, atmosphere and various other elements, that’s almost difficult to do. Synthetic sunshine is the following finest option.
When it concerns choosing the very best light light bulb, there are lots of choices available. Truthful Cannabis has decided to utilize 315 watt ceramic steel halide light bulbs throughout the life of the grow. These light bulbs use the max range offered in interior illumination which many carefully looks like the sunlight. By shooting these light bulbs in various lights which run at various temperature levels, we use the appropriate associated shade temperature level to guarantee ideal grow development. By operating 315 watt light bulbs compared with market basic 1000 watt Truthful Cannabis wishes to guarantee a considerable power cost financial savings.
Concentrates
There are more methods to take in cannabis nowadays compared to you most likely recognize.
Concentrates are the bread and butter of cannabis farming. From oils to hash, it’s cannabis at its many powerful. It’s where you’re most likely to discover one of the most extremely extensive degrees of cannabinoids; the great things, the THC.
When it concerns various concentrates such as chilly sprinkle removal. BHO, alcohol removal and CO2 removal, you are actually condensing your item. It just makes good sense that you ought to desire the purest grow.
If you focus your cannabis, you are concentrating whatever nutrients, chemicals or toxic substances are within the make-up of that grow. When you ranch organically, the plants you are creating are toxin-free, guaranteeing that the concentrates you make from it are pure and toxin-free.
When ingesting a focus, the purer the item, the more efficient and risk-free that item will be. The last point you ought to be doing is messing with nature’s make-up when you are preparation to place it within your body.
When concentrates are made, it is utilized with generally completely dry product in advance. Right below at Truthful Cannabis, we exercise fresh cold rather, leaving the last high quality of better.
You have to have the ability to count on your resource when you’re taking in concentrates in any type of develop. Whether it is oils, edibles or or else, you need to understand where you are obtaining stow away is develop a dependable, expert and credible provider.
Why Colorado?
So, why base Truthful Cannabis from the stomping premises of The Rockies?
I expect the simplest point to begin with is that Colorado is just one of the 4 specifies that enables leisure use cannabis and among just twenty-three that enables cannabis to be utilized for clinical functions.
However there’s more to this compared to satisfies the eye.
Consider the higher ramifications of the fantastic, hilly specify of Colorado and its leisure cannabis. Colorado is the home of a populace of individuals that really value the charm that’s natural and aim to obey the natural way of life.
It is dressed up with the sickest swag shops for your cannabis requirements, it has dispensaries all over you transform, the very best consumes for the munchies and snowboarding in your yard. Besides, your snowboarding video game is bound to enhance when you have cannabis easily offered since workout was shown to improve when you smoke.
In addition to all that, Colorado has a fantastic environment for expanding weed with it is crunchy awesome moisture.
So, what is quiting you from transferring to Colorado and signing up with us for a smoke?
|
https://medium.com/@johnswiden/natural-cannabis-the-conclusive-direct-390c9a98cb40
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['John Swiden']
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2021-05-16 10:33:07.620000+00:00
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['Cannabis Industry', 'Cbd', 'Marijuana', 'Weed', 'Cannabis']
|
Mozambican Seed Producer Plants Seeds for Success
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Companhia de Zembe CEO, Antonio Manjate at the company headquarters in Chimoio. The slogan at the top reads “Together We Invest in Success.” Photo courtesy of Antonio Manjate.
The proliferation of counterfeit seeds and low-quality agricultural inputs is a major challenge in Mozambique. Antonio Manjate, owner of seed supply company — Companhia de Zembe, sought to overcome these challenges by establishing an agribusiness to supply reliable, high-quality seeds that meet both regional and international quality standards. Through support from Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) implementer Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA), Manjate steadily progressed his business and developed the tools that were needed for success.
Manjate started his business in 2011 with a focus on grain production before shifting the focus to seed supply. From 2012 to 2019 he hosted seven F2F volunteers, and over this period his business grew 100-fold — from three tons to 300 tons per year — and expanded to include soybeans, beans, cowpeas, maize, sesame and agro-inputs.
Initially, F2F volunteer assignments helped Manjate understand and identify the cornerstones on which his company was built — seed quality and reliability — so that the company could build trust with farmers and a positive reputation for the Zembe brand. Their coaching covered several topics, including farm management, strategic business planning and development, irrigation plans for seed production, marketing, and a branding development strategy.
F2F volunteer, Kirk Schmidt with Companhia de Zembe staff while on assignment in Chimoio, Mozambique. Photograph courtesy of Kirk Schmidt.
During one assignment with volunteer Kirk Schmidt in 2012, Manjate shared that he saw his own mentality change as he began to better understand the vast potential in agriculture through a well-planned business. “Before, we had no strategy,” Manjate said. “But now that we have harvested, we can see the advantages in our farming operations because we are using improved varieties and cultivation techniques.”
Similarly, Schmidt saw the potential in Manjate’s rapid responsiveness noting that “Zembe developed a flexible operational structure, recognizing supply hurdles and planning around them, to reach new successes.”
That assignment alone led to a production increase from five to 65 tons of maize, soybeans, sesame, and beans, as well as contracts with large buyers. Most importantly, it allowed Manjate to leave his job to work full-time at Companhia de Zembe.
Woman shops at Companhia de Zembe headquarters in Chimoio, Mozambique.
In 2014, Zembe further diversified its products to include fertilizers and other varieties of seed after a F2F volunteer supported the company to develop a new business plan. To support this expansion, F2F also provided a volunteer in 2016 to assist in the development of a new five-year strategic plan which included the creation of an out-grower network.
Today, Zembe works with a network of 50 out-growers, and plans to increase to 70 in the 2020–2021 season.
Zembe’s success extends beyond the company itself — providing improved access to quality seed for thousands of customers, supporting greater incomes, and ultimately improving food security.
Noting his gratitude for the work F2F volunteers have provided over the years, Manjate said, “The CNFA F2F volunteers helped us build a brand that has a reputation in the market and is financially viable. Thanks to them, we can say today that our goal is to be the leaders in the seed market in Mozambique.”
|
https://medium.com/@cnfapr/mozambican-seed-producer-plants-seeds-for-success-d1987abda110
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['Cnfa', 'Cultivating New Frontiers In Agriculture']
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2020-12-03 21:36:00.177000+00:00
|
['Agriculture', 'Farming', 'Volunteering', 'Usaid', 'Mozambique']
|
Employees need mentorship, not dictatorship
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I have seen from my experience in the industry that a leader that lacks empathy is the worse. People work not only for $$$, but also for respect and relationship.
No mentorship
Some bosses just keep working on “his/her” things without spending time on developing the skills of his/her employees. S/he fails to understand that s/he is as good as his/her team. Without any direction or mentorship, the team becomes dysfunctional within a short time.
Unbalanced feedback
Some bosses doesn’t provide feedback at all. Some bosses provide feedback too much. Some bosses only provide negative feedback. All of these are bad. There should be a balance on the feedback. Nobody likes to be judged all the time or hear only negative things.
|
https://medium.com/@pintsalt/employees-need-mentorship-not-dictatorship-f5482ff6b484
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['Pint Salt']
|
2020-12-13 23:29:39.164000+00:00
|
['Corporate Culture', 'Workplace']
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Please, Take Care of Yourself.
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At this moment in time, I feel angry, anxious, and a bit frustrated. I seriously thought that we’d be on the mend by June, but I personally think that was me putting too much faith in humanity. I know there are people making a strong effort to stop the spread of this horrible virus that’s taking the lives of so many by not going out if it’s not essential, nor hanging out with those not in their households and staying away from pubic places without masks. But there are others in this world that act like this world isn’t in a state of emergency.
The reality is life will not be like it was pre-covid19 and those who keep acting like everything’s fine are the reason we’re falling back into the worst tier on the west coast.
What also angers me is the media showing only people around the ages of 18–35 out partying and acting like they have no moral compass or compassion for other’s well-being is not only repulsive but telling a half-truth.
I’ve seen more and more people way older than the ages the media is showing not covering up, having get-together’s, and being totally oblivious to the reality of our lives today.
When I was in my early 20’s, I had a clear moral compass and knew that I could die. I am not God nor some super-human being that could live forever. I thought about life often and how fragile it was. I often thought to myself that with one false judgment or move, it could be over for me.
It pains me to watch the news and see how privileged people think they are when it comes down to having to wear a mask. No one has the right to infect people. So in some ways, you can say many are killing people for the sake of wanting their “rights” and “freedom,” which in my opinion, is an evil way of thinking and being.
I wish more people thought about the many nurses, scientists, and Doctors that are risking their health and lives every single day to protect and save ours. Or even people like me that have an autoimmune disease that doesn’t get the privilege of a healthy system that can fight sicknesses off as well as many young people.
As for so many alike, the reality of right now has taken a huge toll on my mental health. My depression has spiked and I have been feeling more alone than I ever have in my adult life. Feelings of past traumas have come forth in my brain again even after all the therapy and coping skills I’ve learned and used to help deal with it.
I know this year is only but a second in time, two years from now, we’re going to look back and remember all of this madness and it will be a distant memory. But for now, while we’re in the thick of it and it seems like this will never end, please take care of yourself.
If you need to call someone or see their face on zoom or google hangout, please have them make time to do so. Make an appointment with your therapist as much as your wallet and insurance can afford or as much as you need.
But also, please give yourself a moment to breathe. No one in our generation has ever experienced something like this. This is new, strange, and scary for all of us, so the best thing to do is turn off the news, Twitter, or however you digest your media and rest your mind.
Try to keep yourself busy by watching a ton of different movies, read books that you wouldn’t necessarily read if you didn’t have all this time, or maybe try to learn a new language; my goal is to be advanced french at least by June 2021 which keeps me pretty busy for a few hours at a time.
Even though it feels like this time will never end, I believe we’ll get through this. We just have to take it one day at a time.
|
https://medium.com/@kennedymontecue/please-take-care-of-yourself-5ba82b731319
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['Kennedy Montecue']
|
2020-12-23 17:54:53.362000+00:00
|
['Health', 'Mental Illness', 'Self Care', 'Mental Health', 'Covid 19']
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How to absorb Critical Feedback. Critical feedback is essential for your…
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Critical feedback is essential for your career growth because it can improve your skillset exponentially. You should always surround yourself with people who can give critical feedback. Consider it a blessing and remember it is for your benefit only. Who could have summarized it better than Bill Gates himself:
“We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.”
Personally speaking, I used to get agitated when receiving feedback in early stages of my career. I have become humble over the years. Thanks to people around me for providing continuous feedback. Let me lay out of a few tips that helped me:
Analyse before you react:
Always avoid responding when you feel agitated about a particular feedback point. The right words never come out in such a situation. You should always take a day or two to analyze the feedback given and then get back to your manager with tangible action items. You will be in a much better state of mind to have a meaningful discussion by following this approach.
Understand the feedback in spirit:
It takes years for people to understand what does it mean to execute tasks in “spirit” where the focus should be on learning and improving.
Let’s take a simple example here. You write two blogs as per the objective set by your manager. However, you get the feedback that both blogs need to be re-written because they are not up to the mark.
Now, here is the important point. You need to understand the improvement area in your writing skills for producing high quality blogs. Never have a discussion that your objective should be marked as complete since you have written the blogs already. It just defeats the overall purpose.
Define tangible action items:
Sometimes verbal feedback is lost in translation. Define and document tangible action items before you sign off from a review meeting. This helps in setting clear expectations. Then it is your job to follow up aggressively and provide a timely closure to all the action items.
Understand that your manager is not an angel:
Your manager is a human. He may end up giving feedback in an aggressive tone sometimes. You should empathize with him here and should not expect him to be 100% cool all the time. You never know what kind of a day he is having.
Best approach in such a situation is to avoid confrontation and define action items to be discussed in a follow up meeting.
Seek feedback from people outside your company:
You should have a mentor outside your company as well for discussion of your career growth. This mentor should have more exposure in professional life than your immediate manager. It helps in getting a broader perspective.
Know when to reject feedback:
You should create alignment with your manager about your long-term goals. Consider a situation where you want to specialize in Artificial Intelligence eventually but your manager advises otherwise. Given such a situation, it is okay to resign from the company or request a team switch because you need to align your current work with your long-term goals. This should be done in an amicable manner without any resentment.
Remember, a person is always learning in life. You cannot master the art of absorbing feedback in one day. It takes a lot of practice and you might have to fine tune your personality a bit as well. In short, learn to absorb feedback and use it to refine your skills for career growth.
|
https://medium.com/@muhammadawaid/absorbing-critical-feedback-ceb49927c911
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['Muhammad Awaid']
|
2020-12-20 19:09:42.565000+00:00
|
['Career Development', 'Career Advice', 'Feedback']
|
Review: The Negro and Fusion Politics in North Carolina 1894–1901 by Helen Edmonds
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“The years between 1891 and 1899 were fitful years in the history of North Carolina.” -Helen Edmonds
I first became aware of this book in 2019 when I read an advanced copy of David Zucchino’s book Wilmington’s Lie: The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy. Zucchino referenced that Edmonds wrote the first book that gave a more truthful account of the 1898 Wilmington Coup. Edmonds’s 1951 book is about more than the coup, it is a story of coalitional politics and its backlash. It covers the Fusion era which was a short period of time between 1895–1901 when the Republican and Populist parties united and gain controlled of the state government. African Americans who were a constituency of the Republican party also gained political power.
Helen Edmonds
Edmonds’s book picks up when NC’s Reconstruction ends in 1876. The Democrats controlled state politics from 1877–1894, their election policies and voter suppression kept them in control. The Democrats were the “white man’s party”, especially when Blacks became more active in the Republican party. 1894 was when a major change occurred, the Fusion ticket of Republicans and Populist gained control of the General Assembly. As a result they were able to pass a new election law which essentially made it easier for Blacks, who were disenfranchised in the Democratic regime, to vote. Additionally, Black Republican leaders gained seats in the federal, state, and local governments. This effort continued when the Fusion ticket won reelection in 1896. The Fusion coalition was tenuous at best, there was not much coordination between the parties, with the exception of nominating the same people for state office. The biggest difference between the two parties was that the Populist party was not a big fan of Blacks being active in politics.
“There is no term more calculated to strike terror to the hearts of Southern whites than the expression ‘Negro domination’”. -Helen Edmonds
One of the central Democratic White supremacist claims during this period was that the 1890s was a time of “Negro Domination”. “Negro Domination” essentially meant that Blacks were taking over the government at all levels (federal, state, and local). In four chapters, Edmonds chronicles the Black officials who held office during this period. She tells their names, positions, and some of their accomplishments and challenges. In the end she comes to the strong conclusion that there was no Negro Domination when you examined the ratio of Black officials to their White counterparts. She even goes on to say that the number of Black officials do not come close to the proportion of Blacks that lived in the state. “Negro domination” was a fear tactic, plain and simple, of a “slowly” changing society. Edmonds makes it plain when she states, “It was never so much a question of the number of positions, for that was negligible in terms of the Negro ratio in population, nor of the quality of positions since few held positions of importance, but it was a question of a Negro being in an office and the whites seeing him in that office” (132).
The stats did not matter to the White supremacists, they wanted their power back. So in 1898 they campaigned on “Negro Domination” and promised to end the political rights of Blacks. They used the press to publish racist cartoons, pictures, and articles to turn Whites against Blacks. Groups like the Red Shirts came into the state, threatening political violence, which ultimately led to the Wilmington Coup. The White Supremacist campaign of 1898 worked and the Democrats regained controlled of the state, overturning Fusion laws and enacting new segregation laws in the state. Edmonds coverage of the different segregation bills was very interesting. Central to the White Supremacist legacy was the passage of a constitutional amendment that disenfranchised Black voters and some poor White voters by instituting a grandfather clause and literacy test in order to vote. The remainder of the book covers the campaign of 1900 which was about the passage of the constitutional amendment.
Edmonds’s book is a great political history of Fusion in NC which was a rarity in Southern Politics. The Fusion era in NC was brief and it ushered in some reform to the state’s political and economic system. I found that the political playbook during some of the campaigns reminded me of how racial politics is played today. Voter suppression and racial grievance was an aspect of the 1890s as it still is today, the only difference is that its less explicitly racist and the mediums of the campaigning have changed.
Overall, Edmonds’s writing is super clear and lucid, not dry at all in my opinion especially since this book is an academic text. The stories she tell, which occurred 50 years before the book was published, read as if they happened only a few years ago. In her coverage of the elections, Edmonds writes like a modern day political data reporter especially when she discusses demographic changes across elections. Fans of NC political history will enjoy this study.
|
https://medium.com/ballasts-for-the-mind/review-the-negro-and-fusion-politics-in-north-carolina-1894-1901-by-helen-edmonds-40eea93c09fb
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['Raymond Williams']
|
2021-02-04 03:39:39.046000+00:00
|
['History', 'Book Recommendations', 'North Carolina', 'Nonfiction', 'Book Review']
|
Easily Handle Advanced Requests on Android with GraphQL and RxJava
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Photo by SpaceX on Unsplash
Introduction
Welcome to part two of my series on GraphQL, Android, and RxJava! If you haven’t already, be sure to check out my part one article where I go over the basics of using RxJava with GraphQL on Android. In this article, we’ll go over some more advanced topics, such as handling parallel and dependent requests. Let’s get to it!
Setup
We’re going to continue using the Android app we setup in my last article for the examples here. We’ll continue using the SpaceX GraphQL API for this article as well. Particularly, the rocket and launchpads queries. Let’s start off by writing GraphQL queries for these endpoints.
First, the rocket query:
This should be pretty familiar if you’ve read my previous article, the only difference is the $id parameter we added. That’s used to specify which rocket we want to fetch, and we’ll use it later in our Java code.
Now the launchpads query:
Nothing special here, just some good ole’ GraphQL.
With our GraphQL queries written, all that’s left is to make methods for them in our Server class.
First, rocket :
Again, this is pretty similar to our previous setup. However, notice the id argument in the method definition. We use that to set the $id argument we defined earlier in our GraphQL query file.
Next, launchpads :
This one’s just like our other server methods. We create an ApolloQueryCall , use that to create a query object, and then convert it into an Observable so we can work our Rx magic.
That’s it for our Server class. You can reference the repo version to make sure yours is setup correctly. With that done, we should be all set to dive into some advanced request scenarios.
Scenario 1: Parallel Requests
Our first scenario is a very common one, parallel requests. Often times, we need to make multiple requests to get the data we need. In our case, we’re going to make a page that lists information about a rocket along with a list of launchpads it’s used. Since these requests are independent of each other, we should do them in parallel. The best way to handle this scenario is to do both requests in the beginning, show a loading indicator while we wait for a response, and then show the page once both requests are done. Using a combination of GraphQL and RxJava, doing this on Android becomes really easy.
First, let’s create an Observable of our rocket query:
Notice that we save this observable instead of immediately acting on it. That’s because we’re going to combine it with the our second request so we can act on the combined result. Don’t worry though, the request is made as soon as we call our fetchRocket method.
We then do our launchpads query and combine the two requests with zipWith :
Here, we do our launchpads query and zip it with the observable from our previous query. The second argument is a function that describes how to combine the two request responses. In our case, we’ll first sort through the launchpads and only save the ones that were used by the rocket we wanna show. Then, we combine the data from the two requests into a Pair .
In this step of our pipeline, we’ve combined the responses from our requests into a new object. Our zipWith function won’t get called until both responses resolve, so all we have to worry about now is handling the combined result. At this point, it’s just like handling a regular request. We can just use subscribeWith :
Notice that the class definition uses Pair<RocketQuery.Rocket,List<String>> , this is the return type from our zipWith function and the types need to match for our pipeline to work. In onNext we use the Pair we created in zipWith to fill in our views with the response data. We then turn off the loading state in onComplete . For simplicity sake, I didn’t handle error state, but this can be easily done in the onError event handler. With this step our pipeline should be complete, you can double check your pipeline by checking out this code file.
Using Apollo Android and RxJava, we were able to handle parallel requests with ease. This could easily be scaled up to handle more parallel requests, just add another zipWith for each new request and update your subscribeWith accordingly.
Scenario 2: Dependent Requests
In our last scenario, the two requests were independent of each other, but what if they weren’t? Sometimes we need to make multiple requests, but the second request requires data from the first request. In this scenario, we can’t run the requests in parallel, instead we have to run them sequentially.
This time we’re still going to display information about a rocket, but we only have the rocket’s name, not its id. That means that we first have to do a request to the rockets endpoint(see my last article), get the id from the response, and then call rocket using that id. Handling this scenario on Android is a breeze with GraphQL and RxJava.
First, we’re going to query the rockets endpoint, and then use concatMap to handle the result:
Here, we use the fetchRockets method we created in my previous article, but handle it with concatMap . With concatMap , we can handle the response and then pass information down to the next step in our RxJava pipeline. First, we sort through the list to find the rocket we’re looking for. Once we find the right rocket, we use its id to make a request to our rocket endpoint.
Notice that we’re returning the Observable created by fetchRocket , that’s because we’ll use it in our next pipeline step, shown below:
This code snippet should be all too familiar by now. Just like our other examples, we use subscribeWith to handle the response. You can check the completed pipeline here. With RxJava, we can handle complex GraphQL requests on Android with ease.
Conclusion
By taking advantage of the Apollo Android and RxJava libraries, we can handle some pretty complex request scenarios without difficulty. Be sure to check out this article’s companion repo for a more in depth look at the code. In my next article, I’ll talk about how to write Android instrumented tests for the GraphQL requests we’ve made. Be sure to follow me so you don’t miss it!
As always, thanks for reading and give me a 👏 if you enjoyed this article! I love seeing how my readers use what they’ve learned, so please share how you’re using these strategies in your own Android apps in the comments below.
|
https://levelup.gitconnected.com/easily-handle-advanced-requests-on-android-with-graphql-and-rxjava-dca2cc0cecee
|
['Akash Eldo']
|
2020-12-15 19:02:01.674000+00:00
|
['Android App Development', 'Rxjava', 'GraphQL', 'Apollo Client', 'Apollo']
|
How To Keep Your Home Life and residential workplace Life Separate
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Running a business from home presents an entire host of issues that arise for the salaried employee. correct analysis and preparation are important to launching a winning home business. At a similar time, anyone running such a business ought to stay on the lookout for recent ideas to enhance their performance. See the subsequent for tips to enhance your home business.
Gather testimonials for your web site. Show the general public at massive what content purchasers are locution concerning your merchandise. after you receive high-praise from happy customers, raise them if you’ll be able to use their words on your web site. If they are saying affirmative, convey them by causation them a free sample of your latest product.
Make sure your web content has the potential to host the Associate in Nursing e-store. Customers just like the convenience of having the ability to get Associate in Nursing items over the internet; generally, it’s refreshing to be ready to get what you wish while not interacting with anyone quickly. you may even be ready to sell your product to those who wouldn’t have an opportunity to order it otherwise.
Before you begin your home business, it’s vital to possess a solid understanding of what you wish to do and be ready to visualize. However, you’re aiming to get it on and apprehend what resources you may get to build it happen. The answers to those mustn’t simply be in your head however, conjointly on paper. Write a business plan! it’ll not solely clarify what you’re stepping into; however, it conjointly shows wherever you may be lacking.
To achieve success together with your home business, you may get to have varied skills and be ready to fulfill several roles. a number of the areas you’re aiming to be committed are management, accounting, client support, and selling. However, it’s not necessary to be nice in each single one in every one of these areas. as an example, if you’re not the simplest at giving friendly client support, you’ll be able to freelance a virtual assistant to assist you.
There are several resources like books to assist you to improve in a part you may be lacking, and as your business grows, you’ll be able to rent consultants to require over entire sections of your business. Before you venture into a home-based business, raise yourself why you wish to begin a business. Your reasons would possibly include: you wish to be your boss; you wish to precise your creativity; you wish to supplement your income; or, it would be others.
Your reasons for desirous to begin a business can influence your call on what sort of business you begin. You should invariably be trying forward. it’s necessary to celebrate the successes that you just achieved within the past. However it’s even additional important not to lose specialize in this. you must specialize in what the longer term can bring. By frequently change your content, you stay awaken up to now with current trends and future obstacles.
If you keep targeted on the longer term, you’ll} increase your probabilities of being ready for no matter may return your manner. When starting your new home business, it is important to possess an internet site that you just will use to effectively market and sell your merchandise. this is often a key chance for you to expand your audience and maximize sales. typically times, hiring an expert to style your web site is that the best thanks to provides it the planning and feel you need.
Use Associate in Nursing attention-grabbing name for your web site domain. There are many alternative websites, and you wish to form certain that yours stands out from the remainder. A catchy name may be the right factor to urge traffic to your web site; it’ll be straightforward for a possible client to recollect and straightforward for them to access. When you begin a home business, you wish to think about whether or not you wish to hold the responsibilities of each side of the business or if you’d wish to rent outside facilitate, to require care of things.
You’ll wish to rent an Associate in Nursing comptroller to stay the books for your business. Therefore you are doing not notice that you just have created many mistakes return tax time. Find a home business venture that you just are interested in! this may profit you within the long run! Otherwise, acting from home is a lot of less pleasurable and a tougher task. to form successfully confirm your interests, goals, and capabilities — before you get involved in any business!
Before you begin your home business, ensure you’ve got the funds to try and do, therefore. folks are underneath the idea that running your business reception is affordable. this is often faraway from the reality. you’ve got to get hold of your product, your website, your workers (if you’ve got any, and plenty of alternative things. Build confidence in your business by changing into Associate in Nursing knowledgeable in your field. begin a journal for your home business, and write content supported relevant topics.
A journal is useful to your customers and builds positive exposure to your complete at a similar time. Best yet, the journal is a second traffic generator for your web site. Find the proper name for your home business. Have a selling agency assist you if necessary. Your name ought to evoke the service or merchandise you supply and encourage your customers to trust you and bear in mind you. believe completely different names and elicit people’s opinions. place a copyright on your business name. When it involves taxes and your home business, you wish to make certain that you just use your family to assist out with the business. this is often necessary as a result of you’ll be able to not solely keep your cash within the family, however, you’ll be able to conjointly use their salaries as a deduction.
Some of these ideas could prove helpful — perhaps even vital — to prospective home business owners. Because every home business is unique, it is up to their particular owners to put together a suitable strategy. This article is merely the tip of the home business advice iceberg; there is sure to be applicable advice available for any home business.
|
https://medium.com/@leizinternational/how-to-keep-your-home-life-and-residential-workplace-life-separate-f1b77194d7ea
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[]
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2020-12-23 12:57:11.885000+00:00
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['Home Appliance', 'Home', 'Coffee Machine', 'Household', 'House']
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Feelings. What love birds actually think…
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Feelings
love and relationships
Photo by Alex Iby on Unsplash
I drink tea
You drink coffee
That makes both of us
Really happy.
Rose is pink
Sky is blue
Hence I am singing a song for you.
Leaves are green
Birds have wings
Only Gods knows
What we both are doing.
Two lines make the angle
Three lines make a triangle
I will give you two gold bangles.
Vegetables are good
Cold drinks are bad
But I will never make you sad.
you watch Netflix
I play video games
Then who should we blame?
by taking wine
you are always fine
but daily crying
and you are always mine.
I will ride you in sunshine
We will dance in the rain
At last, our relationship will gain.
|
https://medium.com/flicker-and-flight/love-birds-45621a078964
|
['Mike Ortega']
|
2020-09-14 19:13:15.149000+00:00
|
['Poetry On Medium', 'Love Life', 'Poetry', 'Poem', 'Poetry Writing']
|
Infinite CBD’s Nano Technology: The Future of Human Nutrition
|
on The Economic Report
Nano CBD from INFINITE CBD
by Wilson Scott
The Infinite CBD website sports an incredibly simple, but dynamic user experience. One of the many features that make it easy for the CBD veteran to quickly shop and at the very same time give support to the CBD novice is the product category sections that Infinite CBD has created and laid out near the top of the homepage. Some of the titles for Infinite CBD product categories include Best Sellers, Capsules, Gummies, Topical, and even CBD for your pet. Most shoppers will be able to gain a basic level of understanding just by reading the word chosen to highlight each category, but there is one near the end of the line-up referred to and highlighted as Nano products.
You think Nano, you automatically think ‘small’, (others might think ‘if my grandmother is named Nana, then I guess my Nano would be my…?) but, back to the word ‘small’. What would be the good in Infinite CBD naming an entire category for something that just says to the average consumer ’small CBD’? Though ‘nano’ may very well represent something ‘small’, that is only a tiny part of the magic behind this big-time, and best-selling set of products that Infinite CBD calls Nano CBD. But, what is Nano CBD, how did it come about, and why does it have Infinite CBD customer’s raving about these tiny drops, or a tiny shot, or a simple liquid with life-enhancing abilities?
|
https://medium.com/@infinitecbd/infinite-cbds-nano-technology-the-future-of-human-nutrition-db8c2b81105c
|
['Infinite Cbd']
|
2020-08-07 16:54:04.222000+00:00
|
['Infinite Cbd', 'Cannabis Industry', 'Cannabis', 'The Economic Report', 'Cbd']
|
Basic equations to visualize complex dependencies
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A question like “What happened to sales last year?” sometimes requires a complex answer. “Well, it is a bit complicated: volume went down, but then prices went up, but as a result sales were up”. A simplified mathematical equation can help you visualize this.
Sometime in the near future I will post here how to do a proper “sources of change” analysis.
|
https://medium.com/slidemagic/basic-equations-to-visualize-complex-dependencies-1fbae5d0b011
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['Jan Schultink']
|
2016-12-27 08:43:16.552000+00:00
|
['Design', 'Presentation', 'PowerPoint', 'Presentation Design', 'Data Visualization']
|
Ke Tui Bol Song Lyrics In Bengali
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New Hindi And Bengali Songs Music is the best source of entertainment.Here we share the genuine lyrics of latest and upcoming bollywood and tollywood songs.
|
https://medium.com/@lyricallyyy/ke-tui-bol-song-lyrics-in-bengali-4b18a15e5acf
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[]
|
2020-12-27 17:21:11.637000+00:00
|
['Bengali', 'Lyrics', 'Arijit Singh', 'Romance', 'Love']
|
Intraday Forex Thursday, December 24 (EURUSD, USDJPY, & etc.) Sterling and euro extended gains on Brexit trade deal optimism.
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This observation is made around 5:00 UTC today, with 30 minutes time frames. The Resistance and Support Line were constructed according to Fibonacci retrenchment. Any discussion is welcomed.
Asian shares were higher on Thursday ahead of the Christmas break, as global investors cheered a potential Brexit deal and economic recovery prospects, ignoring U.S. President Trump’s threat to not sign the stimulus aid package and concern about a new strain variant of the coronavirus.
Sterling and euro extended gains on the cusp of Brexit trade deal, as both representatives hash out final details. The dollar was on the back foot as President Trump threaten to not approve the long-awaited stimulus bill, while the new cases of COVID-19 is surging.
I also does analysis for some other currencies. Read more on the website on TECHNICAL ANALYSIS and DAILY MARKET NEWS.
[EURUSD]
The euro strengthened 0.17% to $1.2203 on Thursday over optimism in Brexit deal.
on Thursday over optimism in Brexit deal. The dollar was on the back foot in holiday-thinned trading as hopes for the Brexit agreement that would protect some $1 trillion in annual cross-channel trade from tariffs and quotas sapped demand for the safest assets.
While the dollar moves faltered as President Trump threaten to not approve the long-awaited stimulus bill.
Important Levels to Watch for:
Resistance line of 1.22825 and 1.23303 .
and . Support line of 1.21279 and 1.20801.
[USDJPY]
The dollar was flat versus the yen to 103.580 on Thursday.
on Thursday. USD/JPY nearly recovered all their losses after a rally in stocks on Wednesday and today reduced the safe-haven demand for the yen.
The state of the $900 billion aid package that is yet to be passed by President Trump is watched as one of the factors in moving the currency.
Rally in Asian stocks of the day also factored into the tone.
Important Levels to Watch for Today:
Resistance line of 103.796 and 103.982 .
and . Support line of 103.196 and 103.010.
[USDCHF]
The dollar flat on Thursday to stay at 0.8876 against the Swiss franc.
against the Swiss franc. Investors weighting to bet either to or against the currency as President Trump threaten to not approve the long-awaited stimulus bill, while the new cases of COVID-19 is surging.
Important Levels to Watch for Today:
Resistance line of 0.89141 and 0.89388 .
and . Support line of 0.88341 and 0.88094.
[GBPUSD]
The British pound strengthened 0.46% to $1.35495 in the day after surging 0.9% in the previous session to snap a 3-day losing streak.
in the day after surging 0.9% in the previous session to snap a 3-day losing streak. The potential for a Brexit deal boosted sterling, while France lifted its ban on freight coming from Britain, which it had enacted in response to a more contagious coronavirus variant in Britain.
EU member states reportedly have started to prepare their procedure to put in place a new trade deal with the UK from Jan 1, indicating a deal could be imminent.
The elusive trade agreement will end on Dec 31. If by then there is no agreement to protect around US$1 trillion in annual trade from tariffs and quotas, businesses on both sides would be hit hard.
Important Levels to Watch for Today:
Resistance line of 1.36085 and 1.36857 .
and . Support line of 1.33588 and 1.32905.
|
https://medium.com/@zulbahrigb/intraday-forex-thursday-december-24-eurusd-usdjpy-etc-a189957a021c
|
['Zulbahri Muhammad']
|
2020-12-24 05:54:47.634000+00:00
|
['Forex', 'Stock Market', 'Brexit', 'Education', 'Finance']
|
Case Study: Tourism app for Umluj city
|
In this journey, we spot 3 opportunities
Assist her with all inspirations for Umluj — impressive videos, stories from across the world, and reviews by other travelers.
Make every stage very informative, provide answers, build a community, build trust.
Help her book hotels, destinations easily and effectively
Competitive Analysis
In an effort to learn from the strengths and weaknesses of competitors, we analyze many direct and indirect apps. The reason behind why we considered these apps is because they are more frequent apps users use before/during the travel experience or they are famous best practices in the scope of our problems.
Leaf daigram
🧐 Weakness
1- Only plan and wishlist: The ability to create their own package and pay one click is not there yet.
2- Local disadvantages: Travels app limits local just on housing, which limits the traveler experience in engaging with local in different aspects especially that in Umluj user find local vibe is really strong
3- No stories: Competitors don’t give more stories behind the place, the cultural aspects, as well as the history. so users go to google and search painfully to find that information.
4- Arabic language: Not all websites and apps offer the Arabic language which is important for us since we are targeting both Saudis and foreigners
💪 Strengthens
1- visible and minimal: Since travel apps are heavy text the main attention is for a picture which is also a strong tool to conveys a travel vibe to travel.
2- Smooth process to achieve any task without the need to figure out how to accomplish it.
3- consistency thought out the whole journey.
🔎 something we notice, Since Famous practices like ( Airbnb — trip advisor) go broad due to their international audience, this opens Opportunities for us to go in-depth and localize with the Umluj app.
🧠 IDEATE
Problem Statement
“N owadays, tourism in Saudi Arabia is gaining *huge* attention and different cities are on the move to attract tourists. However, our user is facing a struggle when planning to travel to Umluj, as the place lacks any accommodation or information about it online, Also losing their time in unmeaningful trips make them histated and afraid for entering new places like Umluj.
Possible solutions
We generated possible solutions by brainstorming ideas that can solve the pain points and get the business going. This leads to many ideas, but doing them all will make us design forever 🙄
So we did feature prioritization to bring Umluj key features
feature prioritization
Key Features
|
https://bootcamp.uxdesign.cc/ui-ux-case-study-tourism-app-for-umlaj-city-8797baeedef1
|
['Asma Hamad']
|
2021-03-12 07:34:58.518000+00:00
|
['Umlaj', 'Saudi Arabia', 'UX', 'Tourism', 'Travel']
|
Web development in Japan: Web Nihongo
|
Photo by Jase Bloor on Unsplash
Earlier this year, I moved from Norway to work as a web developer in the land of the rising sun 🇯🇵 . Having lived here for a few years a a student, I was already familiar with the country, but working as a web developer in a Japanese-speaking environment posed quite a few new challenges. Some concerning workplace manners, some concerning different approaches to web development best-practices, but most concerning using Japanese as a working language (web development can get quite tricky even in my native language!).
Having struggled through most of my first year, I figured I’d share common words and phrases specifically for web development in Japan. There are already plenty of resources for general professional language, but I never found anything specific to web development, so I figured I’d give a helping hand to other web developers facing similar challenges.
So without further ado, let’s start with the fundamentals.
The fundamentals
関数・メソッド = Function/Method
かんすう/kansuu・mesoddo
Both kansuu and mesoddo are frequently used to refer to functions and methods. Sometimes I’ll also hear アローファンクション (aroo fankushon) to refer to arrow functions, so you can probably get away with saying ファンクション (fankushon) as well.
実装 = Implementation
じっそう/jissou
If you want to talk about your implementation, this is the word you’re looking for. Like a lot of Japanese nouns, you can throw a する (suru) at the end to make it a verb (to implement), and then keep conjugating as you normally would, so for example “way of implementing” would be 実装しかた (じっそうしかた/jissou shikata).
期待値 = Expected value
きたいち/kitaichi
When talking about your functions, you probably want to explain what the expected value would be. Try explaining your functionality and the expected value using this word, and your colleagues will not be holding back the “日本語上手！” (nihongo jouzu) compliments!
機能 = Feature/Functionality
きのう/kinou
Explaining exactly what your functions are expected to do is often as important as what they’re expected to return. But this word also can be used to explain certain features you’re implementing in your branch.
So far so good! Now you should be able to explain to your PO: “that feature is not yet implemented!”: その機能はまだ実装されてないんです！ (sono jissou wa mada jissou saretenaindesu!)
自動生成 = Automatic generation
じどうせいせい (jidou seisei)
A bit on the borderline of fundamentals, but it didn’t really fit into my other categories, so here it is. Good for explaining that your test data is generated procedurally rather than manually created.
UI/UX
Assuming you work with frontend, you’ll want to be able to discuss the things you see on your screen. Even if you’re in the backend, it’s still valuable to be able to understand what the frontend people are talking about so you’ll be able to quickly fix that bug before anyone points any fingers at you!
画面 = Screen/Page
がめん/gamen
画面 is used to describe the pages of your website, although it can also mean the screen itself. In web development it’s often used to refer to the different main pages of your application. For example, 登録画面 (とうろくがめん/touroku gamen) would be the user registration page.
遷移 = Transition
せんい/seni
While it could mean the animations between different states of your application, it is usually used for the transition between pages. So for instance if you want to explain that a certain API call should be made when transitioning to a certain page, 遷移 is the word you’re looking for.
一覧 = List/Table
いちらん/ichiran
Pretty much every case where you’re generating a list of items on your page, and you want to refer to the list itself, this is the word you’re going to use. If your tables are quite list-like, this word also works fine for that case.
棒グラフ = Bar chart
ぼうグラフ (bou gurafu)
One of those nice variations in Japanese. Bar charts are of course referred to with the Japanese word for poles or rods, effectively making them called pole charts in Japanese.
API
The following words are useful when discussing front & back interactions.
同期・非同期 = Sync・Async
どうき・ひどうき (douki・hidouki)
Not strictly API-related, but often used in the same context, we have these words for discussing synchronous and asynchronous behavior. Especially useful when pointing out that React’s setState works asynchronously, so you might be looking for another way of assigning a variable for a certain logic to work.
投げる = Make request
なげる (nageru)
I’m not quite sure if this is slang or not, but most of my colleagues use the word 投げる when talking about making requests to a server. I guess it kinda makes sense to refer to it as throwing, and in a true Japanese fashion makes web development feel a bit more like baseball than coding. Finally, I can call myself a sportsman.
Project related
Sometimes you’ll want to discuss the project itself with your team mates or managers. These words are a bit more meta, but still directly related to web development.
最先端 = Cutting edge
さいせんたん (saisentan)
Want to convince your project manager to use Dart/Flutter for the next mobile app project? Well, you might have to explain exactly what the heck it is, and for that you can use this word. The latest and greatest, no less.
単体テスト = Unit tests
たんたいテスト (tantai tesuto)
Before you can make excuses for why you didn’t write sufficient unit tests, you need to know how to even say the word. Now go and make up some good excuses while keeping this word in mind.
UX改善 = UX Improvements
UXかいぜん (UX kaizen)
Although 改善 can be used for many other words, with the best example being the archetypical Japanese corporate word 自己改善 (jiko kaizen) meaning self-improvement, you’ll probably hear it a lot in frontend development with UX in front of it. This of course means UX improvement. UI改善 is also frequently heard.
成果物 = Finished item
せいかぶつ (seikabutsu)
When discussing with your team mates in front of the scrum board, you might want to point out that a certain feature is completed and ready for shipping. There’s a few ways going about doing so, but referring to the whole feature as 成果物 might give the strongest impression of it being ready to be shipped.
|
https://medium.com/@larsholdaas/web-development-in-japan-web-nihongo-1cf86f94e46f
|
['Lars Holdaas']
|
2020-12-01 07:15:53.572000+00:00
|
['Web', 'Japanese', 'Japan', 'International']
|
What does simple design really mean?
|
Simple. It’s a cliche. We all pretend to aim for a simple design. It sounds the same as the “Make the world a better place!” phrase in Silicon Valley. Like “minimalistic” and “clear,” it seems like these hype words have the power to increase the value of our design just by spelling them. But what does simple design mean? Unfortunately, I think it means different things for different people.
It’s the same with beautiful. How can we define what’s beautiful? What’s the magic formula?
“Do you know that humans are attracted to things and people they find aesthetically pleasing, to the point that studies have shown that both adults and children are more likely to trust someone they find attractive? The same theory seems to be true of apps and websites: people are more likely to give a beautiful application the benefit of the doubt.” — How Visual Design Makes for Great UX
Yes, we trust the beautiful.
Every morning I browse the latest Dribbble shots. I love it. I believe the UI trends are born there. Some time ago, when I was more actively uploading, I was trying to understand what’s the pattern. What’s that thing that makes the shots from the popular page look so much better than the rest. We all feel it — yes, these look great! But can we explain why?
Have you ever wondered what genuinely makes our design beautiful? What’s the magic dust that makes the difference? Do you think you’re able to describe it and list some rules about it? Does it mean that someone following those guides could build a beautiful design? I don’t think so.
Well, there are tons of books and thoughts on this matter. It’s a philosophical question people have been thinking about for centuries, from Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, and Pythagoras to the present days.
The Analysis of Beauty by William Hogarth
“Attempts to define beauty can be divided into two main groups: theories that regard beauty as a form of order and theories that regard beauty as a kind of pleasure.”
I was particularly impressed by this — beauty as a form of order. I think it best explains the need for a UI kit. It helps to get all our styles in order.
Kick-off
Define, Found, Shine. These are the three stages. We’ll go through them, and I’ll explain in full all the steps so, in the end, you’ll be able to do it yourself following the same process. And I’ll share how to download the UI kit and use it for free so that you could kickstart your new app design project.
You should plan it very carefully because there are some pitfalls:
|
https://uxdesign.cc/how-to-build-a-design-system-and-create-a-ui-kit-19b46625f1c2
|
['Antoni Botev']
|
2021-07-02 09:51:02.739000+00:00
|
['UI', 'UX', 'User Experience', 'Design System', 'Product Design']
|
Latest Net Long Shrug Kurti With Long Gown
|
India is land of varieties of attires, but no attire can beat the beauty of Saree. Saree is a long flowy outfit that hugs the body in such a way that is begins looking flawless and appealing. It will help women shine in the most adaptable way.
Long kurtis are a style statement for many, particularly if you are tall and skinny. While long kurtis can be a great outfit for any occasion depending on their design, you must be aware of its popularity as a casual wear. They make you look tall and bold. They also make you feel comfortable. The combination of comfort and style is what makes long kurtis a popular dress.
They are the major inspiration for us and recently, we can see Designer Kurtis with Brocade work in plush and king-size Bollywood weddings too.
|
https://medium.com/@jobmantra13/latest-net-log-shrug-kurti-with-long-gown-9601c4f55d11
|
[]
|
2021-01-01 15:08:52.940000+00:00
|
['Sarees', 'Kurti', 'Online Shopping']
|
Original Instructions
|
Painting by Catrin Welz Stein
Although it is almost too late, many of us are awakening to this accelerating catastrophe — the greatest challenge of the present time, affecting both future generations and the Earth herself. Species depletion, toxic air, oceans filling with plastic, rising temperature, storms and floods — the Earth is crying out for help…
All indigenous peoples and most civilizations before ours understood and lived this essential reality, when everyday life nourished the soul as well as the body. If we are to have real care for our home we need to remember the “Original Instructions” given to the First Peoples — how to get along with all of creation…
This dimension of our ecological crisis, our forgetfulness of the sacred, is hardly recognized, is a hidden tragedy, and yet I believe it is our primary spiritual responsibility at this time: to reconnect with what is sacred all around us, and thus make life both whole and holy. We can no longer afford to live in separation, in isolation, but need to become once again part of the great conversation with the rivers and the winds, the seas and the stars. …
Together we will find a way to live in harmony with all of life’s multihued unity.
And there is an urgency to this….It is our shared future that is uncertain: whether we will keep to our ancient promise to witness Her wonder and beauty, honor Her sacred ways; or whether we will continue our present path, stumbling through an increasingly soulless wasteland, caught in consumerism, until the sea levels rise, the air becomes too toxic, the oceans too acidic, our souls too desolate. Again, in the words of the young activist Greta Thunberg, “We have run out of excuses and we are running out of time.”
— LLewellyn Vaughn-Lee
A civilization that has forgotten its original instructions is doomed. It will destroy itself in childish diversions and pointless amusements. It will use the sacred like toilet paper, wreaking havoc in the natural world. That’s us. That’s our culture, a culture that is blind to the World Soul. Everything is material to us. We see matter but we somehow can’t see how everything is alive and interconnected.
We inhabit a mindset that is very good at killing. We consider it normal to amass the most monstrous military machine the world has ever known, spread across the globe, making sure we’re “safe.”. We grow our food with poisons. We measure everything on a metric of money. We vie for position and renown even though we’re empty inside. We live in a society that is rushing sheep-like toward the cliffs. The habits, belief systems and insight possessed by the great aggregate of humanity is a danger to nature.
Spiritual insight is sorely needed at this juncture if we’re going to turn away from a mass extinction that includes us and our own children.
Most of the conversations about the human role in climate change focus on the logic of survival, but let’s not forget beauty. Let’s not forget that the energies of love and delight have made this world we live in. Can we find and nourish those energies in ourselves? If so, we can help the world from our own little corner.
It’s important to create beauty wherever we are. Whether our natural focus is physical or abstract we can put beauty into the world. We recreate the world with kindness, with ideas, with the beauty of words and gestures, with imagination.
Human beings suffer from having forgotten their original instructions. The world is on the cusp of a mass dying of species. A saving grace of humans is the ability to rethink things. Now is a good time to take another look and change course.
|
https://medium.com/@davidprice-26453/original-instructions-94c01e05444f
|
['David Price']
|
2020-12-16 12:03:12.456000+00:00
|
['Culture', 'Soul', 'Wisdom', 'Better Humans', 'Philosophy']
|
GoFundMe + Pacific Community Ventures: Supporting Women and Minority-Owned Small Businesses
|
GoFundMe + Pacific Community Ventures: Supporting Women and Minority-Owned Small Businesses
At GoFundMe, we are fortunate to connect those who need help with the everyday heroes who so generously give. It’s an active mission: inspiring hope and changing lives through giving. It’s a mission that extends beyond our platform and drives the hundreds of team members who show up every day to help people in need worldwide.
Our desire to help has only intensified over the past year. As we mark the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, we recognize that its enduring impact will be felt for decades to come. Day after day, small businesses across the country turn to GoFundMe for an economic lifeline — a chance to keep their doors open, serve our communities, and employ our neighbors. Many survived thanks to the generosity of the GoFundMe community.
For the past year, we spearheaded the Small Business Relief initiative to uplift small businesses across the country. Now, we know that there is far more that we can do to help as a company, which is why we are delighted to announce our new partnership with Pacific Community Ventures (PCV).
Together, we are strengthening the fabric of local communities by making affordable loans and free business advising more accessible to women, entrepreneurs of color, and other underinvested small business owners — communities that represent the fastest-growing groups of entrepreneurs in the country, and those most disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and economic crisis.
GoFundMe will join PCV’s Small Business Support Circle with a $500,000 grant through GoFundMe.org to support their affordable loan program. This will provide low-cost loans to small business owners in California who have been excluded from the traditional financial system, all of whom will also be matched with pro bono advisors via BusinessAdvising.org for pre- and post-investment support. In addition, GoFundMe employees will have the opportunity to serve as volunteer advisers to help small businesses tap into skills and expertise that otherwise wouldn’t be accessible. By doing this, we’re helping businesses stay open safely, pivot, and create good jobs with higher wages and benefits that allow these companies to grow sustainably.
These are just three examples of the kind of small business owners who will benefit from this partnership:
Vegan Mob is an Oakland-based restaurant on a mission to provide nutritious and healthy food with plant-based ingredients. Owner Chef Toriano Gordon is passionate about helping surrounding communities by empowering them with food they love and enjoy, while also supporting a healthy lifestyle.
Chef Toriano Gordon of Vegan Mob
Vegan Mob is an Oakland-based restaurant on a mission to provide nutritious and healthy food with plant-based ingredients. Vegan Mob is owned by Chef Toriano Gordon whose passion is to help his neighbors by empowering them with food they love and enjoy, while also supporting a healthy lifestyle.
Shonda Scott of 360 Total Concept
Founded by Shonda Scott in 2006, 360 Total Concept is a management consulting firm that specializes in project management for public relations, monitoring and contract compliance, logistics, and facilities management. Shonda has grown 360 Total Concept from 1 employee to a dozen over the last decade.
Fernando Diaz of Proyecto Diaz Coffee
For Fernando Diaz, coffee is about more than a good buzz, good conversation, or earning a living. It’s about family. “We’re at least a four-generation coffee-producing family,” he says. They may go back even further, but there are no written records earlier than that for his family’s farm in Oaxaca, Mexico, where Diaz’s family still grows coffee beans.
Fernando Diaz of Proyecto Diaz Coffee is part of a four-generation coffee producing family from Oaxaca, Mexico. For Fernando, coffee is about more than a good buzz, or good conversation, or earning a living. It’s about family.
Why GoFundMe + PCV?
So many of us are viewing the future through a lens that will forever be changed by the past year. We have been dedicated to supporting small businesses throughout the pandemic and now we are taking our commitment even further. The partnership with PCV provides a tangible way for GoFundMe employees to positively impact women and minority-owned businesses by volunteering their time and talents.
Eighty-five percent of the small businesses that PCV supports are owned by women and/or people of color. Connecting small businesses with the passion, skills, and expertise of our GoFundMe team is a way for us to give back to businesses who have held fast to their dreams despite the tumultuous past year. It’s also a way to ensure these communities are able to gain equal access to expert advice and mentorship opportunities.
Small business owners leverage GoFundMe employees’ expertise
GoFundMe team members from around the country have already signed up as mentors to small business owners through PCV’s Business Advising program. After completing a brief profile, each team member is matched with a small business based on their skill set, leveraging their everyday expertise in digital marketing, finance, and more to meet the increased demand for advising that PCV has seen over the past year. Over the next several months, GoFundMe volunteers will virtually mentor small business owners for one hour each week via email, phone, or video chat.
Why this initiative is important to me
We all have an innate desire to help, and serving my community in ways both large and small has always been an integral part of my life. Since joining GoFundMe in 2018, I’ve been inspired by companies of all sizes that have found ways to bring philanthropy inside, and I wanted to be more intentional about our own efforts. When I learned of the incredible work PCV was doing I knew this was a perfect fit for our culture and talent.
More specifically, I was really drawn to this program’s multiplier effect. As loans get repaid, money can be reinvested in other eligible small businesses. As our employees donate their time and skills, these businesses have a much better chance of surviving which in turn provides pathways for upward mobility in underinvested communities.
Creating hope by giving back
This partnership is a reflection of the growing need that we saw on GoFundMe throughout the past year. We believe this is an incredible opportunity to make a meaningful difference for so many with affordable capital and mentorship and hope our action in this regard inspires others to consider this avenue for giving.
The success stories from PCV’s Business Advising and Lending programs are inspiring. More small business owners are serving their communities, creating jobs, and building lasting legacies. As we continue to build our partnership in the months ahead, we’re excited to watch these small businesses thrive, inspire hope, and change lives.
Learn more about supporting GoFundMe’s commitment to the community and becoming an advisor online.
|
https://medium.com/gofundme-stories/gofundme-pacific-community-ventures-supporting-women-and-minority-owned-small-businesses-708631f8b7fb
|
[]
|
2021-03-12 16:13:31.430000+00:00
|
['Social Good', 'Gofundme', 'Volunteering']
|
move over coffee test
|
spent Christmas eve at my folks place and prefer to sleep in their basement. it’s quiet and I can get into a lot more trouble down there, but most importantly, it’s nice and cool. as opposed to the rest of the house which feels as though it’s kept at a balmy 152 degrees.
before calling it a night, headed upstairs to fill up my glass of water and that’s when my mom goes, “it smells like an animal came in the house. do you smell that?”
I was like, no
then said good night and started walking back downstairs.
as I descended the stairs, it hit me like a bag of bricks.
it smelled like a straight up skunk thanks to the trees I had just puffed.
so, my mom def doesn’t have Covid.
|
https://medium.com/@tinacachina/move-over-coffee-test-f94e51c8bd7a
|
['Lalochezia Cachina']
|
2020-12-25 23:24:35.449000+00:00
|
['Puff', 'Humor', 'Trees', 'Funny', 'Weed']
|
How to Learn Salesforce Development From Scratch
|
Salesforce has been created more than 2 million jobs by 2020 for serious learners. For the year 2019 too, job openings were more when compared to skilled resources.
So, it is just the right time to get in action and understand how to learn Salesforce Development from scratch by expert trainers like Croma Learning Campus or you can use free resources too like YouTube, trailhead, Salesforce community, etc.
You must be sure of how it takes to learn different Salesforce profiles and what can be the best approach to learn Salesforce step-by-step.
The average time is taken by people to learn Salesforce Development
Let us see the average time taken by people to learn Salesforce Development. It takes around 3 to 6 months as per your efforts and the approach you opt for.
If you opt for a training institute then you may usually wrap in 3–4 months along with the certification. At the same time, if you prefer to learn on your own then it may take up to 6 months or even more.
Salesforce Developers are the professionals who provide custom solutions as per customer needs and they are responsible to control the API adaptability and nerdier stuff in Salesforce.
Salesforce Developers are more technical people, so their salaries are also very good and it ranges in between $90K to $120K based on your skillset, location, and the Company you choose to work with.
Essential skills and related time to Learn Salesforce Development
Here, you will get an approximate idea but the actual time may vary as per your speed and understanding capability.
Salesforce Apex- 4 weeks
Salesforce Visualforce- 2 weeks
Salesforce Lightning- 2 Weeks
Salesforce Einstein- 2 Weeks
Business Acumen- Never-Ending Learning for this skill but basics take 2 weeks
Performance Management- 2 Weeks
For self-study, you may seem confused or stuck at various levels. So, it would be great to learn from experts and get proper guidance when you feel confused.
Along with the training, you should complete the Salesforce Development Certification too and validate your skills as a skilled professional worldwide.
Certifications are not only valid proof of your skills but it makes you eligible for wider job options across the globe.
Final Words:
With this discussion, you must have a clear idea of how should you learn Salesforce from scratch and what is the average time taken by people to master various salesforce development skills.
Undoubtedly, Croma Learning Campus is the one-stop solution that provides extensive Salesforce training in Noida and you will master all the relevant skills in just a matter of weeks or you can say 3–4 months maximum along with the certification.
It does not matter either you start at the fresher level or an experienced level, the right career path can always make you ahead of the crowd.
The best part about the Salesforce certification training course is that it covers all the concepts related to Salesforce Development and prepares you for the certification exam too.
At the same time, you can join a complete course too where you will learn admin and development skills together.
So, just imagine, how lucrative a career option is it. Are you still waiting?
Just register for the expert training program right away and gain all essential skills that are considered vital to start a career in the Salesforce space.
I hope this blog post on how to learn Salesforce Development from scratch has helped you. If you still have any question let me know it in the comment section.
Related Article
|
https://medium.com/@cromacampus/learn-salesforce-development-from-scratch-90b13e6231a9
|
['Croma Campus Pvt Ltd']
|
2021-01-20 12:13:03.056000+00:00
|
['Salesforce Development', 'Salesforce Lightning', 'Salesforce Productivity', 'Salesforce Tools', 'Salesforce']
|
SPAC: Controller Self-Initialization & Object API
|
SPAC is a custom JavaScript framework for client-side, single-page web applications. It stands for “Stateful Pages, Actions and Components”. Its design goal is to provide robust and simple entities that help you to structure apps. Pages and components provide the HTML, JavaScript functions and UI interactions. Actions govern external API calls. You define these entities in plain JavaScript, load up the central controller, and your app is ready to be served. Read the development journey of SPAC in my series: https://admantium.com/category/spac-framework/.
The core entity of SPAC is the controller: A self-initializing object that assembles your web application from its pages, actions and components. This article details the self-initialization phase, how it works, how it creates an internal objects API and its bindings to the browser.
This article originally appeared at my blog.
Ongoing Example: ApiBlaze Index Page
To explain the concepts in detail, we will use the example of ApiBlaze, an ongoing development project that enables blazing-fast searches in API descriptions. You can read more about ApiBlaze in the project kickoff article.
ApiBlaze first screen consists of a search bar and a search result popup. When you execute a search, the appropriate action will be triggered. The directory layout for this screen is as follows:
src
└── actions
│ └── SearchApiSpecAction.js
└── components
├── ApiSearchComponent.js
└── ApiSearchResultsComponent.js
└── pages
│ ├── IndexPage.js
│ ├── SearchApiElementsPage.js
└── index.js
Before starting the app, you need to provide an inventory.json file, which contains file links to all pages, actions and components. This file is generated by npm run bootstrap . For this example, it looks as follows:
{
"pages": ["/src/pages/IndexPage.js", "/src/pages/SearchApiSpecAction.js"],
"components": [
"/src/components/ApiSearchComponent.js",
"/src/components/ApiSearchResultsComponent.js"
],
"actions": ["/src/actions/SearchApiSpecAction.js"]
}
Self-Initialization Process
The file index.js contains code for importing the controller and starting the self-initialization. Typically, it looks like this:
import { Controller } from 'spac'
import inventory from './inventory.json' const controller = new Controller({ inventory }) controller.init()
As you see, the controller is initialized by receiving the inventory, and then calling the async function init() .
During the initialization, the controller makes the following steps:
For each file listed in the inventory, check…
That the file name conforms with the naming pattern (/.*Page.js/, /.*Action.js/ or *Component.js/)
That the file exports a class of the appropriate type
Each of these classes is added to an internal Map object:
pagesMap : Define entries with route and obj properties
: Define entries with and properties actionsMap : Define entries with obj properties
: Define entries with properties componentsMap : Define entries with obj properties
Files that do not conform to the naming patterns, or files for which the type check fails, are ignored.
Let’s see the details by following an example. The following excerpt shows init method and how the /pages directory will be traversed.
init () {
this._initMap(Page, 'pages', /Page.js/)
// ....
} _initMap (parentClass, mapType, pattern) {
this.inventory[mapType].forEach(async filePath => {
try {
if (!filePath.match(pattern)) {
throw new Error()
}
const name = filePath.split('/').pop().replace(pattern, '')
const clazz = (await import(`${filePath}`)).default if (clazz.prototype instanceof parentClass) {
if (parentClass === Page) {
const route = `/${name.replace(/([a-zA-Z])(?=[A-Z])/g, '$1-').toLowerCase()}`
this[mapType].set(name, { route, clazz })
} else {
this[mapType].set(name, { clazz })
}
}
} catch (e) {
// ...
}
})
}
In this method:
Line 2: The init function calls an internal helper _initMap()
function calls an internal helper Line 6: For each file inside the inventory…
Line 8: … check that it matches the given pattern
Line 11: … attempt a dynamic import of the file
Line 13: … check the file exports a class of the given parentClass
Line 16/18: Store the name and an object containing the export in the given mapType
Internal Objects API
When the initialization phase for the above mentioned example is completed, we obtain map objects that can be accessed and used in the application directly from the controller.
Pages
The page map object:
pages = {
Index: {
route: '/index',
clazz: IndexPage()
},
SearchApiElements: {
route: '/search_api_elements',
clazz: SearchApiElementsPage()
},
SearchApiSpec: {
route: '/search_api_spec',
clazz: SearchApiSpecPage()
}
}
Pages can be accessed with controller.page('PageName') , and the method controller.display('PageName') renders the page.
Components
The components map object:
components = {
ApiSearch: {
clazz: ApiSearchComponent()
},
ApiSearchResults: {
clazz: ApiSearchResultsComponent()
}
}
Components can be accessed with controller.component('componentName) . This method is used by page objects to fetch their components.
Actions
The actions map object:
actions = {
SearchApiSpec: {
clazz: SearchApiSpecAction()
}
}
Actions are accessed controller.action('ActionName') .
Assembling Pages
When designing pages objects, you can choose to either manually import your components, or access the component via the controller.
The manual import looks like this:
import { Page } from 'spac'
import SearchBarComponent from '../components/SearchBarComponent.js'
import SearchResultsComponent from '../components/SearchResultsComponent.js' export default class IndexPage extends Page {
render = () => {
return `
<h1>ApiBlaze Explorer</h1>
<section class='api-search-page'>
<div id='search-api-spec' class='search-api-spec'></div>
<div id="search-api-results" class="search-api-results"></div>
</section>
`
} constructor (rootDom) {
super(rootDom)
this.addComponents(
new SearchBarComponent('#search-api-spec'),
new SearchResultsComponent('#search-api-results')
)
}
}
Alternatively, the objects API can be used to import components (and actions). For this, you need to add the special method _preloadComponents() and pass an object with component names and their arguments, e.g. the querySelector .
import { Page } from 'spac' export default class IndexPage extends Page {
render = () => {
return `<h1>Hello</h1>`
} _preloadComponents = () => {
return {
SearchBarComponent: { querySelector: '#search-api-spec' },
SearchResultsComponent: { querySelector: '#search-api-results' }
}
}
}
During initialization, the Page class will check if this special method is defined, and if yes, use the Controllers component method, to retrieve the class definition and create an instance of the particular component.
class Page extends PageInterface {
mount(querySelector) {
super.mount(querySelector)
// ...
if (this._preloadComponents) {
for (let [name, params] of this._preloadComponents()) {
const instance = this.controller.component(name, params)
this.components.set(name, instance)
}
}
}
}
Conclusion
|
https://admantium.medium.com/single-page-application-framework-controller-self-initialization-object-api-90d23b6b6293
|
[]
|
2020-11-29 15:11:07.439000+00:00
|
['Framework', 'JavaScript', 'Single Page Applications']
|
Advanced Python 2 | Inbuilt Math Functions
|
There are 67 inbuilt functions in python and we don’t have to know all of them in this case. In this part, we are ought to know 4 inbuilt math functions (not in the math pkg). Sometimes, if we write codes using these functions, our codes are going to be really simple and quite easy to understand. The 4 inbuilt functions that we have to know is,
abs: returns the absolute value of the given value
max: returns the maximum value in a sequence
min: returns the minimum value in a sequence
sum: returns the summation of all values in a sequence
Question 1. Bound a value
Let’s say you are working at an Internet of Things (IoT) company and want to make sure your sensors return only valid readings. You are given the operating min and max.
Write a function that does nothing if the value is in the range. If below, return min. If above, return max. Try to solve the logic as a composable collection of built-in functions. DON’T solve it with if-elif-else logic.
Question 2. Create a Fibonacci sequence
Again, we have to construct a Fibonacci sequence, which is a series in which each number is the sum of the two preceding numbers. We don’t use recursion in this case, and instead, we must use while loop in our realization code.
Question 3. Greatest Common Divisor
The greatest common divisor (GCD), also called the greatest common factor, of two numbers is the largest natural number d that divides both numbers without a remainder. Let’s code up the Euclidean algorithm (one of the oldest algorithms in common use) to find the GCD.
Do not use recursion!
Question 4. Find the largest sum with a constraint
Given a list of integers, find the largest sum with the constraint that you can not add two adjacent numbers. This is similar to Reinforcement Learning. The goal of Reinforcement Learning is maximizing the sum of cumulative rewards under constraints.
|
https://medium.com/adamedelwiess/advanced-python-2-inbuilt-math-functions-566322082dc3
|
['Adam Edelweiss']
|
2020-09-06 13:23:53.767000+00:00
|
['Python', 'Inbuilt Functions', 'Data Science', 'Programming']
|
The Vampire Lover — John Badham’s Dracula
|
In the first article from the Out of Time: 1979 and the Last of the Gothic Vampires series, we explored Werner Herzog’s Nosferatu: Phantom Der Nacht (1979), a spare, understated, and decidedly “un-Hollywood” film. John Badham’s Dracula, released in July of 1979, could not be a more different telling of the Dracula legend. It is big and lavish, slick and very “Hollywood” in style. In Nosferatu, Dracula is repellent, like a rodent. In Dracula, he is suave, handsome and positively dripping with sex-appeal. One thing that both films have in common, however, is that they are both, at least ostensibly, remakes: Nosferatu of F.W. Murnau’s 1922 masterpiece and Dracula of the 1931 Tod Browning classic starring Bela Lugosi that launched the first Universal Monster cycle.
Both the 1931 and 1979 versions of Dracula are based on the play by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston, and both Bela Lugosi and Frank Langella (the Dracula of the 1979 version) starred as the lead role in the play on Broadway. This is where the similarities end.
Film poster for Dracula (1979).
The screenplay for the 1979 version by W.D. Richter takes a great deal of liberty with both the play and the original Bram Stoker novel, though this was hardly unusual. The plot structure is very different, completely excising the famous Transylvania sequences found at the beginning of practically every other major adaptation. This film instead begins with a bang, right in the middle of a storm at sea as Dracula is being transported by ship from Romania to England. When a sailor’s throat is torn open during the sequence, we are quite certain that this will not be the subtle and suggestive horrors of the Lugosi version but something much more modern.
Perhaps the most modern element of the film is Langella’s portrayal of Dracula himself. He seems to be very conscious to play the character completely opposite of Lugosi as possible. There is no eastern European accent, no slicked back hair, no stern and commanding mannerisms or harsh stares that make the Lugosi version so iconic and unforgettable. Christopher Lee seems to have made some similar choices twenty years earlier when he took on the role, but Langella takes it a step further by playing the vampire much more like Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights or some other tragic romantic hero of gothic literature. Though Lugosi is magnetic partially because he comes across as exotic, Langella is simply charming. He does not need to attack his victims or sneak up on them in their sleep, Mina and Lucy are drawn to him and give themselves over willingly. “I come of my own accord,” says Lucy, played beautifully by Kate Nelligan in the film.
|
https://manorvellum.medium.com/the-vampire-lover-john-badhams-dracula-afcc6ca1bd01
|
['Manor Vellum']
|
2020-10-08 19:12:34.824000+00:00
|
['Film', 'Writing', 'Horror', 'Éditorial', 'Dracula']
|
A Christmas Letter to My Mandy Doll on the 2020 Election
|
Dear Mandy doll that I received one Yuletide season in the late 1970s, and whom I still yearn for in my fugue states and fever dreams:
Let any stragglers who still believe that the election was stolen, that “the storm is coming,” and that JFK Jr. walks among us disguised as a John Lennon impersonator, ready to ascend to the Oval Office at any given moment with Trump as his running mate, know this:
The election was not stolen.
Let them know Joe Biden won the election because he had more (many, many more!) Electoral College votes than Trump, who’s now lame-duck sundowning and stringing followers along with a cringeworthy “I got robbed!” campaign.
Inform them that Biden won because more Americans voted for him than they did for Trump.
Mandy, tell the good people that 81 million Americans moved on the incumbent like a bitch.
Fill them in that Biden won in the same way that Trump won (to my incredible chagrin and yours, Mandy) in 2016. Well, DJT didn’t exactly have that “popular vote” thing going on — but he did take the Electoral College, and in this country, that’s currently what it takes, also to our joint chagrin.
Mandy, because you’re an all-seeing Fisher Price muse who puts Chucky, Barbie, and that wanna-be Annabelle to shame, you know better than anyone that minor irregularities that may have existed in this election — and I say “may have,” because Tucker Carlson keeps claiming dead people voted and then has to apologize for being wrong about the dead people — were, even if true, a) not enough to make a substantial difference in this election (i.e., not widespread fraud), and b) the same basic types of irregularities that occur in *every election* and that are remedied when discovered. If anyone has credible and valid proof otherwise, I’m all ears, and I’m sure you are, too, Mandy. You do have ears, don’t you? I don’t know a lot about dolls, if I’m being honest. And I feel like I can be honest with you.
Anyway, if you (“you” being the reader, not Mandy) have got the goods, please get in touch with Rudy Giuliani posthaste. But let it be real proof, not “evidence” spewing out from the brain salad of Seb Gorka or the Kraken lady or BiglyBrainedPatriot52633. At last count, the Trump team had lost 59 of the 60 election cases it’s brought in front of the judiciary, including the Supreme Court. Claiming Brett Kavanaugh, Neil Gorsuch, and ACB are now part of the Deep State hasn’t panned out so far. (You’re getting that straight from Mandy. I’m just the messenger.)
In the meantime, Mandy and I — if you haven’t noticed, I’ve stopped addressing Mandy directly and have simply merged with Mandy to become one politically and editorially omniscient superbeing — are now going to slide back into our copy editor’s lane to help out those still furiously drafting up the Constitution for a new, more perfect Union. All our differences aside, I want the seditionists to have halfway decent grammar, and I know Mandy agrees:
It’s MARTIAL law, not Marshall law.
It’s SECEDE, not succeed.
It’s SECESSION, not succession.
And finally, because this has been bugging me for years:
It’s JENN with two N’s, not one.
Mandy, on the other hand, is good with one N. That’s how she likes it. That’s how she wants it. All hail Mandy! God bless us, every one!
WRITTEN BY: Jenn Gidman
|
https://medium.com/@jgidman/a-christmas-letter-to-my-mandy-doll-on-the-2020-election-a25651330106
|
['Jenn Gidman']
|
2020-12-17 23:40:03.564000+00:00
|
['Election', 'Mandy', 'Joe Biden', 'Election 2020']
|
3 Ways to Flirt With a Woman Without Having a Clue How to Flirt
|
I was 21 years old when I first flirted with a girl.
I know I was a very late boomer.
But it got me thinking again. Back then during that time I had no clue how to flirt.
People told me “in order to get a woman interested in you, you have to flirt with her”
And I am like… “yeah, well I have no idea how to”.
Then I tried and tried…
I just had nothing but frustrations and pain.
I used to be a computer nerd. Completely introverted. No idea how women work. And I just wanted love.
But one of the hardest things a computer nerd can learn, is not math or quantum mechanics.
It is one simple thing: How to flirt with women.
I had to invest tremendous amounts of hours to even get the hang of it… not even mentioning to master it.
And I do not want you to go through that pain and frustration I have gone through.
So, here is what I can share that will definitely help you to cut at least years of your learning curve!
1. FEEL YOUR COCK
That’s right feel your cock… and… your balls.
We as geeks/nerds are so cut off from our lower body.
We have to develop it again.
Why?
Simple, you cannot seduce ANY women without feeling turned on for her.
You see,
when you talk to a woman it is not the words that matter. It is what emotion are behind these words that matter.
So if you give her an indirectly compliment such as: “You are cute”, she can either view it as friendly way or in a sexual way. Depending how you came across.
How do you know improve that aspect of yourself?
Easy, you just have to feel it more.
I recommend you start with a meditation to calm your mind down. Then feel your dick more until you can fully feel it.
Do this at least for 30 days until you no longer feel numb down there.
However, you have to feel it in front a woman as well. Not in your room alone.
What I have done to let my libido kick on more and more, is to meditate before I talk to women again.
Then I approached women with the intention to be sexual. To feel my dick more. My balls more… WHILE I talk to her.
There is one problem with this. If you set to much the intention to focus on your dick… you come of weird/forced.
It has to come naturally. And this is harder said than done. I know.
I can give you two solutions for that.
First one is only to set the intention once. One thought before you go into the conversation is enough.
If you happen to say it more often than that, that’s okay. Notice it, dismiss it and refocus on your conversation.
If you continually tell yourself ‘I do not feel anything, I have to feel it, I have to be turned on’ then you are doing something wrong.
Again, it is okay if these thoughts come up… but do not dwell on them. Once is enough.
Second, just simply focus more on your dick and be patient with it.
You can read hundreds of articles and books on the topic “How to flirt with women”
But if you never have to happen to do that… then obviously you will never learn it for real.
Someone can guide you into the right direction… however someone cannot make YOU realize how it works.
This is what you have to figure out on your own.
2. GET RID OF YOUR SHAMEFUL FEELINGS FOR SEX, PRON AND SEXUALITY
I just want you to know one thing right away…
…Sex is normal.
One thing that hindered me massively to be someone that women desire, is my shame about sexuality.
My mother always told me “Son never say the word ‘sexy’, it is against our religion”
And you can just imagine how hugely it affected me.
I couldn’t get myself to say ‘naughty’ things to women… because I thought, women do not like that.
And I was so wrong!
Not only do they like, they actually crave for it.
They crave for a man to say to them how sexy their ass look.
NOW DON’T GET ME WRONG!
Everything has its time and place. Same with what you say to women.
Saying how sexy her ass looks to a woman right away might turn SOME women off. AND THAT IS OKAY!
Not every woman is going to like who you are. What you say. What you stand for.
But the ones that do… let be this said to you:
You will never experience any hotter sex in your life!
It is important for feminine women to be sexually desired by a man.
You do not bring that to the table, she won’t f*ck you. She won’t desire you!
Shaming yourself for your desires is a good way to go down to, if your end goal is to be sexless.
3. PATIENCE IS KEY
I have to remind you of this.
A lot of patience is required in changing yourself.
Especially if you have never had any experience with women.
You will not be the world’s greatest seducer after a month.
It will take years to become REALLY good with them!
Do not beat yourself up. Do not become impatient.
Just knowing how to feel your dick, is not the end road.
You have to practice, practice, practice!
Practice your flirting skills, as if you would practice for any other skill.
All I can say is, do not become overeager with women!
|
https://medium.com/@admirkozlica/3-ways-to-flirt-with-awoman-without-having-a-clue-how-to-flirt-683e707ba55c
|
['Admir K.']
|
2020-12-13 16:31:12.698000+00:00
|
['Dating', 'Dating Advice For Men', 'Men', 'Dating Advice']
|
I am sorry you understand my words so well!
|
I am sorry you understand my words so well! But, happy my words help! I get my book Toxic Person Proof to my editor next week so many more words to come in the near future!
|
https://medium.com/@sarah-k-ramsey/i-am-sorry-you-understand-my-words-so-well-e571a894468e
|
['Sarah K Ramsey']
|
2020-12-12 01:44:37.196000+00:00
|
['Toxic Relationships', 'Healing', 'Healing From Trauma', 'Narcissism', 'Love']
|
Selling Industry 4.0 — what I have learned — Part #1
|
The universe of what we now call Industry 4.0 is rapidly expanding to encompass technologies including AI; process robotics and autonomous devices. Industry 4.0 started as the Fourth Industrial Revolution of manufacturing but the use cases are growing at pace into the energy; infrastructure and logistics industries to name just a few. Before the idea of Industry 4.0 was conceived I was leading the growth of some of these technologies in tech businesses and more lately, helping Industry 4.0 companies grow as an advisor. Here I would like to share some key things I have learned about what works — starting with an Industry 4.0 success story.
Ocado (https://www.ocadotechnology.com/) is an award winning, multi billion pound technology company. To some it may be an unlikely exemplar of what is possible with Industry 4.0 today, as many will know it as an online retailer in UK. However, while maintaining its public face online selling groceries and on the roads of Britain with freshly branded delivery vans, Ocado has been executing a revolution in how our groceries get into to our kitchen cupboards and refrigerators. Over ten years ago, to optimise their grocery delivery business, Ocado started to develop their own software after failed attempts to integrate off the shelf applications. Ocado’s Smart Platform now integrates the upstream supply chain with customer’s online orders, warehousing and order fulfillment. This is delivered with AI, IoT, Process Automation and Robotics integrated on a cloud platform and enabled by 4G mobility. At the heart of the operation is “The Hive” warehouse where over 1000 robots work in a 3D matrix among a handful of human operators to sort and move over 10,000 grocery items every hour, ready for delivery to customers.
Outline of Ocado’s Smart Platform integrating key Industry 4.0 techs ©Ocado
Technology has now become Ocado’s core business with the announcement of deals to sell their platform and warehouse tech to US grocery giant Kroger and French supermarket Casino, among others. This transformation culminated in a £1.5bn Joint Venture spin-off of the online retail operation earlier this year. The result — at £8bn, Ocado is now valued more like Amazon than grocery rivals such as Tesco or Asda. So, what does Ocado’s success tell us about selling Industry 4.0?
What Industry 4.0 can do is much more important than what it is
Awareness of Industry 4.0 is growing very rapidly — as can be seen in the graphic below, related Google searches increased by ~70% globally in the last twelve months.
Google search trend for Industry 4.o (courtesy Google Trends)
But, when I talk to middle to senior managers in tech companies and end-users, there is a real lack of agreement on what Industry 4.0 really is and there is even less clarity about what it can do. When it comes to sales, what works is not talking about the tech but about what it can do for end-users — in terms of efficiency, operating cost reduction or safety for instance.
Be focused and relentless about the Value Proposition
The performance improvements mentioned above are the elements that are going to get the deal over the line. These are the things that your customer can attach real value to and will support a business case. This makes it essential to understand what business problems your tech addresses, how it does so and what results the customer can expect. This is more achievable when you are focused on few potential use-cases (see below). Be brutal about how the solution delivers value — is it direct value (or does it rely on factors out of your control?); is it easily measurable?; does it address your customer’s priorities?
Testing the value prop frequently is really important and customer interaction here is critical — end-users are experts in their business — you are probably not. Finding the right people, testing your ideas early, getting buy-in from one or two customers will build your domain knowledge, understanding of the business problem and critically the value of your tech. Executing well will also turn those first customers into the greatest ambassadors for your business!
Choose industry use-cases carefully and stick with them
In most Industry 4.0 solutions, the performance and value will be quite specific to some industry sectors or verticals. Each vertical has specific priorities; problems and needs, dependent on a huge range of factors. Understanding real-world problems can be difficult for very tech-focused companies but this is critical to gaining traction for your tech. You will understand what the tech does and what technical problems that solves. The key is to understand the operational and commercial value of that and to identify the verticals where it will get the best results for your business (in terms of speed v scale). For early phase companies, I would usually advise speed over scale.
In a recent assignment with an early phase AI driven start up, I identified the tower operations of mobile telecom and power transmission companies as potential sectors for their software. Although globally there are probably 10 times more power transmission towers than telecom towers, the telecom industry was the one that was really successful first because it was more commercially dynamic (not least due to the advent of 5G) and the solution has value across multiple use-cases.
It can be quite easy to “bounce-off” a vertical — common issues are not getting enough basic understanding to be clear or credible, struggling to find an entry point and engaging with the wrong decision roles in end-users. It is really worth engaging with a vertical from multiple angles to get a range of insights before you plan your next move. Once you have chosen a vertical, stick with it until you have solid evidence.
Reach beyond the business case with vision
While its critical to attach quantifiable value to get the deal over the line, at the same time, its important to give a vision which while being less simple to quantify promises something more game-changing and is likely to get support from the C-level. e.g “as well as doing the task 4 times faster with 80% less risk to people, we can harness all the data gathered to provide value add services to your customers improving margins, customer service and retention”. Do your research and make sure what you are suggesting is credible and that there are no show-stoppers to delivering it.
Conclusion
While there is a lot of excitement, there is a real lack of clarity and understanding about what Industry 4.0 really is. But that doesn’t matter — we are in the business of selling tech, not concepts.
Most decision makers in end-users want to understand the possibilities of Industry 4.0, what it can do for them more than trying to understand what it its. To achieve that we need to focus hard on use-cases where our Industry 4.0 tech is most valuable and to understand that value we need to learn the priorities and business problems — this is a perfect example of the importance of the Why and the How (1).
Using some of these approaches, you will win Industry 4.0 deals, build industry use cases with great customers and grow your business. By doing so, you will be among the people that define not just what Industry 4.0 is, but what it can do for industry, the economy and for all of us.
(1) “The Golden Circle”: Start with Why — Simon Sinek — 2009.
Look out for the next articles in the Sales 4.0 blog series covering topics to include: How is Industry 4.0 changing the B2B Sales Process?; Hot issues for startups selling Industry 4.0 and; Who make the best Industry 4.0 sales people?
Sales 4.0 is a new type of consulting business that helps B2Bs meet the challenges and opportunities of selling Industry 4.0. We help small to large enterprises grow fast and to compete in Industry 4.0, providing advisory services including commercial and sales strategy; sales performance improvement; sales infrastructure and outsourcing. Find us on LinkedIn and at sales4point0.com.
|
https://medium.com/@david.clitherow/selling-industry-4-0-important-things-i-have-learned-part-1-1b89dd2df8be
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['David Clitherow']
|
2019-06-18 08:12:38.383000+00:00
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['Industry 4 0', 'AI', 'Sales', 'Technology', 'Startup']
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KDPS FUNDING TO REMAIN VIRTUALLY UNCHANGED IN 2021
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Earlier this week, the Kalamazoo City Commission held its 2021 City Budget Work Session. At this session the various city departments presented their projects for 2021 and the Commission was presented the proposed budget. Two major things stood out, firstly that there will be no service reductions across City departments due to the economic impact of COVID-19. And secondly, that despite of numerous humiliating incidents throughout 2020 and 1000’s of residents demanding to ‘defund the police’ among other demands, KDPS’ budget will remain the same.
For context, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety’s budget takes up a whopping 47% of the cities’ annual budget and is, by far, the most well funded department in the city. However, despite these rich resources the department seemed to fail to respond adequately to the major challenges it faced.
Kendall Warner | MLive.com
Early in the Summer, KDPS officers were dispatched in riot gear to forcibly move a crowd of peaceful protesters gathered on the mall, near Michigan Avenue. This move was met with harsh criticism from the community but the excuses from then Chief Karianne Thomas were ultimately accepted by the Commission. Over the next few days and weeks, KDPS violently escalated matters by tear gassing protesters who were lying on the ground, tear gassing peaceful protesters for breaking a curfew, welcoming in the National Guard to help lock down the City and fueling rumors of dangerous ‘outside agitators’ looking to start trouble. Of course when in August, these out of state agitators did come into the city looking to start trouble KDPS were nowhere to be found.
On Saturday Aug. 15 the Proud Boys, a violent white nationalist group, descended on Kalamazoo. The group of mostly out of state fascists was allowed to march freely, without KDPS intervention, towards a counter protest in Arcadia Park. Naturally, when the two groups met violence occurred yet KDPS were nowhere to be found. Once counter protesters has pushed the Proud Boys back into a parking garage, officers showed up in riot gear to disperse the crowd of counter protesters. The Proud Boys, after violently assaulting City residents, were allowed to leave the parking structure by KDPS while illegally concealing their license plates. At the same time, officers were busy arresting a local Black journalist and a legal observer. Not a single dangerous ‘out of towner’ was caught nor charged, they were allowed to leave after causing chaos.
Samuel J Robinson | MLive.com
In the aftermath, the organizer of the legal law abiding counter protest, Rev. Nathan Dannison said that “It looked like they [KDPS] were protecting the Proud Boys.” A month later City Manager Jim Ritsema did not reappoint Rev. Dannison to the Citizen Public Safety Review and Appeal Board, aka the police accountability board.
This is no surprise considering the cozy relationship Jim Ritsema has with KDPS.
In a City Commission meeting after the Proud Boys incident Jim said “In hindsight, sure, we shouldn’t have arrested people from Kalamazoo and should have arrested Proud Boys,” a statement that many residents in Kalamazoo would agree on. After all the counter protest was legal, peaceful and locally organized and the Proud Boys were out of town fascist invaders. However the day after this mild criticism, Jim apologized privately to KDPS saying “I should have said I am not in a position to make those determinations”.
Eventually, in September it was announced that KDPS Chief Karianne Thomas was to step down. It was reported that Mayor David Anderson said she decided to retire on her own and that the feeling was ‘mutual’. Earlier this week we learned that this was a straight up lie. Chief Thomas was in fact fired and without cause to ensure she’d receive a fat pay out of public money. The man in charge of hiring and eventually firing her, was Jim Ritsema. Chief Thomas’ firing seems to be the only consequence of the horrible summer for KDPS.
The lack of any serious budget changes comes as a disappointment to many who were protesting on the street his summer. The call for police reform and reallocation of funding was a major component of the Black Live Matter movement yet it has seem to have had almost no impact on cities budget.
If the protests against police brutality, and KDPS’ failures in the summer are not enough for their budget to be decreased then what is? Bigger, potentially violent protests? More disruption? Perhaps it is indication that the City are only willing to listen to those who follow the official channels.
At the end of the meeting, Vice Major Patrese Griffin encouraged residents to get in touch with the City Commission with their feedback and comments on the 2021 budget.
For those wanting to still have their say, the public can attend the virtual 2021 City Budget Public Session on Jan 4. The budget itself will be finalized before the end of January.
|
https://medium.com/@thekzoocall/kdps-funding-to-remain-virtually-unchanged-in-2021-299052f88457
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['The Kalamazoo Call']
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2020-12-18 17:21:04.989000+00:00
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['Kalamazoo', 'Police', 'Michigan']
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Architecture, Design and AR
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Enjoy this excerpt from my new book!
From Convergence, How the World Will Be Painted With Data
By Sam Steinberger
When multidisciplinary design and consulting firm Arup was contracted to work on a new hospital, the team quickly got to work. With over 14,000 professionals around the globe who specialize in a diverse array of roles, from architecture to security engineering, the firm knew it had to meet tight deadlines and work with clients who expected the best while demanding top efficiency.
Because constructing a building is essentially a one-shot process, firms like Arup, which has been instrumental in the completion of famous landmarks like The Gherkin in London, the Sydney Opera House, and New York City subway system’s Fulton Center, undertake iterative steps during the design phase. Those iterations demand a diverse array of inputs, from sound recordings of the site’s ambient noises to 360° street-level videos, not to mention building plans from which to render 3D modeling of the proposed construction.
This particular project saw many of the site elements being put together by specialists in the firm’s New York City office. Among those working on the project was Anthony Cortez, senior designer, and lead visualization specialist. After receiving the job’s specifications, Cortez, along with his colleagues, spent the next 48 hours getting the project ready for a client presentation.
The presentation had to include video and sound for a VR experience that would show clients what the old site looked and sounded like, as well as how the proposal would change the site’s environment. The new project included changes to traffic patterns and it involved the function of mechanical and security systems, like ventilation and CCTV. The only hitch? The project was across the country, in Santa Monica, California.
Using cloud-based collaboration and AR, including augmenting a site’s actual acoustics with modeled post-completion audio, Cortez and team met their deadline. The clients were ecstatic, he said, not only with the team’s efficiency but with the intuitive nature of VR and AR showcasing of the final product. “Clients get excited about seeing and interacting with the design we’re working on and they want more,” he said. That’s just one example of the way AR naturally integrates itself into the architectural design process.
Powerful enough hardware has always been a challenge for both designers and clients. The computing has to handle “heavy” models without being tethered. “The field of view has to be right,” said Ignacio Rodriguez, CEO, and principal at IR Architects, which designs luxury real estate in Southern California. Leading devices like the HoloLens and Magic Leap have a narrow field of view. “VR is ahead of AR,” he said, “in its ease of use and general adoption.” To move inside a virtual building and alter its design, AR lags VR, big time.
For its part, Arup has used a number of AR systems over the years, including Google’s Project Tango headset, iPads, and smartphones. It’s now building uses for its HoloLens system and is interested in exploring how a Magic Leap headset might fit with future projects. Today’s usability of VR, which has found enthusiastic adoption among clients is about five years ahead of AR. “We’re just on the 20-yard line working our way down the field. We want to get to that end zone as quickly as possible. But, we really want a platform that allows us to seamlessly transition from between AR and VR,” Rodriguez said.
Systems aside, Arup has not wavered in its commitment to AR, noted Travis Rothbloom, a senior security engineer and design software programmer. From replacing mockups to modeling the flow of pedestrians, AR has already proven it can provide significant design benefits for the firm.
During the design and drafting process for a project for New York City’s commuter rail, Metro-North, the firm used the Hololens to show the future model of new construction in conjunction with a homebuilt pedestrian simulation model. As simulated pedestrians with intelligent movements modeled after commuter behaviors flooded into the scene, the design team and client were able to see how people moved around in space and where they looked. The latter input can later be used for both optimizing signage.
Even though contracts were made, in some cases, years before the technology was available, clients tend to appreciate the experience of convergently viewing the design and the present state of the site, said Rothbloom. “Getting past the ‘wow’ factor is key,” he added. “While it can be challenging to convince clients to pay extra for AR, once clients actually see how this helps with the iterative process, they’re more inclined to use it.”
AR will profoundly influence the art and engineering of architecture, Rodriguez noted. In a more architectural-friendly analogy than his football comparison, Rodriguez described VR as AutoCAD, a tool with which many inside and outside of architecture are familiar.
Another major advantage of AR is using Building Information Modeling (BIM) in conjunction with maintenance and building assets. Because the BIM is digital and in 3D, building owners and managers can essentially see through walls before and after building construction. Coupled with sensors, information from a BIM could enable the building manager of the future to know when to replace building assets, where to find them in building ceilings and walls and even order necessary parts before beginning a job. Managers could troubleshoot energy use or look at how the light in the building changed as the sun moved through the sky.
Rothbloom demoed an example. During the renovation of a new Arup office, designers made a 3D scan of a room before it was finished, so the room’s ductwork was clearly visible. By adding and removing layers to the BIM, much like adding and removing layers in Adobe Photoshop, Rothbloom was able to give the user a view of the building before the renovation, while it was in construction, and after completion. Any user of the Hololens could see where the ductwork was and Rothbloom could even model the flow of a crowd of workers moving through the office hallways.
The experience is a little like time travel. Using an AR system, a viewer can see how a building used to look, how it looked during construction, as the nerves and muscles of the building were added in the form of rebar, fiber optics and concrete, and how the building looks today. Engineers can even use AR to verify the building was built according to plans and Rothbloom envisioned construction workers of the future with headsets, so they can physically see the building they’re making–better understanding how their piece of the puzzle fits into the overall construction.
Just as a building’s appearance is a one-shot experience, the acoustics within and outside of a building are carefully crafted and reworked. Designers can hear what a site might sound like after it is completed according to the modeling they’ve done. They can explore the addition of certain types of soundproofing or materials. They can also hear what an individual in a crowd might hear, if the space is meant to be shared, like a subway stop or a performing arts building.
Using an advanced sound lab, Dr. Terence Caulkins, an acoustics researcher and sound designer, provided the auditory equivalent of Rothbloom’s visual AR. The scene was outside of the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum along Manhattan’s 5th Avenue. First, Caulkins demonstrated what the scene sounds like now: internal combustion-powered traffic moves along the road while pedestrians chat and walk along the sidewalk next to Central Park. Then he showed various modeled scenarios: what if all cars were electric? How noisy are drones? And what if large motor vehicles were banned from the stretch of 5th Avenue altogether?
Combining the visuals of AR with binaural design, using a combination of BIM, recorded sounds and modeled sounds can create a visually and auditorily augmented experience. It’s an experience that allows designers, engineers, clients, and workers to better construct our future.
Designers, architects, and engineers are interested in a process, an experience, that only AR is uniquely situated to handle. VR, on the other hand, is better suited to an end product: a show for a client or a way to help stakeholders visually understand a new space. AR is a tool. VR is a medium for display.
If VR is the future of the clay model or plywood mockup, AR is the future of the pen, paper, and rulers that first turned dreams into design.
|
https://charliefink.medium.com/architecture-design-and-ar-30ebbe8cff4e
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['Charlie Fink']
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2019-03-10 16:21:00.719000+00:00
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['Technology', 'Books', 'Charlie Fink', 'Virtual Reality', 'Augmented Reality']
|
Henry David Thoreau on Violence
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Henry David Thoreau on Violence
Why a Muslim-American dissident read “Civil Disobedience” in prison
Jon Dawson, Shackles and Chains, via Flickr
Often associated with nonviolent civil disobedience, Thoreau isn’t usually the first name that springs to mind when one thinks of violent resistance. Yet Thoreau was among the first names I came across when I began to research Muslim-Americans’ responses to the crackdown on their civil liberties following 9/11. The Egyptian-American Muslim Tarek Mehanna, who since 2012 has been incarcerated in a US Supermax for downloading and translating content deemed by the US government to constitute “material support” for al-Qaeda, cites Thoreau prolifically in his prison writings and drawings. (I have discussed Mehanna’s case in more detail here.)
In his sentencing statement as well as in a series of quote-filled sketches of his prison cell, Mehanna brings Thoreau’s writing on civil disobedience into conversation with radical Muslim thinkers who argued in favour of resistance to oppression even when such resistance might lead to violence. In using Thoreau to inform his understanding of the conditions under which violence could be legitimate, Mehanna developed a strand in Thoreau’s political thought that is increasingly coming into focus in our postcolonial age, at a time when Muslim thinkers have begun to make a virtue of civil disobedience.
A close reading of Thoreau’s manifold writings on the question of violence leaves the reader with an impression of profound ambivalence. On the one hand, Thoreau meticulously avoided violence in his personal life. He reportedly quit his first teaching job because he refused to engage in corporeal punishment. On the other hand, his celebration of the abolitionist John Brown, convicted and executed in 1859 for leading a violent slave rebellion at Harpers Ferry, was impassioned and seemingly without reservation. Like Emerson, who praised Brown as an “idealist” who “believed in his ideas to that extent that he existed to put them all into action,” Thoreau held up Brown to his fellow citizens for emulation in the struggle against slavery.
Brown’s willingness to sacrifice his life in order to bring an end to slavery resonates with the aspect of Thoreau that appealed most to Mehanna, who saw himself as responding to the oppression of Muslims by American imperialism. “If it is deemed necessary,” Brown reflected during his trial in words that resonate with Mehanna’s sentencing statement:
“that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice and mingle my blood with the blood of millions in this slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments, I say let it be done.”
When placed in the tradition of Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., civil disobedience is premised on nonviolent resistance. But Thoreau understood that, under certain conditions, the protestor’s nonviolent resistance may lead to violence by the state. Hence, the ethical question of violence arises in connection with that which is being resisted as much as with the person who is resisting.
Since all forms of coercion, including imprisonment, involve violence, the protestor’s awareness of the possibility of arrest is also entangled in violence. The circumstances that led to the writing of Thoreau’s work on civil disobedience-his refusal to pay a poll tax in support of the Mexican-American war that landed him briefly in jail-situate the ethical and religious foundations of violence in a framework from which it is rarely viewed.
The image of Thoreau as a supporter of violent resistance is only a partial representation of his worldview. As a steadfast practitioner of nonviolence, Thoreau refrained from condemning those who engaged in violence under circumstances or for the sake of causes that he considered just. Yet he was centrally concerned with finding ways to avoid coercion in our public and private lives. This dualistic relationship to coercion makes Thoreau at once a theorist of violence and of nonviolence. His thinking simultaneously occupied both mental horizons so as to better probe their intersection.
How can we reconcile-or relate to-these two extremes in Thoreau’s approach to violence? One approach is to consider Thoreau’s politics as a derivative outcome of his vision of the transcendent self. The relation between the political and the ontological self, between being and action, between the principles inscribed onto one’s conscience and how one implements those principles in the world, cuts through Thoreau’s political thinking.
Hannah Arendt, who authored her own Thoreau-inspired treatise on “ Civil Disobedience” in a racially fractured America, underscores the difference between these two selves when she distinguishes between what she calls the vita activa and the vita contemplativa.in The Human Condition. Although the active and contemplative life are in many ways diametrically opposed to each other, they also assume and require each other. The ethical meaning of contemplation depends on the existence of a political realm where one’s private visions can impact the lives of others.
In her analysis of Thoreau’s essay on civil disobedience, Arendt describes Thoreau’s concept of conscience as “unpolitical.” Thoreau’s oblique relationship to politics may indeed help us understand how he could have advocated nonviolence while defending John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry. But it is a mistake to conceive of these dual dynamics as unpolitical. Instead, we can describe the tension between private conscience and the political realm as a political theology that is conceived contingently, in relation to a specific set of circumstances that rarely rise above the conditions that generate them.
Conscience, as conceived by Thoreau, is untranslatable beyond the individual in whom it resides; its precepts do not easily translate from one context, or one person, to another. Arendt identified this aporia within Thoreau’s political thought when she reasoned with regards to his concept of conscience that “it cannot be generalized; it must remain subjective.”
We can recognize Thoreau’s inward looking conscience is as more than purely negative, however, if we conceive of it in religious terms, and trace how this concept served as his ethical ground and as his spiritual guide.
As Arendt points out, there is a paradox at the heart of Thoreau’s thinking about resistance. Thoreau’s concern is less with society or the state than with himself. As he argues in “Civil Disobedience”:
“it is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right.”
This formulation suggests a clear subordination of politics to the spiritual realm. In Thoreau’s political theology, the political and the theological are not equal partners; the political is subordinate to the spiritual, and the self is the arbiter of the law’s justice.
Although Thoreau’s politics is constrained in certain respects by its untranslatability-and it is this, one might argue, that leads to his conditional support for violence, and his appeal to Mehanna and to a long lineage of anticolonial resisters-it is also valuable for what might be called its intrinsic dimension, its self-assured superiority to the law. Thoreau is opposed to those who say that we should accept or reject a course of action due to its compliance with legal norms. Instead he declares of his fellow Americans:
“This people must cease to hold slaves, and to make war on Mexico, though it cost them their existence as a people.”
What is right is right irrespective of its outcomes. The self-assured status of the self’s intrinsic principles provides Thoreau with a guide to action.
Thoreau’s writings radiate a religion of the self that resonates with his contemporaries, Emerson and Walt Whitman. While its celebration involves a turn away from certain forms of organized religion, this new sovereign self propagates a new religion as well. American poet C.K. Williams calls it (with respect to Whitman), “a religion of the imagination.”
For each of these transcendentalist thinkers, our conscience dictates the best course of action, not the state. Those who serve the state with their consciences, Thoreau recognizes, “necessarily resist it for the most part: and they are commonly treated as enemies by it.” It is in such junctures that resistance can lead to violence, even while opposing it.
Due to its subordination of the law to conscience, we can say that Thoreau’s political theology refers not primarily to social or political transformation, but first and foremost to the transformation of the self. Far from denoting a turn away from politics, Thoreau attempts to align political activity with a sacred mandate, a mandate found not in a church or in a specific set of scriptures, but within one’s self.
In putting his conscience first, Thoreau is identifying his spiritual condition, his place in the world, and his relationship to the cosmos. For Thoreau, there are intrinsic goods that precede political action and even political consciousness. Our ability to recognize these goods depends on the extent to which we have been able to discern the voice of the divine within our selves.
Read more about slavery and resistance
|
https://medium.com/the-collector/henry-david-thoreau-on-violence-fd938cc3e938
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['Rebecca Ruth Gould']
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2021-01-01 16:47:30.319000+00:00
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['Thoreau', 'Violence', 'Slavery', 'History', 'Politics']
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Why You Struggle To Get Job Offers as a Generalist
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As a society, we laud the work of generalists but our processes simply are not meant to recognize them.
Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash. Featuring the Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci an engineer, philosopher and artist.
What is a Generalist?
Engineering and our educational systems as a whole are designed towards specialization.
At elementary school everyone learns the basics on which further knowledge will be built. In middle school, the division of knowledge into subjects starts to appear. As students are allocated individual time blocks to learn math, sciences, social studies and others. Up to this point, despite the already visible division of subjects, all students are still expected to learn the same subjects and to the same level of depth.
In high school, specialization starts to take place. Teenagers with only a superficial knowledge of different subjects are expected to choose the ones they want to further specialize in. On these subjects, they can opt to take more specialized classes such as an Advanced Placement (AP) curriculum.
Suddenly, in their last year of high school, students are expected to choose the academic field of study they wish to pursue. This decision, trickles down to their major in college which in turn affects the college pool to which they apply.
Most colleges, will have a selection of classes that if successfully completed awards the student with a degree in a specific field. This is where the path of the generalist and the specialist most often start to diverge.
The specialist, will take the classes that are required for the degree and likely excel in them. Sequentially increasing the difficulty and specialization of the subject matter to become a master of the subject. On the other hand, the generalist will often explore different subjects. While the specialist might take Calculus 1 followed by Calculus 2 then Calculus 3 and so forth, the generalist might jump into Calc 2, skip Calc 3, take Differential Equations, a course in Microbiology and so forth.
What does this mean for the specialist and the generalist? The specialist will likely leave his formative years with great in depth knowledge on a specific subject. Hopefully one that he/she is passionate about. The generalist will have experienced a wide breadth of disciplines. He might excel in a few subjects but likely not to the level of depth of a specialist in any one of them.
In summary, a specialist is a an individual with mastery of a specific subject while a generalist is an individual with significant knowledge of a breadth of areas.
Why Does the Distinction Matter?
So why are we talking about the formative years of a generalist and how is that related to their chances of getting a job?
Not Applying to the Correct Jobs
The first advantage that a specialist has over a generalist is knowing exactly the type of job that they want to pursue. By knowing the type of job, a specialist immediately narrows their field of search allowing them to put a greater amount of effort into tuning their application for the particular job. By better matching their applications to the profiles expected by recruiters they thereby increase the chances of being contacted.
Instead, the generalist may be open to a wider array of positions. At first hand, this would seem like a positive. After all, if you are applying to more jobs you are increasing the chances of getting selected. Right? Unfortunately, that is not that case.
Consider a recruiter tasked with selecting a software engineer to work in a custom Linux kernel for Company Y. As a recruiter, you will have received a list of qualifications for candidates that should be selected to undergo the interview process. When this recruiter sees a resume he will quickly look over for the presence of these qualifications. Unfortunately, with the time that they have, they may pass over anyone that does not possess exactly what they are looking for and not give much value to the many tangentially related subjects that the generalist may have.
What can a generalist do about this? Even though you may be tempted to apply to several different positions, do not do so. Instead of letting probability decide your next career path based on which recruiter will happen to believe you are a strong match for their company, significantly narrow down the job position and roles you apply to so that your resume and supporting material strongly align with said roles.
Not Preparing for the Interview Process
Remember how we discussed that in college the generalist might explore different subjects without necessarily following the outlined curriculum?
Consider that the generalist was selected for an interview as a software developer in a large company. As a large company, they need to ensure unbiased hiring. This often means standardized and repeatable interview processes. As part of this standardized process the interviewer may pose general computer science questions to the candidates. Say one of these questions is “what is the average time complexity to add an element to a binary tree?”. Whereas a specialist is likely to have already seen this before and have the answer to this question memorized. The generalist may have to work out the example or deduce from other problems he may have seen. In the end, both should arrive at the same correct answer.
However, the interviewer is likely asking similar questions to all interviewees and comparing them against each other for the role. Therefore, who should the interviewer select? The specialist that immediately knew the answer or the generalist that had to work out a problem? More often than not, the answer is the former.
So how can the generalist position themselves to do well in the interview? The answer, albeit obvious and likely repetitive, is to study specifically for the interview. Once the generalist knows with whom and for what they will be interviewing he should give his all to learn the material that pertains to the interview with the goal of becoming a good interviewee. After all, proficiency at interviews is a skill that like all others requires practice.
Applying for the Wrong Company Type
Different companies operate and organize themselves in different ways. As such, some companies may be a better match for a generalist.
Consider the following two companies. Company A has thousands of engineers supporting a large core product used by millions of users. They release dozens of updates daily to their products most of which are small incremental changes. Company B is a small startup with 5 engineers. They are still battling to find their product-market fit and their product undergoes rapid large changes in features and architecture.
Which of these two companies would be more appropriate for a generalist? Likely, Company B is a better fit. Whereas company A has a stable expectation of their needs and would benefit from employees that excel at the very specific tasks that are given, Company B would likely benefit from having employees that can quickly adapt to the changing environment.
In summary, a generalist is usually a better fit for dynamic companies where change is the norm.
Conclusion
Both generalist and specialists can positively impact the companies in which they work. However, to be able to contribute to a company you must first jump through the hoops of the job application and interview process.
As a generalist, maximize your chances of success by:
Narrowing down your job options and tuning your application materials towards them. Preparing for the interview based on the job you will be applying to. Choosing companies that better align with the work style of a generalist.
Wish you the best in your job search and remember that the interview process is not perfect so even an ideal candidate may get rejected. Just keep at it!
|
https://medium.com/the-innovation/why-you-struggle-to-get-job-offers-as-a-generalist-787a3536ff9b
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['Paulo Carvalho']
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2020-11-12 00:19:16.836000+00:00
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['Generalists', 'Job Search', 'Job Interview', 'Education', 'Engineer']
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How carbon offsetting with solar lights cuts emissions, reduces poverty and saves lives
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There’s more to carbon offsetting than planting trees. Namene Solar’s innovative carbon offsetting solar project is the first of its kind in Zambia. Our lights cut carbon emissions, reduce poverty and have truly life-changing impacts.
In rural Zambia, 90% of people live below the extreme poverty line of $1.25 a day. This means they also live in energy poverty, without access to electricity.
They rely on dangerous, expensive fossil-fuel based lighting such as kerosene lamps. These lamps emit carbon dioxide and can cause fatal fires.
Our solar lights replace these outdated, toxic lamps with clean, renewable solar light at the push of a button.
Until now, getting solar lights into the hands of people living in energy poverty in Zambia has been limited by their affordability.
But, by offsetting their carbon emissions with our Gold Standard-certified Verified Emissions Reductions, we’re breaking the affordability barrier for solar lights.
Here’s how it works…
What is the voluntary carbon market?
The voluntary carbon market serves businesses, government departments, NGOs and individuals who want to be accountable for their carbon footprint and help drive the transition to a low-carbon future. Recognised international standards, such as Gold Standard, exist to monitor and verify the quality and validity of the carbon credits that are traded in the voluntary carbon market.
What is a carbon credit?
A carbon credit represents the removal of one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) from the atmosphere, or the avoidance of these emissions occurring in the first place.
One tCO2e is roughly the monthly energy consumption of an average American household.
Carbon credits are achieved when a project implements an activity or introduces a technology that reduces carbon emissions beyond what it would have been if the project did not exist.
That means the project activity is additional and contributes to reducing emissions from the atmosphere.
By purchasing carbon credits, a company, investor or eco-conscious individual is contributing to the fight against climate change and helping to finance a carbon project to take place and continue operating.
What does Gold Standard mean?
Gold Standard for the Global Goals is an international standard that sets requirements to design projects for maximum positive impact in climate and development — and to measure and report outcomes in the most credible and efficient way.
Every Gold Standard certified project must include gender-sensitive and inclusive stakeholder design. This means it is designed with input from the people who are going to benefit from the project.
It must follow environmental and social safeguarding principles, and contribute toward at least three Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ensuring the greatest impact is delivered for every dollar channelled to projects.
You can read more about it at: https://www.goldstandard.org/impact-quantification/gold-standard-global-goals
How do you measure the project impact?
Our projects contribute to at least 3 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) and have positive impacts that ripple out beyond these in households and communities.
As a part of the Gold Standard certification process, our projects adhere to the ‘do no harm’ principle, consult with local stakeholders, and we ensure the projects not only help protect the climate by contributing to SDG 13, Climate Action, but also benefit local communities by contributing to two additional SDGs, such as SDG1: No Poverty, and SDG 7: Sustainable Energy for All.
Impacts are monitored during the whole project and reported as part of the Gold Standard certification process. This ensures that our project impacts are real, measurable, and verified by an independent third party.
Our SM100 solar lights replace dangerous, expensive fossil-fuel based lighting with clean, renewable light.
How can I offset my carbon emissions?
After reducing your emissions as much as possible, purchasing carbon credits is another way to take climate action beyond your own area of influence.
carbon offsetting allows organisations and individuals to support the transition to a low-carbon future. You can calculate your carbon emissions using an online carbon footprint calculator, such as the offered by WWF UK.
If you are an organisation interested in buying carbon credits from Namene Solar, please get in touch with us at climate@namenesolar.com
Where can I get more information?
If you want to learn more about our products, our projects or if you are interested in purchasing carbon credits, please contact us at climate@namenesolar.com
Follow us on social @namenesolar
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https://medium.com/@namenesolar/how-carbon-offsetting-with-solar-cuts-emissions-reduces-poverty-and-saves-lives-d67d8987a486
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['Namene Solar']
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2020-12-07 13:01:44.756000+00:00
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['Innovation', 'Development', 'Carbon Emissions', 'Sustainable Development', 'Solar Energy']
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20 Thoughts About Love & Erykah Badu
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Shot by Jay Electronica
(originally published on The Quietus, 2010)
ONE. I’ve put our uniforms in the wash. We’ve got a few hours to get ready. Aww love. I hope you get banished from pop soon. You’re in a bad way. Fatally estranged from your soulmate Death, starved of the real Romance that negotiates that crucial relationship, that way you cheat each other, the way you each make us forget about the other one. ‘This Ain’t A Love Song’? Too fucking right. You cunts couldn’t write a love song. It’s too serious for you.
TWO. Love, Jesus, look at you, you’re starving, you’re not looking good. Wasting away. Every song is about you. Bieber to Derulo, Perry to Cole to Allen. All this exposure with no-one actually asking how you are. Have you seen Romance recently? What an idiot. Such slush in your name, so at odds with the way our lovers make us feel. Anyone who had a heart doesn’t watch new movies. Skinny kids getting sappy on each other. We watch only studio system b&ws, only movies in which grown-ups, who have suffered, find love and lose their minds. People who know about permanence and transience. People who know how love burns what flimsy handles you had on yourself, who have grown up to find out how love bereaves you. How you wave goodbye to your freedom, send your sanity trundling down the curtained conveyor-belt to the flames, tip the ashes of your control on the grave of your ability to think straight. You grow up you find out how love addicts you, inhabits you, makes you wait on it because you need it, makes you hang out a window for hours staring at a corner waiting for a face, a cab, a sign. You find how, when the clock ticks beyond a promise, time stretches infinitely into your guts. You taste the sweet searing martyrdom of a bit lip, the quinine-hit of poison on an unleashed tongue. Love makes all its clichés true and bigger than life. ‘My Life Would Suck Without You’ will never become a cliché. It’s too untrue.
THREE. But that kind of love, like
or
or
wouldn’t fly anymore. Love lyrics have switched angles from the frenzied p.o.v of the problem-page correspondent to the endlessly prescriptive, dully didactic cheese shot out by the agony aunt/uncle. Where once pop poets were able to sum up young crush and old need , now gaucheness and wisdom have been voted out by the cynicism and smugness of middle-aged songwriters & mentors putting their relationship-advice diagnoses into the mouths of middle-aged teenagers. A massive overabundance of ‘wit’ masking an actual fear of language until everyone speaks & sings in the same dull poesy & shrunken verbals of those advice columns, those cover-mounted confessions. Lyrics that read like status updates. Have you heard that Kate Nash single? “Everybody thinks that girl’s so fine/Everybody’s like I’ll make her mine. Everyone thinks she’s a bit of alright/But I think that she’s not so nice”. Jesus, am I the only one who just felt it get fucking stupider in here?
FOUR. So, no new clichés for a while now. Plenty of topicality, linguistic gimmickry, sharpness, fashion. No style, no real talk, no timelessness. Lies, generalities and gossip , but no truth, about love. Too much judgement and smart-arsedness, as if love isn’t way too complicated to merely write through, think through, sing yourself better with. Like bereavement it will put potholes in the pavement for your dumbass facade & give you a reason to tumble down. But most pop about love is now about preparation, redemption, making sure you come out on top, paid, self-pity intact, moving on. Makeover music, self-help music, in pop 2010 there’s plenty of knowledge of how emotion looks and can be described, and a total lack of any emotion.
FIVE. And it’s killing it. Real unreal love and real unreal romance are forced into hiding under the floorboards, appalled at what’s being committed in their names within these rooms and soundstages and vocal booths. In an era in which ostensibly the details and derailments of modern love have never been more piled high by more saps with nothing else to sing about, why are we getting so much assurance that things work out, that time will tell & pay all debts, when in actual fact love, like bereavement, NEVER leaves, never gets evened out or dealt with. In the charts, no matter how infantile the lungs knocking it out, it’s always from the charmless viewpoint of someone who knows better now, someone who can diagnose and prescribe the emotional turmoil they were in and get healed. Nothing about modern pop lingers, makes you think, stops clocks. It rinses and leaves.
SIX. Sure this is a two-way relationship. Pop music affects the way we conduct our relationships. The deeper problem maybe is that the full-to-busting emptiness of modern love song perfectly reflects our new glass identities, our dizzy disappearance into the virtual life. I say stay away Love, stay between the walls, I know you’re sick of being toyed with by the merely horny, sick of being mistaken for a daily fact, bought out by Miramax, pimped by Sony, turned out by MTV, lost to the truly beautiful & derelicted by youth. They use you to avoid talking about anything else, to avoid alienating anyone. I suspect an age in which all that’s written are love songs is an age where people & the biz they work for are trying to shut out the scary shit, minimise risk. But love can be some scary shit… but these days, never in songs.
SEVEN. Which is hugely condescending when you think about the talk you hear round the shops, down the park, on the street, at the bus-stop, in the pub, in the club, at the cab rank, over the garden-fence, through the walls via a glass, wherever lovers can hide, or hide their mad connection with each other. The way people actually talk is still occasionally unique and often revelatory, but they are talked about by pop in ways that always stink of daytime-telly psychology and rom-com over-wordiness, lyrics that attempt observation but only see the average, push what the pie charts are saying plays well with the most suckers. Everyone says what they want/mean, everything resolves, enacting the same self-important Western fictions your Kyles and Povitches and Loose Women rely upon (that pop-psyche can solve the insoluble, that somehow making a relationship work is about ‘growing up’, being a ‘strong’ man/woman, that horrific notion of ‘compatibility’). It is exhortative, preachy, pushy, whiney — it wears its immoderate nature on its sleeve, never reveals it by accident between the lines. Eavesdrop on ‘normal’ folk anywhere and you realise — though the tedious txt-spk twaddle of modern love songs matches the tedium of modern love as portrayed back to us — that ALL of it fails to match the way love is, and continues to be, and endures.
EIGHT. The true intractability of you and your lover, the way you finish each other, the way your despair and joy are intimately linked with that lost freedom you want for yourself but loathe in him/her, the way that lovers grind against each other in every way, shooting sparks, wearing each other down up to a point where you will never ever get over them for as long as you live — these are complex tectonic processes that don’t feel like they take place in heart, head or even groin. Some other place, some elemental mix of every other emotion fused not in a single part of the body but that thrums on a deeper subcutaneous level, bacterial-like, a network of spores, an illness of sorts. Love should come with a warning, should require a license. So many modern love songs muzzle love’s growl, hide love’s howl, cure its palsy — cheap chat-up lines, new-man confessionals, and no real sweet talk. I’m a little bit lost without you. I’m a bloody big mess inside. Fuck off then you blubbering cunt. Michael MacIntyre, Ricky Gervais. Front and centre for the guillotine. You’re both partly responsible.
NINE. Of course real romance, real love & life is never gonna be touched on when all must be spray-on, skin-deep: lyrically, modern love-songs are a post-modern grab-bag of buzzwordy bitesize bollocks in a zesty ranch dressing, sub-sexting neediness/nastiness that isn’t equipped and doesn’t have the attention span to deal with love’s depths, is too busy in the giggling glee of matchmaking/voyeurism to notice the cold fires, the seething furies, the frenzies, too busy whining to really address the doom and desperation and depth of love’s import in an age of dwindling dreams. The songs of love of the past ten years haven’t been up to the job, will never become their own clichés but only rejig already dried-out ones, a pastiche-move often mirrored in the music’s restorationist bent towards the 60s or 50s. Songs that have been written for the simpering saps on the match-dot-com ads but not the lovers on the street and on the roof and in the rooms tearing chunks out of each other, arming themselves against the rot within and without, scared of death, reaching out for the immortality of joy and completion and her arm or his shoulders. And there’s not enough good singers to sing what good songs there are. Big problems for pop, if it wants to speak to people who are good at fucking as opposed to good at wanking, if it wants to win love back and stop getting told what to do by everyone else.
TEN. Erykah Badu is not a teenager, names her album after the Egyptian hieroglyph for ‘eternal life’, sees it as the other side of the more avowedly socio-political firestorms of New Amerykah Pt 1: 4th World War, has just had a kid with Jay Electronica, and is a little too good for the kids, just like all the best kids and grown-ups these days.
ELEVEN. Which is not to say that New Amerykah Part Two: Return Of The Ankh isn’t laden with hooks, isn’t sweet as it is sour, sumptuous as it is seething. It’s just that for such an enjoyable record, Ankh needs your time to fully work on you. Badu gives you a total picture of herself in & out of love and it grows, it builds, it edges it’s way sideways into your consciousness and then pulls on you like those once-a-decade opium binges you can’t give up on. Rare grooves indeed.
TWELVE. Don’t allow your natural suspicion/doubt of those who venerate Badu deny you the wonder of her works: just because way too many backpackin’critics get gusset-froth from Badu & her loosely-affiliated Soulquarian posse, hold them up as some kind of venerable old-skool antidote to the treacheries of their mainstream contemporaries, doesn’t mean that you have to dig them for the same weaselly reasons. Listening to Ankh, Badu’s ‘marginalisation’ from the US rap mainstream (although 359,000 sales for 4th World War is still a margin a lot of people would love to reside in) seems less important than her steady estrangement from the rest of US music full-stop. Badu’s albums since 97 /have gone triple platinum, double platinum, platinum & gold in that order — she and you shouldn’t give a fuck about that thinning out of her appeal because it has meant increased concentration, increased oddity, increased determination. The generosity and lack of fear of her music (this album is freewheeling, contains fuck-ups other artists would kill for and is still perfect) makes it current and ancient, performance and role and persona fused in Badu so she falls into an elder lineage by dint of dreaming herself there, being that good, not by just saying so or sounding how you might ‘expect’. Those crits usually get the names wrong. They say Donny Hath & Roberta & Stevie & Aretha & Lady Day. I say Earth, Wind And Fire. And Joni, and Steely Dan because what’s bracing about Badu is her full-tilt addiction to melody, restraint and jazzed-out possibility for pop songwriting. I play this end to end with ‘Hissing Of Summer Lawns’ and ‘That’s The Way Of The World’ and it balances, like a 12” on your little finger.
THIRTEEN. Crucially she’s made a record here that doesn’t use love or romance to shore up or reassure or push an ego, rather it’s the giddy rush of love-talk, could be from him could be from her, the sudden defiances, the doomed declarations of independence that get swirled in. No accident that it’s Badu’s voice rather than the band that get fucked around with in the mix. Sonically this is less trippy but more hypnotic than its prequel — the accent on live instrumentation makes the grooves warmer & sweetens Badu’s voice, and the voice, way more than the band, is prone to all kinds of chaos and chiaroscuro, doubling, tripling, swinging out to the margins and looping elliptically back to the centre of your headspace, riding into phase sunsets. By infinitely disappearing into their own traces and trails her multiple voices can be everyone at once. This wonderful smudginess/sharpness of identity makes Ankh a record that gratifyingly refuses to make Badu likeable, a winner, a caricature. Rather than use love as mere subject matter Badu has set out to make a record lovers can use, the unrequited can trip out on, we can all feel warming us like the sun. It feels wonderfully endless. Badu is smart enough not to try and have the final word — like the grooves and the lethal lyrical lines the album flows back on itself, concepts link back and forth, arguments get reignited. Like a real relationship this record can both create bliss and throw punches, is compassionate enough to be as real and unreal as love can be. We’ve all been there, and this record takes you back to those other dimensions of reality we call going steady, where all is too much or not enough, where madness becomes a way of life.
FOURTEEN. And what magic happens inside this sound– this is the lushest evocation of 70s soul I’ve heard in a while. The lambent gorgeousness of the grooves really is up there with EWF & Sly (and Robbie too) — and will find you in dancing mood, or holding your headphones tight on, nodding out those kinks in your neck and shoulders. The way ’20 Ft. Tall’ nearly floats off into space, Badu’s voice holding on to the ground by it’s fingernails (“What did I do to make you fall so far from me?/Selective memory”), everything else lifting off. The blissful Roots-style pop of ‘Window Seat’ (?uestlove on the drums) that barely masks its themes of escape and inescapability (“I don’t wanna time-travel no mo/ I wanna be here”). ‘Agitation’ is an astonishing minute-and-a-half that could be straight from Countdown To Ecstasy. ‘Turn Me Away (Get MuNNY)’ is the first absolute bomb — a gorgeous semi-locked groove that pipes summer into your cells, lyrics pitched somewhere between avarice and ardour, someone who feels themselves turning into a robot even as their inner workings go haywire. Fantastic things within the band’s reach, rhythm section keeping things simple yet stunning, Badu freed not for vocal acrobatics but to enjoy herself, get into some reggae falsettos, hit the off-beats and sevenths (“This love is chemical/electric particle/down to the minimal/tickle tickle ego stroke/I’ll be your robot girl”)
FIFTEEN. This record is like your first alcohol of the day, on a sunny hungover morning. Clears the head, lets you see the blue sky after the storms & wreckage of the previous night. After a while you start needing it every morning. Right now I head straight for ‘Gone Baby Don’t Be Long’ because the beats and bass and loops are a heavenly moebius you don’t wanna ever fall out of, and it catches the schizophrenic poses and passions of letting your lover out the door better than anything else here. ‘Umm-Hmm’ is good enough to sit next to late 70s Diana or Rose Royce, Dilla’s sci-fi drone-funk on ‘Love’ gets peppered by all kinds of extraneous wibble & wow, Badu coming on like Sly Stone. ‘Fall In Love (Your Funeral)’ is the only prep for romance you need: “You better go back the way you came/ wrong way/ if you stay/ prepare to have yo shit rearranged/ some slow sangin’ and flower bringing/ if my burglar alarm starts ringing”, the narcotic, heavy assed rhodes-thunk chassis plunging into your brain, breaking yr bones. Closer ‘Out My Mind, Just In Time’ chops and screws its way through ten minutes that go from neurosis to psychosis, from the blues to avant-hip-hop to slo-mo psyche-funk, never letting go of you as you get engulfed in darkness and revelation. Startling, startling shit. I think this is the best album Badu has ever made.
SIXTEEN. Chuck D, as usual, was absolutely goddamned right when he spat “Your general subject ‘love’ is minimal, it’s sex for profit”. Think of what’s happened in the world in the past ten years and pop’s cowardly retreat into ‘you-and-me’, into the ‘personal’ (bland chat in the main),seems almost deliberate and desperate. Nothing to say about anything important, or visionary, or real so let’s blandly chat about ‘us’ and hope some of it is just wry-smile-inducing enough to play well with Evans and Moyles. War, terror, collapse nahh that’s gloomy news — let’s get the blinkers on, let’s shut out the outside world and watch Hollyoaks and take notes for the next single. Of course that numbness and avoidance is common to us all (they call it facebook) but if we’re gonna have lovesongs, let them be as hazy and real and unresolved as these, let them leave us none the wiser but palpably touched. Let them be sung by people who can write other types of songs too perhaps? Just a thought for all those guys wearing straw hats stood by rivers playing acoustic guitars having their adverts voice-overed by Jo Whiley. (Don’t worry the Tories will be in soon. David Cameron likes you all. You’ve given him no reason not to.)
SEVENTEEN. Keep it like a secret Love. Let’s stay out here on the frontline and watch the apocalypse unfold with remotes in our hand. Let’s hide out a while and let the dust settle and get ready for war.
EIGHTEEN. We’ll listen to Return Of The Ankh whilst you build the bombs. And I’ll get that washing out the dryer.
NINETEEN. Then we’ll get dressed, pose for a few last pictures and hit the streets.
TWENTY. We have a world to win. A world lost to the din of delusions, the racket of ‘reality’, the dumb need for happy endings, the sanctimony of self. A world that doesn’t deserve us. Soon they will all know. Soon there will be silence. With Return Of The Ankh, Love, you’re on the way back.
|
https://medium.com/@kaptainkulk/20-thoughts-about-love-erykah-badu-888c5f102fe8
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['Mister Neil Kulkarni']
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2020-12-16 10:07:49.478000+00:00
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['Love', 'Album Review', 'Love Songs', 'Erykah Badu']
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Let us get in on the basics of machine learning
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It is always good to get in the basics when you study something new as the roots of it builds up the foundation for the things to come. In this post, I wanted to share some basics of machine learning terminology that I have learned.
Machine learning is a subfield of AI and encompasses the use of linear algebra, probability theory and statistics to build up models to learn from the data at hand. Python is synonymous to machine learning due to the fact that it has so many libraries developed that helps in building up those models. NumPy, Pands, SciPy, Scikit-learn, TernsorFlow are few of the most commonly used libraries in Python. As I spoke about in a previous post, managing all these dependencies is even easier with Anaconda and the conda package manager.
The main goal for machine learning is to make predictions with learnings gathered from historical data. Machine learning tasks can be further divided into four categories;
Unsupervised learning
Deals mostly with unlabelled data where the goal is to find the structure of the data underneath and extract the information we need out of it. Examples would include fraud detection, clustering customers for marketing campaigns.
Supervised learning
We have data with full description and desired outputs. The goal here is to have a general model that would work well with the inputs and map to the desired outputs. Examples include speech recognition, movie or shopping recommendations.
Supervised learning can be further broken down as regression and classification.
Semi-supervised learning
In this case, not all samples would be labeled and generally you would have a large amount of unlabelled data along side labeled data.
Reinforcement learning
In this instance, the system adapts to dynamic behaviours based on a certain defined end goal. It works based on a reward and feedback loop mechanism. Examples would include applications such as AlphaGo which beat the best Go players in the world. Self driving cars is another good example in this area.
Generally, building up a machine learning model would involve the following steps;
Understanding the business Understanding the data Data pre-processing Modelling Evaluation Deployment
Steps 3 to 5 is usually done in an iterative manner and fine tuned as we go along. If there are any issues in understanding the data, that would require even more work to get back to cleansing, understanding and validating the data. As with any software application, it should end with a standard way of promoting the system to a production environment.
Training your model
When you get your dataset that will be used to train you model, it is usually broken down into three categories;
Training set
Test set
Validation set
You will start off training your model with the training set. At this point, as part of the generalisation you want to get from you model, two issues would come out of it which we call as overfitting and underfitting.
Overfitting is where the model tries to compensate to satisfy all the samples in the training set well enough that it is not generalised anymore and is much rather specific for the training set. As the model learn too much from the training set, it results in something called low bias in machine learning. The model would have a high variance when it is tested against any other sample set other than the training set.
Underfitting, on the other hand is the exact opposite. The model does not work well with the training set samples which in turn means it will not perform well with any other samples. This is usually a result of using a small set of samples for training. As with overfitting, this results in high bias and lower variance.
The errors that come out of the learning model is called the Recall bias. We need a way of trading off the bias vs the variance which is called bias-variance trade off. To do that, we the “mean squared error(MSE)”, which measures the error of the estimation.
Overfitting is more of an imposter as opposed to underfitting. With underfitting, you know your model is just not working and you can work to make it better. But with overfitting, you might end up being complacent and happy as it works so well with the training set.
So how does one go about overcoming the issues related to overfitting?
Cross-validation
Cross-validation is all about partitioning your dataset between training, testing and validation so that almost each sample goes through the model during training. Exhaustive and non-exhaustive are two schemes used carrying out cross-validation.
Exhaustive scheme includes leaving out a fixed number of samples for training and using the rest for testing and validation. Leave-One-Out-Cross-Validation(LOOCV) is one approach that can be used in this instance where you each sample will be in the testing phase.
Note: It is not recommended to carry out the exhaustive scheme when the data set is too large as it is computationally too costly to train the model with multiple rounds.
Non-exhaustive scheme takes a different approach as the name implies. K-fold cross-validation is one of the mechanisms used in this scheme where the data is randomly split into k-equal-sized folds. The training set is then done on one of the folds and on each iteration, the fold changes to the next. A picture would help visualise this better;
Regularisation
According to the principle of Occam’s razor, simpler methods are favoured over the more complex. Overfitting is usually a result of a complex model and what regularisation does it to add extra parameters to the error function(More on this in later posts).
There are different ways of controlling the complexity of the model. Early stopping is one mechanism used to stop the training of the model early so that it will end up producing a simpler model as opposed to a complex one that is susceptible to overfitting.
Feature selection
When we get our initial dataset, as you go through it, you will find out that all the data is not relevant to the problem that you are trying to solve. As a matter of fact, including them as part of training your model would just add more randomness to the process which would result in overfitting. As part of feature selection, it is important to understand which of the features are actually important to the problem. In general, you can approach feature selection in two ways. One would be to use all the features and remove them as needed on each iteration and the second approach would be to start with a bare minimum set of features and add features iteratively as you progress.
Dimensionality reduction
Data is usually represented as a matrix. With certain types of data such as text, images, the dimensions would be quite large. The issue with having higher dimensions is that it is not so easy to visualise the data. Also, it adds to the complexity which results in overfitting.
One common approach taken to reduce the complexity and thereby overfitting is to transform it to a lower dimensional space(More about this in later posts).
That is about it for this post. I will be sharing more on the coming posts on some of the aspects I could not cover in detail in this post. Thanks again for reading and as always, comments are welcome.
|
https://medium.com/swlh/let-us-get-in-on-the-basics-of-machine-learning-c2ba274c8c58
|
['Dinuka Arseculeratne']
|
2019-06-08 11:42:51.481000+00:00
|
['Machine Learning', 'Data Science']
|
How Did 2020 Affect Your Vision?
|
I poured over my notes from the past year to encapsulate 12 months into 1500 words or fewer. I’m not that good with words… yet.
I was quite happy to see 2019 end and exceedingly hopeful for 2020. This was going to be the year of clarity I waited so long for. The numbers fit perfectly, didn’t they?
If I were to tell all, it would be a blend of gossip, slander, and pitiful pouting, and you would be sorry you ever read this.
I’ll just talk about something else.
This is what I found out according to
“Quantum physics is the study of matter and energy at its most fundamental level. A central tenet of quantum physics is that energy comes in indivisible packets called quanta. Quanta behave very differently to macroscopic matter: particles can behave like waves, and waves behave as though they are particles.”
No, I am not a physicist, not even close, but I thought about time and space, so I looked this up.
There is time, and there is space, a distance. Yesterday and today are separated by time. Where I was a year ago is a long way from where I am today. To be distanced is as ordinary as time.
Memories fill in the space that time and distance take away. Whether or not they are good memories can determine your state of mind and behavior.
They say a virus of pandemic proportion poured out upon the world this year. The experts say the solution is to shut everything down and socially distance from one another. I am not an expert in the fields of science or medicine. In fact, I am not an expert on anything. However, I do know (as well as all of you) some repercussions of separation.
Struck blind
It didn’t take long for the world to gather and actuate every bit of knowledge available as billions of people suddenly were in the dark about this invisible spread. Christians across the world received a call to arms to pray for divine intervention. Slowly, as social and political issues swept through the world simultaneously, violence and fear of ordinary people added confusion to the mix. Information changed from state to state, and no consistency or standard provided anyone with a sense of stability. Left to our own opinions and beliefs, we were on our own.
“looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb 12:2, NASB)
What I desire to take from 2020 to 2021 is a clearer vision that time and distance cannot endow.
As for many, this year's personal issues compounded the situation. I decided everything was too heavy to handle, and so I got on my knees every morning and sought God. In doing so, I can testify that although many situations still appear unchanged, my vision is changing. I went from being blind to blurry to cross-eyed.
Another pouring
The Christmas season is upon us. No, we don’t know the exact date of Jesus’s birth, but we celebrate it on a certain day every year. It is the day God poured out His love upon a world that was blinded by sin. But no one then, save a few shepherds and some wise men, even paid attention. They chose to remain blind and ignore the mercy and grace raining down upon them. After all, what could a baby do for them? Or a carpenter’s son from Nazareth? Or a convicted, crucified common blasphemer? And who can rise from the dead?
Time and distance are not healers
Jesus was a historically proven miracle worker and risen Savior, still pouring out mercy and reconciliation in the hope that the blind will see and the deaf will hear, and the lame will walk. But many won’t.
They will keep their distance and hope time will just make everything go away.
You can’t see quanta packets of energy; you can’t see waves; you can only measure them. Quantum Physics is still considered a theory, but I believe there is far more evidence of fact than evolution. The Word of God is still considered by many a myth.
The fundamentals of existence do not require scientific proof. God need not that you prove Him fact or fallacy. It is by His mercy alone we know anything at all.
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13, CSB)
At the end of every year, I pray for a special Bible scripture to carry me through the next. Each year the Lord is faithful. During this year, I thought I was wrong in choosing it, but recently I realized how my joy and peace have nothing to do with what is going on around me, and my inner hope is overflowing.
I want to remember this year, not for the sight it took from me, but for the vision it gave me.
Whatever happens in 2021(and never say it can’t get worse), I do not want to look back.
|
https://medium.com/this-shall-be-our-story/how-did-2020-affect-your-vision-751274d76a32
|
['Mary Hood']
|
2020-12-19 13:03:05.655000+00:00
|
['Spirituality', 'Vision', '2020', 'Life', 'Hope']
|
7 Reasons You Should Be Looking At Kink for Better Sex.
|
7 Reasons You Should Be Looking At Kink for Better Sex.
And one reason you shouldn’t.
Image by Shibari Kinbaku from Pixabay
So how do you know if you should explore something that might be considered kinky?
Well, there isn’t any real answer to that question. However, we can explore a few reasons why you might what to look a little deeper in to the world of BDSM and kink.
BDSM isn’t just one thing. It’s a diverse community of people that explore not only sex and sexuality. But also relationships and relational dynamics. Not everyone that is into kink is in it for the sex. Some are into it for the community or want to explore the darker aspects of themselves.
Some people just really love rope, or impact play, or feet, or any number of other things that turn people on and get them excited about what’s going to happen next.
I thought it might be helpful to come up with ten reasons you should be looking at BDSM and kink for better sex.
1. Kinky sex is exciting.
Kinky sex can bring an element of excitement that might have been missing. A little rope, a blindfold, some candle wax. It can bring a burst of color into what might have become pretty black and white sex. We all get into a rut and bringing something new to the bedroom might just be what makes it exciting again. You don’t even have to buy anything to do it. A silk tie you already own, and some imagination and you have everything you need to spice things up.
2. BDSM is about more than sex
One of the things I find so interesting about BDSM and kink is that it isn’t always about the sex. The amount of diversity in relational dynamics is really fascinating to me. You have everything from TPE (Total Power Exchange), to swingers, to people that enjoy being single and just having someone when they want it.
You have the exploration of gender roles, both traditional and nontraditional. The Top/bottom and Dom/sub dynamics and how they play into a person’s kink is really interesting to me. You have people that enjoy being flogged, but couldn’t care less about having an orgasm. It’s an interesting way to explore your relationships and how they relate to you.
3. BDSM will help you understand your sexuality better.
In today’s world, it amazes me that more people don’t understand their sexuality. They don’t really know what does and doesn’t turn them on. They accept the socially acceptable defaults and don’t explore their wants and needs.
They just go through life thinking that they work one way when really they have some needs and wants that run a little darker. Maybe they enjoy being tied up, or maybe they enjoy the feeling of being spanked. Maybe the idea of needle play gets them excited. Only they don’t know any of this because they haven’t taken the time to explore their sexuality. Because we have a society that doesn’t encourage that sort of thing.
Kink and BDSM will help you explore your sexuality and help you understand yourself better. I mean isn’t the idea of spicing up the bedroom to have better sex? So, why wouldn’t you want to explore that those things you’ve always wanted to try out.
4. Everything’s better with friends.
The kink and BDSM community is one that has a diversity of people from any number of backgrounds. If you really start to get into kink, you might just start to venture into the community at large. Munches, play parties, conventions and social networks.
The community of people into kink and BDSM is vast and everyone has their own ideas. So going by the saying, your kink isn’t my kink, and that’s ok, would be a good idea.
Having people who are more experienced helping you understand how to do impact play right, or how to tie someone up correctly, is very important to making sure you don’t hurt your partners in the wrong way.
5. Spanking can be fun!
Impact play can be very cathartic. When it’s done right. It can help you release emotions you didn’t realize you’d been holding back. Again, when it’s done right. It releases endorphins and gets you into that nice floaty space known as subspace. Sex is supposed to feel good, and impact play can feel very good when it’s done right. I keep repeating that part because it can absolutely be done wrong, and that just leaves everyone either feeling bad, or someone is taking a trip to the hospital.
There’s a reason this in the top five kinks. Of the 400 people that took part in the 2018 survey by the Sex Expo. A full 33.6 percent admitted to having first tried it between the ages of 21 and 29. There was also another 7.7 percent that stated they’d never tried it, but would be open to it.
There are websites that focus only on spanking, and it’s a very common theme in kink and BDSM. So you might want to think about giving it a try.
6. Sometimes it’s good to not be in control.
Power exchange features as what I would consider the number one aspect to kink and BDSM that everyone wants to take part in. Either you’re taking control, or you’re giving it up to someone.
It’s also the most misunderstood part of BDSM. You’d be surprised by the number of lawyers, doctors, and other high demand professionals that take part in power exchange. More often than not, they are in the submissive role. Because it allows them to just let go during that time they are in service.
Letting go of control can be very helpful with stress relief. So it’s understandable that people find it so attractive. In a world that is demanding more and more all the time. Being able to disconnect and let someone else be in charge can help with getting some balance back.
On the flip side, some people want to have control. Some people find it reassuring to have control. To know exactly what’s going to happen, that your submissive will follow your instructions. To not have to worry about what you’re coming home to can be a stress reliever all by itself.
7. Roleplaying isn’t just for Cosplay.
There’s a good reason this is in the top five fantasies for people. Because it allows you to be someone else. To explore other aspects of yourself and to live out a fantasy you otherwise wouldn’t be able to do in your daily life.
Be seduced by the sexy nurse, or seduce the sexy secretary. Be the Doctor that examines the patient and maybe seduces them. Be the damsel in distress saved by the white knight and rewards him with some sexy time. The possibilities are endless.
Role play can really spice things up, bring something new to the table. Maybe let you explore something you might not have been able to do so otherwise.
The one reason you shouldn’t.
There is one reason you shouldn’t be looking at kink and BDSM. It’s a fairly simple reason. The reason is that you can’t use kink and BDSM to save a relationship that is already falling apart.
It’s one thing to introduce BDSM to spice up a bedroom that might be going a little stale. It’s another to use it to keep someone in a relationship that needs to end. Kink, and BDSM is predicated on consent by all the people involved. Even in scenes like consensual non-consent. Consent is the primary focus.
Trying to make someone take part in something they don’t want to be part of isn’t fun for anyone. Everyone should want to be there and want to take part in whatever scene that will be played out. The end result will be resentment and the exact thing you were trying to avoid in the first place.
|
https://medium.com/dshorbauthor/7-reasons-you-should-be-looking-at-kink-for-better-sex-d15bfdd35cbd
|
['David Shorb']
|
2019-11-15 11:01:02.347000+00:00
|
['Sexuality', 'Life', 'Culture', 'Sex', 'BDSM']
|
Creating an Interactive Dashboard from Jupyter Notebook with Voila
|
Creating Interactive Widgets
Now that we’ve loaded the data, we can start right away to create widgets. These widgets are essentials to add interactivity to our visualizations. In this article, we’re going to use three widgets: one slider widget and two multiple selection widgets. To create these widgets, we can use ipywidgets library that is available for Jupyter Notebook.
The first widget that we are going to create is the slider widget. To do this, we can use IntSlider() attribute from ipywidgets . This slider widget will control how many rows of the dataset that Pandas should load. For example, if the slider value is 1000, then Pandas should load the first 1000 rows of the dataset. Below is the code implementation of that.
import ipywidgets as widgets
import pandas as pd style = {'description_width': 'initial'} limit_case = widgets.IntSlider(
value=1000,
min=100,
max=5000,
step=1,
description='Max Number of Case:',
disabled=False,
style=style)
In the code above, we passed several arguments into IntSlider() attribute from ipywidgets . The first one is value , which is the default value that will be displayed when we run the code. Next, min and max are the minimum and maximum range values that can be considered in the slider. Meanwhile, step is the value increment or decrement when we move the slider up or down. Finally, we add style argument such that the word in description will not be truncated.
Next, with interactive() attribute from ipywidgets , we can link up the widget with the variable in which the value we want to interactively change. Now if we change the slider value, we can see that the length of the dataset will be changed accordingly.
If you run the code cells above, you’ll get an interactive slider widget like this.
Next, let’s create the second widget, which is the multiple selection widget. We can do this by using SelectMultiple() attribute from ipywidgets . With this widget, we have the option to visualize the crime only in particular selection of districts instead of all districts. In order to create this multiple selection widget, below is the code implementation.
import pandas as pd
import ipywidgets as widgets
from ipywidgets import Layout df = pd.read_csv('SF_crimes.csv') unique_district = df.PdDistrict.unique() district = widgets.SelectMultiple(
options = unique_district.tolist(),
value = ['BAYVIEW', 'NORTHERN'],
description='District',
disabled=False,
layout = Layout(width='50%', height='80px', display='flex')
)
In the code above, we use SelectMultiple() attribute to enable us to pick more than one values of our district variable. The first argument that we should specify is options , which should contain the list of available options of our variable (in our case different kinds of San Fransisco districts). The next one is value , which should contain the variable values that we want to display as default, and then description is for the text field to describe the name of the widget.
If you run the code cells above, you’ll get the following interactive multiple selection widget.
To wrap up, we can create the third widget that is exactly the same as the previous multiple selection widget. The purpose of this widget is to enable us to choose which category of crimes that we want to visualize. Below is the code implementation of this widget.
import pandas as pd
import ipywidgets as widgets
from ipywidgets import Layout df = pd.read_csv('SF_crimes.csv') unique_cat = df.Category.unique() style = {'description_width': 'initial'} category = widgets.SelectMultiple(
options = unique_cat.tolist(),
value = ['VANDALISM', 'ASSAULT', 'ROBBERY'],
description='Criminal Case',
disabled=False,
style=style,
layout = Layout(width='50%', height='80px')
)
The arguments that we passed on this SelectMultiple() attribute is the same as before, except that the value and options arguments would be the crime categories instead of districts.
If you run the code cells above, you’ll get the following widget.
Next, we want to combine all of the three widgets that we’ve created before to create an interactive visualization. To visualize the crime locations, we can visualize them with a map, since we have the information regarding the latitude and longitude in the dataset.
To visualize the dataset into a map, we can use folium library. If you haven’t installed folium yet, you can install it using pip command.
pip install folium
We can integrate the map with the widgets such that when we make a different selection with the widgets, the visualization will adjust accordingly.
First, the value of the slider widget will determine how many crimes in the dataset that we should consider in the visualization. Next, the map should then show the crime categories and the districts based on our selection with the multiple selection widgets.
To create additional visualizations, we can also create two bar charts. One bar chart to show how many crimes are there based on the categories that we’ve selected using the widgets. The other chart is to show how many crimes are there in the district that we’ve selected using the widget.
Finally, we need to define a function to integrate all of the three widgets with our map visualization and the two bar charts.
Below is the complete code implementation to do all of that from start to finish.
Now if we call the function update_map in the last code cell of Jupyter Notebook above, we get the interactivity to our map and bar chart visualizations based on the value that we’ve selected in all of the three widgets.
|
https://towardsdatascience.com/creating-an-interactive-dashboard-from-jupyter-notebook-with-voila-b64918b4d15a
|
['Ruben Winastwan']
|
2020-11-01 22:41:51.365000+00:00
|
['Jupyter Notebook', 'Deployment', 'Dashboard', 'Data Science', 'Data Visualization']
|
OnePlus 9 Pro Could Come With Official IP68 Rating, OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9E May Not
|
OnePlus 9 Pro has been tipped to include IP68 residue and water-opposition rating. The telephone is required to be important for the following leader arrangement from the Chinese organization that may incorporate the vanilla OnePlus 9 and a restrained OnePlus 9E. Till now, just OnePlus 8 Pro has accompanied an official IP rating, however some OnePlus telephones in the past have had some water obstruction estimates like with the OnePlus 7 Pro. Starting at now, OnePlus has not mutual any official data on the forthcoming OnePlus 9 arrangement.
Known insider Max Jambor (@maxjmb) has asserted by means of Voice that the OnePlus 9 Pro, expected to be the top-level OnePlus 9 arrangement telephone, will accompany an authority IP68 rating that will make it residue and water impervious in a specific way. The insider likewise expresses that the vanilla OnePlus 9 or the OnePlus 9E won’t have an official rating, however it is indistinct if OnePlus will add a type of water protection from the these telephones.
|
https://medium.com/@shivanshudagar999/oneplus-9-pro-could-come-with-official-ip68-rating-oneplus-9-and-oneplus-9e-may-not-52fd0f01b102
|
[]
|
2020-12-27 11:08:04.390000+00:00
|
['Mobile', 'Oneplus', 'Tech', 'Technology', 'Smartphones']
|
Winter Trends You Need To Jump On
|
“Vintage is the new norm. The planet is saved. The world is great again.”
Vintage Gilet
Vintage clothing, everyone is talking about it but have you jumped on the trend?
To the left we have a gilet from the 80’s. Priced at £60, there is nothing better to spice up your style with clothing from the past. The iced out colour way is a perfect reflection of the cold months ahead.
I found this item on Depop which is a great place to find vintage clothing. My favourite store is DRIP STEEZ. They seem to have the biggest range I’ve seen so far.
There are endless ways you can take vintage fashion. For the price you pay at Zara and other fast fashion producers, I’d much rather get a piece of vintage for the same price!
Adidas Fleece
The vintage fleece. An everyday garm that will keep you looking warm and fly at the same time. Who doesn't want that combination! Again, purchased on Depop for a reasonable £40. If you look on any fast fashion website for a thick fleece, it will always cost more than £40.
Fast fashion is the third most polluting industry in the world. With companies such as Pretty Little Thing selling jackets as cheap as 8p, it is mind boggling that they can make a profit on that. The cost of making an item must be ridiculously low if they are selling items that cheap.
That can only mean one thing,
SWEAT SHOPS!
The fashion industry contributes to 8.1% of the green house gass emissions. Reusing or buying used clothing could heavily reduce that number.
There are plenty of clothes already made out there, Why make more!
To the left is my final purchase of this month. A 1990’s Nautica sailing jacket, retailing at over £200 brand new. I picked it up for £60 on Depop on my favorite store, DRIP STEEZ. This is a timeless classic that will keep you warm during the winter months ahead!
Under 1% of the materials used to make clothing are recyclable, so why not recycle pieces that are already make! Make the world green again!
|
https://medium.com/@maximusgalins/winter-trends-you-need-to-jump-on-c2b65756469b
|
['Max Galins']
|
2020-12-01 16:02:18.998000+00:00
|
['Vintage Fashion', 'Vintage', 'Recycle', 'Environment', 'Environmental Issues']
|
Abi’s Tweet Highlights #4
|
Happy New Year friends, and welcome to the last 2019 quarterly Twitter highlights!
Christmas celebrations with the Tech Nation PM team
For me, I have loved 2019. I started the year optimistic and ended the year stronger than ever ✨ ✨ ✨
Time to wrap up 2019 Q4, and review it all! Again, the purpose of this series is really for me to soak in the past few months. It’s for my own well-being and self-reflection.
I’m excited, let’s go!
For January to September self-reflection, please refer to Q1, Q2, and Q3 blogs.
October
It’s Black History Month, and I’m feeling ready to conquer the month. We kick off the month with me posting my 1st Vlog video. Super proud of the animation intro and overall video editing.
I was featured by We Are Tech Women, I shared my overall tech journey, my pivot into investing and scaling startups story.
I spoke on a panel for BHM. I was able to give my perspective as a black woman in the tech/startup ecosystem, and my future predictions and what do we do to make the world a better place.
I was featured in TechWorld, alongside many other amazing black women in UK tech.
Meanwhile, at work we wrap-up Cyber 1.0 final dinner. Super lucky to start my role a little bit earlier before entering Cyber 2.0 discovery.
November
I was featured in ASOS (Autumn Magazine) as one of their Change Makers.
Me and Emmanuel represented CGV in our 1st international campaign.
I went to Slush! My second international conference as an investor.
I attended the Huxley Summit as part of the New Voice cohort.
December
I love December, the only month which I fully shut down and it’s My Birthday Month 🎂
I uploaded my 4th vlog style video on Youtube.
Meanwhile, at CGV, we had our Christmas dinner to end a successful year.
Closing 2019
Happy New Year, officially closing 2019
The year started with me being featured on BBC 1Xtra talking about how to secure investment as a minority in the UK.
In March, I decided to leave my software engineering role and have a break; mainly having a massive career retrospective.
I had the opportunity to attend 2 international tech/startup conferences as an investor; Latitude59 & Slush with Backed VC.
I taught over 100 women how to code, reaching my teaching milestone.
I went to 10 Downing Street and I was featured in ComputerWeekly Most Influential Women in UK Tech 2019 Longlist.
I joined Tech Nation and officially pivoted my career into helping scaling startups and launched my Tech/Startup Vlog Channel on Youtube!
My mantra for 2020 will be
“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”
(David Viscott)
I’m a big believer in setting goals, and similar to last year I like to keep this private. Below are some good goal templates to review the year before and set goals for the next year:
If you enjoyed this post, follow me on Twitter for more insight about tech and startup, via Abi Mohamed & CGV ✨✨✨
|
https://medium.com/@abimohamed/abis-tweet-highlights-4-766a4574aaa5
|
['Abi Mohamed']
|
2020-01-01 16:08:25.739000+00:00
|
['Blog', 'Tech', 'London', 'Startup Lessons']
|
How to Start a New Open-Source Project
|
Laying the Groundwork
You can’t expect everyone to understand what you’re trying to accomplish without a proper starting point. You have to lay some of the groundwork first if you expect others to be able to contribute.
Choosing a name
The name you pick for your project will represent your work for all to see. It should unique, easy to remember, and related to the project’s goal.
For example, Sentry monitors apps for crashes and bugs. The name Sentry is easy to remember and clearly represents what the app does.
It all starts with a README
Start off by making a detailed and concise README file that tells the most important things about your project. Most people who see your project will start with the README, so it’s important that you share all you need to share.
You’ll know your README is complete when someone is able to use the basic functionality of your project without looking at the code or too much documentation.
The README should include what your project is, what it looks like in action, how to use it, and any other relevant details. Just remember that the README should be as short as it can be without being any shorter. You may also want to add in details on contributing and license information.
The Make a README website has a template you can use to get your README file started.
Getting the code started
It’s a good idea to start coding yourself so others know a bit more about your project, what to expect, and if they want to lend a hand.
This also means you’ll be able to publish a beta-type version of your project to increase visibility.
Begin with well-formatted code and even throw in some comments. This will help others understand the thinking that went into the code as well as what the purpose of the project is.
Picking a license
Without a license, no one will really be able to contribute to your project. A great resource for choosing a license is the website Choose an open source license by GitHub, which gives you great info on each license option available to you.
The most common licenses used in open-source software are the MIT License, the Apache License 2.0, and the GNU General Public License v3.0. Each license features unique permissions, conditions, and limitations, so it’s always best to look carefully for the license that’s right for your project.
Contributing guidelines
It’s important to establish clear contributing guidelines so that others know how they can help out with your project. This is often placed in a file named CONTRIBUTING or CONTRIBUTING.md in the root directory to make the guidelines easy to find.
You may want to include information telling:
How to file a bug report
How to request a feature
How to set up a development environment and run tests
Your contributing guidelines should be kept short and sweet, while still mentioning everything that needs to be included.
Documenting your work
Even if you don’t start off with much code, it’s important to document everything you do from the start.
You can even make your documentation part of your project’s source code so that other contributors can add to it when they add to the code.
Tools like GitHub Pages and Read the Docs allow you to host documentation on a nice-looking site for no cost at all.
|
https://medium.com/better-programming/how-to-start-a-new-open-source-project-9dcc2be49e08
|
['Ben Soyka']
|
2020-07-23 19:04:01.505000+00:00
|
['Programming', 'Oss', 'Coding', 'Open Source', 'Github']
|
Adding a new field to an existing index with zero downtime— Elasticsearch
|
Let's take care of scenario 1.
I am assuming that we have an ILM policy and a template defined for the index. In case if you do not, it is advisable to create one. The ILM policy will have your rollover conditions defined, and will also define when you want to move the data in warm and cold phases. The template will define your shard settings and mappings and ILM policy to apply to your indices with patterns defined in it. It is recommended to have explicit settings if you know your data well. Make sure to include ILM policy and rollover alias(write alias) in the template. When your condition is met for rollover, the new index is automatically assigned the alias you provide in the template. Also, make sure to use this alias for writing to the index(instead of an index name). Using an alias helps manage the index lifecycle in a streamlined way. This also helps in any changes in mapping, updating the type of a field, adding a new field, etc. we may foresee in the future.
My ILM policy looks like this:-
#My ILM plociy for emloyee-* indices
PUT _ilm/policy/employee-ilm-policy
{
"policy": {
"phases": {
"hot": {
"actions": {
"rollover": {
"max_age":"30d",
"max_docs": 1,
"max_size":"50gb"
}
}
},
"warm": {
"min_age": "1h",
"actions": {
"allocate": {
"include": {},
"exclude": {},
"require": {
"data": "warm"
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
Let’s add the additional field to our template. My updated template for employee looks like this:
Now let's create a new index for your live incoming data. The format below creates an index as per the month and year. In this example, It will create an index of the form employee-2020–10–000001.
When the rollover condition is met(for example after 30d ), the ILM policy will auto-generate the employee-2020–11–000002 index. For more information patterns of such kind refer here
PUT /%3Cemployee-%7Bnow%2Fm%7Byyyy-MM%7D%7D-000001%3E
{
"aliases": {
"employee-alias":{
"is_write_index": true
}
}
}
Now point your code to refer to employee-alias. In my case, I will update my logstash setting to write to employee-alias. ALWAYS USE AN ALIAS AND NEVER AN INDEX NAME.
input {
... #you own input setting
}
filter {
json {
source => "message"
remove_field => ["message"]
}
ruby {
code => 'event.set("SalaryPerYear",(event.get("SalaryPerMonth").to_i * 12))'}
mutate {
..# if you need to add or remove fields from your data
}
}
output {
elasticsearch {
user=> "${USER}"
password=> "${PASSWORD}"
hosts => ["${ELASTICSEARCH_URL}"]
index=> "employee-alias"
manage_template => "false"
}
}
Please note that if you do not set the type of the new field in the mapping then the new field by default will be of text type. Hence it is necessary to update your mappings in the template settings before you switch the write alias to point to the new index.
|
https://medium.com/@divyanij/adding-a-new-field-in-an-existing-index-elasticsearch-a3cf25c053fb
|
['Divyani Joshi']
|
2020-10-29 22:32:15.134000+00:00
|
['Update With Zero Downtime', 'Elasticsearch', 'Add New Field', 'Mapping', 'Index']
|
Revamp Your Author Platform
|
202Done
Revamp Your Author Platform
Photo by Dariusz Sankowski on Unsplash
When 2020 began, I set for myself the goal of revamping my languishing author platform. I had several problems. My email list was stuck at about 120 subscribers, most of whom never opened a newsletter. Worse, I hardly ever sent a newsletter. My website featured a stale blog, and my social media accounts fared little better. In many ways, I may as well not have had these tools.
Not being a marketing genius, I signed up for a free email marketing course. I then formulated a simple plan based on what I learned and, early in January, began to execute it. Along the way, I took some liberties and made adjustments. I even discovered a powerful tool that wasn’t covered in the course. I’ll share that with you in a moment. But first, let’s walk step-by-step through my revamp.
Create a reader magnet
A reader magnet is a freebie, a giveaway offered to potential readers in exchange for a valuable commodity: their email address. Your magnet can be a book, a short story, a report, or merchandise such as a set of bookmarks. Many authors bundle several items into their magnets.
Value is key to a reader magnet. Nobody will give you their email address just because you ask nicely. Between marketing messages, notifications, and the ever-present spam, everyone receives far more email than they like. But offer something of value for zero cost to the right audience, and people will gladly sign up. Some authors give away as many as five books in their reader magnets. That kind of offer can be hard to resist!
Included in a reader magnet is the reason you want that email address: your newsletter. Books, stories, and merchandise are one-time inducements, but your newsletter is your ongoing connection with your readers. Through it you offer them books, courses, and merchandise, but you must do more than sell. You must deliver value issue after issue. If your newsletter is nothing but hard sell, subscribers will ignore it and eventually unsubscribe.
Redesign your newsletter
Before 2020, my newsletter was pretty pathetic. The numbers proved that. I had only 140 subscribers, over half of them disengaged. They seldom opened an issue, and when they did, they clicked nothing. Worse, I hadn’t gained any new subscribers during the past year.
What was wrong? For one thing, I wasn’t sending newsletters regularly. Sometimes months would pass without my readers hearing from me. For another, I mostly talked about myself: what I was writing, how I approach writing, where to buy my books. Yawn.
I needed a total makeover, including a regular schedule, a solid design, and content with value. Addressing the first of these, I committed to weekly delivery on a set day at a set time. This is easy, since bulk email providers such as MailChimp allow you to schedule email delivery. To ensure I’m ready, I also schedule time for writing newsletters. Each week, I create my content two days prior to the delivery date.
As for the content itself, I’m a fiction writer. I tell stories. I decided to make stories the focus of my newsletter: short stories, true stories, book reviews, and the stories behind my stories. Accordingly, I renamed the newsletter Dale E. Lehman’s Story Corner. Not flashy, but direct. It tells you what value you will receive as a subscriber: Dale will tell you stories!
Next, I needed a newsletter template. I actually had one already, so I just tweaked it, but if you’re just starting out you’ll want to build one. Bulk email providers give you templates to choose from, or you can design your own using their tools. Either way, using a template ensures a consistent look and feel week after week and simplifies email creation, since all you need do is plug in the content.
To facilitate storytelling, I designed a simple template reminiscent of a letter. It consists of a header, a greeting that includes the subscriber’s first name, space for the body of the newsletter, a closing, and a P.S. Why a P.S.? Because after a glance at an email’s opening, many people scroll to the bottom for a quick look, then hit delete. A P.S. offers a chance to catch their attention before it’s too late.
As for the content itself, my research taught me to avoid the hard sell. If you’re shouting, “Buy! Buy! Buy!” week after week, readers will get sick of it and ignore you in droves. Rather, employ this sequence:
Give. Give. Give. Ask.
Give your readers something of value three times before you ask them to buy or sign up for something. That’s three newsletters full of good stuff, no purchase necessary, before pitching your wares. Whether introducing a short story or letting readers know of a great price on my books, I adopt a conversational style. No pressure and no hard sell. I’m just talking to my friends, telling them stuff I think will interest them.
One last thing. Bulk email services provide welcome emails for your new subscribers. This is where you deliver the goods for your reader magnet. Create a signup form through your provider, then host it on your website and social media accounts. When somebody signs up, the welcome email is triggered, and they receive the links to download their freebies. It’s fairly simple to set up a welcome email, but your website will need a facelift.
Redesign your website
Originally, my author website was part promotion, part communication. It offered information on my books and short stories, linked to my accounts on Medium, Facebook, and Twitter, and featured a blog about my life, my writing, and whatever else came to mind.
In theory, anyway. Unfortunately, I rarely posted to my blog. It quickly grew stale and became an embarrassment instead of an asset. I worried over this because I’d heard the same advice as you: authors must have a blog and must keep it fresh. But then I learned something startling. An author website is not about blogging. It’s not even about selling books. It’s about getting email signups. It’s about your reader magnet.
Many successful authors put their reader magnets front and center. Yes, they tell you about their books, articles, short stories, and activities. Yes, many do still blog. But reader magnets get pride of place. When you go to an author website, a magnet is often the first thing you see. It’s in your face. Why? Because while a website lets readers discover you, your newsletter is your connection with your “tribe,” those people you directly talk to week after week and who are most willing to buy your wares.
Accordingly, I redesigned my website (using the Hestia theme for Wordpress, if you’re curious). My reader magnet is the first thing you see. I replaced my stale blog with a welcome message to readers, followed by kudos from a handful of book reviewers. I redesigned my book pages to look better and added a store where readers can buy my print books. The latter is so I can send discount coupons to Story Corner readers, a perk only available to my subscribers.
Initial Results
It took about two months to complete these changes. At the same time, I posted frequently to Instagram, using tags such as #bookstagram. Following the give, give, give, ask formula, I talked books three times for every one time I mentioned my reader magnet. Signups were slow in coming, but they did come. Meanwhile, a more important change took place among my existing readership: engagement levels shifted in my favor.
There are three broad categories of engagement. Some people almost never open your emails, much less click on links. Others sometimes open newsletters and sometimes click on links, but not very often. And some people open most of your newsletters and click on links with some frequency. After implementing my changes, I found fewer people in the first and second categories, and more in the third. This happened for two reasons.
First, people who didn’t care about my newsletter suddenly had an incentive to unsubscribe! They were hearing from me weekly instead of on rare occasions, so they dumped me. Though it may seem odd, this is good thing. Big-time email marketers recommend periodically cleansing your list. If you’re paying to send emails, you don’t want a ton of recipients who never open them. More importantly for us small-time emailers, fewer disinterested subscribers means stronger engagement. Plus, the loss of a few disinterested subscribers will be more than offset if you continuously gain new interested subscribers.
Second, my improved newsletter content converted some of those moderately engaged subscribers into frequently engaged ones. Even if my audience wasn’t growing by leaps and bounds, it displayed greater interest in what I was sending.
This was a good start, but I wanted to grow my list faster. That’s when I stumbled onto something no email marketing course could have taught me: a powerful tool for authors looking to build their mailing lists. It’s called StoryOrigin.
StoryOrigin
I signed up for StoryOrigin months before embarking on my revamp, but I hadn’t much used it. It’s the creation of independent software developer Evan Gow. Gow began accepting users in April, 2018 with the idea of building a one-stop shop for book marketing tools. Since then, over 14,000 authors have signed up, with 1,000 currently participating in group promotions and newsletter swaps every week.
StoryOrigin provides a number of tools, but at its heart lies a simple concept: authors use their mailing lists and social media to promote each other’s work. In a swap, I mention your book in my newsletter, and you mention mine in yours. In a group promotion, a group of authors list books on a page hosted by StoryOrigin, and everyone shares that promotion with their audiences via newsletters and social media. Net result? You aren’t just talking to your mailing list. You’re talking to two, five, twenty, or more mailing lists, some of them of substantial size.
You can promote your book through reader magnets, sale pricing, or free books for potential reviewers. Your books on StoryOrigin are linked with bookseller sites such as Amazon. You can integrate with your bulk email service, plan and track email campaigns, set up reader magnets and review copies, request or accept swaps, create or join group promotions, and even track your progress on your latest writing project. StoryOrigin provides statistics so you can monitor your results. You can also review an author’s or reader’s record before you accept a swap or review request.
That’s an impressive tool set. I asked Gow what he thought the most important feature was. “It depends on where you are in your journey,” he said. “StoryOrigin can help you build your mailing list, increase sales, find reviewers, and manage your marketing and production schedule. For new authors, the email list building features are usually the most important. For seasoned authors, the most important thing is having one place to manage all of their newsletter swaps and group promotions, and the metrics and transparency StoryOrigin provides.”
For me, group promotions have proven the most fruitful. Focused on revamping my platform, I didn’t start using StoryOrigin regularly until midway through 2020. Once I did, my mailing list grew substantially. By the end of 2020, it had doubled over the start of the year, with most of that growth taking place in just the last four months thanks to group promos and swaps.
Right now, StoryOrigin is free, but it won’t be that way forever. When paid subscriptions become available, Gow plans to keep the cost low enough to make upgrading an easy decision. In addition, those who sign up now will receive a few extra months free after it becomes a paid service. But for the moment, he says, “I’m entirely focused on making StoryOrigin best-in-class across all of the essential book marketing tools.”
By the by, I have no connection with Evan Gow or StoryOrigin other than being a user of the platform. I recommend it solely based upon the results it’s given me.
Recap
The steps I took in 2020 to revitalize my writing platform are only first steps, but they have had a significant impact on the size of my mailing list and subscriber engagement. If your platform needs a boost, consider taking these steps yourself. Do some research on email marketing. Create a valuable reader magnet and integrate it with your newsletter and website. Set a newsletter schedule and stick to it. Deliver value to your readers in every issue. Apply the “give, give, give, ask” technique, and take StoryOrigin for a test drive. Monitor your progress, and before long you’ll see the effects of these changes.
|
https://writingcooperative.com/revamp-your-author-platform-d69a55656c1c
|
['Dale E. Lehman']
|
2020-12-21 04:08:44.783000+00:00
|
['Marketing', '202done', 'Promotion', 'Writing', 'Email Marketing Tips']
|
Development Update: January 20, 2017
|
The Milestone 1 developer release of OpenBazaar 2.0 is now available! This release is meant solely for developers and those building or intending to build on top of the OpenBazaar platform. You can read more about what the release entails here.
Since this is a release meant for develpoment, he functions available in Milestone 1 are very minimal. They include:
Users can download and install the client and server from Github, and use it to fill in their profile, store info, and post listings
The network can host listings, stores, and user profiles
Users can follow and unfollow
Here’s a short walkthrough video by our UX / Design Lead, Mike Wolf:
|
https://medium.com/openbazaarproject/development-update-january-20-2017-6ad080bd2a4f
|
[]
|
2017-01-20 22:42:41.293000+00:00
|
['Blockchain', 'Bitcoin', 'Ecommerce', 'Software Development']
|
The 10 stocks I purchased with my new Robinhood investing account
|
This article is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered Financial or Legal Advice. Not all information will be accurate. Consult a financial professional before making any major financial decisions.
|
https://medium.com/@eliinvesting/the-10-stocks-i-purchased-with-my-new-robinhood-investing-account-6a848c4168ef
|
['Eli Investing.']
|
2020-12-23 18:49:23.932000+00:00
|
['Finance', 'Money', 'Stocks', 'Investing', 'Stock Market']
|
Motorcycle adventure guide part I: The bike
|
This article is meant for aspiring motorcycle adventurers who want to take their bike camping in 2021.
The first part of this guide I dedicated to what may be the most important asset for your moto adventure: The bike itself. This is a good subject to begin with because I think this is where many aspiring motorcycle adventurers, young and old, have completely the wrong idea. Let’s start with a simple truth: If you have a bike in your garage you already have an adventure bike. Period. Please don’t think that only fully loaded big trail bikes are worthy of adventure. On the contrary: Bikes like these might actually kill the adventure spirit, not kindle it.
Car and motorcycle manufacturers make money by selling a better version of you. They poke your deepest uncertainties and desires. If your bike is big and powerful, you are inclined to think of yourself as such. An appealing prospect to the majority of us not so big and powerful. They make you dream of becoming some kind of superhero (Charlie Boorman or Chris Birch in this case) and they provide you a shortcut to achieving this dream without putting in the work, as long as you pay. Their solution I call ‘the feature bike’. You can recognize them by the long list of features they advertise.
This is the ultimate ‘feature bike’. Photo from BMW, who should be pleased with the free adverisment. The pricetag of a car and almost the weight. Only ridden off road by some youtubers and BMW promo teams…
Practical reasons not to get that expensive bike
The most expensive bikes, in the adventure category especially, are good examples of feature bikes: The KTM 1290 adventure, the BMW R1250GS and, arguably to a lesser extent, the Honda Africa Twin. These are bikes with ridiculous amounts of horsepower, many systems to help average riders control that power, electronic suspension systems, Bluetooth enabled LCD dashboards and sadly also a lot of bulk and the pricetag of a nice car.
Don’ t get me wrong. These are awesome bikes. Astounding technical achievements that can dispatch a transcontinental trek like a bullet train while still not falling apart off-road. In the right hands these machines offer a breath of capabilities previously thought impossible for two wheeled vehicles. The problem is these possibilities are only achievable in the commercials.
In reality, riding a top heavy fully loaded adventure bike off road is extremely difficult and dangerous. If a bike like that leans over just a tiny amount during a standstill your feeble little leg has no chance of keeping it upright (unless you are some kind of bear-human). If you haven’t broken your leg in your attempts to keep it upright (that happens) you may proceed to break your back by trying to pick it back up, which may not even be possible for you. Of course your expensive branded beauty cases on the sides will be scratched as well as your pretty stickered and painted limited edition fairings that state ‘ADVENTURE!!’. If you have become light headed at this point by the effort of picking the bike back up you might faint entirely at the thought of the massive bill to repair the damn thing. Some even say BMW dealers’ testes tingle pleasantly every time a GS goes down somewhere.
This means most feature bike owners just use them as touring bikes. They are far too expensive to risk them off road. They make excellent touring bikes, by the way, but they are kind of doing a job that’s done even better by… y’know… touring bikes! Mind you, you can have an adventure on a touring bike… As long as you are OK with it looking somewhat less sexy then the latest KTM advertisements.
What I’m trying to say is: Don’t spend all of your budget on one of these feature bikes unless you know how to handle their weight and their cost. Most of you would be much happier allocating a larger part of the budget to bike accessories, a better suit, luggage, camping gear and daily expenses during the trip. Another important reason to choose a lesser bike is the gift of limitations, which I will explain in the next section.
Emotional reasons to stick with a cheaper bike
So what’s this about the gift of limitations? This is going to be hard to explain so bear with me. We have to think about what really makes an adventure. You can understand better by asking fellow bikes about their greatest stories and see what the best ones have in common. It’s always about something bad happening and them overcoming the situation. It’s about experiences: challenges, despair and elation as well as courage, tenacity and ingenuity. If you ask me for a great story I will tell you about that one time I was riding through a flood, being forced to wild camp or experiencing sub-zero degrees Celsius while camping. To put it bluntly: A good adventure setting is a catalyst of optimal challenges which just put you out of the comfort zone but remain within your ultimate limits.
This 500cc Honda rebel is as far removed from a trail bike as you can get. But that should never stop anyone from going on an adventure on it. If you like this style of bike just get one. Don’t think about speed, range or suspension travel you will only hypothetically need. Photo by Honda, who get some free advertisement…
This is why we do motorcycle adventures in the first place: Biking and camping are activities which are very likely to go wrong at some point and challenge us. And we get a kick out of preventing or overcoming these challenges. Imagine if your bike is magically transformed into an invincible tank that can do everything and can always keep you warm and safe it would ruin the adventure. We need our bike and our surroundings to provide limits, to provide some resistance. And yet most of us make it a sport to remove all limitations, which is fine as long as we don’t succeed in it.
Don’t buy the feature bike that can ‘do it all’. Stick with a cheaper bike with some limitations but better performance in specific area’s that make your heart sing. Get a dual sport, a cruiser or a sports bike. A bike that stirs your emotions and captures your imagination. A dual sport will give you the ability to experience off-road while a hypersport is just the sweetest thing ever on a winding road. For others there is nothing better then the ‘feeling’ of a Harley… The big trail bikes are somewhat capable of handling all environments but they won’t inspire in neither of them. Also the limitations of more focused bikes provide you with the necessary challenges. You won’t believe how much you’ll laugh if you see your buddy try to get a sportsbike with slick tires over wet grass on a camp site. Or how much of an adrenaline rush it can be trying to push a pogo stick like dual sport with knobbly tires on pavement.
If you like speed: Get your self a speedy bike and overcome its limitations. You like cruiser bikes and want to feel stylish? Don’t give a shit about tank range, comfort or ground clearance. Take it on an adventure anyway. You want to discover great forests and mountains? Get that dual sport and forget about motorway comfort and maximum lean angles. Stop reading too much on the internet (the irony is not lost on me, by the way) and just get a bike that feels right. The adventure will take care of itself. Only choose one of the big trail bikes if you have deep pockets and truly plan to exploit their capabilities.
This Fantic Caballero 500 rally is probably more conducive to adventure than any of the expensive traction control and Bluetooth equipped big trail bikes out there. It only has as single cylinder engine, but because of this it only needs a single disc up front and no electronics (except ABS). Foto by Fantic who I am glad to offer some free advertising.
Last but not least: a bike with limited luggage capacity poses one of the most interesting challenges of all: How to pack only what you need. A KTM adventure can easily carry two huge side cases and a 70 liter roll bag on the passenger seat giving you the total luggage capacity of a small car. You don’t need this and too much luggage will only slow you down. In the next part of this series we will discuss your luggage options.
|
https://medium.com/@dennisvaneecke/motorcycle-adventure-guide-part-i-the-bike-533538d2f5d5
|
['Dennis Van Eecke']
|
2021-01-04 15:19:53.081000+00:00
|
['Motorcycle', 'Guides And Tutorials', 'Adventure', 'Touring', 'Camping']
|
Abstractio — Deploy Docker Containers without Worrying about Complexity
|
Abstractio is a deployment platform that allows customers to easily deploy Docker applications in the cloud without worrying about complexity.
Everytime you need to deploy a docker application, you need to manage servers, networking, security, scalability, and load balancing. This is something to fight with if you are not so familiar with these things.
Abstractio lets you deploy your docker containers without worrying about all these things. You only need to select the registry (public or private) where your docker image is, and then Abstractio will deploy it setting all the infrastructure.
|
https://medium.com/@cascavilla1/abstractio-deploy-docker-containers-without-worrying-about-complexity-e7461bb5ae8b
|
['Stefano Cascavilla']
|
2020-12-08 12:12:12.540000+00:00
|
['Deployment', 'Docker', 'DevOps', 'Serverless']
|
What happened when I used Stacking() on the Kaggle Titanic competition
|
Stacking is a type of ensemble machine learning algorithm. This function in sklearn library combines the best predictors from two or more functions in library. The benefit of using stacking is that this algorithm can harness the range of well performing models and make predictions that have the potential for obtaining a better outcome than if these models were used singly.
The stacking algorithm is designed to improve modelling performance, although it is not necessarily guaranteed. Achieving an improvement in accuracy depends on the complexity of the problem and whether it is sufficiently well represented by the training data and complex enough so there is more to learn by by combining operations, or stacking.
With the potential improvement in accuracy in mind, I chose a real life training set about the survivors of the Titanic that sank in the early 20th century. The datasets for this example can be found on the Kaggle competition page:- https://www.kaggle.com/c/titanic/data
Excerpts of the Problem Statement of the Kaggle competition read as follows:-
“On April 15, 1912, during her maiden voyage, the widely considered “unsinkable” RMS Titanic sank after colliding with an iceberg. Unfortunately, there weren’t enough lifeboats for everyone onboard, resulting in the death of 1502 out of 2224 passengers and crew.
While there was some element of luck involved in surviving, it seems some groups of people were more likely to survive than others.
In this challenge, we ask you to build a predictive model that answers the question: “what sorts of people were more likely to survive?” using passenger data (ie name, age, gender, socio-economic class, etc).”
I would like to say that I have worked on the Titanic datasets for quite some time because they are small and training the models will not crash my computer, which is what quite often happens when I am working with larger datasets. The idea behind the Titanic and other competitions is that the budding data scientist is supposed to move up the leaderboard on this competition, but all of the different algorithms I have experimented with have only led to incremental improvements. With this knowledge in mind, let’s see what happens when stacking is employed.
The first thing I did was to import the libraries that are needed to solve this computational problem. Pandas and numpy are the mainstays of Python, so they were the first two libraries to be imported.
Because this program was written in Kaggle, it was also necessary to import the operating system used by Kaggle and print out the data files in its directory:-
I then read the train and test data files that would be used for this calculation:-
I checked for any null values and found they were present in the following columns: “Age”, “Cabin”, “Embarked” and “Fare”. All of these columns would need to be imputed before I could train and then fit the datasets into the model:-
I decided to create variables, “ID_train” and “ID_test” , which stored the data in the “PassengerId”. I decided to drop the “PassengerId”, “Cabin”, and “Ticket” columns from the train and test sets because they were no longer needed:-
I used KNNImputer() to impute the missing values in the columns that had numeric data, being “Age” and “Fare”:-
I then replaced the missing values of the column that had objects in it, “Embarked”, with the most commonly used value, stated as mode():-
Once the values had been imputed, I encoded the columns that contained object data, using OrdinalEncoder():-
As part of the data preprocessing, I created a new column entitled “Title” and extracted the title from the name. I accomplished this by creating a user defined function, lamba, and split the string at “,” and “.” to extract the title:-
I then encoded the titles, using mapping, to assign each title a number, which is what the computer wants to see when it fits the data to the various functions in the algorithm:-
I then created bins to assign a range of numbers to a category, being ‘child’, ‘young adult’, ‘middle aged’, and ‘pensioner’. This range was put into another column I created, “Age_Range”:-
I then mapped the age range, assigning numeric values to each category:-
I created a new column. “Family”, by combining “SibSp” and “Parch”:-
I created a new column, “Fare_Range” and put the fares into categories:-
I then assigned a number to each category in “Fare_Range” and mapped this to make the column numeric:-
After preprocessing the data, I set up the X, y and X_test values. I created a variable, features, and put all of the columns I was intending to use as the X and X_test variables in it. I then used the “Survived” column in the train dataset and used it as the y variable.
Once the X, y, and X_test variables had been established, I used train_test_split() to split the train dataset up for training and validation. Since this is a classification problem, I set stratify=y:-
I then used StandardScaler() to scale the data in the training, validation and testing sets on the same scale as the target variable:-
Because the Titanic dataset has a mild class imbalance, I created a variable, class_werights, that will be used to balance the classes during the modelling process:-
The data is now ready to be trained, so I used the Stacking() function to create an ensemble of models to be stacked. Stacked generalization is a method for combining estimators to reduce their biases. More precisely, the predictions of each individual estimator are stacked together and used as input to a final estimator to compute the prediction. In this instance, the final estimator od LogisticRegression().
When I trained and fitted this model, I achieved an accuracy of 85.02%:-
Once the training set had been trained and fitted, I predicted on the validation set and obtained an accuracy of 77.78%:-
I then predicted on the test dataset and put the predictions in a dataframe in accordance with Kaggle’s competition specifications:-
When I submitted the predictions to Kaggle, i received a public score of 77.511%, being only a minor improvement from my previous score. Obviously much intensive work needs to be performed to increase the accuracy of this dataset:-
The code for this dataset can be found in my Jupyter notebook on the Kaggle Titanic competition page, being:- https://www.kaggle.com/tracyporter/titanic-stacking?scriptVersionId=47458851
|
https://python.plainenglish.io/what-happened-when-i-used-stacking-on-the-kaggle-titanic-competition-7914b1b02d6c
|
[]
|
2020-11-23 17:11:31.037000+00:00
|
['Python', 'Kaggle', 'Data Science', 'Titanic Dataset', 'Machine Learning']
|
Properazzi.com is now Enormo.com
|
Properazzi is now Enormo.com!
As part as our constant evolution, we have changed the portal name. Now it is named Enormo.com with the aim of fitting better with the site aspirations.
Enormo is currently the properties search engine with more listings arround the world: more than 6 Million.
|
https://medium.com/iv%C3%A1n-de-prado-alonso/properazzi-com-is-now-enormo-com-8cb7dc3adc20
|
['Iván De Prado']
|
2018-04-10 11:45:17.471000+00:00
|
['Enormo', 'Properazzi', 'Computers']
|
[GEEKY] Where are the east coast Rails / Ruby conferences?
|
“So yet another way you can help Ruby and Rails Activism is by attending
(supporting) a conference. Below you’ll find conferences coming up in
the next 6 months. If you think I’ve missed one, or if the information
is incorrect, please post a comment.” (from Riding Rails)
|
https://medium.com/pito-s-blog/geeky-where-are-the-east-coast-rails-ruby-conferences-51e645f5b5f5
|
['Pito Salas']
|
2017-06-08 19:20:23.510000+00:00
|
['Ruby', 'Tech', 'Programming', 'Rails']
|
Top 5 Stylish Fashion Influencers in 2020
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Fashion is one of the most popular categories on Instagram. When it comes to influencer marketing, the fashion industry is winning big. Fashion influencers cover beauty, travel, and lifestyle products as well as fashion. They are perfect for driving brand awareness and converting attention to sales.
We create a list of fashion influencers and add their Instagram profile for demonstrating what fashion looks like on Instagram. You can also find them or other influencers with any audience and engagement rate in the Keepface database if you want any further collaboration.
Before starting, I would like to remind you, brands can spend less time trying to find influencers. With the help of Keepface, brands are able to know an influencer’s engagement rates and have a full report on performance metrics before working with them. They can search influencers through advanced filters and analyze their key metrics to find the best fitting influencers for their campaigns. Brands also get an in-depth analysis of influencers’ social profiles, performance data, and audience. Search over the 350Kinfluencers & content creators and find the right influencers.
So, sign in now to take advantage of Keepface tool and get the most out of your influencer marketing.
The Italian fashion blogger Chiara Ferragni has 21.5m followers and 2.46% engagement rate on Instagram. She has held the title as one of the top Instagram fashion influencers and style icons for the last ten years and has worked with major fashion houses, including Valli, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Christian Dior.
Mariano is an Italian influencer with 6.1 M followers and 2.21% engagement rate. His modern European gentlemen style keeps his audience engaged daily. He also shares his daily life and family on Instagram.
Camila Coelho is a Brazilian-American fashion and beauty entrepreneur with an 8.8M audience and a 0.99% engagement rate. She may be considered one of the world’s biggest beauty and fashion mega influencers.
The American businesswoman Olivia Palermo is known as a key trendsetter in the fashion industry. She has a 6.4M audience with 0.77% engagement rate.
Adam demonstrates his street style to his 1.9 million followers as he travels the world. As a male fashion influencer, he has a 1.9% engagement rate. He is the founder of the highly popular blog I Am Galla where Adam shows his impressive photography and blogs about menswear, travel, and lifestyle.
9-years old Instagram Star Coco Pink Princess, who dresses better than most adults, has 636k followers with an 8.8% engagement rate. This street style star in the making is a chic outlier in the world of well-dressed kids and isn’t so hung up on looking stereotypically adorable.
|
https://medium.com/@keepface-com/fashion-is-one-of-the-most-popular-categories-on-instagram-b3f4d7ee19e2
|
[]
|
2020-12-14 10:27:23.105000+00:00
|
['Fashion', 'Influencers', 'Influencer Marketing']
|
Understanding Jetpack Compose — part 1 of 2
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Understanding Jetpack Compose — part 1 of 2
Better UI building with Compose
The expectations around UI development have grown. Today, we can’t build an app and meet the user’s needs without having a polished user interface including animation and motion. These requirements are things that didn’t exist when the current UI Toolkit was created. To address the technical challenges of creating a polished UI quickly and efficiently we have introduced Jetpack Compose, a modern UI toolkit that sets app developers up for success in this new landscape.
Over two posts we’re going to explain the benefits of Compose and look at how it works under the hood. To start, in this post, I discuss the challenges Compose addresses, the reasons behind some of our design decisions, and how those help app developers. Also, I will discuss the mental model of Compose, how you should think about the code you write in Compose, and how you should shape your APIs.
What challenges does Compose address?
Separation of concerns is a well-known software design principle. It’s one of the fundamental things that we learn as app developers. Despite being well known, it is often difficult to grasp whether or not this principle is being followed in practice. It can be helpful to think of this principle in terms of “Coupling” and “Cohesion”.
When we write code, we create modules that consist of multiple units. Coupling is the dependency among units in different modules and reflects the ways in which parts of one module influence parts of other modules. Cohesion is instead the relationship between the units within a module, and indicates how well grouped the units in the module are.
When writing maintainable software, our goal is to minimize coupling and maximize cohesion.
When we have highly coupled modules, making a change to code in one place means having to make many other changes to other modules. Worse still, coupling can often be implicit so that unexpected things break because of a change that appears to be entirely unrelated.
Separation of concerns is about grouping as much related code together as possible so that our code can be easily maintained and scale as the app grows.
Let’s look at this more practically in the context of Android development today and take the example of a view model and an XML layout.
The view model provides data to the layout. It turns out there can be a lot of dependencies hidden here: a lot of coupling between the view model and the layout. One of the more familiar ways that you can see this manifest is through APIs that require some amount of knowledge of the shape and content of the XML layout itself, such as findViewByID .
Using these APIs requires knowledge of how the XML layout is defined and creates a coupling between the two. As our app grows over time we have to ensure that none of these dependencies become outdated.
Most modern apps display UI dynamically and evolve during their execution. As a result, one needs to not only verify that these dependencies are satisfied by the layout XML statically, but that they will be satisfied for the life of the program as well. If an element leaves the view hierarchy at runtime, some of these dependencies may be broken and can lead to issues like NulReferenceExceptions .
Typically the view model is defined in a programming language such as Kotlin and the layout in XML. Because of this difference in language, there’s a forced line of separation, even though the view model and the layout XML can sometimes be intimately related. In other words, they’re very tightly coupled.
This begs the question: What if we started to define the layout, the structure of our UI, in the same language? What if we chose Kotlin?
Because we would then be working in the same language, some of the dependencies that were previously implicit might start to become more explicit. We can also refactor the code and move things over to where they will reduce coupling and increase the cohesion.
Now, you might think that this is suggesting that you mix logic with the UI. The reality is that you will have UI-related logic in your application no matter how it is structured. The framework itself cannot change this.
But what the framework can do is provide you with tools to make the separation easier: that tool is the Composable function. Functions are something that you’ve likely been using for a long time to separate concerns elsewhere in your code. The skills you’ve acquired to do that type of refactoring and writing reliable, maintainable, clean code — those same skills apply to Composable functions.
Anatomy of a Composable function
This is an example of a Composable function.
In this case it receives data as parameters from the appData class. Ideally this data is immutable data that the Composable function doesn’t change: the Composable function should be a transform function for that data. Therefore, we can use any Kotlin code to take that data and use it to describe our hierarchy, such as the Header() and Body() calls.
This means that we call other Composable functions and those invocations represent the UI in our hierarchy. We are able to use all of the language level primitives that Kotlin has to do things dynamically. We can include if statements and for loops for control flow to deal with the more complicated UI logic.
Composable functions often utilize Kotlin’s trailing lambda syntax, so Body() is a composable function that has a composable lambda as a parameter. That implies a hierarchy or structure, so Body() wraps the set of items here.
The declarative UI
Declarative is a buzzword, but an important one. When we talk about declarative programming, we’re talking about it in contrast to imperative programming. Let’s look at an example.
Consider an email app with an unread messages icon. If there are no messages, the app renders a blank envelope. If there are some messages, we render some paper in the envelope, and if there are 100 messages we render the icon as if it was on fire..
With an imperative interface, we might have to write an update count function like this:
In this code, we receive the new count and must figure out how we update the current UI to reflect that state. There are a lot of corner cases here and this logic isn’t easy, even though it’s a relatively simple example.
Alternatively, writing this logic in a declarative interface might result in something that looks like this.
Here we say:
If the count is over 99, show fire.
If the count is over 0, show paper,
If the count is over 0, render a count badge.
This is what is meant by a declarative API. The code we write describes the UI we want, but not how to transition into that state. The critical thing here is that when writing declarative code like this, you no longer need to worry about what the previous state of your UI was in, you only need to specify what your current state should be. The framework controls how to get from one state to the other, so we no longer need to think about it.
Composition vs Inheritance
In software development, Composition is how multiple units of simpler code can come together to form a more complex unit of code. In an object-oriented programming model, one of the most common forms of composition is class-based inheritance. In the world of Jetpack Compose, since we are working with just functions instead of classes, the method of composition is quite different, but has many advantages over inheritance. Let’s look at an example.
Say we have a view and we want to add an input. In the inheritance model our code might look like this:
View is the base class. ValidatedInput uses a subclass of Input. To validate a date, DateInput uses a subclass of ValidatedInput . But then there is a challenge: we want to create a date range input, which means validating against two dates — the start and end dates. You could subclass DateInput , but need to do it twice and you can’t do that. This is a limitation of inheritance: we have to have a single parent that we inherit from.
In Compose, this is less of a challenge. Let’s say we start out with a base Input composable:
When we create our ValidatedInput , we just call Input in the body of our function. We can then decorate it with something for validation.
Then for a DataInput we can call ValidatedInput directly.
Now, when we run into the date range input, we no longer have a challenge: it’s just two calls instead of one.
There is no single parent that we compose onto in Compose’s composition model, and that resolves this challenge that we had with the inheritance model.
Another type of composition problem is abstracting over a type of decoration. To illustrate, consider the following inheritance example:
FancyBox is a view that decorates other views, in this case Story and EditForm . We want to code a FancyStory and a FancyEditForm , but how? Do we inherit from FancyBox or do we inherit from Story? It’s unclear because, again, we need one parent for the inheritance chain.
By contrast, Compose handles this really well.
We have a Composable lambda as children, enabling us to define something that wraps another thing. So now, when we want to create FancyStory , we call Story inside the children of FancyBox , and can do the same with FancyEditForm . This is Compose’s composition model.
Encapsulation
Another thing that Compose accomplishes well is encapsulation. This is what you should be thinking about when you make public APIs of composable functions: the public API of a composable is the set of parameters that it receives, so it doesn’t have control over them. On the other hand, a composable can manage and create state, then pass that state along with any data that it received to other composables as parameters.
Now, because it’s managing that state, if you want to change the state, you can enable your child composables to signal that change back up using a callback.
Recomposition
This is our way of saying that any Composable function can be re-invoked at any time. If you have this very large Composable hierarchy, when part of your hierarchy changes, you don’t want to have to recompute the entire hierarchy. So Composable functions are restartable and you can use this to do some powerful things.
For example, here’s a Bind function, something you would see today in Android development.
We have a LiveData that we want to subscribe the view to. To do that, we call the observe method with a lifecycle owner, then pass in a lambda. The lambda gets called every time LiveData updates and when that happens, we want to update the views.
With Compose, we can invert this relationship.
There is a similar Messages Composable that receives LiveData and a call to Compose’s observeAsState method. The observeAsState method will map the LiveData<T> into a State<T> . That means you can use the value in the surrounding body of the function. The State instance is subscribed to the LiveData instance, meaning it will update whenever the LiveData updates. This also means that wherever the State instance is read, the surrounding composable function which it is read in will be automatically subscribed to these changes. The end result is that there is no longer any need to specify a LifecycleOwner or an update callback, as the Composable can implicitly serve as both.
Final thoughts
Compose provides a modern approach to defining your UI that enables you to separate concerns effectively. Because Composable functions are so similar to normal kotlin functions, the tools with which you write and refactor them will fit neatly into your kit of Android development skills.
In the next post, I’m going to shift the focus to some of the implementation details of Compose and its compiler. For additional resources on Compose, discover more here.
|
https://medium.com/androiddevelopers/understanding-jetpack-compose-part-1-of-2-ca316fe39050
|
['Leland Richardson']
|
2020-10-15 17:36:17.286000+00:00
|
['Featured', 'Android Developers', 'Jetpack Compose', 'Ui Development', 'Kotlin']
|
Traveling to Palestine in 2020
|
Dome of the rock- Jerusalem
Since March, Coronavirus has devastated the world. For weeks countries have locked down, permits had to be done to have entries for roads and jobs. Some jobs went online others like construction continued working but got hit badly. by the time things went loosen up, things are like 50% back to normal, most countries opened their boarders and started receiving travelers.
For Palestinians its different though, had to take a leave from my company to visit my family after spending 2 years away with a thought of not coming back.
Had to contact the embassy and submitted my papers with my reason of leaving to get an approval to travel home, Got my approval within 12 days and they told us to book a flight by a specific airline and specific timing, it was all a planned journey. First you reach Jordan, no prior PCR test was needed though which sounded weird, when we reached we reached at 12 Am Amman’s timings, waited the bus to come pick us all since no one is allowed to leave the airport, its only one way to the Palestinian boarders.
After reaching the Palestinian boarders the process was fast and easier than even before Covid days, yet it was long and exhausting, but we reached at least!!
Started my journey by visiting my relatives and eating REAL food, since i spent the past year on fast and junk food, barely cooked, and the most important part was the Nabulsi Kunafa from Abu Seer with that melting cheese and smooth toping.
ِAbu seer sweets
Had to get my license there, not easy but apparently they consider their driving performance is harder than Dubai’s.
It was my first time coming in olive season where everyone just gets busy in their lands to get the olive and take the oil out of it, so either they can sell it or use it.
It was also my second time experiencing the winter season in Palestine and it’s “pretty cold” literally. I lived my whole life in the UAE so you can tell the least temp i experienced was around 13, its under 11 here these days and still decreasing.
Went to the capital several times that i had to test their most famous ice cream “ Rukab ice cream” which is literally one of the best. Their burgers too!
I would say if you ever come here just come for the nature and food, Nature is mesmerizing and food is absolutely astonishing, hands down. Wish i can visit the rest of the cities inside, but it requires a permit and they stopped them all due to Covid.
I would love to stay here but not all wishes come true.
|
https://medium.com/@john2121995/traveling-to-palestine-in-2020-b41a5e0da0a1
|
['Yahya Ghanim']
|
2020-11-17 12:27:16.695000+00:00
|
['Traveling', 'Weather', 'Covid 19', 'Travel', 'Palestine']
|
Things you need to know before Creating a FinTech App for Startups
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Things you need to know before Creating a FinTech App for Startups BoTreeTechnologies Mar 19·3 min read
Fintech is an umbrella term for any innovation that has something to do with funds. Everything from banking and blockchain stages to planning applications can be viewed as Fintech advancement for Fintech app ideas. Fintech is one of the quickest developing businesses on the planet, as monetary administrations and monetary organizations are receiving innovation to offer more prominent accommodation and security.
Significant Features for Fintech Apps
At the point when you conceptualize thoughts for your Fintech application after checking out other Fintech app development companies, you should zero in on recognizing and addressing a huge issue for your objective clients. Regardless of what extreme objective you set, there are highlights that every great Fintech application ought to incorporate. Here they are:
The sign-in stream ought to be straightforward yet secure. A mutually advantageous arrangement is to incorporate voice and face acknowledgment and finger impression verification alongside old-fashioned two-stage confirmation. Your application should offer fundamental monetary activities pertinent to your Fintech branch. This may incorporate computerized installments, cash moves, portable keeping, or equilibrium checking. In the event that your application incorporates QR code and card number checking, the existence of your clients will be way simpler. Filtering a card for a card number rather than physically entering all of the digits is a huge benefit for your clients. Custom warnings are an urgent element for drawing in client experience. With regards to the way of life, everybody likes personalization. Allow your clients to pick which data to get, be it normal exchanges or customized offers. You should then give an idea about Fintech app development cost. Computer-based artificial intelligence-controlled chatbots assume a fundamental part in client commitment when creating Fintech arrangements. They can address a good load of inquiries that many clients have at the same time.
Checkout How To Use Python for Fintech Applications
Steps for Fintech app development
How to make a Fintech application that will have the edge over contenders and address the issues of the most requesting customers? It may very well be tiresome to assemble your considerations and construct a bit by bit plan. Hence, we arranged the primary moves one should make to style a Fintech application that is extremely valuable.
Pick a specialty
Prior to starting the interaction, you need to pick a specialty: regardless of whether it’s an application for individual accounting, protection, exchanging, and so on. Attempt to zero in on more perplexing arrangements, produce some groundbreaking thoughts or concoct a few enhancements to the current advancements in Fintech application.
Guarantee lawful necessities
Each nation has one of kind lawful prerequisites, and some of the time even states and districts inside one nation may contrast in lawful approaches. The occasions when Fintech had no guidelines and was an obvious objective for extortion passed some time in the past.
Characterize a task vision
You need to have an unmistakable vision of the end-product before Fintech app development India gets justified by the business examiner and item chief. Solely after strong statistical surveying, your group will think of the last thought of a business case that will be serious and client arranged.
Pick innovation stack
There are numerous dialects to create applications. But, in reality, the main language decision often directs the expense and time required for advancement. You can pick among local application advancement, cross-stage improvement, and advancement of PWA.
Take a stab at the client’s shoes
Fintech applications are intended to be easy to understand. In reality, that is the explanation they are intended for. Great UI/UX is the second most significant thing discussing Fintech application in banking after security. Ensure that all that your client may require is accessible on the dashboard without huge loads of pointless highlights.
Build up an MVP
A base practical item targets testing of the application prior to dispatching it. It’s an essential adaptation of the application that incorporates its central segments and highlights.
That is sufficient for the clients to attempt it, and furthermore an opportunity to pull in new financial backers. Getting input from genuine clients will show you if there are any shortcomings. Furthermore, you’ll effectively discover what highlights ought to be added straight away.
|
https://medium.com/@botreetechnologies/things-you-need-to-know-before-creating-a-fintech-app-for-startups-e1c1b3cef7cd
|
[]
|
2021-03-19 10:34:13.996000+00:00
|
['App Development', 'Fintech', 'Startup', 'Fintech App Development', 'Fintech Startups']
|
Is Christmas Time Not Always Merry for You ?
|
Is Christmas Time Not Always Merry for You ?
I spent Christmas with my boyfriend and his family. I’ve been with him for four years and his family are considered my family. It was an occasion I expected I would love, and although it was wonderfully spent, it was hard.
My own family is challenging. Family inertia is a staple feeling in my life. My family doesn’t celebrate collectively. We don’t connect intellectually or emotionally. It’s a hard thing to recognise day to day and these depriving conflicts become normalised or suppressed mentally to the point where family relations have uncomfortable moments that I shrug off, yet there is something that always eerily irks me regardless.
Except when it’s Christmas.
If you’re exposed to other families and you feel a deep sadness as I have this Christmas, remember you’re not alone. It’s a provocative season for many. It’s hard to process too.
Here’s the catch about family from my point of view. Trauma, loneliness, abusive relationships, work and/or illness and many more can be categorised as the stresses of life. To be in a sanctuary where these issues can be managed, is desired heavily amongst people.
Family becomes such a sanctuary because we are in a vulnerable environment. A family that welcomes these issues and tries to help that individual through them, is a wonderful thing. Routine days should be like that. Coming home to your loved ones who are willing to talk to you, share meals at the table, go out to restaurants without leaving in such a haste to resort back to the confines of your room, sit outside and share small talk over mindless yet humorous topics. People and place that relieve these stresses of life can be your family.
Christmas brings sadness for me. My mother is the only true family member of my nuclear family that I know is connected with me intellectually and emotionally. Who understands my mental health and the stretch it can take to pain me. When I spent this Christmas without her and observing the beauty of my boyfriends family, I truly felt alone. I felt like I was a burden and I was envious of his sanctuary.
He tells me that his family aren’t great and although I believe him, I do see a lot of joy that is brought to his life from his family. Their happiness blanket those stresses in his life.
I can only see it clearer than clear when it’s Christmas.
I see that I do not have such a family. It brought up the pain I have that my family space is just another toxic setting that I thought would bring me great relief from those stresses. I bottle them up, repress them and put them away. Only to have them brought up by comparison.
I say Christmas is hard because it’s a time we’re all meant to be with each other. Spent socially and engaged in conversations. Eating a variety of delicious meals and sharing gifts. When I was with my boyfriends family, it felt surreal. Utterly surreal that it brought up the reality of my own when I saw just how much bickering, passivity and irritability my boyfriends family go through that they can shrug off because of the closure and love they have.
I went into a spiral of breakdowns at his and I feel guilty. I felt disheartened that I wasn’t spending time with them at the breakfast table on Christmas morning. I was curled up in his room in a state of depression. I realised it was just so hard for me to be there.
If these times bring you a lot of grief and feelings of hopelessness, to say I am sorry is an understatement. I wish I could embrace you with a dozen joyful moments. It’s hard to say that Christmas is the best time for us when family comes strongly into play. (as well as religious reasons)
But please, remember this. You can create your own family. Family is not singularly defined as biological relations but a group you know are close to your heart, mind and spirit. In understanding this, no matter how hard your own relative family is that you grow up with, you’ll have people who are family in your life that love and protect you.
Whether they’re online, your friendship group, they’re a workplace, a sports club you’re in or the neighbours next door, you can create you’re own family. Try to spend time being in a position where you have a place to come too when life’s stresses are the most testing. This is the most important thing I’ve realised after so many years in the family dynamic I am in. It’s a valuable thing to come to terms with because I’ve deeply connected more with those around me by being open and honest about my own self. Those who don’t warrant it, do not need to be part of my family. That is ok. My mum is fantastic and she is so close to my heart. She is my true family. Yet, that doesn’t mean I can’t have other families too.
I just know I can spend Christmas with the family I have found (and of course my dearest mother) and hopefully, next time, I won’t have to sit sad and jealous. I can sit sharing a smile and thankful for these beautiful people that love the connection we have.
I truly hope your Christmas was at the very most, relaxing and rejuvenating. This year has been extraordinarily tough. Stay COVID safe and protect those dearest to you. They’re your family.
|
https://medium.com/@alyssakaitlin18/is-christmas-time-not-always-merry-for-you-999f4b6b193e
|
['Alyssa Brown']
|
2020-12-26 11:01:09.455000+00:00
|
['Self Reflection', 'Christmas', 'Mental Health', 'Family', 'Stress']
|
I was taking a stroll through Makoko yesterday, I always do. It helps me familiarise myself more with the environment and learn new things that I would never have known within the safety of the office
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I was taking a stroll through Makoko yesterday, I always do. It helps me familiarise myself more with the environment and learn new things that I would never have known within the safety of the office. Ol’boy, what haven’t I heard!. Oluwafunmilayo Ayobami Oni Nov 20, 2020·2 min read
Three young men were having a conversation about a teenager who walked past them in a uniform. One of them whistled, licked his tongue and used his hands to demonstrate what he would do to her voluptuous breasts. The girl couldn’t have been more than 16 while these men could be pushing their 30s.
One of them laughed and told the whistler to forget about her. “She has a child”, he screamed! young men like them should look for a fresh blood rather than someone who has a child. Ooops! Ooops!!
You see, the whole conversation upsets me. First, men of that age shouldn’t be in a relationship with teenagers, it’s predatory. I can no longer count on my finger tips the number of teenage mothers whom I have met in Makoko. They all share the same story- they were abandoned by the baby daddies and left to cater for their children alone. These baby daddies are not teenagers like them, they are often much older than the girls and they feed on their ignorance and poverty to prey on them.
When these men eventually want to “settle down”, they don’t get married to their baby mamas, they look for other young girls and settle with them. Scores of girls in slums live this reality and it has continue to impede on their ability to thrive, to leave the slum and chase a better future.
We can’t continue to ignore the havoc that these predatory behaviours wreck on young girls and their families. I do my bit in enlightening women, men and girls about child abuse but it’s not enough. In your corner, please join the advocacy.
|
https://medium.com/@oluwafunmilayoayobamioni/i-was-taking-a-stroll-through-makoko-yesterday-i-always-do-a8c1519ac1b7
|
['Oluwafunmilayo Ayobami Oni']
|
2020-11-20 17:16:35.778000+00:00
|
['Rape', 'Abuse', 'Rape Culture', 'Slum', 'Women']
|
Driverless shuttles: what are we waiting for?
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Driverless shuttles: what are we waiting for?
Demonstrating safety and changes to city regulations are needed to integrate autonomous shuttles with current systems, say researchers.
by Julianna Photopoulos
In the zero-carbon cities of the future, commuting to work may take the form of hailing a driverless shuttle through an app which ferries you from your door to the nearest public transport terminal. In fact, autonomous shuttles have been in development in restricted areas for the past few years. So what will it take to make them part of our daily commute?
Jutting out into the sea, the industrial port area of Nordhavn in Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen, is currently being transformed into a futuristic waterfront city district made up of small islets. It’s billed as Scandinavia’s largest metropolitan development project and, when complete, will have living space for 40,000 people and workspace for another 40,000.
At the moment, Nordhavn is only served by a nearby S-train station and bus stops located near the station. There are no buses or trains running within the development area, although there are plans for an elevated metro line, and parking will be discouraged in the new neighbourhood. This is a great opportunity for autonomous vehicles (AVs) to operate as a new public transport solution, connecting this area more efficiently, says Professor Dimitri Konstantas at the University of Geneva in Switzerland.
‘We believe that AVs will become the new form of transport in Europe,’ he said. ‘We want to prove that autonomous vehicles are a sustainable, viable and environmental solution for urban and suburban public transportation.’
Prof. Konstantas is coordinating a project called AVENUE, which aims to do this in four European cities. In Nordhavn, the team plans to roll out autonomous shuttles on a loop with six stops around the seafront. They hope to have them up and running in two years. But once in place, the Nordhavn plan may provide a glimpse of how AV-based public transportation systems could work in the future.
Prof. Konstantas envisages these eventually becoming an on-demand, door-to-door service, where people can get picked up and go where they want rather than predetermined itineraries and bus stops.
In Nordhavn, AVENUE will test and implement an autonomous ‘mobility cloud’, currently under development, to link the shuttles with existing public transport, such as the nearby train station. An on-demand service will ultimately allow passengers to access the available transport with a single app, says Prof. Konstantas.
Integrating autonomous shuttles into the wider transport system is vital if they are to take off, says Guido Di Pasquale from the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) in Brussels, Belgium.
‘Autonomous vehicles have to be deployed as fleets of shared vehicles, fully integrated and complementing public transport,’ he said. ‘This is the only way we can ensure a sustainable usage of AVs in terms of space occupancy, traffic congestion and the environment.’
Single service
Di Pasquale points to a concept known as Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) as a possible model for future transport systems. This model combines both public and private transport. It allows users to create, manage and pay trips as a single service with an online account. For example, Uber, UbiGo in Sweden and Transport for Greater Manchester in the UK are exploring MaaS to enable users to get from one destination to another by combining transport and booking it as one trip, depending on their preferred option based on cost, time and convenience.
Di Pasquale coordinates a project called SHOW, which aims to deploy more than 70 automated vehicles in 21 European cities to assess how they can best be integrated with different wider transport systems and diverse users’ needs. They are testing combinations of AV types, from shuttles to cars and buses, in real-life conditions over the next four years. During this time, he expects the project’s AVs to transport more than 1,500,000 people and 350,000 containers of goods. ‘SHOW will be the biggest ever showcase and living lab for AV fleets,’ he said.
He says that most of the cities involved have tested autonomous last-mile vehicles in the past and are keen to include them in their future sustainable urban mobility plans.
However, rolling out AVs requires overcoming city-specific challenges, such as demonstrating safety.
‘Safety and security risks have restricted the urban use of AVs to dedicated lanes and low speed — typically below 20km/h,’ explained Di Pasquale. ‘This strongly diminishes their usefulness and efficiency, as in most city environments there is a lack of space and a high cost to keep or build such dedicated lanes.’
It could also deter users. ‘For most people, a speed barely faster than walking is not an attractive solution,’ he said.
‘We want to prove that autonomous vehicles are a sustainable, viable and environmental solution for urban and suburban public transportation.’ -
Di Pasquale hopes novel technology will make higher speed and mixed traffic more secure, and guarantee fleets operating safely by monitoring and controlling them remotely.
Each city participating in SHOW will use autonomous vehicles in various settings, including mixed and dedicated lanes, at various speeds and types of weather. For safety and regulation reasons, all of them will have a driver present.
The objective is to make the vehicle fully autonomous without the need for a driver as well as optimise the service to encourage people to make the shift from ownership of cars to shared services, according to Di Pasquale. ‘This would also make on-demand and last-mile services sustainable in less densely populated areas or rural areas,’ he said.
Authorisation
But the technical issues of making the vehicle autonomous are only a part of the challenge.
There’s also the issue of who pays for it, says Di Pasquale. ‘AVs require sensors onboard, as well as adaptations to the physical and digital infrastructure to be deployed,’ he explained. ‘Their market deployment would require cities to drastically renew their fleets and infrastructures.’
SHOW’s pilots are scheduled to start in two years from now, as each city has to prepare by obtaining the necessary permits and getting the vehicles and technology ready, says Di Pasquale.
Getting authorisation to operate in cities is one of the biggest hurdles. City laws and regulations differ everywhere, says Prof. Konstantas.
AVENUE is still awaiting city licences to test in Nordhavn, despite a national law being passed on 1 July 2017 allowing for AVs to be tested in public areas. Currently, they have pilots taking place in Lyon, France and Luxembourg. In Geneva, the team has managed to get the required licences and the first worldwide on-demand, AV public transportation service will be rolled out on a 69-bus-stop circuit this summer.
AVENUE’s initial results show that cities need to make substantial investments to deploy AVs and to benefit from this technology. The legal and regulatory framework in Europe will also need to be adapted for smooth deployment of services, says Prof. Konstantas.
Both he and Di Pasquale hope their work can pave the way to convince operators and authorities to invest in fleets across Europe’s cities.
‘Depending on the willingness of public authorities, this can take up to four years until we see real, commercially sustainable AV-based public transportation services on a large scale in Europe,’ said Prof. Konstantas.
The research in this article was funded by the EU. If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media.
More info
AVENUE
SHOW
|
https://medium.com/horizon-magazine/driverless-shuttles-what-are-we-waiting-for-5bc0367dd80c
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[]
|
2020-02-25 16:58:23.466000+00:00
|
['Feb20', 'Industry', 'Last Mile', 'Transport', 'Environment']
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Shirley (2020)review. A film that drifts in and out of consciousness.
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This is an imagined bio film of gothic writer Shirley Jackson best known for her short story The Lotter and novels such as The Haunting of Hill House (1959), and We Have Always Lived in the Castle (1962). It is not alone in telling an imagined story based on a real person’s life, Ammonite did similar with Mary Anning.
To bring the story to life we have Shirley played by Elizabeth Moss all frump, glasses with acid drops of dialogue with her husband Hyman (Michael Stuhlbarg). He infuses Hyman with the right mix of comic pretentiousness and menace. The world they inhabit is like an American dacha for intellectuals, housed in a university, Shirley on the fringes of academia with Hyman fully in its orbit. The home, university life has a semblance of biographical truth as Shirley and Hyman did live in Vermont near Bennington College were Hyman taught. The fiction comes in the shape of young couple Fred (Logan Lerman) a junior professor looking for a leg up the academic ladder from Hyman. Accompanying him is his seductively beautiful, pregnant young wife Rose (Odessa Young). Like a horror film this young couple enter the house of Shirley. The newlyweds meet Shirley and Hyman who are the throes of a marriage that is familiar to both. Their marriage is just starting, Shirley and Stanley’s are in their combative phase. It would be fair to say this is not a biographical film it is instead I think an impressionist version a particular time in her life and tells the story in the gothic style of a Shirley Jackson story. The film is based on a novel by Susan Scarf Merrell using fiction to tell a story about Shirley Jackson.
What are Fred and Rose to Shirley? well one way to answer this is that they are material for Shirley’s next novel. As Shirley is struggling to write her next book, Hangsaman (1951), a gothic horror story set in academia about student Natalie Waite, who is mentally disintegrates after enrolling in a liberal arts college. It is based on the based on the real-life disappearance of a Paula Jean Welden who disappeared while walking on Vermont’s Long Trail hiking route or was murdered. It remains an unsolved mystery and it stoked the interest of Shirley Jackson
The film drifts in and out of consciousness as it moves from verbal warfare in the home and university to more haunting dreamy sequences that tap into Shirley Jacksons horror stories. The first half of the film is the domestic with Rose being drawn closer to Shirley whose interest in her is macabre especially when we think about the book she is writing. Stanley, whose way with words mean any offer is a good one persuades Rose to be the housekeeper. Pot and pan washing for Rose while her husband works and moves in the claustrophobic world of academia. Luckily this gives time for Shirley and Rose to interact more.
The film then moves into a dreamier phase in the second half going in and out of consciousness as the story Shirley is writing blurs into film. It felt to me almost like two different films with the first part verbal, domestic and centred on academia. The second half we leave reality behind and enter a Shirley Jackson writing world were the pages she writes are on screen. Inviting us to think who is Rose? Does she act as a proxy for the girl who went missing the murdered girl Jean Welden? You could put those questions aside to just bath in the dreamy, woozy visual world Josephine Decker creates in the second half of the film, it’s good. One scene on a cliff that looks out on to great big open space looks to me like the characters are going to move forward into a Zelda open world adventure game. The film is an anti-biographical film which I think is the fashion now. Birth, school, work, death type of biographical films are two a penny. Better to take a sample from a writer’s life, dissolve it in another person’s imagination and turn it into a film.
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https://medium.com/@shanepdillon/shirley-2020-review-a-film-that-drifts-in-and-out-of-consciousness-f2b4e229232b
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['Shane Dillon']
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2020-12-26 21:34:05.475000+00:00
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['Elisabeth Moss', 'Film', 'Movie Review', 'Shirley Jackson', 'Shirley']
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Why BigQuery Omni is a Big Deal
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Google Cloud’s bet on an open platform is starting to materialize with Anthos and BigQuery Omni.
Three years ago, I started (and sadly never finished) a series called Platform Wars (Part I, Part II), evaluating the tech giants and their strategies in the age of artificial intelligence. In my piece on Google, I explained Google’s shift to an AI-first company, and why Kubernetes was a crucial part of Google’s strategy to compete in the enterprise cloud market. Fast forward two years, Google Cloud reported meaningful growth, but still stood a distant third to AWS and Azure. Thomas Kurian, a former Oracle exec, was brought in to replace Diane Greene, carrying with him a vision for a multi-cloud strategy. Then, a year ago, Google Cloud introduced Anthos, a Kubernetes-based, open platform to extend Google’s cloud services to hybrid (i.e. on-prem, multi-cloud) environments. It materialized Kurian’s vision into a product, which Ben Thompson noted in his post: “Google Cloud Next, Athos, Google Cloud and Open Source.”
Just last week, Google announced BigQuery Omni, a multi-cloud analytics solution to run BigQuery across Google Cloud, AWS, and Azure (coming soon). Now customers can use the same BigQuery UI or API to run SQL queries and build BigQuery ML models regardless of where the data is stored. More importantly, BigQuery Omni runs on Anthos and reveals Kurian’s — and Google Cloud’s — strategy to grow its addressable market. Initially, Anthos was “simply” a hybrid and multi-cloud application platform, leveraging its strong Kubernetes backbone to migrate on-prem and existing AWS/Azure applications onto GCP. With BigQuery Omni, Google is attempting to commoditize cloud infrastructure as a whole and use Anthos as a middleware to win market share. In essence, Google is betting on its superior container and AI/ML technology to compete in a growing multi-cloud world as it did with search to commoditize the underlying OS in the Internet era.
BigQuery Omni Deep-dive
Before jumping to the strategic implications of BigQuery Omni, let’s take a deeper look at how BigQuery Omni works. Unlike AWS Redshift, BigQuery decouples storage and compute (similar to how Snowflake works), taking advantage of cheaper storage costs and charging users separately for the processed data. This architectural decision makes BigQuery Omni a natural extension of that concept.
Previously, BigQuery was limited to data stored in Google Cloud. Although Google acquired cloud migration startups like Velostrata and Alooma over the years to facilitate moving data from other cloud platforms, for most enterprises the switching costs were still too high to justify using BigQuery over AWS Redshift or Azure Data Warehouse regardless of the developer experience, ease of use, or additional features.
Now BigQuery Omni runs on Anthos inside AWS to directly access data in S3 and other databases. Since BigQuery separated compute and processing with storage to start, it can now treat S3 as if it’s like data stored in GCS and run analytics on multiple clouds. The big advantage here is reduced cost in network egress charges and the removal of data migration burden to use BigQuery in the first place. With Anthos, BigQuery Omni acts almost as an AWS Marketplace solution running analytics inside AWS natively.
BigQuery Omni Architecture — Image Credit: Google Cloud Blog
Strategic Implications
AWS continues to lead the $100 billion cloud market by a wide margin with Microsoft Azure carving out its space with the acquisition of Github to appeal to developers and winning the $10 billion Pentagon JEDI cloud contract. This has squeezed Google Cloud into a distant third place, even given a growing cloud market. The bright side for Google — and perhaps the justification to the Anthos and BigQuery Omni strategy — is that more companies are embracing multi- and hybrid cloud solutions.
A recent Gartner research survey on cloud adoption revealed that more than 80% of respondents using the public cloud were using more than one cloud service provider. - Gartner, The Future of Cloud Data Management Is Multicloud
Market leaders like AWS and Azure have no motivation to pursue a multi-cloud product. Their goal is to gobble up as much of the market and lock them into their cloud platform. Google, on the other hand, has no choice and is better positioned to play the middleware card and move up the stack. Although Google owns massive infrastructure of its own to power search, maps, and email for billions of users, rather than attempting to steal enterprise customers away from the incumbent giants, it has decided that offering multi-cloud services and treating existing data siloes as potential data sources for its products would be more profitable and competitive.
Cloud Market Share — Image Credit: statista
From this perspective, Google Cloud’s competition may really be IBM rather than AWS and Azure. IBM acquired Red Hat for $34 billion in 2019, betting on the same open, hybrid cloud strategy with OpenShift, a popular enterprise Kubernetes platform. Google clearly has an advantage in Kubernetes as the creators (not to mention its 15+ years experience of running Borg, Google’s original container management system that Kubernetes is based on) and continues to widen its lead with active contributions to Kubernetes, Istio, and container technology. Combined with Kurian’s experience running the Fusion Middleware product at Oracle, Google seems well-positioned to grow Anthos and BigQuery Omni as the next massive scale middleware product in the cloud.
So what’s next for Anthos? The obvious answer is extending the product line to support other databases: Cloud SQL, Dataproc, BigTable, and Spanner. Personally, I’m more interested in how Google uses Looker to entice users looking for an alternative solution to AWS Quicksight or Azure PowerBI. The other interesting avenue is extending Firebase for mobile development and leveraging the existing ecosystem to expand the “middleware” market. Finally, the big question is whether or not this strategy will also accelerate the widespread adoption of AI/ML technologies. Google is widely regarded as a leader in this space, and integrating BigQuery Omni with its existing AI Platform products (i.e. kubeflow, TensorFlow, AI hub/managed Jupyter notebooks, and Kaggle) may be the final piece needed to help enterprise companies adopt AI/ML.
This isn’t to say that Google Cloud is without competition. AWS Outposts and Azure Stacks provide similar functionality to run their respective infrastructure on hybrid environments. I also wrote about how that same narrative is playing out in the IoT space with AWS Wavelength, Azure Edge Zone, and Anthos for Telecom. Finally, we also have SaaS companies like Snowflake and MongoDB focusing on multi-cloud database technology with true no vendor lock-in. Only time will tell if Google’s strategy to move up the stack will be successful or be marked as yet another futile attempt to dethrone AWS.
|
https://medium.com/dataseries/why-bigquery-omni-is-a-big-deal-e7e696b4cd60
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['Yitaek Hwang']
|
2020-07-21 18:56:00.734000+00:00
|
['Bigquery', 'Azure', 'Google Anthos', 'AWS', 'Google Cloud Platform']
|
How The Green Economy Will Prosper Through America’s Agricultural Engine
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The agriculture industry has the ability to create more economic opportunities than any other sector because of sustainability mandates.
By 2030, most companies have goals and initiatives to reduce their carbon footprint by at least 20%-30%. By 2050, most major companies have committed to being net-zero carbon. The trend line is moving toward carbon reduction which means that agricultural businesses are sitting in the driver’s seat.
Plants grow through photosynthesis, which uses sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen. Photosynthesis is nature’s carbon dioxide conversion tool. And, it will become an important tool for large corporations and investment firms that want to reduce their carbon footprint.
Most of us learned about photosynthesis when we were in middle school. Over the next few years, we all seemed to forget that photosynthesis creates the oxygen we need to survive.
The agricultural revolution started somewhere around 12,000 years ago. This happened when humans went from hunter and gatherers to settlers. We started to domesticate plants and animals.
This transition towards agriculture brought with it the base of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. People now had reliable food and shelter, which gave them the time and energy needed to solve other problems.
The agricultural revolution 12,000 years ago was the wild-wild west. People were domesticating plants and animals in innovative ways. This created huge opportunities for generational wealth creation.
So, one would think that the days of the massive opportunities in the agriculture business are long gone. Fortunately, that’s far from the truth.
The Big Fish of Big Ag
Today, there are a few huge hitters in the agriculture industry. The three most notable ones are:
Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)
Cargill
Monsanto
ADM owns the flax supply chain, Cargill is the largest private company on the planet, and Monsanto created the modern-day corn business. These companies have created massive infrastructure to support the farmers that provide the crops and livestock that humans rely on to survive.
Crops like corn, soybeans, and wheat have been creating the foundation of large agriculture operations for generations. Most farmers use these crops (amongst others) in a rotation, meaning that they farm different crops on different fields each year. This helps to keep the soil balanced and nutrient-rich.
That land has been passed down from generation to generation. And today, this generation is expected to carry on the tradition that was set forth hundreds of years ago.
But, the new generation is starting to wonder what crops they can lean on that not only pay the bills but also leave a positive impact on the planet.
The Next Frontier in Big Agriculture
The traditional row crops like corn, wheat, and soy will always be around. They are staples of the food supply chains both domestically and abroad.
Where farmers can find opportunities for innovation are in the crops that are relatively unexplored.
Luckily, the 2018 Farm Bill paved the way for the legalization of industrial hemp. Initially, most farmers focused on CBD. This turned out to be a fatal mistake for the greater “hemp” industry and turned many farmers away from the crop.
But, industrial hemp is much different than CBD. The CBD market is limited to pharmaceuticals. The industrial hemp market is limited to everything you can see around you.
For over 10,000 years, the hemp plant has been known for its strong fibers. This is the first time that farmers have been able to leverage the infinite strengths of the hemp plant.
4 Ways Farmers Win With Industrial Hemp
Soil Health
The hemp plant has been used for hundreds of years as a cover crop that prevents soil degradation and weeds from popping up. The roots of the hemp plant can enhance soil health by sucking up toxins and making nitrogen-rich soil.
Some farmers even use hemp for bioremediation to decontaminate soil after pollution.
Fewer Inputs
Industrial hemp reduces the need for synthetic pesticides and herbicides. Industrial hemp has also been known to reduce the need for water and fertilizers.
More Resistance
Industrial hemp is a resilient crop that can withstand the rapid changes in temperatures, as well as wind storms and rainstorms. Traditional crops will die when the stem is bent/snapped, industrial hemp has the ability to keep growing.
Bigger Yields
Industrial hemp is one of the fastest-growing crops and provides more biomass per acre than traditional crops. Industrial hemp can even increase the yields of other plants that are grown on the same acreage the following year.
According to global research, industrial hemp sequesters more carbon dioxide per acre than any other crop. With the right partner, Industrial hemp crops can yield farmers more revenue per acre than traditional crops like corn, wheat, and soy.
What Do Farmers Need To Do?
Fortunately, industrial hemp is a relatively easy crop to grow. With the right standard operating procedures, farmers can reduce the amount of time, money, and energy they put into their farms. Without the standard operating procedures, we have seen equipment breakdown and significant crop losses for farmers, like any other industry.
With a little bit of sunlight, rain, and wind, industrial hemp will grow very tall very quickly. Most farmers will see at least 8–10 feet worth of growth in the first 60 days.
The most labor-intensive process that farmers have to focus on is the planting and harvesting processes. And, even with that, these processes are all managed with equipment that’s already sitting on most farms today.
The only thing that farmers need to do that they aren’t already doing today is following the standard operating procedures that are tried and true for industrial hemp crops.
Other Stakeholders That Can Benefit From Industrial Hemp
One industrial hemp supply chain can have a meaningful impact on a city, state, and region.
As a processor goes to set up infrastructure, typically they look for their farmers and customers to be within a 300 to 500-mile radius. This keeps the cost of shipping relatively low.
If hemp materials are shipped in their raw format further than 500 miles, the cost of the material goes up significantly. This is a benefit to create regional competition in the industrial hemp market. If supply chains have to be within a certain radius, then a supply chain in Michigan and a supply chain in China will (most likely) never compete.
Regional industrial hemp material suppliers will start popping up all over the world over the next 10 years. This is great for local economies all over the world.
Here are just a few of the local stakeholders that will find value when an industrial hemp supply chain is built within a local region.
Employment — An industrial hemp operation will create jobs throughout the supply chain. This includes local hiring for farming, logistics, manufacturing, sales, marketing, engineering, product development, and other roles.
— An industrial hemp operation will create jobs throughout the supply chain. This includes local hiring for farming, logistics, manufacturing, sales, marketing, engineering, product development, and other roles. Manufacturing — An industrial hemp supply chain will allow manufacturers to use local materials that lower the weight, cost, and carbon footprint of the products they’re already producing.
— An industrial hemp supply chain will allow manufacturers to use local materials that lower the weight, cost, and carbon footprint of the products they’re already producing. Community — Local communities will have cleaner air and a thriving economy that integrates the manufacturing community with the agricultural community.
— Local communities will have cleaner air and a thriving economy that integrates the manufacturing community with the agricultural community. Government — Local policymakers will be able to see, first hand, the impact that bio-based materials make on the communities they serve.
— Local policymakers will be able to see, first hand, the impact that bio-based materials make on the communities they serve. Associations — Local business leaders will have access to new resources that they didn’t previously have access to.
— Local business leaders will have access to new resources that they didn’t previously have access to. Consumers — local buyers will be able to know that they’re supporting their community while reducing their carbon footprint.
— local buyers will be able to know that they’re supporting their community while reducing their carbon footprint. Raw Material Suppliers — Local material suppliers in plastics, rubbers, and building materials can use industrial hemp to increase the performance and reduce the carbon footprint of the materials they’re already selling.
— Local material suppliers in plastics, rubbers, and building materials can use industrial hemp to increase the performance and reduce the carbon footprint of the materials they’re already selling. Recycling Companies — Local recyclers can tap into bio-based materials to incorporate into their products that are put right back into the local community.
There are also other ancillary benefits to bringing in an industrial hemp supply chain. With increased employment in a region comes all the ancillary services within society.
Increased employment will also increase the per capita income of local areas. More people making more money equates to increased spending at local stores and restaurants.
For local governments, this means increased tax revenue on both income and spending.
How Industrial Hemp Changes The World
There is no doubting the economic impact of the green economy on local communities. Companies like Heartland are building a replication model that would allow them to build industrial hemp supply chains in local communities around the world.
The land outside of cities is typically less expensive and can be used to create valuable resources like industrial hemp that cities can lean on to drive economic growth.
The Heartland team sees industrial hemp as a key driver of economic growth in local regions for decades to come.
With the right team in place, industrial hemp can change the way we live, forever. We are just at the starting line of the revolution that will fundamentally shift the materials and products we use every day.
Join us in making a world out of hemp.
— Heartland Team
|
https://medium.com/@talmondrlm/how-the-green-economy-will-prosper-through-americas-agricultural-engine-bd95958ae6ca
|
['Tim Almond']
|
2021-09-17 12:26:58.329000+00:00
|
['Agriculture', 'Sustainability', 'Innovation', 'Hemp', 'Management']
|
she’s free
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Photo by Kourosh Qaffari from Pexels
he no longer is
the love story she likes to tell,
the prince she dreams to get,
he no longer is
the name she speaks at night,
the face she finds so bright,
he no longer is
the peace she longs in dark,
the star she sees at sky,
he no longer is
the end she hopes to have.
she has been freed,
this, the end she’s dreamed.
|
https://medium.com/a-cornered-gurl/shes-free-fa7c96b5601f
|
['Muthia Huda']
|
2020-11-01 11:02:05.403000+00:00
|
['Self Love', 'Breakups', 'Poetry', 'A Cornered Gurl', 'Freedom']
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The Developmental Importance Of Napping For Babies — Baby Sleep Miracle
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Baby naps aren’t just sweet moments of parental respite — they’re also developmentally vital.
For new parents, gettine more sleep doesn’t just have to be a dream. There are ways to make it happen, starting with getting their baby on a consistent sleep schedule, both at nigh and with daytime naps.
>>> CLICK HERE FOR THE “Baby Sleep Miracle” VIDEO <<<
This may not look to difficult, but in reality, it is. Putting a baby to sleep in a softly manner requires a precise and planned approach.
Sleep experts have proven that setting babies’ internal clocks to a routine nap cycle is more than just a smart way for parents to free up time to work or recharge their own batteries — it’s also vital to early development.
Regular sleep is an essential physical and cognitive aid to a baby’s brain and body. And naps play a vital role.
According to clinical studies, children who have regular, adequate daytime naps settle to sleep at night easier, have less night walking, are less accident-prone during the day, and show better performance on cognitive tasks.
The negative side effects of poor napping are equally noteworthy. Children who lack adequate sleep duration, which is more likely if naps aren’t taken regularly, are at increased risk for obesity during preschool and early school years, have more difficulty with emotional, social and physical functioning in early school years, and are more likely to exhibit hyperactivity. For babies to truly reap the many benefits of sleep, nature alone isn’t enough. Parents play a huge role and their first question is almost always, “How many hours of sleep does my kid need each day?”
Experts have reached a consensus, agreeing that a six-month-old will need 13 to 14 hours of sleep, while a 12-month-old will need 12 hours of sleep.
That amount remains pretty consistent until age four, when kids usually stop napping. Then it drops down to about 11 hours of sleep.
Of course, that’s really helpful to know out of the gate but still not super helpful for establishing consistent nap schedules. Because infants’ daily sleep needs can fluctuate a lot in the short-term — day to day or week to week — parents can feel like they’re shooting at a moving target.
The mindset of “How many hours has it been since the last sleep?“ doesn’t establish solid, daily sleeping times. That’s best achieved through active parental involvement and intervention.
>>> CLICK HERE FOR THE “Baby Sleep Miracle” VIDEO <<<
Let’s take the following example — if your baby will sleep 10 hours at night, from 8 PM to 6 AM, that means you aim for bedtime at 8 every night and plan to wake them up at everyday at 6 in the morning.
It might sound crazy, but that’s what helps set that internal clock.
The same goes for naps.
Yes, though it seems counterintuitive, sometimes the best strategy for getting babies on a regular sleep schedule is to wake them up from a nap.
If you don’t wake them up, however, you can start a snowball effect. What this means is that they’ll nap for, let’s say 3 hours, but then they won’t be tired enough to go to bed at night. It’s hard, but having a balance helps.
That’s why some babies hit all the right numbers in terms of daily totals but still struggle to sleep through the night — they’re just not tired enough.
Instead of letting them sleep as long as possible during the day, the more effective approach is to make sure they get a few consolidated hours of good sleep.
Simply put, naps are a matter of quality over quantity — an hour or two goes a long way. So does a strong routine.
How Much Daytime Sleep Do Babies Need?
Newborns: Until they’re about 3 months old, infants are napping machines. They can sleep up to 18 hours a day, and typically only spend an hour or two awake at a time.
Babies: After the newborn stage, but before they reach their first birthday, babies need two to four naps a day. They may rest anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours at a stretch.
Toddlers: Children this age should get 12 to 14 hours of sleep a day, including naps. Somewhere between their first and second birthdays, most toddlers drop from two naps a day to one, which usually takes place in the early afternoon. When that happens, the remaining single nap can be long: up to 3 hours.
Preschoolers: After age 2, not every child needs a nap, though some 3- or 4-year-olds will still benefit from one. Preschoolers need 11 to 13 hours of sleep a day, but it’s more important for them to get a solid night’s rest than it is for them to nap. So if your child can’t fall asleep at night on the days when she naps, it may be time to shorten his afternoon snooze. But make sure to compensate by pushing bedtime earlier.
School-aged kids and older: After age 5, most kids no longer need naps. But a mid-day rest can work wonders for kids and teens who are dragging. Try to keep them short — about 30 minutes — and make sure they wake up by late afternoon. That way, the nap won’t mess with their bedtime.
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|
https://medium.com/@chhaya1css/the-developmental-importance-of-napping-for-babies-baby-sleep-miracle-539dab91c03f
|
['Chhaya Ninama']
|
2021-05-08 11:43:37.149000+00:00
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['Baby Products', 'Baby', 'Baby Sleep', 'Babysleepmiracle']
|
The Synergy of Blockchain and NoSQL Databases
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Both NoSQL databases and modern Blockchain ledgers benefit from a set of common principles. When they are both implemented for an application a lot can be accomplished as the platforms can complement each other.
In this article (see original guest blog: blog.couchbase.com), we review two synergistic overlaps that look at how Couchbase’s NoSQL platform could support your next enterprise distributed ledger application, e.g. based on Hyperledger. This topic is very deep, but I only touch on two superficial ideas to help map out the commonalities and opportunities: distributed computing, and world state.
For more information on Blockchain in general I recommend the academy pages at ledger.com, preview is shown below.
Trust | peer-to-peer | immutability — all components of Blockchain Ledgers https://www.ledger.com/academy/blockchain/what-is-blockchain/
Distributed Computing
Modern enterprise architectures are built on distributed computing at their core–be they parallel processing CPU/GPU environments, multi-node database clusters, or global datacenters with synchronized clusters in different locales.
By leveraging the distributed processing speed, recoverability, and scalability of these architectures (a topic in its own right!) application developers are able to focus on building the desired user experience and letting backend data systems do the heavy lifting.
What does it mean to be distributed? In its most basic form, it means having more than one server that is managed as part of a cluster of nodes. Ideally, there is no single point of failure or centralized control in distributed systems.
Also, it assumes that workload items are broken into pieces that are digestible by the underlying atomic processors, e.g. distributing the work across multiple nodes.
Other names for these kinds of systems include peer-to-peer networks, clustered computing, parallel processing, etc. Wikipedia has a great list of the kinds of systems leading up to today.
Blockchain is the Epitome of Distributed
Despite the benefits, distributed computing is not pervasive; even within modern enterprises centralization of many systems is still quite common. This includes industries that you would expect to be designed with more resiliency in mind, like the global financial systems or supply chain management which have tended to be more centralized around mainframe computing.
By the way, you can always tell when there is a centralized system because when it fails, it fails absolutely! When all data or services are running on a single machine it is quite easy to know when it goes down because everything completely stops.
It may be because it takes time to start up a replacement machine, or takes time to notice a failure before re-routing users or a myriad of other devastating engineering reasons. A centralized system is the opposite of the peer-to-peer networks we aspire to.
However, with the introduction of platforms like Bitcoin, the next generation of digital currency and “ledgers” are slowly being proven out. Now there are thousands of different cryptocurrencies and dozens of Blockchain backends that are taking advantage of decentralized technology.
As an aside, note that “distributed ledger” does not equate to the proof-of-work scenarios that many cryptocurrencies use. Instead, think of ledgers as already having trust for an application that is making updates and not having to undertake any particular task to add to the chain. Likewise, proof-of-work systems are less focused on being highly performant which we ultimately need for bringing blockchain applications into the mainstream.
Distributed NoSQL
Likewise, enterprises are looking for ways to leverage more distributed approaches for their internal systems to reduce downtime. If it’s to be a ledger-based system, there are several approaches now available. If it’s to be a general-purpose database, there are also options, especially for data management.
In enterprises where there are some distributed systems in play, it is likely that most of the technology will be found in databases, particularly NoSQL platforms. One of the pillars of Couchbase has been this distributed nature from day one, filling a critical gap that legacy databases were not filling effectively.
Couchbase introduces the idea of multi-dimensional scaling — the ability to scale applications and service across many nodes, or across multiple clusters.
Introducing yet another JSON document store would not have been special if it only ran on a single node. Similarly, yet another Blockchain technology would be nothing of note if it were not also distributed across a cluster of machines.
If it’s centralized then it would be a single point of failure and control, defeating the trust of the overall system. Thankfully both Couchbase, Blockchain, and related technologies are bringing forward the need and value of distributed systems.
Hyperledger Components
Another common ground between Blockchain distributed ledgers such as Hyperledger and Couchbase is the use case of presenting a single “current” view of assets being managed.
In Hyperledger Fabric speak (a specific distributed ledger implementation), there are two types of data handling components in play in their system.
Operational transactions are the core of any ledger– it verifies, creates, and logs all transactions in the ledger. Hyperledger Fabric handles all the built-in permissions for acknowledging who can initiate transactions and also stores them in a variety of backends technologies.
World state is the other primary component, another data view that maintains the current account values, not all the individual operational transactions. When a transaction from one entity to another is performed, the world state also gets an update so the new values are kept current. Previous transactions are not stored in the world state.
Each account in the world state system will have a single value, but the overall history is stored in precise detail by the transaction system.
NoSQL Source of Truth
Both of the above components could be implemented with a Couchbase NoSQL database as the backend. Couchbase handles high-throughput operational transactions across many different use cases, finance, fraud detection, IoT, etc. Distributed ACID transactions are also possible, which a topic unto itself (more in a future post).
If Couchbase sits as the primary backend database for a Blockchain system, it can facilitate both the operational and the world state data storage/retrieval.
Couchbase is often used to store an aggregate of data from multiple different databases, providing what is known as a Source of truth. This can be analogous to the world state, storing the materialized picture of the current data of interest.
This makes Couchbase a good fit for application developers who need to store user profiles for an application. For example, other backend systems may keep the individual pieces of data up to date but when the user logs in the user profile is immediately available in a single JSON document.
The ultimate benefit of using Couchbase in this context is having all the built-in advantages for developers. Once data is dropped into the database, you have frictionless access to powerful SQL-based query tools, full-text search using natural language, massive big data analytics for huge datasets, and more. This allows developers to focus on the product and user while letting the backend systems keep things managed and in sync.
Why NoSQL + Blockchain?
Rather than just compare these two technologies, I also want to encourage developers and architects to look at how they can both be used together. Here is one way.
Couchbase can serve as the application developer layer on top of any distributed ledger or Blockchain technology, both as the operational database component or the world state. The world state database is a great first use case to investigate if you are building an enterprise solution and need to surface account details quickly and easily to end-users.
For example, when Blockchain transactions occur and the world state is updated, the same update could be sent to Couchbase and made available to users. Because Couchbase has mobile SDK, as well as comprehensive analytic SQL support, and much more, it provides a more robust data interface than what comes with Blockchain systems out of the box.
This is particularly important when you want users to have rapid access to the most current information.
While Blockchain systems take time to propagate information, Couchbase uses advanced protocols to do it much quicker — views of data can be built as changes occur. And because Couchbase runs in a multi-cluster environment, the stability and resiliency of the platform can keep up with similar demands of the Blockchain system.
Integration
While there is no off-the-shelf Couchbase integration with Hyperledger, the Couchbase SDK supports all the main programming languages. Anyone building a Blockchain-based ledger can start sending current world state updates over to the NoSQL database via JSON, using both the Blockchain API and Couchbase API.
If you are interested in building this kind of integration, check out the current backend providers in Hyperledger Fabric and adapt one of those for Couchbase Server.
Also, it may be possible to implement this functionality directly in the chaincode sent during smart contract application updates in a ledger. I’m only just starting to understand this side of the system, but in another post, we could compare/contrast database user-defined functions (UDFs) and Blockchain chaincode to give you more reference.
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https://medium.com/couchbase/the-synergy-of-blockchain-and-nosql-databases-f8409dd10ae9
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['Tyler Mitchell']
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2020-10-23 08:05:25.002000+00:00
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['Hyperledger', 'Blockchain', 'Couchbase', 'Database', 'NoSQL']
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