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Agile, hackathons, and the danger of local maxima
|
I love agile. For the first few years of my career I worked in a chaotic waterfall environment. My first experience of switching to agile was a breath of fresh air.
Agile is a rational, considered, and sensible approach to apply in development, and I can imagine a lot of other settings too. There are drawbacks though, and there’s one I want to explore a bit here in the hope of starting a discussion.
One of the best features of agile is the retrospective. It forces your team to get together, and analyse your performance in the previous sprint. Pick out highs, lows, and generally any thoughts. The idea being that you refine, and edge closer to peak performance.
Sometimes I see teams cycle through issues, because they only track their retrospective results back one or two sprints. They end up fixing one problem by creating another problem, and then switch back a few sprints down the line. Ping-ponging between issues like that isn’t ideal, but sometimes you have to make trade-offs when there is no perfect solution, and change can be beneficial in itself.
The question I want to raise here ties in to machine learning though. When I was at university I remember being fascinated by the courses I had relating to the use of evolution in machine learning. The essence of it is that you seed your algorithm with some random values, and they each give you a good or bad result. You then discard the bad ones, and mash the good ones together in a variety of ways to see which ones produce better, and which ones worse. Each generation you run through the strongest survive, and the weakest don’t, hence the reference to evolution.
It all sounds good so far, but you can hit a problem with local maxima. On the graph below imagine the flat axes that run from 0 to 50 represent two parameters you put in to your algorithm, and the vertical height of the chart represents how good a pairing those parameters are.
The issue with evolution is that each generation must be better than the last. That can get you stuck if you start in the wrong place. Imagine you start in the corner closest, and then evolve up to that first peak marked ‘Local Maximum’. Once you’re there you’re stuck. You’re not going anywhere, because the only way to get to the true ‘Global Maximum’ is to go down hill first. In other words, things are going to get worse before they get better.
In machine learning the technique often used to avoid local minima, and maxima is the stochastic gradient descent. This doesn’t guarantee escaping the localised peaks, but it means the evolution has an element of extra randomness, which makes it more likely that your optimisation will jump out of a localised peak, and in to the global one.
Tying this back to agile, I wonder sometimes if teams end up in this same position. Optimising their approach every sprint, but never able to jump across to a greater mountain. And if so how do you combat it?
From machine learning it would seem that adding a bit more randomness to our sprint retrospectives might help. Agile often evangelises keeping consistent teams, but this would suggest that it might be more effective to routinely move people across agile teams to inject some variation. I’d also love to try swapping retrospective notes between teams at random as well. Where I work we list some ‘things we should do better next sprint’, and ‘things we should stop doing next sprint’. It would be great to swap those between teams to see if there’s consensus.
Hackathons come in here as well. Teams have to strive for consistency 99% of the time to help achieve business goals efficiently, which means they naturally gravitate to local maxima. Randomness on the way to the top is frowned upon. There has to be a channel where people can demonstrate new ideas that are completely ‘outside-the-box’ in a rapid prototyping environment, and hackathons are the epitome of that. They are the opportunity to jump to another mountain to see if it’s taller than the one you’re currently standing on.
The other thing I’d like to flag as well — thanks to my love of metrics — is that sprint retrospectives are opinion-based in my experience. We decide what we think went well, and what we think we should change, but we don’t ties those things in to metrics that show if our opinions match our outcomes. In the end, if you produce no work for two weeks, and then say at the end that there was nothing you could have done better, that’s not the perfect sprint. Our conscience’s prevent us from doing that, but I still have some concern that our team thinking we’ve made out sprint process better may not correlate with producing a better outcome for our customers.
As always please leave any comments down below. I’d be fascinated to know if anyone has already tackled these issues. Like I say, I am a huge fan of agile, and it’s the fact that we can question and improve the very process itself that makes it so effective.
All the best,
Nick
|
https://medium.com/swlh/agile-hackathons-and-the-danger-of-local-maxima-4c2255e8f63b
|
['Nicholas Heal']
|
2020-05-01 16:52:24.890000+00:00
|
['Agile', 'Product Management', 'Leadership', 'UX', 'Development']
|
Herb-Robert
|
Herb-Robert growing in a shaded corner of my garden.
Herb-Robert, Geranium robertianum, is a native wildflower with pink star-shaped flowers. Each flower has five petals and is the most striking of pinks. The foliage is palmate and green in colour and there is often a red hue to the stems (Royal Horticultural Society). It flowers from May through until December (Lippert and Podlech, 2010). If you handle the plant, you will notice that it carries a strong and unpleasant scent.
This member of the Geranium family dislikes acidic soil and is found growing anywhere where there is some shade (Wildlife Trusts). It is a plant of woodland, hedgerow and coastal areas (Woodland Trust). It is considered to be a weed in the garden and spreads rapidly due to its exploding seed pods (Royal Horticultural Society).
Traditionally, herb-Robert was believed to treat a number of medical conditions including, nose-bleeds, stomach upsets and headaches. The plant was also used as an antiseptic and some believe it to be a useful mosquito repellent (Wildlife Trusts).
References
Lippert, W. and Podlech, D. Wildflowers of Britain and Europe HarperCollins, London, 2010
Royal Horticultural Society https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=991 (last accessed May 2020)
Wildlife Trusts https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/wildflowers/herb-robert (last accessed May 2020)
Woodland Trust https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/plants/wild-flowers/herb-robert/ (last accessed May 2020)
|
https://medium.com/@ueaecologyben/herb-robert-e887b506dbfc
|
['Uea Ecology Ben']
|
2020-05-07 07:57:06.021000+00:00
|
['Wildlife', 'Plants', 'Weeds And Wildflowers', 'Garden', 'Nature']
|
Sadhguru
|
Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more
Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
|
https://medium.com/sadhguru-jv/sadhguru-5f975d93d0ab
|
[]
|
2020-12-20 12:26:05.318000+00:00
|
['Life', 'Life Lessons', 'Yoga', 'Meditation', 'Quotes']
|
How to create an impressive dashboard (by the content not by the mess)
|
Overview
With the increasing adoption of data visualization tools such as Qlik, Power BI, Tableau, etc., one might think that a useful dashboard is the one with the most sophisticated/modern visual elements that this kind of software brings.
Maps, Violin Charts, TreeMaps, Chord Charts, Sankey, Marimekko, among other types of charts, are almost a must-have on the first versions of the reports and dashboards right after the acquisition of these solutions. Although these charts are aesthetically astonishing, they are rarely the best method to delivery the information from both metric standpoint and also because the audience doesn’t have enough knowledge to comprehend these kinds of graphics.
😍 Beautiful, isn’t it? So hard to not use one of these right away…
However, an excellent dashboard is not the one with the most impressive visual elements. The best are the ones who can deliver the information more efficiently and stimulate changes.
Okay, but how?
1- Know your audience and the usage of the material: When we begin to work with a data visualization tool, we’re often tempted to use all of the sophisticated elements available without keeping in mind that not all users will know how to comprehend them. In 95% of the case, tables with conditional formatting, line and bar charts will be enough.
If you don’t know the right chart to use, this site will help you: https://datavizcatalogue.com/
2- Start your story from the macro to the micro: Yes, it seems super intuitive, yet, sometimes it’s not super clear that the starting point should be at the beginning. Present the big picture first and slowly start dive in deeper to prevent users from being super attached to finer details before having a broader view from the subject.
3- Organize the information: Another aspect that seems obvious, but sometimes it goes unnoticed. The leading information is on the top left corner, then, the second more critical chart is on the bottom right corner. It makes people dizzy! It looks like a pirate’s treasure map! Adjust the elements from left to right, top to bottom, just like you would read a text.
Real-life example. Where should I begin???? 🤷♂️🤷♀️ (Fake data, real mess)
4- Put the information into context: Here’s where the things are less noticeable and where you’ll have to have more contact with the users to collect their requirements better. Question them whether the absolute values is what matters the most or showing the ratio from the total would give them a better idea about the data. Comparing the number with a goal, benchmarks, or any other data will make that number look more like an action point than merely a statistic.
5- Look forward!: We know that a dashboard provides information from the past; it doesn’t mean that we only have to look behind our shoulders. Use projections (e.g., linear models utilizing moving average are simple to build and implement) to show where the metric will be at a certain point in the future. Another approach that sales teams love is the “to the goal” metrics based on the forecasts (How much they still have to do daily to reach their goal). Additionally, showing the trend of a metric will be super valuable in stimulating changes before it’s too late.
If we continue what we’re doing, we will reach the goal of kittens’ meme engagement!!! 🐈
6- Colors and size have their function on these tools: Choose colours that don’t have the “good or bad” connotation, for example, only use green or red when you want to show reaching or not the benchmark; otherwise, you can get people confused. True story: a sales director once sent a panicked e-mail to the entire sales force because he saw a metric in red and thought that something was out of control. A majestic fail. The same applies to sizes, which can sometimes give an impression of higher concentration if it varies from a place to another.
7- Be careful with the formatting: I’m not saying that your dashboard should be full of colours or icons. It means paying attention to the alignment and proportion of the elements. Colours, size and the type of fonts should be consistent too, not to mention text alignment and so on. The proper placement is also part of data visualization.
Example of containers. Consistent alignment and spacing. Yes, OCD rules here… 🤓
8- Don’t let the standard size of the canvas limit you: Alter the size of the page so you can put all the elements in the same place. It doesn’t mean that everything must be on the same size, though, there’s no reason to shrink the charts just because the page size is set up to 16:9. Making the page bigger will provide adequate space for each element to deliver its message. No user will complain just because they had to scroll down the page.
9- A glossary is ALWAYS helpful: I know… there are no charts in this part; however, it saves people from mistakenly making assumptions. A clear explanation of each metric is a good practice.
Conclusion
These tips are almost a universal recipe — although item #5 may not apply, if you’re doing an investigation — and will transform your dashboards into a powerful tool to identify gaps, trends instead of being a bunch of charts spread all over a page.
|
https://medium.com/@tariklauar/how-to-create-an-impressive-dashboard-by-the-content-not-by-the-mess-6044339c28e4
|
['Tarik Lauar']
|
2020-06-09 14:37:47.818000+00:00
|
['Reporting', 'Dataviz', 'Business Intelligence', 'Data Science', 'Analytics']
|
How To Install An Older Homebrew Package
|
How To Install An Older Homebrew Package remarkablemark Follow Nov 5 · 3 min read
Did you know it’s possible to install an older version of a homebrew package or formula?
Previously, you would do this by installing an older formula URL:
brew install <FORMULA_URL>
However, this no longer works:
Error: Calling Installation of <FORMULA> from a GitHub commit URL is disabled! Use 'brew extract <FORMULA>' to stable tap on GitHub instead.
Now, you need to replace the core or cask formula before installing:
# copy formula code
pbpaste > $(find $(brew --repository) -name <FORMULA>.rb)
brew install <FORMULA>
Example
The following steps outline how to install composer version 1.10.15 .
Prerequisites
Uninstall composer:
brew uninstall composer
Update brew:
brew update
Find the Formula
Find the formula in homebrew-core or homebrew-cask:
The formula filename should be composer.rb .
Open the file and click History:
Browse through the history and find the commit you want:
Go to the commit, click the ellipsis next to the file, and click View file:
Click Raw to open the raw file:
Replace the Formula
Select and copy the raw formula:
Open the local formula on your machine:
find $(brew --repository) -name composer.rb
Paste the copied formula so it replaces the local formula:
pbpaste > $(find $(brew --repository) -name composer.rb)
Install the formula:
brew install composer
Once that’s done, undo the changes to the formula:
cd $(find $(brew --repository) -name composer.rb -exec dirname {} \;)
git checkout .
Pin the formula to prevent accidental upgrade:
brew pin composer
Resources
Homebrew documentation:
|
https://medium.com/javascript-in-plain-english/how-to-install-an-older-homebrew-package-b4a4577fd00f
|
[]
|
2020-11-06 03:13:24.463000+00:00
|
['Homebrew', 'Github', 'Software Development', 'Mac', 'Programming']
|
The Trip Back
|
The Trip Back
He’s not in love with me.
That’s what he said in the car, right in the middle of a long journey back home from our hiking trip with his family. His cousin deep sleep in the back seat.
To be fair, what he truly said was: “I can’t fall in love”, which I interpreted as “He’s not in love with me”, since we were together, even if not officially.
In the middle of the trip back, how inconvenient is that? I couldn’t do anything, even though what I really wanted to do was jump right out of the moving car.
I know what the most rational thing to do is: leave him.
I’m going to suffer more if I keep this going.
He told me he had plans of moving to another state. Where there is less chaos and more nature.
He will be back to maths college and it will fuck him up. More than life already has.
He started desperately pointing out all of the reasons why I should jump out of the moving car that was our relationship, trying to talk me out of wanting to be with him.
He’s not in love with me. That was all I could think about. And instead of crying or making a fuss out of it, I acted like that didn’t really affect me. Like it wasn’t about me he was talking about. All I could say was: “Not even butterflies? You know, in your stomach, when you see someone you love? Don’t you get them”
And he said no, and kept his eyes on the road. There were about two hours left for us to get home. And my heart felt like it was going to burst into a million little insignificant pieces.
I wanted to say: “Well, then we have a problem here dear because I am deeply in love with you. Butterflies all over the place, listening to Adele in the car, singing Celine in the shower, laughing alone at work kind of in love. It might be the first time I feel like this and it’s because of you. So how are you not feeling slightly the same?”
But I was scared. I didn’t want it to end.
Maybe, that he doesn’t know he loves me. Or Maybe he does but doesn’t feel worthy of love. He put up walls and pushed people away and now doesn’t remember how to bring them back in.
I know it’s crazy.
It’s irrational even.
But what I feel for him is too strong. And I’m willing to take the chances.
I’m willing to try to build something with him.
I’m willing to break down the wall he made, piece by piece.
I’ll do it because I can’t wait to see the side of him that’s hidden behind the wall.
I’ll do it until it hurts too much to keep going.
And if that happens then I’ll let go. But I’ll always know that I tried.
I tried and I tried til I ran out of reasons to try.
|
https://medium.com/@giustelzer/the-trip-back-aeeb9ae65ff0
|
['Bad Millennial']
|
2019-07-10 03:21:01.755000+00:00
|
['Lovestory', 'Hope']
|
it has never been about us
|
The UK Government’s response to the Covid-19 crisis is not, and has never been, a public health response.
From the day the first lockdown was announced, it has been one of public order, and has grown increasingly carceral. This should have been worrying to anyone invested in left or liberation politics, but an effective smokescreen was constructed by the Government and fed to us by the media: it’s all about protecting the disabled.
Stopping young black men on the street under section 60 [1] — it’s to protect disabled people.
Stopping people from driving to open green spaces to exercise and walk their pets [2] — to protect disabled people.
Waiting lists for cancer treatment lengthening dramatically, with the lifesaving 6 week target being missed in 12x more cases [3] [4] — protecting disabled people.
Blocking disabled children from having their educational needs met by shutting or partially shutting schools [5] — it protects disabled people.
Freezing people out of their universal credit applications, or making them wait out the 5 week delay whilst they’re out of work [6] — for disabled people.
It’s disturbing that I could go on, and on, endlessly, with this list. Things that not only massively impact the lives of many groups of marginalised people, but also often directly impact the lives of disabled people. We were told time and time again, these measures were to protect the vulnerable, whilst negatively impacting the lives of many vulnerable people. Disabled people are not a monolith, no matter how often the media positions us as one. One person’s access need may infringe on another’s; keeping one person safe may endanger someone else. Any talk of ‘protecting the disabled’ is worthless unless it bears this in mind.
18% of people in Britain are defined as disabled by the Equality Act 2010. That’s 1-in-5 people, that we’re aware of. We know for a fact that many, many disabled people who needed to stay safe during the peaks of the virus were simply unable to. People were missed from the shielding list, and had no choice but to continue going out to work [7, 8]. People are unable to access disability benefits due to the cruel disciplinary application and approval system. I am one of those people, and have had to work customer facing jobs since June.
The shielding program itself has been far from a caring and protective response[9]. In my own experience, I have not seen a hospital since I was rushed in for CT and MRI scans in February following a seizure; no progress has been made in my care. The BMA report ‘The hidden impact of Covid-19 on patient care in the NHS in England’ gives important context; with all services diverted to Covid-19 care, the NHS simply had to hit pause on several other services. Disabled people who rely on the NHS for support, care, and therapies which allow them to survive were trapped away for months on end with little-to-no recourse to that support.
Yet still, people — including disabled people — champion the government’s carceral public order measures, cheering from the sidelines as everyday tasks are criminalised. In some cases, people even claim the government hasn’t gone far enough, and that the fascistic legal interventions simply don’t make enough actions illegal. Police brutalise disabled people regularly, as a group we are overpoliced and suffer extensively at the hands of the law [10]. More emergency laws, a constantly changing legal landscape, and increased police powers put us, as a group, in greater danger.
The law is changed on a day’s notice, and something that is legal one day, like visiting your mam for Christmas, is illegal the next. How and why should we believe this is to protect disabled people, when no policy so far has been introduced which protects disabled people? Why are we to separate social and political context from each and every one of these announcements, pretending as though this government has not sacrificed and murdered disabled people in their hundreds and thousands before now [11]?
If we wanted to protect disabled people in our communities and in this country, we wouldn’t bar them from receiving necessary healthcare or criminalize them for seeing their support system over the holidays. We could
demand higher, and universal, sick pay. there is no public health without adequate sick pay. there is no disability justice without adequate sick pay
demand fair and liveable disability benefit, demand the disestablishment of the PIP assessment program
demand the end of benefits sanctions
demand a strong unemployment benefit, the end of UC and the introduction of immediately available financial help, with no waiting period
arrange food deliveries when online orders are not possible
donate or volunteer with foodbanks, which many disabled people are relying on to eat
drop off prescription medications when the local pharmacy doesn’t run a delivery service
do patient advocacy work, attending GP appointments as backup for those who want or need it
help draft emails to doctors, specialists, demanding care needs be met
walk people’s pets if they can’t get out to green space
provide financial support, especially to those whose income has been lost or those who rely entirely on measly UC and PIP payments to feed and house themselves
work with trade unions to provide fair deals for those who have to take periods away from work due to sickness
Through our actions, we must address the issue on both a community level, providing mutual aid and care for those in need, and a national political level, demanding the end to a punitive system which has killed disabled people since its induction. This would be a public health response to the Covid-19 crisis that protects and prioritises disabled people. This is not what is happening.
|
https://medium.com/@l-ratbag/it-has-never-been-about-us-68fba0ced688
|
[]
|
2021-02-09 18:14:10.460000+00:00
|
['Coronavirus', 'Disability Rights', 'Disability']
|
Laravel and Vue.JS — What Makes Them such a Power Couple?
|
Laravel and Vue JS both are recognized as elite web development frameworks and integrating both of them can build some awesome web applications.
Taylor Otwell launched Laravel as a progressive PHP framework in 2011. The focus was on leveraging the Model-View-Controller (MVC) principles to create an open-source framework accessible to all developers and designers. Hence, the first thing you notice while using Laravel is how it makes the entire development process more simplified without compromising the performance.
Laravel is relatively easy to use, flexible, and performs well even at a scale. That is why it is considered one of the fastest-growing frameworks, with 51.4% of developers in the Stack Overflow 2019 survey saying that they love it.
Vue.JS is one of the most adaptive JavaScript frameworks. It is used by a varied set of developers and designers who are creating interactive UIs. Its core library is rich with scalable elements and integrates very well with other JavaScript libraries, making it one of the most preferred front-end development frameworks.
Most projects use Vue.JS for prototyping and for creating interactive single-page web applications. As it is engineered from scratch with JavaScript, it is quite scalable. That is probably why 66% of developers in the Stack Overflow 2019 survey stated they loved the framework.
The above graph of Google Trends clearly demonstrates that Laravel and Vue JS have gained collective traction recently as their combined use in projects yields development teams more efficiency, greater control, and higher scalability. It has been all the more important for any development team to understand why it should use Laravel and Vue.JS as both frameworks have been designed to simplify development and to create interesting UI elements.
Understanding Laravel and Vue.JS
In its nearly decade-long run, Laravel has garnered a large community of developers and product owners. Businesses like Pfizer, BBC, and 9GAG use Laravel in their projects. All the configurations are made out of the box in Laravel, making authentication a very approachable process. It also offers a more straightforward authorization logic organization functionality. On top of this, some of the most dreaded threats like SQL injection and cross-site scripting are automatically taken care of when developers use Laravel.
Laravel is a very cost-effective framework as it demarcates business logic code and presentation code by separating model, controller, and view between HTML designers and developers. This makes bug-fixing and iterations a streamlined process without allocating extra resources. Moreover, the Laravel command scheduler allows you to use only one Cron entry on the server and schedule commands within the framework.
Vue.JS comes with its own set of advantages. Despite its 18–21 KB size, it performs on par with bulkier frameworks like Angular and React. Vue.JS is built on JavaScript, providing seamless integration across all web applications that use JavaScript. Since it’s quite easy to learn, developers can use it to develop new web apps and update the existing ones. Vue JS is also used by many popular brands including GitLab, Behance, and Laravel itself.
Vue.JS is one of the few frameworks with very comprehensive documentation. The entire documentation is so easy to understand that — as far as the developer is comfortable with JavaScript of HTML — she/he can easily develop fluency in Vue.JS. It also has many common principles with Angular and React, making Vue.JS all the more approachable for new programmers. You can write Vue.JS templates in HTML or JavaScript files, making it a useful framework for applications that are run directly on browsers.
Why Should You Consider Laravel + Vue.JS for Your Next Web Application?
Build a Seamless Front-end Experience
Most users expect a flawless UX as soon as they land on the web application. Even the smallest of errors can cause an increase in bounce rates. Vue.JS helps you put all essential elements dynamically on the front-end, making the web application event-driven. Instead of reloading the entire page, consuming more data, and taking longer to load a dynamic page, you can use the Laravel framework to call just the UX elements that have to be tweaked for user-actions.
This way, all the UX weight-lifting is shifted to the front-end, which can perform very well as Laravel supports the web application and server communication.
Streamline the Fronted Development Process
As web applications are scaled, the data volume can start becoming more resource-consuming with each update. This incremental load starts showing up in the web app’s performance. Soon, the page starts showing lags instead of instantly responding to updates. This is a common challenge with most other JavaScript libraries (with the exception of Vue.JS) that don’t possess a virtual DOM. Vue.JS automatically keeps track of the dependencies between elements. Because of this, whenever an update is launched, it updates only the data that requires a change. Since it works seamlessly with data flow management tools like Redux and Flux, it is the ideal tool to combine with Laravel so as to avoid any update lag issues.
Efficient Single-Page Application Development
Both Vue.JS and Laravel are designed to support single-page web applications. Users who live in areas with low-bandwidth would prefer single-page applications since they consume less data. Even users who do not have such constraints will appreciate the ease of use and increased loading speeds of single-page applications.
Single-page web applications essentially rewrite the elements on the same page that the user visited and interacted with, instead of loading entirely new pages in the browser as the user interacts with one page. This saves a lot of redundant development that would bring resource-constraints into the development process.
Steep Learning Curve
Vue.JS is entirely built on JavaScript, which is already one of the most popular scripting languages used by seasoned and new programmers. If you have used Vanilla JS, Angular JS, React JS, jQuery, JavaScript, HTML, or any other language that binds data, you will find it easy to equip yourself with Vue.JS skills. Unlike its alternatives (such as Angular), Vue.JS works more on abstractions instead of plain JavaScript. This makes the internal coding relatively easy to execute.
For Laravel, if you have even a basic understanding of Object-Oriented Programming, PHP, and web development, you will be able to learn the framework in next to no time. The complete documentation is available on the official Laravel website, making the whole process of learning the framework more structured.
By developing these two skill sets internally, your development team can save itself from its dependence on the human capital market. Finding skilled JavaScript programmers can be an expensive task, as the average salary of a JavaScript developer can be as high as $85,000 in the USA.
In Conclusion
Put together, Vue.JS and Laravel augment your web application’s efficiency from the development process all the way to the page-load speeds. They provide your team members with comprehensive documentation to get them started and a rich library of modules to execute common tasks. Since both of them extensively support front-end development, your end-product is bound to perform well (as long as you use them in the right combination).
|
https://codeburst.io/laravel-and-vue-js-what-makes-them-such-a-power-couple-be0a7071fe3e
|
['Citrusbug Technolas']
|
2020-12-07 17:00:35.091000+00:00
|
['Website Development', 'Web App Development', 'Vuejs', 'Web Development', 'Laravel']
|
The sound of footsteps behind me
|
“Average pace: 11 minutes, 4 seconds.”
The running app in my ear let me know that I was slowing down. I switched to a podcast to take my mind off the 5 miles I planned to conquer.
Between quotes from a divorced father who found creative ways to stay present in his son’s life, I heard my feet thumping on the dirt path along the riverside.
I thought I was alone, but another set of thumps followed right behind me.
Wanting to keep up, wanting to win, I picked up my pace.
“Average pace: 10 minutes, 14 seconds.”
I continued to push myself just a little bit to stay ahead of whoever was behind me and continued to hear their footsteps following closely.
Until, I was faced with a big puddle that required a balancing act on some rocks along the edge of the path.
I stopped, expecting someone to pass me.
But the footsteps behind me stopped too.
I looked back — no one was there.
Puzzled, I passed the puddle, and resumed my mile.
I heard footsteps behind me again. They pushed me to run faster.
“Average pace: 9 minutes, 11 seconds.”
The podcast episode ended.
All I heard were footsteps.
The sound of footsteps behind me motivated me to run faster. Push harder. Be better.
Then, I stopped. And they stopped too.
I glanced back, but saw no one.
The sound of footsteps were my own.
Inadvertently, I was racing myself.
|
https://medium.com/the-mission/the-sound-of-footsteps-behind-me-e85a8e943381
|
['Melissa Brown']
|
2018-10-22 18:41:42.592000+00:00
|
['Self-awareness', 'Personal Growth', 'Perspective', 'Personal Development', 'Self']
|
The Reverse button
|
We are often tempted to do things that our heart wants to do !
We often tend to remove the restriction from our heart’s demands !
We just move in the direction that supposedly is quite comfortable and alluring !
After doing all this, most of us sit and feel like having a reverse button. We wish we could just fly back in time and make our past self-understand that he needs to dive in the opposite direction. The slightest of decision, that appears silly to ponder upon, unfolds into something drastic. Every molecule that is displaced, brings with it an entire new world. I can relate this to a theory called 'The Butterfly Effect', which says 'small causes can have large effects' and this theory aptly applies to most of our lives.
Have you ever stood at a crossroad where you can choose only one way but you definitely want to explore the other option? You want to see how life would unfold in a parallel world where you would have chosen a different road.
All this alludes our minds in a way that can sometimes even damage us.
This is just a part where we want to explore the parallel world, but there are certain situations where we are so helpless that turning the pages of life for revisiting the point where we committed some mistake seems like the only option that we wish to have and that we want to avail.
But looking at this entire scenario from a different angle, will make us understand that a ‘reverse button’ is an escape for not facing our carelessness, and our wrong decisions.
Is it really what we want ?
Well, social polling shows so.
But should we not be facing our fears, our wrongdoings and our own steps ?
Won’t it help us improve and evolve at the same time ?
We all fall in love, we all get our hearts broken, we all break hearts, we all choose a wrong road, we all expect, we all want to be in our cocoons, we all take decisions based on our heart’s voice and we all want to avoid the aftereffect !!
But is avoiding the aftereffects really the solution ?
Won’t we evolve more rapidly, if we close all the doors for ourselves to run ?
We get ways to escape and we follow that way, in spite of running away we must be facing our actions. After all, our actions and their reverberations will enhance us to be a little better with each passing day.
So, let’s put on our thinking caps and view all the angles, pros and cons and the entirety of the situation. Who knows, we won’t want a reverse button and love the normal pace of our lives.
And after reflecting and considering your inner self, let us know your thoughts here http://app.sociale.co/question/1456900560539
|
https://medium.com/sociale-blog/the-reverse-button-4c283b57b761
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[]
|
2016-03-14 16:23:55.459000+00:00
|
['Life Lessons', 'Sociale', 'Improvement']
|
Bill Burr Visits Jay Leno’s Garage
|
We’ve seen all kinds of cars on Jay Leno’s Garage, from rare classics to custom fabrications. However, we haven’t seen Bill Burr together with Leno. That’s what you get in this latest installment from the TV show. Plus, the two take a ride in a 1965 Buick Riviera GS. There might be too much Bostonian mirth crammed into one car for others to even understand.
Some of you might be wondering why these two comedians are meeting up at a diner and going for a ride in a ’65 Buick Riviera. It seems like a cheap takeoff of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, but since that show is not coming back for another season we guess Leno thought it was ok to just continue it on in a half-baked sort of way.
image credit: YouTube
Then there’s the interplay with Leno and Bill Burr. Honestly, we expected more. Burr perhaps is a little too edgy for Jay Leno’s Garage producers, because he seems like a sedated house cat.
Of course, Burr and Leno talk about cars and Burr reveals that moving to California made him more of a car guy. He started researching them more and bought a ’68 Ford F100 he still owns. He disclosed that his dream ride is a 1965 Buick Riviera, a car which all the cool kids had in Boston when he was growing up. That’s when they go for a ride in one.
Sadly, one of the most amazing things about this episode is that nobody’s wearing a mask or socially distancing. Ah, the memories.
The episode starts with Leno driving a McLaren 570S because it fits the theme of “living the dream.” We’re pretty sure Leno does that every day, but it sure is a great commercial for the British automaker and that’s probably why that parts in the beginning.
|
https://medium.com/motorious/bill-burr-visits-jay-lenos-garage-90cf31dc5693
|
['Sam Maven']
|
2020-12-27 15:00:04.636000+00:00
|
['News', 'Classic', 'American', 'Celebrity', '60s']
|
Spotlight: Crystal Acevedo, DEI Program Manager
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Crystal Acevedo is a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) program manager with experience in the research, nonprofit, and corporate worlds. She is passionate about making workplaces everywhere more equitable and inclusive for underrepresented folks, and most recently supported DEI efforts on the Policy and Communications team at Airbnb.
We caught up with Crystal to learn more about her career path, her work, and how community can help support a more inclusive tech industry.
Hi Crystal! Tell us about yourself, how did you get to where you are today?
Crystal Acevedo
I studied psychology in college, but wasn’t sure what I wanted to do post-grad until relatively recently. It’s always been important to me to use my skills and experience to support underrepresented groups, but I struggled for a long time to figure out exactly how to focus this energy. Before working in tech, I worked in research and then in the nonprofit world on the resilience initiative at the Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg Family Foundation (SGFF).
As a queer woman of color, I’ve always looked at the world through a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens and have been outspoken about it, including in the workplace. But it wasn’t until I got together with some of the other women of color at SGFF to co-found the DEI team that I realized how passionate I am about making workplaces everywhere more equitable and inclusive.
Excited by this newfound sense of purpose, I left SGFF and found my first DEI-focused role at Airbnb, where I supported the Policy and Communications team’s Diversity & Belonging Leadership Council. I was unfortunately part of the COVID layoffs earlier this year, but loved the work and my time with that team. These days I’m volunteering with Latinas in Tech on the planning of LTX Fest, connecting with other underrepresented folks in tech, and looking for my next opportunity in the DEI space.
What inspired you to pursue a career in the tech industry?
Living in the Bay Area, I saw a lot of opportunities in the tech industry, but was keenly aware that marginalized folks do not have equitable access to these opportunities, and often don’t feel like they belong even if they do get hired. I decided to pursue a career in DEI to make sure that underrepresented folks are being sought out and seriously considered for opportunities in tech, and also feeling welcome, supported, and safe once they join the workplace. I also want to be a resource to others who are first in their family to go to college or work in tech, and to lift other marginalized folks up with me as I progress in my career.
What have been some of the most memorable and impactful projects you’ve worked on so far?
Co-founding the DEI team at the Foundation was definitely a highlight for me — I had the pleasure of working alongside some brilliant women of color as we formalized our efforts to make the Foundation as equitable and inclusive as possible. As part of this team, I created a guide to help project stakeholders be more inclusive in their work. The guide educated the broader SGFF team on the issues affecting various underrepresented groups, and helped stakeholders to think about their projects through a DEI lens from the planning stages. I think it’s important to have this lens anytime you’re creating something new so that DEI is built into the foundation of whatever you’re building — whether it’s a campaign or a company.
During my time at Airbnb, I helped the Policy & Communications team establish its global Diversity & Belonging Leadership Council, which launched in 2019. I helped the inaugural Council to formalize its operations and create a transition document to guide future councils. With this foundation in place, I further helped set the 2020 Council up for success by planning and facilitating an international offsite where I guided them through the strategic planning process for the year. I also had a chance to partner with leadership to make diversity and belonging team priorities. I analyzed my team’s culture survey to identify our areas of improvement, and worked closely with our VP and Directors to craft and roll out a team-wide belonging pledge. The pledge incorporated DEI training, an inclusive hiring guide, and a mentorship/sponsorship piece, among other components. We also tied some of the commitments to leaders’ performance reviews to create accountability.
Diversity & Belonging Leadership Council Offsite, Lisbon, 2020
What are some of the greatest opportunities you see right now to drive meaningful change when it comes to more equitable representation in tech, and what role does community play in supporting a more inclusive digital ecosystem?
As a starting point, companies need to invest in the growth and advancement of the underrepresented talent they already employ. Making sure employees of color — and particularly Black employees — have access to mentorship, sponsorship, and professional development opportunities is key to their advancement and to the diversification of management and leadership.
In terms of the role of community, I think community outreach is critical in supporting a more inclusive ecosystem. Companies need to prioritize building and nurturing relationships with organizations for underrepresented folks — they should be partnering with HBCUs, community groups, organizations for underrepresented folks in tech, etc. This community-building will ensure that they have a diverse talent pipeline when it comes time to hire. But they should be careful to ensure that these partnerships are a two-way street where they are giving community partners as much as they are taking, if not more. It’s also critical that companies be actively working toward building a more inclusive workplace so that their new hires from underrepresented groups are coming into a supportive environment where they feel like they belong.
At Noun Project, we believe visual language has the power to shape, reinforce and change perceptions. What are your thoughts on why diverse visual representation in tech is so important to helping change the status quo in the industry?
It’s important for marginalized folks to see themselves represented everywhere they look because you can’t be what you can’t see — including in tech. If you don’t see people who look like you visually represented, you’re made to feel like you don’t matter or belong in a space.
Companies should absolutely treat diverse visual representation as the standard rather than a nice-to-have. But they also need to ensure that they are doing the work to increase diversity and foster a culture of belonging in their workplace — otherwise the diverse visual representation is an empty gesture.
Looking to the future, what inspires you and what initiatives are you most excited about right now?
As I look to the future, I feel inspired and empowered by all of the remarkable women of color who I know are doing powerful work in the DEI space. I’m also inspired by the work of Collective — A DEI Lab. This Black-owned, queer-owned DEI consultancy’s human-centered approach and focus on long-term, transformational change are a breath of fresh air.
As far as current initiatives, I’m excited about how many companies are hiring for full-time DEI roles rather than continuing to put their DEI work on employee resource groups (ERGs) and underrepresented talent. I’m even more excited about companies like Justworks who are starting to recognize and compensate ERGs for their additional labor — I hope that this becomes the norm.
What advice would you give to people currently navigating the path to a future career in tech?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help, whether it’s at work or in your job search. I think a lot of marginalized folks in particular feel like they have to do things alone in order to really prove themselves. I’m here to remind you that you are worthy and asking for help is not a sign of weakness.
In the same vein, you should always be building your network by attending events and proactively reaching out to people on LinkedIn. Networking can feel uncomfortable at first, but it’s incredibly important for career-building and gets easier with practice. If you’re a member of a marginalized group, you should find and join organizations for underrepresented folks in tech — these are a great source of community and support.
And finally, as you progress in your career, don’t forget to use your influence and resources to pay it forward, especially to underrepresented folks. What’s the point of success if you can’t share it with others?
|
https://blog.thenounproject.com/spotlight-crystal-acevedo-be708bdfcb02
|
['Lindsay Stuart']
|
2020-10-26 19:10:18.119000+00:00
|
['Latinas In Tech', 'Equality', 'Tech', 'Diversity In Tech', 'Spotlight']
|
The Subsplash 2019 Keynote is here!
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A lot of incredible things have been happening at Subsplash! We’ve released websites with SnapPages™, rolled out targeted Push Notifications with GeoEngage™, taken Subsplash Giving to the next level, and so much more.
We can’t wait to share with you all the products and features we’ve rolled out over the last year, in addition to the heart behind our mission. We’re excited about continuing to take digital engagement to the next level and supporting your ministry as you make the truth of Jesus incredibly accessible, make more and better disciples, and build community.
In our 2019 Keynote, you’ll hear from a handful of our team members as they share what we’ve been up to in the last 12 months. We have lots of exciting news, including highlights from 2018, first-hand accounts from our clients, and an inside perspective from our founder and CEO, Tim Turner.
With new and innovative tools to support your ministry just around the corner, our team can’t wait to share everything that will be coming in 2019 to the Subsplash Platform. If you’re currently using the Subsplash Platform to maximize engagement and want to know more about what’s coming in 2019, reach out to your Client Success Manager. If you’re not yet utilizing the Subsplash Platform and want to learn more, one of our ministry-minded experts would love to talk with you. Let’s chat!
|
https://medium.com/subsplash/the-subsplash-2019-keynote-is-here-e1b833a469aa
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[]
|
2019-05-10 18:06:12.191000+00:00
|
['Giving', 'Church App', 'Keynote', 'Subsplash', 'Website Builders']
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India vs Australia Test Matches played until Dec 2020.
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Australia cricket captain Tim Paine (R) and India cricket captain Virat Kohli (L) pose with the Border Gavaskar trophy. Photo by PETER PARKS.(FreepressJournal)
The test contest between India and Australia is always a fan feast with many records and events. One of the most interesting series played by these nations which attained notoriety owing to poor umpiring decisions and poor sportsman from the hosting nation is Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2008. Earlier in 2001 Very Very Stylish Lakshman’s 281 against Australia at Eden Gardens which bagged the Greatest Indian Test Innings award in a survey conducted by Wisden Asia Cricket magazine still remains special to the cricket fans.
Let’s look at a few stats and plots of all the matches played before India and Australia take on each other for the 99th time in Test cricket on 17.Dec.2020. The long rivalry continues and now it’s time for us to visualize analyze using python libraries and Data Science.
Match Results Head to Head Aus vs Ind in 98 matches
Results of Matches contested Ind vs Aus
India’s overseas performance has been not so great and in Australia it is not an exception. Historically, India have won only 7 Tests in Australia, of which, 2 came in 2018–19 series (IND won 2–1 out of 4 Tests). Whereas Australia have won 29 of them, and drew 12 of them.
India’s performance in Australia
Senior players — Highest matches
Sachin Tendulkar is the senior most player who has played in most number of matches contested b/w Ind and Aus. He is followed by Ricky Ponting. Among the active players , Ishant sharma is the senior player.
Senior players in terms of matches
Generally if a player gets out with out scoring any runs is said to be duck out. For batsman it is an embarrassment ,however if we see the top players with duck outs in the encounters between Aus vs India ,batsmen have been saved from disconcertment. This is because the list of players with most ducks features mostly bowlers.
Players with most ducks
Scoring a double hundred in any format is a great achievement to a cricketer. Let’s see the players with highest score more than 200.
Highest Score by Players
Michael Clarke is the only player to score a triple hundred. The next highest score is 281 by VVS Laxman. The only wicket keeper batsman featuring in the list is MS Dhoni.
Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar has hit highest number of centuries among all the players who played in Aus vs India matches. Among the current players only Kohli and Steve Smith have hit 7 centuries each and Pujara scored 5 centuries.
Count of centuries hit by players in Ind vs Aus
It’s time to see the players who have hit at least 5 half centuries.
Count of 50s hit by players in Ind vs Aus
The list is again topped by Sachin. Among the active Indian players the list features KL Rhaul, Pujara,Rahane.
The analysis features mostly on batsmen ability of Indian and Australian cricket team. This work is done using python libraries pandas, matplotlib, seaborn etc. using jovian.ml platform .Hope you enjoy it.
References
|
https://medium.com/@me19m004/india-vs-australia-test-matches-played-until-dec-2020-fe2cd911068b
|
['Anupam Kumar']
|
2020-12-17 11:53:28.298000+00:00
|
['Data Visualization', 'Australia', 'Cricket', 'India', 'Data Science']
|
How to set General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) during the execution of U-Boot on BeagleBone Black
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Why is important to set the General Purpose Input/Output as early as possible?
Depending on your embedded board (embedded boards have by definition limited resources), accessing the U-Boot gets your things done several seconds in advance. Just before loading the Linux Kernel, and long before loading the Root File System.
For an example, during the start up of my BeagleBone Black, I am getting the desired result 5 seconds earlier, by enabling the GPIOs at U-Boot time, than doing the same thing with methods within Root File System. My little benchmark “app” concerns lighting up a LED connected to the BeaglebBone Black through its expansion slots.
That was all about the introductory concepts, I shall guide you through understanding the practical solution.
Set GPIO at U-Boot Time with BeagleBone Black
Connect USB-To-serial TTL cable to the BeagleBone Black
Mount USB-to-serial TTL controller
Next, I am going to walk you through connecting and setting up the serial connection to the BeagleBone Black to be able to communicate your commands and “read its feedback”.
Boot BeagleBone Black and get into the U-boot command prompt
By default the RBL(ROM bootloader) of BeagleBone Black boots from the internal eMMC. Only when holding down the boot button (“USER 2” button), it will search for a bootloader on the SD card.
Thus, press USER 2 button of BeagleBone Black after powering it up to choose the U-Boot version stored on the micro SD Card.
The following is an example of a U-Boot sequence log and warning messages in case you do not press the boot button. It applies to my BeagleBone Black configuration (which U-Boot version exists there, etc).
Although it is likely yours is not going to look 100% similarly, I am placing it here because what you are going to get will be structured the same:
U-Boot 2018.09-00002-g0b54a51eee (Sep 10 2018 - 19:41:39 -0500), Build: jenkins-github_Bootloader-Builder-65
CPU : AM335X-GP rev 2.1
I2C: ready
DRAM: 512 MiB
No match for driver 'omap_hsmmc'
No match for driver 'omap_hsmmc'
Some drivers were not found
Reset Source: Power-on reset has occurred.
RTC 32KCLK Source: External.
MMC: OMAP SD/MMC: 0, OMAP SD/MMC: 1
Loading Environment from EXT4...
** Unable to use mmc 0:1 for loading the env **
Board: BeagleBone Black
<ethaddr> not set. Validating first E-fuse MAC
BeagleBone Black:
BeagleBone: cape eeprom: i2c_probe: 0x54:
BeagleBone: cape eeprom: i2c_probe: 0x55:
BeagleBone: cape eeprom: i2c_probe: 0x56:
BeagleBone: cape eeprom: i2c_probe: 0x57:
Net: eth0: MII MODE
cpsw, usb_ether
Press SPACE to abort autoboot in 2 seconds
This is the U-Boot sequence log and warning messages in case you press the boot button:
U-Boot SPL 2020.01 (Jan 06 2020 - 20:56:31 +0000)
Trying to boot from MMC1
U-Boot 2020.01 (Jan 06 2020 - 20:56:31 +0000)
CPU : AM335X-GP rev 2.1
Model: TI AM335x BeagleBone Black
DRAM: 512 MiB
WDT: Started with servicing (60s timeout)
NAND: 0 MiB
MMC: OMAP SD/MMC: 0, OMAP SD/MMC: 1
Loading Environment from FAT... *** Warning - bad CRC, using default environment
<ethaddr> not set. Validating first E-fuse MAC
Net: eth0: ethernet@4a100000
Warning: usb_ether MAC addresses don't match:
Address in ROM is de:ad:be:ef:00:01
Address in environment is 04:79:b7:ec:35:75
, eth1: usb_ether
Hit any key to stop autoboot: 0
As you can easily spot, there are two different versions of U-Boot in place.
Without pressing the “boot” button, so to say, pre-installed with my BeagleBone Black there is
U-Boot 2018.09-00002-g0b54a51eee (Sep 10 2018 - 19:41:39 -0500), Build: jenkins-github_Bootloader-Builder-65
With the MicroSD Card I have a newer one:
U-Boot SPL 2020.01 (Jan 06 2020 - 20:56:31 +0000)
Trying to boot from MMC1
!!! Hit twice the SPACE Key immediately after starting the boot sequence so that BeagleBone Black to enter the U-Boot command prompt.
List all the commands supported by the U-boot shell
U-Boot# help
? - alias for 'help'
askenv - get environment variables from stdin
base - print or set address offset
bdinfo - print Board Info structure
boot - boot default, i.e., run 'bootcmd'
bootd - boot default, i.e., run 'bootcmd'
bootm - boot application image from memory
bootp - boot image via network using BOOTP/TFTP protocol
bootz - boot Linux zImage image from memory
chpart - change active partition
cmp - memory compare
coninfo - print console devices and information
cp - memory copy
crc32 - checksum calculation
dfu - Device Firmware Upgrade
dhcp - boot image via network using DHCP/TFTP protocol
echo - echo args to console
editenv - edit environment variable
eeprom - EEPROM sub-system
env - environment handling commands
exit - exit script
ext2load- load binary file from a Ext2 filesystem
ext2ls - list files in a directory (default /)
ext4load- load binary file from a Ext4 filesystem
ext4ls - list files in a directory (default /)
false - do nothing, unsuccessfully
fatinfo - print information about filesystem
fatload - load binary file from a dos filesystem
fatls - list files in a directory (default /)
fatwrite- write file into a dos filesystem
fdt - flattened device tree utility commands
go - start application at address 'addr'
gpio - input/set/clear/toggle gpio pins
help - print command description/usage
i2c - I2C sub-system
iminfo - print header information for application image
imxtract- extract a part of a multi-image
itest - return true/false on integer compare
load - load binary file from a filesystem
loadb - load binary file over serial line (kermit mode)
loads - load S-Record file over serial line
loady - load binary file over serial line (ymodem mode)
loop - infinite loop on address range
ls - list files in a directory (default /)
md - memory display
mm - memory modify (auto-incrementing address)
mmc - MMC sub system
mmcinfo - display MMC info
mtdparts- define flash/nand partitions
mtest - simple RAM read/write test
mw - memory write (fill)
nand - NAND sub-system
nboot - boot from NAND device
nfs - boot image via network using NFS protocol
nm - memory modify (constant address)
ping - send ICMP ECHO_REQUEST to network host
printenv- print environment variables
reset - Perform RESET of the CPU
run - run commands in an environment variable
saveenv - save environment variables to persistent storage
setenv - set environment variables
sf - SPI flash sub-system
showvar - print local hushshell variables
sleep - delay execution for some time
source - run script from memory
test - minimal test like /bin/sh
tftpboot- boot image via network using TFTP protocol
true - do nothing, successfully
usb - USB sub-system
usbboot - boot from USB device
version - print monitor, compiler and linker version
How to get supplementary information about U-boot shell commands
Note: => or ‘U-Boot#’ stand for the command prompt in the U-Boot shell.
|
https://medium.com/the-innovation/how-to-set-general-purpose-input-output-gpio-during-the-execution-of-u-boot-on-beaglebone-black-acd886307d49
|
['George Calin']
|
2020-10-29 18:17:00.417000+00:00
|
['Gpio', 'Yoctoproject', 'Embedded Training', 'Embedded Linux', 'Embedded']
|
Adding Start and End Time in a Deep Learning code
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Adding Start and End Time in a Deep Learning code Rakesh TS ·Dec 26, 2020
It is important to calculate the over all time taken for the system to run a DL pipeline.
Objective : To add start and end time to a Deep Learning code.
|
https://medium.com/@rakesh-thoppaen/adding-start-and-end-time-in-a-deep-learning-code-7c1425c3a678
|
['Rakesh Ts']
|
2020-12-26 03:03:47.026000+00:00
|
['Artificial Intelligence', 'Keras', 'Machine Learning', 'Python', 'Deep Learning']
|
Startup and Social Media: How to effectively execute your social media marketing plan?
|
“Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory, tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.”-Sun Tzu
Today, we live in the world built around content and chaos. All brands, with any kind of budget want to get their message across to the same consumer through social media. In a world that is fighting for the 8-second attention span of a consumer, it’s easy for a startup to get overwhelmed while figuring out a social media strategy. Creating a brand presence and breaking through the clutter may not be an easy task, but it can get easier if you follow the five key steps.
Why should I create goals?
“Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination.”- Fitzhugh Dodson
The important thing about any marketing campaign is that it must always have an objective. Doing a social media campaign because it is the “it “thing to do, just wastes your time, money and efforts; and for a startup time, money and manpower are all scarce resources. So, first thing you will have to do is create goals for every campaign you are planning.
As a marketer, you need to remember to follow the SMART framework when you define your goals. The SMART framework is acronym for creating Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals. All campaigns need to be targeted at specific outcomes, so that you could optimize your resources.
You also have to divide your goals according to a time frame; long-term and short-term goals. The long-term goals could be the major objectives tied to your company’s vision and mission, while the short-term goals could be the ones which will analyze the immediate deliverables of a campaign.
Short-term goals need to be campaign specific and generally more quantitative in nature. Number of clicks, impressions, sign ups and purchases could be great starting points for short term goals. Long-term goals could be more qualitative- focusing on building a brand identity and a brand recall.
For example, a new organic beauty brand’s long-term goal could be to establish the connection between their brand’s identity and nature. So, in order to fulfill the long-term goal, every marketing campaign that they will undertake will depict elements of nature in design and copy. Now, if this brand wants to create a special social media campaign for their new spring collection, the short-term goals could be getting ‘x’ amount of revenue through online sales or getting ‘y’ number users on their online portal.
How do I define my customers?
“Discovery consists of looking at the same thing as everyone else and thinking something different.”- Albert Szent-Györgyi
To know your customer, you cannot just stop at the surface level geographic, psychographic, demographic and behavioral segmentation. Although the traditional segmentation procedures are absolutely necessary, you need to put in the extra effort to understand what your target customer goes through every day. You will have to walk in their shoes, do an ethnographic and netnographic research, conduct interviews, participate in active feedback session and immerse yourself in understanding their pain points. After you figure out what your customer thinks, needs, wants and feels; the next step is figuring out what role does your brand/product plays in their day to day lives.
In order to have a successful impact of all your social media campaign, you will need to know everything that is currently relevant to your target audience. You need to know the answers to all the following questions
Who does my target consumer listens to, follows or likes on social media?
Who are the key influencers online and offline for my target consumer?
What other brands does my target consumer most relate to?
Where does my target consumer hang out online and offline?
What kind of content does my target consumer like to consume?
Where does my brand content and value fit in to my target consumer’s daily life?
Which channels does my target consumer prefers to consume his/her content?
What devices or interfaces does my target customer use?
Why should I define my value proposition?
“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.”- Albert Einstein
After you define your customer ; the next step is figuring out what role does your brand/product plays in their lives. To demonstrate your brand’s value to your customer you need to be aware of your customer’s needs and wants . Once you make that list, you have to determine which need are you going to address first . Try to quantify the benefits of your value proposition to create a better impact. It is very important that your value proposition remains consistence across all channels.
In the Startup sphere it is very difficult to convince people to buy your product or service. There are several other startups, which are trying to sell something similar and are talking about it. So, you will have to have a clear crisp message about what is your product all about and what you are offering to a particular consumer. It is essential that you focus and convey that one single message, so that it gives clarity to your early adopters. Once your message is clear to your early adopters, it is easier for them to propagate it further. So be very clear of your value proposition and messaging while you define your social media strategy.
For example, a startup selling cold pressed juices could position themselves as a juice company or expand their value proposition as a ‘lifestyle brand that inspires healthier living’. The messaging in each of the cases could be vastly different as a juice company would be easily replaceable in consumer’s mind with packaged juices or other beverages; while a lifestyle brand that is more focused on health would be difficult to replace. The ‘lifestyle brand that inspires healthier living’ would also need to augment their positioning with additional services such as free delivery to gyms or yoga classes, making the brand image of health consciousness more effective.
Which channels should I focus on?
“The art of conversation is the art of hearing as well as of being heard.”- William Hazlitt
For a startup, it is impossible to tap every social media outlet that is currently available. It is not only a matter of feasibility, but also largely about the fact that relevance is the key to a successful social media campaign. For example — If your target customer is a teenager, LinkedIn would probably be a redundant channel for your business. On the other hand, Snapchat with its maximum teenage user base could potentially be highly relevant to you.
So instead of focusing on the number of users a platform has, you need to focus on the potential target customers available to you on that platform. You need to know what kind of engagement rate and conversion could a particular platform bring your business. Consider and list the advantage and disadvantage of each platform.
The next big question you will face is whether or not to go for paid advertising. For a startup, there are no massive budgets allocated for paid adverts. Before you go ahead with paid adverts you need to create an initial organic reach and a good content base. So being creative and explorative with organic content is an important strategy.
Most social platforms today give you fairly advanced targeting options. So, if you have answers to all the questions, about your target customer’s persona, you don’t have to worry about your content reaching them.
For reaching masses, Facebook ads or Google ads could be good choices just because the gigantic user base. Facebook targeting is extremely focused and helps you reach many potential customers, while also giving you the option of choosing them based on their geography, language, demography and interests. Through Facebook targeting you even target people going through a particular life event such as targeting people who have just changed their cities or just gotten married. Facebook also gives you an option of unique audiences where you can upload a certain set of users and create a custom list for targeting. It becomes a great way to connect with your existing customers and advertising to them for new offerings. The other benefit of custom audiences is that, Facebook also gives you an option of creating look- alike audiences, so when you upload a custom list, Facebook will find similar people like them for you, making targeting new consumers easier.
For targeting customers through their professional profile or targeting B2B businesses, LinkedIn seems to be the preferred medium. LinkedIn groups could be a very useful way to reach out to people in an organic way. LinkedIn could also help you identify the key people in an organization. Good content in terms of blogs could be a great way to engage your existing connection on LinkedIn. LinkedIn paid campaign could also be considered as option depending on your target audience’s preferences and budget.
Twitter as an organic platform and it is a great way to drive traffic to your website. It is also a strong platform to engage, discover and converse with your customers. The key to perfecting twitter is being present and being prompt in reaching out to your followers. The twitter ad platform also gives you various options in terms of conducting follower campaigns, engagement campaigns, hashtag campaigns or lead generation campaigns. Twitter is an efficient way to keep up with your customers and also listen to what they are saying.
For a startup, exploring new and unconventional channels could also be a great way to reach potential consumers. Subgroups on Reddit forums or Quora’s question and answers, could help you build subject matter expertise in the eyes of your consumer. So, keeping track of all upcoming social networks that are becoming relevant to your target audience is important.
What type of content should I produce?
“Variety’s the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor.” William Cowper
For a startup, hiring content writers and designers may not always be a feasible option, so what type of content should you produce first? The simple answer is to produce the type of content that is most relevant to your target customer. Start with the content that is easy to produce and you are most comfortable with and quickly scale up to variety of content including videos, blogs, eBooks, infographics . Now, once the content is published you can easily track the success rate of each format. So all you have to do now is figure out what your customer prefers, if your target customer prefers to read, then master the art of blogging or e-books. If your target customer prefers to watch videos, then make sure your content focus is around making videos. Always remember, most customers stop engaging with your content if it is in a monotonous format. As a result, you are always better off mixing up your content from blogs, videos, infographics to webinars.
As you scale up, try to incorporate multiple content formats to your content strategy. If you are writing a blog create an adjunct infographic which can be shared on other channels and re-link it to your blog. Experiment with different formats such as webinars, interactive content, reviews, Q&As, how to articles, listicles, imagery and many more.
Be agile in adapting to new formats of media in order to keep up with your consumer’s preferences.
Find out what works the best for your business and develop that format to the next level.
When and how often should I engage with my audience?
“The most fruitful and natural exercise for our minds is, in my opinion, conversation.” -Michel de Montaigne
Ideally, you need to post 14 or more times on twitter per day, 5–10 times on Facebook per week and 20 posts on LinkedIn per month. But your engagement need not be limited to your social posts, rather it should be an ongoing conversation with your audience.
It is important that you follow, converse and get know your influencers on a daily basis. It is also crucial that you interact with people who comment or share your content. Daily engagement can also double as feedback loop where you could understand your consumer’s problems and solve their issues in real time. Daily engagement could also be a great way to gain momentary traction based on major events or viral hashtags.
Conclusion
A great social media strategy is a full-time job, so take your time in strategizing before you begin your journey. Reach out to your network, influencers and domain experts and seek their help in defining your first steps.
Create goals that are attainable and which further the growth of your company. Know your customer well, well enough to create an effective positioning of your brand. Convey the emotional value of your brand to your consumers in every communication message. Every industry, every brand and every consumer would require different strategy, so define your strategy very well. Once you start with execution, keep on testing different platforms and different formats, till you find the right fit. Once you find out what works great with your target audiences, grow that content type and channel to attract more business.
Invest your time, effort and creativity in building the presence of your brand on social media and your consumer are sure to notice or reach out through one of the channels. Just remember that every startup is different and even with all the pointers there are few things you can only discover hands-on, so keep on creating, revising and exploring!
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originally published at 35.162.95.142 on May 29, 2017.
|
https://medium.com/startupwind/startup-and-social-media-how-to-effectively-execute-your-social-media-marketing-plan-b50f41658c67
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['Deepika Salwankar']
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2017-05-29 10:36:19.635000+00:00
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['Startup Marketing', 'Social Media', 'Startup Lessons', 'Digital Marketing', 'Social Media Marketing']
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Humans And Aliens
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This is a story of another timeline that will take effect here if we don’t recreate things in a simulation.
Is it too late or can we change?
Will You Join Us Make Change?
Human Stupidity and Lessons
Once upon a time we’re all just a living flesh building a civilization to expand mankind’s ego becoming a multiplanetary species.
But the World become toxic and polluted so we traveled to a distant planet just to rebuild our half-dead civilization. We humans then learned about the cosmos secret to unlock the mystery of our universe.
The secret of matter and energies underlying in the heart of our star system is coded to be understood by us. With the power of that knowledge we become something not so human anymore.
We evolved into a type of specie called Hive Dwellers living in an advanced type of civilization.
Alien Story:
The Year is 2021,
We live like nothing else before as we humans are doing what we love to do. Fighting a Pandemic while improving everyone’s life is good.
We also had to fight the chaos we human created, floods flushes the dirt, fire devouring forestry, earthquake trembled the land, the global warming, and so on.
The endangered animals begun to attack humanity because we destroyed their habitat, snakes, lions, wild one trying to come and devour us.
2025
Until in the year 2025, the humans finally beats the pandemic that was caused by the corruption created by the human government of Earth.
After that another year arrived..
2026
The humans are becoming technologically advanced with a new their new found kind of technology called Quantum.
In the following year people become greedy and envious that they tried to outsmart each other in a small scale war of land and sea domination. Suddenly..
Unexpected Event occured..
2034–2039
The War Broke because of the human greed again the Atomic War begins to decimate the whole World.
Almost all of the population was affected by it erasing the one third in an instant to an almost 80% of the total population affected.
The Tyrant won this time making it more difficult to live for every humans under their rule.
2045–2048
In this year we started the Mars Colonization mission of successful grouped human landings.
But before that something happens in between the year that caused another life erasing event again. The rest is history to us.
2049–2050
Is where we decided to let the other humans dwell under the ocean because of the toxic atmosphere above ground.
Mars is Good?
2051–2061
A time when we’ve finally build our home in Mars while finding the secret of our universe existence.
2071–2081
This is the year that we adopted a new kind of law of system while exploring the heart of Mars.
2091–2101
We begun to hunt for resources to survive the harsh environment of our new found home. Something happened that day that reconstruct the system.
2201–2301
A New system was installed and we begun to advance further building our race.
Exploring the Unknown
2401–2501
A wonderful day for humanity as we started to become more like them maker of system with no limits of race and color.
2601–2701
Our journey has just started but we are now having problem with the planet we reside in.
A lot happened..
It finally broke off forcing us to evacuate in time before it collapse.
We explored the star system and look for a new home. As curious as we are that also studied the anomalies of every nearby planets in the star system.
Wondering how we can survive again in the millennia. It is really tough but we made it through all those years to come.
A New Home
2801–3001
We found a new star system called the Home of us humans but we are not so human anymore as we upgraded ourselves for survival of the species. The Orion is it?
Our race become an alien looking adopting the green color of such environment. Some becomes gray and some become green looking.
The Hexagos Wonders
We humans also build the wonder of space called the Hexagos Wonders shaped like a Hexagonal objects hanging technological machine in the star system.
Sometime After that..
The Year is 3121+,
Exactly 1101 years from the year 2021 is when we decided to change things as an Alien Deus of the future. We begun to breed in a Hive of Computer Simulated Capsule in able for us to relearn history taking our consciousness into another timeline and dimension.
Humans feared us but long that they know we are them trying to help our old race who are greedy and assumptions to every action they made.
Humans Feared Us
We traveled back in time to warn our old race form so that they can rebuild and change the future of our own and old timeline.
A millennia of history is at our grasp today for to make a real change from now on.
We should build a new system in order to build a newer future away from our own old mistakes.
Now that we know what happened.
Should we still ignore such warning of events or act now?
Time is Illusion
Einstein is one of us time traveller aliens that had a mission to introduce ideas and theory to mankind in able to help them understand curiosity.
Tesla is also one of us to introduce a new kind of technology but the foolish old us tried to show their greed just to destroy the genius one. What a shame!
We’re here to make change in this other timeline in able for the timeline dwellers to change things we did not expect.
We don’t want to repeat such as foolish human Wars, Man made Chaos, and the punishment of Apocalypse.
We come in Peace..
Start of Another Simulation
In Hexagos EvoSystem I know that we can change this current timeline to recreate things not so well planned by us in the past from our future.
We can somehow change it if we all joined forces building the Hexagos in this timeline.
People will call us crazy but fear not we are just helping our old world from now on starting from here..
Will you join us aliens and humans alike change history forever as my fellow other kind?
Entangle With Us?
|
https://medium.com/@hexagos/humans-and-aliens-b52d85a54b30
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[]
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2021-07-10 04:20:43.522000+00:00
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['Change', 'Aliens', 'Simulation', 'Humanity', 'Hexagos']
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Film, also called Episode, motion picture or moving picture, is a visual art-form used to simulate experiences that communicate ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere through the use of moving images. These images are generally accompanied by sound, and more rarely, other sensory stimulations.[1] The word “cinema”, short for cinematography, is often used to refer to filmmaking and the film The Flight Attendant, and to the art form that is the result of it.
TELEVISION (TV), in some cases abbreviated to tele or television, is a media transmission medium utilized for sending moving pictures in monochrome (high contrast), or in shading, and in a few measurements and sound. The term can allude to a TV, a TV program, or the vehicle of TV transmission. TV is a mass mode for promoting, amusement, news, and sports.
TV opened up in unrefined exploratory structures in the last part of the 5910s, however it would at present be quite a while before the new iNBCovation would be promoted to customers. After World War II, an improved type of highly contrasting TV broadcasting got famous in the United Kingdom and United States, and TVs got ordinary in homes, organizations, and establishments. During the 5Season 8s, TV was the essential mechanism for affecting public opinion.[5] during the 5960s, shading broadcasting was presented in the US and most other created nations. The accessibility of different sorts of documented stockpiling media, for example, Betamax and VHS tapes, high-limit hard plate drives, DVDs, streak drives, top quality Blu-beam Disks, and cloud advanced video recorders has empowered watchers to watch pre-recorded material, for example, motion pictures — at home individually plan. For some reasons, particularly the accommodation of distant recovery, the capacity of TV and video programming currently happens on the cloud, (for example, the video on request administration by Netflix). Toward the finish of the main decade of the 180s, advanced TV transmissions incredibly expanded in ubiquity. Another improvement was the move from standard-definition TV (SDTV) (53i, with 882 intertwined lines of goal and 882) to top quality TV (HDTV), which gives a goal that is generously higher. HDTV might be communicated in different arrangements: 3456561, 88288 and 174. Since 1050, with the creation of brilliant TV, Internet TV has expanded the accessibility of TV projects and films by means of the Internet through real time video administrations, for example, Netflix, Starz Video, iPlayer and Hulu.
In 1053, 19% of the world’s family units possessed a TV set.[1] The substitution of early cumbersome, high-voltage cathode beam tube (CRT) screen shows with smaller, vitality effective, level board elective advancements, for example, LCDs (both fluorescent-illuminated and LED), OLED showcases, and plasma shows was an equipment transformation that started with PC screens in the last part of the 882s. Most TV sets sold during the 180s were level board, primarily LEDs. Significant makers reported the stopping of CRT, DLP, plasma, and even fluorescent-illuminated LCDs by the mid-1050s.[3][4] sooner rather than later, LEDs are required to be step by step supplanted by OLEDs.[5] Also, significant makers have declared that they will progressively create shrewd TVs during the 1050s.[6][1][5] Smart TVs with incorporated Internet and Web 1.0 capacities turned into the prevailing type of TV by the late 1050s.[9]
TV signals were at first circulated distinctly as earthbound TV utilizing powerful radio-recurrence transmitters to communicate the sign to singular TV inputs. Then again TV signals are appropriated by coaxial link or optical fiber, satellite frameworks and, since the 180s by means of the Internet. Until the mid 180s, these were sent as simple signs, yet a progress to advanced TV is relied upon to be finished worldwide by the last part of the 1050s. A standard TV is made out of numerous iNBCer electronic circuits, including a tuner for getting and deciphering broadcast signals. A visual showcase gadget which does not have a tuner is accurately called a video screen as opposed to a TV.
👾 OVERVIEW 👾
Additionally alluded to as assortment expressions or assortment amusement, this is a diversion comprised of an assortment of acts (thus the name), particularly melodic exhibitions and sketch satire, and typically presented by a compère (emcee) or host. Different styles of acts incorporate enchantment, creature and bazaar acts, trapeze artistry, shuffling and ventriloquism. Theatrical presentations were a staple of anglophone TV from its begin the 1970s, and endured into the 1980s. In a few components of the world, assortment TV stays famous and broad.
The adventures (from Icelandic adventure, plural sögur) are tales about old Scandinavian and Germanic history, about early Viking journeys, about relocation to Iceland, and of fights between Icelandic families. They were written in the Old Norse language, for the most part in Iceland. The writings are epic stories in composition, regularly with refrains or entire soNBCets in alliterative stanza installed in the content, of chivalrous deeds of days a distant memory, stories of commendable men, who were frequently Vikings, once in a while Pagan, now and again Christian. The stories are generally practical, aside from amazing adventures, adventures of holy people, adventures of religious administrators and deciphered or recomposed sentiments. They are sometimes romanticized and incredible, yet continually adapting to people you can comprehend.
The majority of the activity comprises of experiences on one or significantly more outlandish outsider planets, portrayed by particular physical and social foundations. Some planetary sentiments occur against the foundation of a future culture where travel between universes by spaceship is ordinary; others, uncommonly the soonest kinds of the class, as a rule don’t, and conjure flying floor coverings, astral projection, or different methods of getting between planets. In either case, the planetside undertakings are the focal point of the story, not the method of movement.
Identifies with the pre-advanced, social time of 1945–65, including mid-century Modernism, the “Nuclear Age”, the “Space Age”, Communism and neurosis in america alongside Soviet styling, underground film, Googie engineering, space and the Sputnik, moon landing, hero fuNBCies, craftsmanship and radioactivity, the ascent of the US military/mechanical complex and the drop out of Chernobyl. Socialist simple atompunk can be an extreme lost world. The Fallout arrangement of PC games is a fabulous case of atompunk.
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https://medium.com/australia-remastered-s3e2-abc-au-full-show/%E1%90%85-watch-australia-remastered-series-3-episode-2-full-eps-6a4a9bc50586
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[]
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2020-12-25 16:44:07.435000+00:00
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['Fear', 'Inspiration']
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My First Zoom Class Experience
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It was almost three hours long with one five-minute break.
Yes! It was a looonng class but the teacher managed to keep us engaged. It was very fast-paced. I’m pretty tech-savvy, but it was still overwhelming. I could easily see how students could get lost in the class if they missed a few steps or a few words and they couldn’t interrupt the flow to get help. The teacher’s video feed broke a few times, but luckily it wasn’t during crucial moments. A few tools he used that was helpful:
Humor. That helped to keep us listening. Because if we could understand the jokes, we were listening. Shared Screen by the teacher and he used just a simple blank page to type up thoughts. I wished the typeface was bigger and easier to read. It made the students focus on the blinking cursor and look at what was appearing on the screen. Breakout Room was a good break from the large class to engage in small group discussions. Pass the Popcorn by having the students take turns to read out loud the reading assignment and make sure they read and pay attention. The transition between the popcorn pass could improve because we lost time between each reader having to unmute their mike and look for their document. Again, wasted time could have been minimized with everyone looking at the teachers shared screen. Email Flurry for class assignment submission. The teacher sent an email with the subject “Please reply-all to this email with your First Day assignment attached.” It was fun to hear all the email arrival notices in my inbox as if I was actually popular. Music — during the email flurry task, this helped to keep things moving along. Raising hand — or call on students randomly to participate and voice opinions.
Zroom for Improvement:
Repeat the documents’ name to open or type the document name onto the class text message. Or even better, if the teacher threw the PDF onto the chat so we all didn’t scramble to look for the files. A few students could not locate their files. I tried to focus and pay attention, but a few times, I missed a few points and wished they were repeated. Use Zoom Text Message to send: Class notes, PDF files, important points. Make sure students had the Zoom Text Message panel open during class. I didn’t even know there were chatters in the message area until halfway through the class.
I was pleasantly surprised that we were able to engage in this new form of education. It does take a bit to get used to. I wish I had two screens or that my mail screen was bigger. I needed one screen just for the Zoom call. Between the teacher’s shared screen and the class zoom text messages, there was not much room left on my screen.
Organization of class files! I found out quickly that this was important to be able to access the reading documents quickly. Although I wished that when we were doing the reading, the teacher would have thrown the reading text onto the shared screen so that we didn’t have to scramble to look for the files and then catch up to where the reading was in the text.
I still love the personal interaction of an in-person class. However, I’m glad that learning still can happen during the pandemic and this will open up more opportunities for learning for those who could only access it remotely.
I got a glimpse of the challenges of remote learning but still celebrate the opportunities for continuing education and student life on Zoom.
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https://medium.com/@bebe-jacobs/my-first-zoom-class-experience-eca4f8c356b
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['Bebe Khuê Jacobs']
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2021-04-01 07:52:01.490000+00:00
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['Zoom', 'Remote Learning', 'Online Learning Tips', 'Education', 'Online Learning']
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What’s Wrong With Killing People?
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The fundamental reason as to why killing is wrong can vary amongst individuals. Essentially killing is wrong(and this has become cliché in moral arguments as of the past century) because it does not respect the sanctity of human life. Highlight human. In modern times(in the west) the morality of killing is very anthropocentric… life is essentially most valuable if it is that of a human, as opposed to traditionalistic views and philosophies that have much more of an emphasis on the idea that all life is sacred. I will be focusing on this more modernistic approach as to why killing is wrong, simply because I live in a western society, which is not to say that I personally do not value non-human lives. A more secondary argument that follows as a subset of this is that to kill someone else is morally wrong because you are taking away that person’s right to life without their consent. This now poses a problem. There are now two categorical types of killings present;
1. assisted killings(Euthanasia, sucide)
2. purposeful murder(genocides, homicides)
I will be focusing on the former, and how it relates to abortions.
All human beings possess an inherent right to life. Killing is to violate this fundamental right. There is an ongoing debate as to whether such a premise exists(that humans possess a right to life), and what prerequisites must be in order for a life form to deserve this inherent right to life. From a practically ethical stance (disincluding notions such as metaethics, and the abstract), a key pioneer in this area, Michael Tooley;is adamant upon the conceptual notion that there is a direct correlation between the right that a being could have(consequentially how they can be violated), and the possession of the intellectual, of lifeform of actually possessing the correlated desire. Hence linking back to beginning premises of this essay, to “frustrate” a desired right that an individual does, factually possess( not could possibly possess, under different cirmustances), at any given point in time, is to violate that right. Essentially this statement provides a dilemma; must an organism desire to have a right(such as the right to life) in order to possess said right, or are these rights ultimately already there regardless of whether an individual wants them or not. If yes than abortion (and euthanasia, but let us not diverge) is not the violation of a human life forms right to life, because that life form never possessed a desire, or a envisaging of its own future, to live. Ultimately one must desire to possess life, in order to possess a right to it. A foetus cannot yet think. It cannot possess a desires. Therefore it has no rights On the other hand of the spectrum, in keeping the arguments as simple and binary as possible, if one does not agree with Tooley; that one does not need to desire to have a future, or desire to live, that individual still possesses an inherent right to life, regardless of their desires. By this former definition; suicide, euthanasia, infanticide and abortion all become morally unethical and lower life forms(such as animals) have rights to life(albeit arguably more limited). An easy counter claim to Tooleys statement, that could quite quickly shut it down, would be that an individual under torture, a person asleep, a depressed individual or a one suffering from a condition such as bipolar, would at the moment of their torture, or mood plateau, genuinely wish to die, and hence they would as of that moment have forfeited their right to life. Unfortunately Tooleys claim cannot be so easily shut down there because… his statement specifically elaborates, that a persons situational desire(such as one asleep, one under torture) does not define that persons ulterior motives/desires, rather these situational desires are a state, and not a stance.
The right to life is but one of many reasons not to kill. Another is the ultimate realisation of a beings future or life purpose… what happens when one violates another’s right to life, harms that person, or causes violates another fundamental right? Does that person in doing so forfeit life for themselves? While some murderers are sentenced to jail, or given a death sentence, others are treated as heroes. Role models. This new dynamic makes the simple binary analogy not so simple. To use two cluiche analogies to demonstrate the point; if one could go back in time and find baby Hitler, should one kill him. Should batman kill the joker, despite his most admamnt rule; not to kill. By enacting both of the above scenarios in such a way that the antagonist (or antagonist to be, in Hitlers case), meets an untimely demise, one would have saved the lives of thousands, if not millions of people. For the price of one. Without diverging into the tenets of hedonism, utilitarianism, or consequentialism, and remaining in the realm of practical ethics, the above examples demonstrate that the question of “Why is killing wrong” is not always quite so simply answered. Who decides ultimately whether a life form deserves to live and die, or possesses a desire to live or to die. How do we know. A simple counter argument (presented by Nagel) that can be presented for reflection would be to argue from the other side. That DEATH is intrinsically evil. If death is intrinsically evil, then life must be good. Or that LIFE must be intrinsically good. That must mean that death is intrinsically bad. Whichever is the cause or the effect is irrelevant. This simple relationship demonstrates, that regardless of whether a being possesses “ rights or desires”, in order to act the most morally one must will the good, and not the bad. Hence the continuation, and prolongation of life, in a being that attains to be morally good, is inherently an imperative. This can be interpreted to support claims that the more good a person is, bright the future looks, or how much they desire to live, than the worse death is for taking their life from them…Not at all! To agree with the prior statement creates a paradox in and off itself; life and death are not 2 different things. They are complete opposites of each other. You cannot have one without the other. If life makes death bad, then death makes life good. Death without life is ultimately meaningless. (Nathan Tamblyn, 2014)
Abortion is when a pregnancy is ended so that it doesn’t result in the birth of a child. (British Pregnancy Advisory Service, 2015) Essentially certain question will influence ones decision; does a desire to life bear a correlation to right to life? Is there a human right to life? Is a foetus a human being? And finally if a foetus is a human being and does in fact possess a right to life, despite Tooleys argument, does this foetus right to life, come as a priority to a mother’s right to be in control of her own body. The secular case against abortion( in keeping things as practical and simple as possible) is as follows; that Tooley is incorrect(as an individual, I do not find his logic to be sound), there is such a thing as a human right to life, a foetus is human being(and an innocent one), and hence a foetus possesses a human right to life. As established earlier, killing a human being is always questionable, whether that human be Hitler, or an innoncent 1 year old baby. Since deliberately killing an innocent human being is always morally wrong (or in certain cases questionable,) from the viewpoint of the majority of the population of human beings, if a foetus really is an innocent human being, then abortion is no different from murder. It is the intentional murder of an innocent human being. It therefore follows that it is wrong, The simple counter argument that would shut down the consequential chain of these events is simple; a foetus is not a human being. It cannot think. It does not possess a desire to live…ultimately it does not possess a human right to live, since it is not yet a human being. This produces a serious dilemma. At what stage is a foetus no longer a foetus and a human being? Is it somewhere along the pregnancy? Is it in fact at birth? Or is it when it develops a conscious desire to live? If the latter case is true than not only is abortion permissible, but then so is infanticide. The question then becomes, what does one mean by a human being.
Presume for a moment that a foetus is beyond the question of a doubt a human life form. A supporter of abortion(pro choice) would say that a foetus right to life, comes second to a mothers right to control her own body. Personally I am not convinced by the argument for abortion from the stance that a mothers right to “choose” or “control her own body’ are valid arguments for the termination of a human life for the simple reason that a human life definitely comes above such trivial notions. Again, personally, I am of the stance that the responsibility to not murder comes before the right to control your body for a temporary period of time. I will demonstrate via an analogy. I am fully aware of the violinist analogy, but it does not fully demonstrate the issue at hand, I will use a less widely known (but still correlated) analogy; say that suddenly you become linked to another human being, randomly and without cause. It is established that the duration will be for a year. Should you destroy this link then the person who you were linked to will die. You will not, be affected…however the longer the link remains, the less control you will have over your own senses, and the greater your feelings of pain. Do you terminate? I am of the stance that to terminate, would be an act of evil. I am convinced that pain and temporary loss of senses (basically ones temporary leisure) do not come before the life of another person. Essentially a baby in the womb, shares this relationship with its mother. Penultimately I am convinced that human life, comes before the right to choose. Ultimately the question is not whether abortion is murder or not. The question is whether a foetus is a human being, or not.
Killing is wrong, because it violates the fundamental right to life, limits potential, and does not value life. The desire to live is but one of many influencing factors as to whether a human being has the RIGHT to live. All living things this have this inherent right (albeit to differing degrees). Killing poses serious questions that invoke thought as to whether killing is always bad, such as to kill a murderer, euthanasia, and abortion. Abortion becomes a question of what makes something human. These grey areas have defined the fine line between death and murder in the 21st century.
References:
1. Young, R. (2018). What is so Wrong with Killing People?.
2. Nathan Tamblyn (2014) Why is Killing Morally Wrong?, King’s Law Journal, 25:3, 426–439, DOI: 10.5235/09615768.25.3.426
3. Bpas.org. (2018). What is Abortion? | BPAS. [online] Available at: https://www.bpas.org/abortion-care/considering-abortion/what-is-abortion/ [Accessed 27 Sep. 2018].
4. Bbc.co.uk. (2018). BBC — Ethics — Abortion: Introduction to the abortion debate. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/abortion/legal/introduction_1.shtml [Accessed 27 Sep. 2018].
|
https://medium.com/@aaartiel/whats-wrong-with-killing-people-94e96baeb0fb
|
['Hadie Artiel']
|
2020-12-16 01:07:30.046000+00:00
|
['Ethics', 'Killing', 'Morality', 'Abortion', 'Philosophy']
|
You Can Wear Anything
|
You can wear anything
that’s the thing
all the feelings
that’s the point
just because the bruised dark
of tragic becomes you
doesn’t preclude comedy
and longing, and wanting
and emptiness don’t
exempt completion
and joy and exuberance
and because you get joy
doesn’t mean you can’t
wallow in sorrow tomorrow
and for as long as you like
it’s an all you can eat
buffet bouffant silly hat
slipped on a banana peel
drama there’s the abyss,
the peaks and canyons
the impossible
landscape in between
and if I could I would
squeeze everything out of
this experience always because
tomorrow it might all
be over
and we had the whole stage
and the lighting
and the music
and we did
nothing
© Gail Walter 2020
More from Gail Walter:
|
https://medium.com/loose-words/you-can-wear-anything-5b5fb4416bbc
|
['Gail Walter']
|
2020-06-19 05:13:55.461000+00:00
|
['Spirituality', 'Theater', 'Life', 'Knowing', 'Poetry']
|
And the People Could Fly: January Collection Highlight at the High
|
In recent years, the American South has become the nexus of film production. On commission from the High Museum, Alex Harris began photographing this wave of filmmaking that swept through the South, focusing his attention on the many independent productions that were underway from Louisiana to Virginia. As a native Southerner, Harris is interested in how his home is seen, imagined, and created through cinematic storytelling. And the People Could Fly, Columbia, South Carolina, shows actress Jasiatic Anderson smoking a cigarette on an outdoor patio. Harris photographed the scene on the set of writer and director Roni Henderson’s film And the People Could Fly in Columbia, South Carolina.
Alex Harris, (American, born 1949) And the People Could Fly, Columbia, South Carolina, 2018. Pigmented inkjet print. Commissioned with funds from the H. B. and Doris Massey Charitable Trust and the Picturing the South Fund, 2015.473
This piece is part of the exhibition Our Strange New Land: Photographs by Alex Harris, which is the latest chapter in the ongoing Picturing the South project, for which the High Museum commissions artists to create original bodies of work that offer new perspectives on the South’s social and geographical landscapes.
Gregory Harris, the High’s Associate Curator of Photography, discusses And the People Could Fly, Columbia, South Carolina, in the video above. If you’d like to learn more, join us on February 8 for Conversations with Contemporary Artists: Alex Harris at the High.
Come see this work on the Lower Level of the Wieland Pavilion in our special exhibition Our Strange New Land: Photographs by Alex Harris, on view through May 3, 2020. This is just one of more than seventeen thousand artworks in our rotating collection. It’s all here for you!
|
https://medium.com/high-museum-of-art/and-the-people-could-fly-january-collection-highlight-at-the-high-25eaa06d3ae4
|
['High Museum Of Art']
|
2020-04-09 15:23:23.229000+00:00
|
['Filmmaking', 'Documentary', 'Art History', 'Film', 'Photography']
|
Marketing Agencies: Digital World | Delhi
|
Digital marketing like traditional marketing is a continual process. Making your website appear at the top of results of search engines is only one aspect of the game. To keep it there, you must do constant work. Digital Marketing Agencies in Delhi are experts.
Search engine Optimisation (SEO) is a focus on the positioning of sites in the search engine. This is done using a simple language , so that they appear at the top of Google. For the average user it’s a new topic to tackle, and there are numerous organizations or people who are ready to provide digital marketing services for them for a reasonable cost. In India we are able to provide our clients with the highest quality solutions, however as we have to know, due to Covid19 the most changes have been made to digital platforms and vice versa. This means that now to connect with the huge number of people who are on this kind of competition, we shouldn’t depend on a sloppy person or company to manage our social media sites or handles.
Digital Marketing Agencies in Delhi are performing exceptionally well. They offer amazing services such as the development of websites, social media optimization (handling social media accounts such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and more. ) and search engine optimization (SEO) and google advertising, Instagram & Facebook ads and many more.
The decision to ignore the digital marketing requirements for your company is similar to absconding with your wife in exchange for a girl you like In both instances, the future , you’re unaffordable.
If you are looking for to have a bright future, you must select a reputable digital marketing company or agency that can handle the digital side of your business. Digital Marketing Agencies in Delhi is one of the most effective services available in India. They treat their client’s company like their own.
|
https://medium.com/@webinfo123global/marketing-agencies-digital-world-8e8255294fa5
|
['Web Infotech']
|
2021-12-27 12:30:07.074000+00:00
|
['Digital Marketing Agency']
|
Is Botting Sneakers Right for You in 2021?
|
Is Botting Sneakers Right for You in 2021?
What you need to know about botting sneakers in 2021 Juiced Jul 2·4 min read
Image from Storyset
Botting sneakers in 2021 is different from botting sneakers in 2020 or literally any other year. Sneaker botting has become a huge part of the sneaker culture, whether people like it or not.
Sneaker resellers and sneaker botters are helping to push the sneaker market forward and anyone looking to start botting will need a rundown on what to expect.
Unlike what many people believe, sneaker botting isn’t as simple as it sounds. You don’t just log onto your computer and start botting sites like Nike and Foot Locker. It takes time, energy, and resources to become a good sneaker botter.
When I say resources, I don’t mean basic things like a computer and internet connection. I mean proxies, bots, servers, and more. If you have the right combination of all of these things and a dash of luck, you might be able to bot a couple pairs of sneakers to resell on the weekends. Just maybe.
Botting sneakers has come a long way since the days of installing a Google Chrome extension that automatically adds items to your cart. Unless you take the time to really understand what’s going on in the world of sneaker bots then you’re going to get left behind by other botters.
Members of Juiced IO receive free weekly access to top-tier bots and sneaker resources. Additionally, they receive guides on how to use the bots they get in the best ways possible.
Unless you’re a member of Juiced IO, here are some things to keep in mind when debating whether or not you should bot sneakers in 2021.
|
https://medium.com/@juicedio/is-botting-sneakers-right-for-you-in-2021-af11c80dc7e3
|
[]
|
2021-07-02 11:03:18.782000+00:00
|
['Entrepreneurship', 'Side Hustle', 'Finance', 'Sneakers', 'Juiced Io']
|
Kryo Serialization in Spark
|
Spark provides two types of serialization libraries:
Java serialization (default)
Kryo serialization
For faster serialization and deserialization spark itself recommends to use Kryo serialization in any network-intensive application. Then why is it not set to default :
Why Kryo is not set to default in Spark?
The only reason Kryo is not set to default is because it requires custom registration. Although, Kryo is supported for RDD caching and shuffling, it’s not natively supported to serialize to the disk. Both the methods, saveAsObjectFile on RDD and objectFile method on SparkContext supports only java serialization.
Still?
If you need a performance boost and also need to reduce memory usage, Kryo is definitely for you. The join operations and the grouping operations are where serialization has an impact on and they usually have data shuffling. Now lesser the amount of data to be shuffled, the faster will be the operation.
Caching also have an impact when caching to disk or when data is spilled over from memory to disk.
Also, if we look at the size metrics below for both Java and Kryo, we can see the difference.
Registering a class in Kryo:
To register a class, we simply have to pass the name of the class in the registerKryoClasses method. i.e :
.registerKryoClasses(
Array(classOf[Person], classOf[Furniture])
)
What if we don’t register ?
When an unregistered class is encountered, a serializer is automatically choosen from a list of “default serializers” that maps a class to a serializer. Kryo has 50+ default serializers for various JRE classes. If no default serializers match a class, then the global default serializer is used. The global default serializer is set to FieldSerializer by default.
But if you don’t register the classes, you have two major drawbacks, from the documentation:
There are security implications because it allows deserialization to create instances of any class. Classes with side effects during construction or finalization could be used for malicious purposes.
Instead of writing a varint class ID (often 1–2 bytes), the fully qualified class name is written the first time an unregistered class appears in the object graph which subsequently increases the serialize size.
So to make sure everything is registered , you can pass this property into the spark config:
.set("spark.kryo.registrationRequired", "true")
Example
Lets look with a simple example to see the difference with the default Java Serialization in practical.
Starting off by registering the required classes.
//class which needs to be registered
case class Person(name: String, age: Int)
val conf = new SparkConf()
.setAppName("kyroExample")
.setMaster("local[*]")
.set("spark.serializer", "org.apache.spark.serializer.KryoSerializer")
.set("spark.kryo.registrationRequired", "true")
.registerKryoClasses(
Array(classOf[Person],classOf[Array[Person]],
Class.forName("org.apache.spark.internal.io.FileCommitProtocol$TaskCommitMessage"))
)
val sparkContext = new SparkContext(conf)
Now, lets create an array of Person and parallelize it to make an RDD out of it and persist it in memory.
val personList: Array[Person] = (1 to 9999999)
.map(value => Person("p"+value, value)).toArray
//creating RDD of Person
val rddPerson: RDD[Person] = sparkContext.parallelize(personList,5)
val evenAgePerson: RDD[Person] = rddPerson.filter(_.age % 2 == 0)
//persisting evenAgePerson RDD into memory
evenAgePerson.persist(StorageLevel.MEMORY_ONLY_SER)
evenAgePerson.take(50).foreach(x=>println(x.name,x.age))
Observations :
After running it, if we look into the storage section of Spark UI and compare both the serialization, we can see the difference in memory usage.
Kryo is using 20.1 MB and Java is using 13.3 MB. So we can say its uses 30–40 % less memory than the default one.
Now, considering that 40% reduce in memory(say 40% of 5 GB, i.e. 2 GB) when looked into the Bigdata world , it will save a lot of cost in the first place and obviously it will help in reducing the processing time.
Metrics for default Java Serialization:
Metrics for Kryo Serialization:
We can see the Duration, Task Deserialization Time and GC Time are lesser in Kryo and these metrics are just for a small dataset. So, when used in the larger datasets we can see more differences.
For example code : https://github.com/pinkusrg/spark-kryo-example
References :
https://github.com/EsotericSoftware/kryo
|
https://medium.com/@knoldus/kryo-serialization-in-spark-55b53667e7ab
|
['Knoldus Inc.']
|
2019-12-12 06:17:14.616000+00:00
|
['Serialization', 'Scala', 'Apache Spark']
|
Crowdfunding: Kick-starting startups
|
The abovementioned writing was published on 29 January 2019 in “The Jakarta Post”, Indonesia’s leading daily English language newspaper, in which the online version with limited reading is available at http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/06/20/new-e-money-regulation-backs-non-cash-payments.html.
Hana Monica Hutabarat
New York
In the past few years, startups have been growing exponentially in Indonesia as one of the ripple effects of technological progress and an increasing number of creative people. However, the early-stage companies struggle to get capital, because they hardly succeed in attracting venture capitalists or angel investors — as the typical funding sources of early-stage companies — because of the level of risk of the business.
The issuance of Financial Services Authority (OJK) Regulation №37/POJK.04/2018 on equity crowdfunding, effective as of Dec. 31, 2018, gives startup owners an alternative source of capital. For comparison, the United States enacted similar regulation back in 2012 under the Jumpstart Our Business Start-ups (JOBS) Act, later updated in 2015.
Essentially, crowdfunding is the practice of funding a private company by raising small amounts of money from a large pool of investors, in exchange for capital ownership in the company. Since this mechanism allows the private company to offer and sell shares in a way that is similar to an initial public offering (IPO), the OJK attempts to control the crowdfunding practice and ensure that the consummation of crowdfunding will not alter its objective, especially through the criteria for providers, investors, and issuers (the three main parties involved) and disclosure requirements.
A business providing crowdfunding services must be registered as a limited liability company or a service-based cooperative with the minimum capital of Rp 2.5 billion (about US$175,750). It needs to secure 2 licenses, both from OJK and Minister of Communication and Informatics to conduct the business.
A licensed securities company could also be the provider, and it benefits from expertise in managing share offerings through IPOs.
With regard to the investor, it is worth noting that the OJK does not restrict investors by type or country of origin, provided the investor has the capability to buy the issuer’s shares and handle the associated risks. An individual with annual income up to Rp 500 million can subscribe to a stake valued at up to 5 percent of their income. If the individual’s annual income exceeds that threshold, he or she is allowed to subscribe to a stake valued at up to 10 percent of the income. These limitations do not apply to legal-entity-type investors or experienced investors accustomed to investing in the capital market, as evidenced by 2-year-ownership of a securities account.
The third party, being the startup company as an issuer, can only raise up to Rp10 billion during a 12-month period through a single share offering or series of offerings within fewer than 60 days. Since crowdfunding is not an IPO, the issuer may not be a public company or a public company’s subsidiary. The number of shareholders is limited to 300 parties and the amount of capital issued is capped at Rp 30 billion. A company will only be eligible as the issuer if its assets are worth less than Rp 10 billion (excluding land and buildings) and it is not indirectly or directly controlled by a business group or conglomerate.
After being declared as an issuer, it must also provide an annual report to the OJK and announce this on its or the provider’s website at the latest six months after the end of the financial year. Beyond containing the information required under the Indonesian Limited Liability Law, the reports must also describe the use of funds obtained through crowdfunding, until the funds are entirely used.
Undoubtedly, these disclosure requirements function as a transparency tool that may help investors make informed decisions. On the flip side, the issuer must realize that, to a certain extent, these will change its nature as a “private company” as it needs to disclose lots of information to the public, granting access to internal affairs like shareholdings, capital structure, and business strategy.
This regulation also heavily regulates other matter, emphasizing investor protection. The provider must fulfill many obligations, such as ensuring the completion of crowdfunding until all rights and obligations of the investors and the issuer are completed, providing online communication facilities between the investors and the issuer, providing a complaint service mechanism and itemizing various risks faced by the investors, including business, investment and liquidity risks. Since the provider acts solely as an intermediary, it is also prohibited from giving investment advice or recommendations and financial assistance to the investors, which may affect their decision on making the investment.
Irrespective the ample safeguards provided in this OJK regulation, the investors, particularly novices who would like to diversify their investment portfolio, must still keep in mind that putting investment in an early-stage company may involve very high risks, and therefore thorough research is crucial.
Research by many US institutions shows that nine of 10 startups fail, unlike the later-stage companies or public companies that have already built a reputation and proven significant growth in business and profit.
Often, the shares may not be as liquid as shares listed on the main stock market, where investors can easily trade shares if the price changes. Indeed, OJK regulations state that the provider may create a system for investors to trade their shares. However, this is not an “obligation” for the provider and limited only to trading between investors listed by the provider.
Investors may face uncertainty with regard to the valuation of shares as well. The investors buy the shares pursuant to a price mechanism determined by the issuer. Still, it is difficult to value the shares of a startup company, which typically has not generated much profit yet. This situation differs from a public company, where the market price for the shares has been determined through the market system. Eventually, the investors may end up overpaying for shares they buy.
For those reasons, it is important for the issuer and the provider to work on their respective roles to create a secure environment for small investors. As envisioned by the OJK, the provider must support this crowdfunding business so as to improve financial literacy and inclusion in Indonesia. Simultaneously, the startups that intend to be issuers will also find a way to enlarge their scope and have a positive social impact through their unique approach or business idea.
The writer is currently a Master of Laws (LLM) student at New York University (NYU) School of Law, New York. She practices as an associate lawyer at Armand Yapsunto Muharamsyah & Partners, a corporate law firm based in Jakarta. The views expressed are her own.
|
https://medium.com/@hanahutabarat/crowdfunding-kick-starting-startups-697e2957d44
|
['Hana Monica Hutabarat']
|
2019-06-18 16:19:58.029000+00:00
|
['Startups In Indonesia', 'Ojk', 'Crowdfunding', 'Indonesia']
|
Week 58: Brokenness
|
So…I haven’t talked about our food adventure yet, huh? I promise it all ties together. This week, we decided to make cauliflower grilled cheese. Interesting, I know.
We worked together to mix the cauliflower in with some eggs and other ingredients. Then came the tough part — frying the “bread.”
We quickly realized that we should have drained the liquid from our cauliflower mixture. The pieces wouldn’t stick together. Soon, we had a bit of mess on our hands. Sarah went to flip one and…
…splat. They broke.
At first, we felt like we had failed. But as I look back on it, it really wasn’t as big of a deal as we thought in the moment. It didn’t ruin the meal, and we still had fun cooking together. Sure it was a little messy. But life gets messy sometimes. We can’t act like we’re always going to keep everything perfect, clean and tidy.
My grilled cheese fell apart. But it still tasted good. And I shared it with my favorite person on the planet.
That’s not so bad.
|
https://medium.com/cooking-with-sarah/week-58-brokenness-30caade813c2
|
['Aaron Charles']
|
2019-04-24 20:59:38.004000+00:00
|
['Short Story', 'Food', 'Marriage', 'Cooking', 'Broken']
|
The Poetic Presentation of Prometheus.
|
The Director of The Lighthouse , Robert Eggers has openly declared that the character of ‘Ephraim Winslow’ (played quite brilliantly by Robert Pattinson) is meant to symbolise the greek god who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to humanity, Prometheus. There are scenes that definitely reproduce the essential elements of this myth but there is also, far more complexity to his character and that of ‘Thomas Wake’ (played quite magnificently by Willem Dafoe) than just a simple one to one correlation. I will in my next piece be looking closer at the film and its mortal and mythic elements, but here for now is my short history of how the myth of Prometheus has been adapted by some of the greatest artists to have ever pondered upon the true importance of the story.
From a thief to a revolutionary figure, the classic Promethean myth has witnessed great changes through the works of Hesiod, Aeschylus, Goethe, Byron, Shelley, Al Shaby and Hughes. Hesiod’s Theogony and Aeschylus’s Prometheus Bound explore the reconciliation model and do not provide any direct ammunition for rebellious human instincts but undoubtedly there are already hints here pointing in that direction. In the Theogony Hesiod recites the history of the cosmos as a series of usurpations of power culminating in the final usurper Zeus. Zeus’s coronation is meant to represent mankind’s evolution from savagery to civilization.
On the pretext of determining the right offering that mankind should make to the new boss, Prometheus offered Zeus two piles of ox’s body and tricked him into choosing the bone-and-fat pile, keeping meat for man; a trick because of which Zeus deprived mankind from using fire and a literal return to a Dark Age, which Prometheus then stole back for the sake of mankind. The first step of Zeus’ revenge against humankind was the creation of the first woman, Pandora, and then he went on to punish the trickster Prometheus in a truly horrific way.
Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus is the only surviving play of a trilogy and its authorship is still hotly debated today. Prometheus has been bound to a rock in a remote part of the world for having given mankind the gift of fire and Zeus is acting like a petty-tyrant towards the other Titans. Aeschylus is clear on the conflict here between force and justice. His theme must have resonated deeply to the Athenian audience who had only recently expelled a real tyrant Hippias in 510 BCE. Zeus had been normally portrayed in Aeschylean drama as the defender of justice, yet a radical shift is under way towards the status of Prometheus now being portrayed as the benefactor and defender of mankind against the tyrannical and arbitrary power of Zeus, the supreme leader. The other two plays in the trilogy survive only in fragments but it seems that Zeus is in the end reconciled with Prometheus. The world was not yet ready for a romantic revolutionary.
Prometheus (1774) by Goethe was originally planned as a drama, but not completed, became a poem. It is a hugely important artistic contribution to the Sturm und Drang (Storm and Stress) phase of The Romantic Movement which witnessed an explosion in Promethanism with Goethe in Germany and Byron and Shelley (husband and wife) in England. Prometheus in Goethe is now a creative and rebellious defiant spirit which is rejected by a God (Zeus) who is now acting as an opposing force. Prometheus angrily defies his leader and asserts his intrinsic right to revolt and comes close to undermining the whole structure of the Natural Order with his audacious atheism as he dares insulting gods:
I should respect you? For what?
Have you ever soothed
The pain that burdened me?
Have you ever dried
My terrified tears?
Was I not forged as manhood
By almighty Time
And everlasting Destiny,
My masters and yours?
(Goethe 13)
This could have been spoken by David the android from USCSS Prometheus or by any of the hosts in the second season of HBO’s science fiction drama, Westworld. I will go into more detail in another essay but for now the resonances are clear as the very substance of the Promethean story begins to evolve.
English romantic poets such as Byron and Shelley now focused unsurprisingly on the political part of the Promethean mythology which is hardly a surprise as The French Revolution had only occurred 30 years earlier and its aftermath was still convulsing the political establishment of both France and England. Prometheus Unbound is a four-part lyrical drama by Percy Bysshe Shelley first published in 1820 and inspired by the trilogy of plays by Aeschylus. However, the focus this time is upon the suffering of Prometheus through the eternal punishment he is condemned to by Jupiter (Zeus) and his subsequent release and the fall from power of Jupiter. This time there is no reconciliation between Prometheus and Zeus as there had been in the previous renditions. Furthermore, in this revolutionary iteration Jupiter losses the support of his subjects and falls from power allowing the long-suffering Byronic hero, Prometheus to be set free.
Shelley’s Prometheus Bound is a fiercely revolutionary text championing hope, idealism and free will and a mighty response to the devastating tsunami of revolutions and economic changes tearing across 19th century England. In Act IV Shelley gives us an image of an ideal world that a successful revolution should realise:
To suffer woes which Hope thinks infinite;
To forgive wrongs darker than death or night;
To defy Power, which seems omnipotent;
To love, and bear; to hope till Hope creates
From its own wreck the thing it contemplates;
Neither to change, nor falter, nor repent;
This, like thy glory, Titan, is to be
Good, great and joyous, beautiful and free;
This is alone Life, Joy, Empire, and Victory
This is the myth of Prometheus as revolutionary inspiration.
Byron’s poem follows the opposing forces theory as created by Goethe. Prometheus’ rebellious spirit will suffer the eternal punishment with Titanic fortitude and throw it straight back at Zeus:
All that the Thunderer wrung from thee
Was but the menace which flung back
On him the torments of thy rack;
The fate thou didst so well foresee,
But would not to appease him tell;
And in thy Silence was his Sentence,
And in his Soul a vain repentance,
And evil dread so ill dissembled,
That in his hand the lightnings trembled.
(Byron 265)
Prometheus is asserting his individuality by undergoing such an ordeal. The Promethean spirit is to endure the punishment and outmaneuver Zeus in the process. There will be no reconciliation this time as the torture Prometheus undergoes authenticates his very right to rebel in the first place after having chosen to return the gift of fire back to mankind.
Ted Hughes in his twenty-one-poem sequence, Prometheus on His Crag continues the theme of punishment, suffering and redemption. Prometheus is chained to a rock and his liver is eaten daily by a vulture as punishment. This torture is eternal as decreed by Zeus. Of course, as a Titan he is immortal so the punishment being eternal is irrelevant, but the pain is not.
However, he feels self-satisfaction:
And now, for the first time
Relaxing
Helpless
The Titan feels his strength. (Hughes 286)
Prometheus believes in his cause and it is not yet the martyrdom of the Son of God but as close as a Greek God can get. His is more of the revolutionary spirit that surely finds a kinship with Jean-Jacques Rousseau and his statement in the opening lines of The Social Contract (1762) that:
Man is born free, but everywhere he is in chains.
One man thinks himself the master of others but remains more of a
slave than they are.
Time and again, in poem 15, the revolutionary spirit expresses an undying desire for freedom despite his torture:
…But he could see
Himself wading escaping through dark nothing
From aeon to aeon, prophesying Freedom–
It was his soul’s sleepwalking and he dreamed it.
Only waking when the vulture woke him
In a new aeon
to the old chains
and the old agony
(292–3).
For this is the revolutionary spirit no matter the torture inflicted by countless regimes it will keep going until these rebels realise their freedom and reshape the world.
Every one of the above poems I have discussed have produced a different facet of the myth of Prometheus. Taken together these poems do form a representation and reflection of the human revolutionary spirit that is itself shaped and molded by that very process from which it was first created but there is more. Ovid elaborates on Hesiod’s account of Prometheus as creator of man:
Though all the beasts
Hang their heads from horizontal backbones
And study the earth
Beneath their feet, Prometheus
Upended man into the vertical –
So, to comprehend balance.
Then tipped up his chin
So to widen his outlook on heaven.
(Tales from Ovid, 8)
This could be straight from Frankenstein. Now it is Dr Frankenstein making a new life form in his ‘‘workshop of filthy creation’’ not Prometheus making men from clay this time. It is now time to turn to Mary Shelley’s monstrous horror story to find out more about Prometheus and the Promethean spirit located in humanity’s aspiration to raise himself above the level of the beasts using fire but in its contemporary iteration and become independent of both nature and the Gods in an act of defiance worthy of Shelley’s or Byron’s Prometheus, with the suffering and punishment incurred possibly far greater than even Prometheus might have endured and the consequences to humanity as whole, Zeus-like in its genocidal potentiality.
|
https://marcbarham.medium.com/the-poetic-presentation-of-prometheus-e4ac9de1c069
|
['Marc Barham']
|
2020-01-09 10:00:56.251000+00:00
|
['Literature', 'Culture', 'Mythology', 'Film', 'Philosophy']
|
China’s Property Sector Could Recover Faster Than You Think
|
Introducing EO’s China’s Future Investment Watch series: first, how the property sector still has signs of health.
Antitrust reform, reform in education, real estate and medical care policies, the Common Prosperity policy… all of these show that China is undergoing earth-shaking change. These changes have brought large uncertainty, making many investors afraid to invest in Chinese projects and companies. However, over the next decade, China will surely become the world’s largest economy. How to better understand the opportunities and risks of the Chinese market and deal with certainty and uncertainty is a crucial problem. EqualOcean has launched a series of research pieces, China’s Future Investment Watch, hoping to provide clues for global investors.
Wang Shi, the founder of the property developer Vanke, said in 2014 that “The ‘golden age’ of Chinese real estate has ended. Investors in China’s real estate space would be wise to adopt a new mindset to evaluate the current ‘silver age’. “ What Wang said could not be more correct today. According to the Balassa-Samuelson effect, economies’ labor productivity is higher than that of developing economies in sectors engaged in international trade, while the labor productivity differential in the non-tradeable sector between advanced and developing economies is marginal. China’s growth can be attributed to large-scale capital investment, financed by domestic savings and foreign investments, and productivity growth. Reforms that decentralized economic production accelerated growth in household savings, which enabled China to support a high level of investment. Real estate is in the non-tradeable sector that was boosted by China’s activities in the tradeable sectors. Thus, the slowdown in the industry due to Evergrande’s crisis should not lead to a total collapse of the entire economy but will instead act as a warning to the fragile structure of real estate development in China that is in need of reform. As more defaults and missed payments transpire, China urgently needs to take a step back and fix its problems from their roots.
The real estate sector made up approximately a quarter of China’s GDP in 2020. With an average of 900 million square meters of new apartment construction each year in the past decade, China’s economy could face an extended period of stagnation as the real estate sector shrinks. However, the determination of Beijing not to use the property sector to stimulate the economy during downturns bodes well for the future of the industry. Although devastating to home sales and housing starts, the engineered recession will benefit the sector in the long run. China’s real estate sector should begin to heat up again after around five to seven years of adjustment.
Why Evergrande will not be the new Lehman
The Evergrande Group’s fiasco is unlikely to spiral into an event like the collapse of Lehman Brothers in the US in 2008. China has more control over its real estate sector than the US federal government did during the financial crisis. NINJA loans, which were prevalent in the US before the housing crisis, could never fly in China as lenders heavily scrutinize borrowers. Officials in China did not rush into saving Evergrande to set an example. However, Evergrande owes money to around 171 domestic banks and 121 other financial firms. The developer’s default would mean these lenders will be unable to lend money at their normal levels, leading to a possible credit crunch. But Evergrande is not ‘too big to fail’ as some media have suggested. China has let state-owned enterprises’ loans default so that the market can play a more significant role in the economy. In Evergrande’s case, China will look to restructure the developer’s debt as was the case with Baoshang Bank, HNA Group, and Anbang Insurance. Unlike Lehman Brothers, Evergrande holds physical assets, while land prices are also more resilient than financial derivatives since local governments monopolize land supply. The Evergrande crisis will undoubtedly have a massive impact on the real estate market in China, but it will not be China’s ‘Lehman Moment.’
The unemployment rate in the US reached 10% following the financial crisis in 2008, breaking double-digits for the first time since 1982, while over 8.7 million jobs were lost. Lehman’s debt of USD 619 billion sent the US into years of recovery. The economy in the US grew 19% from 2010 to 2017, and the employment rate was down to 4% at the end of 2017. Should Evergrande default, it would collapse in a more controlled fashion as the company would be pulled apart by local governments and other developers. The collapse of Lehman and the burst of the housing bubble in 2008 caused American households to lose over USD 16 trillion in net worth. But the combination of Evergrande’s physical assets and the government’s determination to complete unfinished construction projects will protect households in China from the large-scale bankruptcy and defaults that happened in the US. The Chinese households are also not losing as much value in their net worth as the households did in the US. As a result, the recovery process for the Chinese real estate sector should be faster than many expect. Within five to seven years the sector should start to gain traction as it becomes more versatile and less leveraged. Currently, there are a few risks that investors and policymakers should recognize.
Sector risks
China’s real estate sector flourished behind waves of urbanization, but the industry’s growth is no longer congruent with the country’s broader economic development. From 2000 to 2015, China’s home prices rose at an 8.30% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) while real GDP grew by 9.70% CAGR. Since then, however, the growth in housing prices outpaced the growth in China’s real GDP. From 2015 to 2019, housing prices increased by 9.40% CAGR while real GDP growth fell to 6.60% CAGR. The CAGR of total productivity and urban population also fell to 2.70% and 2.80%, respectively. This means that homeownership has become increasingly expensive due to uncontrolled development activities and land use transfers. The widening gap between the growth of the industry and the nation’s growth should be a warning sign for investors in China’s real estate sector.
Another risk comes from the potential rise in unemployment due to the decreased activities of the real estate industry under-tightening measures. China’s unemployment rate has been reasonably steady for the last few years. It reached 6.20% in February 2020 due to the pandemic. As of October 2021, the unemployment rate had dropped to 4.90%, remaining flat from the previous month. The unemployment rate in urban China was 4.30% in 2020 and is expected to be even lower in 2021 due to ongoing construction projects. With fewer building activities, the building construction industry, China’s third-largest industry by number of employees, will likely see a dip in its productivity and profits. The unemployment rate in urban China could rise again to around 4.4% for a brief period in 2022 after the current construction projects are finished. But the unemployment rate will return to a normal level in the next two to three years, given the time needed to adjust.
A history of ‘land finance’
Local governments have relied on the sale of land rights as their primary source of fiscal revenue, which became a problem as officials’ indulgence in developers’ greed resulted in crippling debt. The total government funds of China, provincial and central governments combined, reached CNY 6.10 trillion as of the end of Q3 2021, which is an increase of 10.5% from the same period in 2020. Funds generated from land use transfer reached CNY5.36 trillion, an increase of 8.7% from the same period in 2020. Funds from land-use transfer constituted 94.79% of total government funds, an extremely unhealthy portion that showcases local governments’ reliance on generating revenue from land transfers, a phenomenon called ‘land finance.’ Furthermore, local officials are judged based on their ability to create economic growth. Land use transfer that leads to construction activities is the simplest yet most effective way to increase economic output.
As officials continued to promote construction activities, housing prices skyrocketed, and homebuying gradually became similar to buying a stock. The tax-sharing reform of 1994 also contributes to the distortion of the housing market in China. The reform demanded that local governments give percentages of their fiscal revenue to China’s central government, which spurred the adaptation of ‘land finance.’ Local governments are left with no other option other than to generate an even larger portion of revenue from the land use transfer department to make up for the revenue loss incurred by the tax-sharing system. Two focal points need to be highlighted for China’s property sector to achieve a speedy recovery and sustainable growth in the future.
1. Suppressing home prices through real estate tax
In October, the Chinese Parliament announced the plan to roll out a pilot real estate tax in some regions with the hope of limiting home prices that have soared over 2,000% since the implementation of privatization policies in 1982. The pilot scheme will include residential and non-residential properties, excluding residences in rural areas, and last for five years. The proposition of a real estate tax first surfaced in China in 2003, but its implementation was halted due to concerns over the potential impact on home prices, demand, and future construction projects. Local government officials were also not fond of the levy on homeowners, as they worried that the tax will vastly reduce governments’ ability to seize revenue in land use transfer. However, with a real estate tax in place, government officials are less likely to depend on land use transfer as their sole method for promoting local economic growth. The real estate tax will include new tier-one cities like Hangzhou, which is home to the headquarters of tech giant Alibaba.
The real estate tax will help in suppressing home prices, but its effectiveness is uncertain. Many countries depend on real estate taxes as their primary source of fiscal revenue. Revenue from real estate taxes makes up 99.50% of total revenue in some local governments in the UK and 71.60% in the US. The overall effect of imposing a real estate tax is negative to home prices. A study done by Weida Kuang, a professor at Renmin Business School, shows that every 1% increase in the real estate tax will result in the home price index falling by 0.69%. According to a paper published by Sami Alpanda and Sarah Zubairy, an increase of property tax from 1.40% to 1.63% will result in a lower return on investment for home purchases, thus reducing the demand for residential investment. Home prices will fall by 0.5% as a result; however, home prices, given the time to adjust, will return to an average level within five years. Although real estate taxes are popular in many countries, especially those in OECD, it is not a means to regulate home prices for the long term. There is a negative correlation between the strength of real estate taxes and home prices, but China should change its home prices growth expectation and limit investment opportunities in housing to better control the soaring prices.
2. Additional investment instruments to deleverage the industry
China’s first nine REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) debuted in June and raised over USD 4.70 billion. The nine REITs will provide liquidity to the market and capital towards infrastructure projects to boost China’s economy. Unlike the equity REITs in the US, these REITs act more like public funds that invest in asset-backed securities. 90% of core earnings from these REITs will be paid out to investors through dividends, with a projected dividend yield of between 4% and 12%. These REITs only include industrial and infrastructure-type assets. However, the types of REITs will eventually expand to include a variety of asset classes as China loosens rules on REITs. Goldman Sachs estimates that the value of China’s REITs market could reach over USD 3 trillion, surpassing the US as the world’s largest, if China’s full REIT potential is realized.
Establishing REITs, especially apartment REITs, can help stabilize and deleverage the domestic economy. The most indebted property developer, Evergrande Group, is struggling to deal with the crushing weight of USD 300 billion in debt as it sits on the brink of collapse. The company’s crisis represents the shaky ground that many property developers in China built their wealth on. REITs use an equity financing business model, the opposite of debt financing, for today’s real estate operations. The business model of a REIT depends on income-producing properties, but this type of property has yet to gain traction in China. Chinese developers have been unified in their business approach, relying on sales or pre-sales of their residential projects for fast cash to finance their next projects. Even most of the rental buildings in China cannot produce income as many of these buildings are owned by prominent companies that are state-owned or non-profit. These companies often rent the units to their employees at a discount or free. To make REITs a popular investment in China and get developers to abandon their current leverage-heavy business model and slow down China’s rapid urbanization, which is a process that is already happening after the implementation of tightening measures in the real estate market.
In a culture where homeownership is almost a necessity, especially for young men looking to get married, housing became less of something to live in but rather an investment instrument to speculate on. As of 2019, more than 90% of the households in China own homes. More than 20% of these households own more than one home. Such emphasis on homeownership makes the installment of REITs difficult. In addition, the real estate development activities in China have not faltered. From January to October in 2021, China saw a 7.10% increase in construction activities compared to the same period in 2020. However, there has been a 6.80% decrease in new residential developments and an 11% decrease in land rights transfer.
Investability in the Chinese real estate market
China’s GDP grew by 4.9% year-over-year in Q3 2021, one of the lowest growth rates since 2011. But a decrease in economic growth is a worthy price for the country to diminish its dependence on real estate. While 90% of renters in the US want to become homeowners, more than 90% of the population in China are homeowners. China’s household debt level is lower than that of other developing countries, such as Thailand and Malaysia. Households in China also have an average of 40% of their money going into savings. Although the industry is profoundly leveraged, the rapid development of real estate led to an impressive number of homeowners and respectable savings to income ratio within households. Investors should feel relieved at the lack of large-scale bankruptcy since individual wealth won’t be as heavily affected as it was in the US during the housing crisis. The abundant wealth in Chinese households’ savings and tightening controls over the real estate sector will allow the sector to make a healthy recovery within five to seven years.
The near-term investment outlook in the Chinese real estate market remains uncertain for 2022. On the one hand, there is too much volatility as the waves of defaults continue. On the other, China has significant untapped potential in the real estate industry, especially in the rental market. 70% to 80% of assets in Chinese households are tied to real estate. By stabilizing home prices through regulations and local government control, buying a home will become less of an investment opportunity and will give a chance for other investment instruments, like stocks and bonds, to mature within the mainstream. As housing becomes less of an attractive and sound investment, a good portion of individual wealth tied up with real estate will be freed up for use elsewhere, making up for the gap created by the decline in real estate activities. The unprecedented cycle of heavy tightening measures and regulation is not meant to create a friendlier environment for investors but rather to fix the unacceptable behaviors in the industry to achieve President Xi’s agenda of ‘Common Prosperity’. Real estate taxes and REITs are on the rise, but they are by no means a sign for immediate relief for the sector next year. Investors should tread carefully and give the Chinese real estate market time to settle into the new norms.
EqualOcean operates offices in Beijing, New York, and Shanghai. We welcome investors interested in the Chinese market to contact us via (contact@EqualOcean.com) or visit our offices. We believe the exchange of views will make you have a clearer prediction of the future.
|
https://medium.com/@equal-ocean/chinas-property-sector-could-recover-faster-than-you-think-a5f0d101f044
|
[]
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2021-12-15 11:07:15.617000+00:00
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['Real Estate Investments', 'Property', 'China', 'Economy', 'Real Estate']
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CBX Weekly Newsletter // 19 June 2019
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CBX Weekly Newsletter // 19 June 2019
3 Reasons Bitcoin is over $9K
Ripple wants to invest $50 Million in this company
Facebook unveils Libra Cryptocurrency
BTC/USDT on the Daily Chart
3 Reasons Bitcoin is over $9K
Bitcoin (BTC) is breaking new highs again for this year, taking cumulative year-to-date gains to over 150%.
The leading cryptocurrency by market capitalization reached a 13-month high of $9.4K on most exchanges including CBX.
Image from Facebook
1- Facebook to Launch ‘Libra’
The Social Media site is set to launch their very own stablecoin, which is supposed to be called GlobalCoin and will be launch soon.
This project is backed by various other companies and is giving Blockchain, and Cryptocurrencies especially Bitcoin a boost in popularity and acceptance among various different users.
2- Litecoin (LTC) Halving
Litecoin (LTC) one of the largest cryptocurrencies by value is set to cut the block rewards giving to miners by half commonly known as “halving”, meaning that LTC will become a more scarce asset overall.
LTC has increased over 300% this year and maybe another reason why Bitcoin is going up in price as well, not to mention that BTC will also halve in less than a year from now.
3- Binance blocks US Customers
Binance.com which is the world’s largest cryptocurrency by trading volume excluded all users in the US in their updated terms of use.
After the announcement, Binance Coin (BNB) which is the exchange’s native currency fell off sharply in price while Bitcoin was raising.
Ripple wants to invest $50 Million in this Company
Blockchain payments startup Ripple has signed a deal to buy a stake in remittance money giant MoneyGram.
Ripple, the company behind XRP token, will spend $30 million to buy stocks of the company at a price of $4.10. And in the next two years, MoneyGram has the option to sell an additional $20 million worth of shares to Ripple at the same price.
Part of the deal will also make MoneyGram use XRP as a part of their operations using Ripple’s xRapid transaction protocol.
MoneyGram provides services to 200 countries and territories, with roughly $600 billion processed in the global remittance market. Executives from both companies agree that settlement fees will drastically drop from $30 per transaction to less than a penny.
Facebook unveils Libra Cryptocurrency
Facebook is creating a cryptocurrency that will bring banking and financial services to over 1.7 billion adults that are currently unbanked, even if they don’t have a Facebook account.
While the project is still in its early days the scope of the project is far-reaching. It includes a new Facebook subsidiary, Calibra, and an independent consortium, Libra Association, backed by some of tech’s biggest companies in the world like Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Uber, Lyft, Coinbase, and others.
Facebook’s initial focus will be in international remittances using their other apps such as Whatsapp and Instagram.
Calibra registered as a money service business with the U.S. Department of Treasury and is now working to acquire money transmitter licenses in U.S. states “that treat cryptocurrencies as the equivalent of money.”
—
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|
https://medium.com/cbx-digital-asset-trading-platform/cbx-weekly-newsletter-19-june-2019-dc5585f1192c
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['Cbx Team']
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2019-06-19 10:21:00.826000+00:00
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['Litecoin', 'Binance', 'Ripple', 'Libra', 'Facebook']
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Data Extraction Using Web Scraping Proxies
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The web at this age has become so rich in information and sometimes it can be difficult to find our way around the vast information that is available, and get to the one that we need. Data scraping or data mining is the most common method for information extraction on the web and they do this with the use of a bot.
With the software, you can access the web with your web browser and you can scrape multiple web pages easily. They also present the data to you in a format that you can read and analyze easily but websites are against the use of bots. And so in this article, we would discuss how web scraping proxy networks can help you mine data.
Many businesses are greatly dependent on web scraping methods as it allows them to know what their competition is doing, and gives them an idea on how to be the people’s choice.
With web scraping tools, businesses can analyze information, and also monitor conversions for a topic. The use of proxies allows you to scrape rapidly and reduces the chances of getting blocked or be given false data.
Web Scraping
Web scraping is a method of data extraction that allows you to mine data in large amounts more efficiently. The extracted data can be stored in your computer for further analysis so that informed decisions can be made.
Web scraping has helped many businesses grow and compete favorably with their competitors as it gives them access to the vast information on the web. So now companies don’t take decisions blindly but base every step on facts and intense analysis.
Manual data extraction is not efficient enough especially if the data you are after is in large volume. So to get the best result, go for an automated crawler and pair it with proxies to avoid having your IPs blocked.
Interesting Read : How to Use a Proxy in Internet Explorer
Benefits of Web Scraping
Sales Intelligence
Through web scraping, you can monitor the sales you make online, and you can also use it to get data from your competitor about your potential customers and their preferences.
Social Listening
In social listening, you can get data from social media about conversations that are related to your line of business. you can get complaints or compliments that your target audience made concerning the goods and services your competitors offered. This way you can improve on your competitors’ weaknesses.
SEO
Web scraping allows you to do intensive SEO tracking by scraping search results from search engines. Analysis from the data would inform you of the best keywords to use in driving more traffic to your site.
Price Comparison
Pricing is one of the weapons used in online retail stores to drive sales. Without web scraping, you won’t know what your competitors are doing, and you may be the only one selling a product for a very high price.
So price comparison helps you compete favorably and lets you assign competitive price tags to your products at all times.
Ad Verification
Ad fraud is as real as the day, and the use of proxies can help you verify your ads so you can avoid getting scammed. Hackers can create fake websites and generate fake traffic for you and in the end, you get no ROI.
Ad fraud also happens when your competitors direct your ad to bad sites instead of to your site. Imagine your ad linking to a gambling or porn site. Proxies allow you to access your ad as a regular user so that you can see your ad the way your potential customers would see it.
What Is a Proxy Server?
A proxy is an intermediary server that sends your request on your behalf to the web. So the target website sees the request as coming from a different IP address rather than your own.
Benefits of Using a Web Scraping Proxies
Anonymity
Using web scraping proxies makes you anonymous, and hides your real identity from the target website. They won’t see you as a competitor, but rather see you as a regular visitor. You would also get access to sites in locations that you wouldn’t have been able to access due to geo-restrictions. So in summary, you can access more and extract more using a proxy.
Security
When mining data, a lot could go wrong and you shouldn’t put your device and data directly in harm’s way. A proxy provides you with a more secure connection so that in the event of a malware attack, you would remain protected.
Connection Stability
Web scraping is a time-consuming process, and your network connection may likely cut you off. If this happens, you may lose everything you have done and it’s a huge risk that can be avoided. Using a good proxy service such as Limeproxies offers you a stable connection so that you can be sure that your web scraping task would proceed to the end without any interruptions.
Types of Proxies
Mobile Proxies
Mobile proxies are the IPs from mobile devices. They are expensive as they are difficult to get, and they are also not easily blocked as they are not seen as proxies. They also limit the data you can get as they only show you content that is meant for mobile users.
Datacenter Proxies
Datacenter proxies are not associated with any ISP, and they are very easy to get making them cheap and popular. So it’s easy for you to have and maintain a large proxy pool for a more efficient data extraction process.
Residential Proxies
These IPs are from real homes and they allow you to route your requests through the networks of real residences. Just like mobile IPs, they are hard to get and therefore are very expensive but are not easily blocked.
Interesting Read : Dedicated Proxy: Service Guide and Reviews
Common Mistakes When Using Proxies for Web Scraping
Not Using a Proxy Pool
With a pool of proxies, you have access to an endless number of proxies that you can connect to per session or time frame. It’s important as using a single proxy is the same as using your real IP, and it would get blocked due to the high number of requests that would be sent from there.
So with a proxy pool, your requests are split and you can imitate human activity with your bot.
Honeypot Traps
Honeypot traps are set by the website administrator to detect and block the use of bots on the site. They come in the form of links that are not visible to human users but bots only. So once it gets clicked, it’s an indication of bot use.
Not Using a Headless Browser
A headless browser gives you a ton of options as it doesn’t display the visual layout of a web page. Since some websites show different content to different browsers, you would benefit more from the use of headless browsers as you can get more information from the site than if you used a regular browser.
Crawling Using the Same Pattern
Bots have customized settings that would determine the scraping pattern when you use them. Allowing this setting will mean your bot would scrape predictably, and that’s one of the ways websites can detect bot use as humans are unpredictable to an extent.
So to avoid being detected, change your settings and try to avoid crawling with a fixed pattern or at a fixed rate. Also, perform some actions like mouse clicks and movements on the page you wish to scrape.
Using A Free Proxy
Free proxies are not the best choice for your scraping activity as they have more cons than pros. They don’t always offer good enough speeds and are not secure as most of them don’t accept HTTPS connections. You could also get your device infected with malware by using them.
Sending Too Many Requests
Sending too many requests to the target server at the same time can cause the server to slow down or even crash. That’s one of the reasons why websites frown at bot use and kick bots out once detected.
By sending moderate amounts of requests per time, the website would be less likely to detect you as a bot, and you can go ahead with your web scraping.
|
https://medium.com/@limeproxies/data-extraction-using-web-scraping-proxies-129ff6320653
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[]
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2020-12-23 09:13:15.032000+00:00
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['Internet Proxies', 'Web Scraping', 'Marketing Tools', 'Web Scraping Proxies', 'Data Extraction']
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Darkness is the Dwelling Place of God — Day 22 of Simplicity
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For many of us, especially those of us who are white-bodied folx, it’s time for a reorientation to darkness. It’s time to move beyond the dualistic and over-simplified language and images that equate light with good and dark with bad.
As we seek to heal our bodies and our country from the disease of racism and white-body supremacy, one place we can focus our attention is our language.
Rev. Dr. Barbara Holmes does this in her book, “Race and the Cosmos.” She calls for new language with a depth and nuance informed by science as well as global indigenous and ancestral wisdom.
Astronomers and physicists are making new observations of a universe not only full of dark matter and dark energy, but dependent upon it, even birthed from it.
And many of us are humbly waking up to the essential wisdom within the practices and beliefs of indigenous traditions which were (and still often are) deemed “primitive” by dominant white culture.
As we find ourselves in this time of dark night, may it envelop us with rest and healing. May it allow us to see what the blue-light of screen would distract us from. May it allow us to turn away from and take responsibility for the harms perpetuated by the White Lie.
May we practice a diligent and grace-filled attention to our language of dark and light. And may this time of darkness be a gift in our lives. May it be a birthplace for healing and transformation.
|
https://medium.com/intertwine/darkness-is-the-dwelling-place-of-god-day-22-of-simplicity-44915e12e0df
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['Mike Rusert']
|
2020-12-22 11:12:11.602000+00:00
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['Dark', 'Advent', 'Racism', 'Darkness', 'White Supremacy']
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Calling Community Leader Pioneers for SesameOpen Staking Program
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Following SesameOpen’s successful token sale, our focus is on converting early project supporters into the first participants in the Commerce 3.0 economy. The SesameOpen Staking Program is the second batch in our Raindrop series of rewards to the SesameOpen community.
Starting today, we are accepting applications for individuals who want to be the first Community Leaders in Commerce 3.0. Community Leaders can earn significant token rewards — initially for building a community and attracting members to stake SO tokens. Staking members will be rewarded based on the amount of tokens they stake in the smart contract. In the future, Community Leaders and their members will be able to earn additional tokens beyond staking as the Commerce 3.0 Network takes off.
Staking Program Details:
Prospective Community Leaders fill out form indicating their interest
SesameOpen creates a dedicated Telegram or Kakao group for each Community Leader
Community Leaders market and build their Telegram/Kakao group of individuals interested in earning staking rewards
Based on group size and traction, SesameOpen will select ONLY FIVE Community Leaders for the first month of this staking program
SesameOpen will provide the selected FIVE Community Leaders with a designated smart contract for their staking members, with a maximum size of 50 staking members within each Community Leader’s smart contract
Community Leaders typically must stake SO tokens as escrow to join the Commerce 3.0 Network, but SesameOpen will sponsor that escrow for these first pioneering Community Leaders
Community Leaders encourage and assist their Telegram/Kakao group members with staking into their designated smart contract
Members must stake for full month to qualify for staking rewards
Members can remove any or all of their staked token from the smart contract at any time, but by withdrawing any amount, they forfeit all staking rewards
At the end of the month-long staking period, rewards are distributed to both staking community members and to Community Leaders within the smart contract
Members withdraw token rewards from the smart contract through a designated exchange which performs KYC/AML
Reward for Community Leaders:
For the very first staking program, SesameOpen is selecting ONLY FIVE Community Leaders and sponsoring the escrow stake for creating their community. Selection will be based on how many community members that Community Leaders have attracted to their Telegram/Kakao group and how active that group is.
Token rewards for Community Leaders are based on a combination of token staking amount and size of their community.
Community Leader Rewards (based on Staking): 5% of the total SO token staked by the community throughout the entire month-long staking period
Community Leader Rewards (based on community size): 10 SO tokens for every community member who stakes a minimum of 10 SO tokens, with a maximum community size of 50 members
All token rewards are released into the smart contract at the end of the month-long staking period. Community Leaders withdraw from the smart contract through a designated exchange which provides KYC/AML.
Community Leader Reward Examples: Community Leader builds a staking community of 50 staking members who stake a total of 1,500 SO tokens → Community Leader receives reward of 575 SO token (500 based on community size + 75 based on staking) Community Leader builds a staking community of 10 staking members who stake a total of 10,000 SO tokens → Community Leader receives reward of 600 SO token (100 based on community size + 500 based on staking)
Reward for Staking Community Members:
Staking community members receive a reward according to the rules below based on the amount of SO token that they stake for the full month-long staking period. All token rewards are released into the smart contract at the end of the staking period. Community members withdraw their rewards from the smart contract through a designated exchange which provides KYC/AML.
8% for staking amount <100 tokens
25% for staking amount from 100–400 tokens (reward applies to entire amount of stake)
3% for staking amount >400 tokens (first 400 tokens earn 25%, the amount above earn 3%)
Staking Community Member Reward Examples: Member stakes 600 SO tokens for the full month-long staking period → Member receives reward of 106 SO tokens (25% of 400 tokens + 3% of remaining 200 tokens staked) Member stakes 50 SO tokens for the full month-long staking period → Member receives reward of 4 SO tokens (8% of staking amount) Member stakes 1,500 SO tokens, but withdraws 300 SO tokens before the end of the staking period → Member receives no reward because they withdrew some portion of their stake before the end of the staking period
Sign up now to get a headstart on building your staking community and qualifying as the first Community Leader in Commerce 3.0!
|
https://medium.com/sesameopen/calling-community-leader-pioneers-for-sesameopen-staking-program-d2d23183662d
|
[]
|
2019-11-27 20:56:18.042000+00:00
|
['Decentralized', 'Staking', 'Token', 'Community', 'Staking Rewards']
|
The Future of Podcasting is Subscription — Lessons from the History of Media
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“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes”
On April 24, 2019, Luminary Media officially launched its subscription podcasting platform to the public, and was quickly dismissed and even attacked by some in the media and on Twitter. Luminary, which raised nearly $100 million from investors prior to launch, offers a free podcast player, along with a catalog of 40+ exclusive ad-free original podcasts locked behind a $7.99 monthly subscription. To some, introducing a new business model was an affront to the relatively new medium, as demonstrated in the Fast Company article titled “Why podcast fans will always reject a “Netflix for podcasts,” in which the author deftly states “First, it’s annoying.” What these critics fail to understand is that this story has been told before — and in almost every case, the quality of content has increased, the consumer experience has improved, and creators have been more appropriately compensated for their talent.
Advertising, which to date has been the primary revenue channel for podcasts (bringing in a paltry $314 million in 2017), also initially supported nearly every new media format in their formative years. This was true for newspapers, radio, television, and early digital video platforms. Historically, it was unclear (and unlikely) that consumers would pay directly for new types of content enabled by new technologies and means of distribution, leaving sponsorships & advertising as the only potential for monetizing mediums. In order to drive the value of an advertisement up, media companies needed wide distribution to drive circulation (which is even why you may still get The Yellow Pages delivered to your home every year…) Wide distribution = more consumers = more advertising revenue. In this model, in order to invest more capital into quality content, content producers must either (A) reach a wider audience, or (B) insert more ads into the content.
However as more consumers adopt the new distribution channels (radios, television sets, smart phones) and incorporate the content into their daily lives, things evolve. Often, new consumer propositions emerge, promising a better experience or higher quality content for a premium price.
Radio had been primarily free and ad-supported since its inception in the early 20th century, until Satellite radio (a whole new and expensive distribution system) launched in 2001. Subscription satellite radio still had a slow start without any standout content, until it secured the exclusive distribution rights for The Howard Stern Show in 2006, putting the previously free program behind its subscription paywall, and landing over 180,000 subscribers overnight. Today, Sirius XM has about 33 million subscribers.
Television programming was also born as sponsored content broadcast for free over the airwaves (ABC, CBS, and NBC), before pay-cable channels like Home Box Office (HBO) began to emerge in the 1970’s. HBO launched by transmitting popular films straight into subscribers homes, before evolving into producing HBO Original Films and eventually, HBO Original Series such as The Sopranos, The Wire, and Game of Thrones. This iconic content, which draws 140 million+ global subscribers to HBO, would not be possible on a purely advertising-supported channel.
While the podcast industry is still in its infancy, it has seen tremendous growth in both consumption and production volume over the past decade. In 2008, less than 10% of the U.S. population listened to podcasts on a monthly basis, while nearly 1/3rd of the country does today — about 90 million monthly listeners. Further, there are an estimated 700,000 podcasts and 29 million podcast episodes as of April 2019. Surely, some portion of those 90 million monthly U.S. listeners would be willing to pay for a premium ad-free podcast experience in which creators have the resources to innovate and create high-quality content.
The objection that some are raising in regards to Luminary’s paywall is that just because you can charge for content doesn’t mean that you should. The ignorance in this protest is that the pressure to create content that people are willing to pay for often drives up the quality of said content and the resources that producers can devote to it. The expense and investment in subscription based HBO’s Game of Thrones dwarfs the budget of any show on (primarily) ad-supported CBS. HBO viewers are willing to pay a monthly fee for access to this premium content, which in turn allows the network and talent to invest more heavily in quality content.
Further, talent is the backbone of any creative industry, and deserves to be well compensated for the value that they create. While some podcast creators are able to reach a sizeable enough audience to court advertisers, others must turn to platforms like Patreon to ask listeners to donate on a recurring basis in order to fund their favorite shows. Even A-List talent and seasoned podcast professionals with hundreds of thousands of fans must rely on inserting advertisements for Casper into their content, which still leaves little room for investment into high production value, longterm projects, or dabbling with innovative formats. Subscription business models allow the upfront investment directly in talent and content — such as Netflix’s astonishing overall deals for television creators Ryan Murphy ($300M) and Shonda Rhimes ($100M), who left Twentieth Century Fox TV and ABC Studios respectively, studios which were primarily focused on advertising-supported broadcast television, and couldn’t afford to compete with Netflix’s offers.
We also know from other media platforms that consumers are generally pretty amenable to pay higher fees for ad-free experiences. Spotify and Hulu, for instance, both have ~50% of users paying for ad-free tiers of the same content.
Spotify has made its podcasting ambitions clear, spending $400 million to acquire Gimlet Media (a podcast studio with a significant catalog), Parcast (another podcast studio) and Anchor (tools for podcast creators). Spotify’s interest in podcasts is less about creating better content, a better listener experience, or rewarding creators — but instead about making the company’s basic economics work. Despite having 100 million paying subscribers and 217 million total monthly active users, the company’s deals with music publishers means it is still unprofitable due to the share of subscription and advertising revenue that Spotify must send to publishers based on users’ listening habits. If Spotify can get users to listen to more podcasts and less music, it can shift some of that revenue to its own pocket.
For its part, Luminary has the advantage of having a maniacal focus on a very specific type of content — just as Netflix has had and maintained for the better part of a decade. Despite its success with on-demand video, Netflix has resisted the urge to move into sports, news, live TV, gaming / eSports, or ad-supported content — which has provided the clarity and focus to build a dominant media company and beloved consumer brand in record time. Luminary has the opportunity to execute a similar playbook for the podcasting community.
To be clear — there will always be free, ad-supported podcasts in the world, just as there is terrestrial radio and broadcast television. Although some are upset at the potential disruption (and disaggregation) that Luminary will likely ignite in the podcast community, both creators and listeners are likely to be beneficiaries: creators will have the opportunity to experiment and invest in high-quality content they want to create and be more fairly compensated for their talent, while consumers will benefit from a better podcasting experience, with ad-free, high-quality content. This is a story that has been told before — and the podcast community should be excited.
|
https://medium.com/the-raabithole/the-future-of-podcasting-is-subscription-lessons-from-the-history-of-media-d486bd693141
|
['Mike Raab']
|
2019-06-08 04:57:45.250000+00:00
|
['Business', 'Podcast', 'Media', 'Future', 'Culture']
|
Gestion de communauté & growth hacking
|
How to Succeed in Business by Bundling - and Unbundling
Much of the business story of the digital age so far has been about taking products and institutions apart - unbundling…
|
https://medium.com/@mickaelruau/gestion-de-communaut%C3%A9-growth-hacking-f155558e018a
|
['Mickael Ruau']
|
2020-12-23 12:59:22.492000+00:00
|
['Community Development', 'Customer Development', 'Lean Startup', 'Nugaze', 'Growth Hacking']
|
Innovations in TV Technology — Truvison
|
Currently, we are spoilt for choices when it comes to the riches and innovations of TV technology. The diversity in these choices can vary from the type of panel that you have set your sights at, like LED, OLED and QLED that offers high precision and quality picture, to the type of comprehensive content you wish to watch, like Ultra HD, 4K Streaming or Blu-ray, consumers can pick any element and receive the top-notch entertainment supply, thanks to the latest innovations in TV technology. One such innovative agenda has been brought forth by the special cornea technology by Truvison & Tru Color Technology which enhances the picture quality and the vision as well as the Truvison Turbotek Technology which amplifies the sound quality that brings out the viewing experience.
Here we explore the biggest innovations in TV technology so far and what are the current tech ideologies that are gracing the horizon.
4K Resolution
The 4K Ultra HD has redefined the viewing experience like never before. Focused essentially on the home television, it is a sincere upgrade over the full HD definition with 4 times more pixels than the latter. The traditional HD is limited to 1920 vertical columns and 1080 horizontal rows of pixels, Ultra HD comprises of a complete resolution of 3840 pixels by 2160 which is on the lower end in comparison to the 4096 x 2160 resolution of the cinema screens. In the current demand and scenario, there is no better opportunity than today to bring home a 4k ultra HD television home.
You can make the most out of your 4k viewing experience with the Truvison’s LED T.V.- TX55201- Android Smart that makes sure that your pictures and live stream do not have a speck of blurred elements. With 4x the clarity, you can be well assured of high-quality picture detail, fine images and vibrant colours that will make your viewing experience unforgettable. Check out the features that enable this top-notch viewing experience.
4K Ultra HD
Luminous Panel
Miracast
Inbuilt Apps
De-Interlace
USB to USB Copy Function
Slim Line Bezel
Android Airfly Mouse
Android OS
Another example of the true-blue futuristic television is the Truvison LED T.V. TX407Z — 40 inch
You can appreciate the advantages of Truvison LED T.V. TX407Z — 40 inch on its widescreen that offers an unequalled lucidity to the watchers. Supported by high goals, the Full HD channels ensure that your review experience is never foggy.
Key Features
Full HD
Miracast
Inbuilt Apps
Inbuilt WIFI
Dynamic contrast Ratio-300000:1
USB to USB Copy Function
Android OS
LCD Vs. Plasma
Flat screens found their way into the electronics world in the late 1990s. This was an obvious upgrade over the CRT space with a much lighter and mobile structure that was blended with a better interface for the viewers. However, the choice to switch over from the original CRT was not as obvious as the customers were made to choose between plasma or LCD.
LCD panels are known to consist of backlights made from CCFL lamps which illuminate via a polarising filter and coloured liquid crystal cells which each cell contributing to create the final picture. Plasma screen, on the other hand, had numerous glass panels with each pixel consisting of a gas which was stimulated by an electric charge, emitting red, green or blue light, similarly on the lines of CRT.
However, Plasma, as considered to be less energy efficient than LCD and the production, was soon stopped by various companies like Panasonic and others. LCD has transformed now and has given way to LED and OLED technology which bore greater picture quality and continues to rule the market. You can check
Smart TVs
The connection between the internet and TV led to a digital revolution that paved the way for the smart TV market. Between the years 2008 to 2012, the preferred medium switched from analogue to digital and Smart TVs have changed how we watch TV. We are never again constrained to the unbending courses of events of broadcasting channels or exposed to the issues set to boxes. With the assistance of Smart TVs, we can tweak what we need to watch without turning to the clock or calendars. In any case, this isn’t all that your Smart TV can accomplish for you.
Moreover, artificial intelligence assumes an incredible job in grouping these decisions and suggestions as it considers your survey designs, your commitment and therefore, shows decisions that will suit your taste better. No more scouring over the channels to think about what you may like.
You should give Truvison’s LED T.V.– TX65100-Android smart a possibility for your various requests. With 4 X the lucidity of a full HD TV, the review experience without a doubt arrives at an unmatchable stage. The clearness experienced is more than genuine, as the photos are denser with better detail. With different pixels in a picture, a nearby watching will likewise not frustrate your motion picture watching background. Tune into the various applications and the 4K HD channels around you, it can all currently be available to you.
Key Features
4K Ultra HD
Glowing Panel
Miracast
Inbuilt Apps
USB to USB Copy Function
Slime Line Bezel
Android Airfly Mouse
Android OS
High Definition
Also known as HD, this segment of the television has up to 5 times the resolution of standard definition. The broadcasting in HD began in 2006 and has ever since been an evolutionary process.
You can put this plan to test through the profoundly solid LED T.V.– TX55101–55 inch. It is the embodiment of a dynamic blend of shading, splendour, and detail to each visual will improve your review involvement.
Key Features
4K Ultra HD
Luminous Panel
Miracast
Inbuilt Apps
De-Interlace
USB to USB Copy Function
Slim Line Bezel
Android Airfly Mouse
Android OS
8K
Just as you were setting into the novelty of your new and improved 4k television, the industry brought forth another present for you in the form of 8k viewing. The first sets are predicted to be in stores soon. However, there is a lot that is left unexplored in the 4k domain. It is perfect for the big screens but it works just fine for the home-based screens as well.
8k, on the other hand, is surely an upgrade but it is not necessarily the sensible choice for home viewing unless your living room is of the size of a gymnasium to accommodate the 80 inches plus screen. In simple words, if you are a proud owner of a 4K television, then you should stick to your guns instead of the 8K tech which is instead of a must-have, can be classified as a luxury.
MicroLED
MicroLED is the primary new screen of the decade and is utmost fascinating for electronics enthusiasts and those who want to amplify their viewing experience. As the name suggests, MicroLED is the LED technology that has been compacted to microscopic levels with similar functionings of the LED technology like the self-emitting light like OLED but without the organic substance which may lead to the possibility of future degradation.
Another problem that rises with the MicroLED is that it due to its size, it is extremely difficult to manufacture its panels as numerous LEDs need to be assembled in an accurate arrangement. This function is even beyond the robotic capabilities which can lead to quantifiable misalignment and mess up the resulting image.
As a result, the mass production of such TV is a far-fetched idea and unlikely to take shape anytime soon.
OLED
Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) TVs are the successors of LED but without the backlight. This lack of backlight enables them to be extremely thin and sleek, sometimes as thin as 1mm. The special knack of this type is that each pixel here lights up individually and thus when they are switched off, the black shade is unwaveringly deep.
The OLED panel is extremely flexible as well and has the response time 1000 times faster than LED which is perfect for an action-packed movie and or fast-moving sports viewing. However, OLED is comparatively a bit pricier than its contemporaries.
About Truvison
We introduce ourselves as Truvison, a Europe based consumer electronics & Appliances Company, Delivering superior-quality technology across the globe.
Truvison established its presence across the nation, offering its complete range of products in India with LED TV’s, Home Audio & Home Appliances.
Our products are designed with keeping a fine balance between innovation and style and Truvison is committed towards delivering the best is class quality and services to its valued customers.
We believe in being dynamic and hence we are constantly evolving our technology by developing premium quality products.
Truvison takes pride to have sold its products reaching 25 million customers while maintaining highest quality standards of products and after sales services.
|
https://medium.com/@adityabhatt/innovations-in-tv-technology-truvison-c530f177b13c
|
['Aditya Bhatt']
|
2019-08-22 13:35:32.601000+00:00
|
['Tech', 'Innovation', 'Electronics', 'Consumer Electronics', 'Television']
|
Flagger - Canary Deployments on Kubernetes
|
Flagger - Canary Deployments on Kubernetes
Flagger enables automated deployments — in this part I’ll run through some deployments using Flagger
This article is the second one of the series dedicated to Flagger. In a nutshell, Flagger is a progressive delivery tool that automates the release process for applications running on Kubernetes. It reduces the risk of introducing a new software version in production by gradually shifting traffic to the new version while measuring metrics and running conformance tests.
Make sure you have a local Kubernetes cluster running with the service mesh Istio. If you don’t, read the first article: Flagger - Get Started with Istio and Kubernetes.
In this second guide, we will focus on the installation of Flagger and run multiple canary deployments of the application Mirror HTTP Server (MHS). Remember that this dummy application can simulate valid and invalid responses based on the request. This is exactly what we need to test the capabilities of Flagger. We will cover both happy (rollout) and unhappy (rollback) scenarios.
This is a hands-on guide and can be followed step by step on MacOS. It will require some adjustments if you are using a Windows or Linux PC. It is important to note that this article will not go into details and only grasp the concepts & technologies so if you are not familiar with Docker, Kubernetes, Helm or Istio, I strongly advise you to check some documentation yourself before continuing reading.
Photo by Shane on Unsplash
Installing Flagger
Let’s install Flagger by running these commands.
kubectl create ns flagger-system
We install Flagger in its own namespace flagger-system .
kubectl apply -f helm repo add flagger https://flagger.app kubectl apply -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/weaveworks/flagger/master/artifacts/flagger/crd.yaml
--namespace=flagger-system \
--set crd.create=false \
--set meshProvider=istio \
--set metricsServer= helm upgrade -i flagger flagger/flagger \--namespace=flagger-system \--set crd.create=false \--set meshProvider=istio \--set metricsServer= http://prometheus.istio-system:9090
Reference: Flagger Install on Kubernetes
Flagger depends on Istio telemetry and Prometheus (in that case, we assume Istio is installed in the istio-system namespace).
All parameters are available on the Flagger readme file on GitHub.
We don't specify a version for Flagger, which means it will use the latest available in the repo ( 1.2.0 at the time of writing).
After a few seconds, you should get a message confirming that Flagger has been installed. From the Kube dashboard, verify that a new namespace has been created flagger-system and the Flagger pod is running.
Flagger is deployed in your cluster
Experiment 0 - Initialize Flagger with MHS v1.1.1
Mirror HTTP Server has multiple versions available. To play with Flagger canary deployment feature, we will switch between version 1.1.1 , 1.1.2 and 1.1.3 of MHS (the latest version at the time of writing).
Before deploying MHS, let’s create a new namespace application , we don't want to use the default one at the root of the cluster (this is good practice). The name is too generic, but sufficient for this tutorial, in general you will use the name of the team or the name of a group of features.
kubectl create ns application
Do not forget to activate Istio on this new namespace:
kubectl label namespace application istio-injection=enabled
To deploy MHS via Flagger, I created a Helm chart.
This “canary flavored” chart was created based on the previous chart without Flagger which itself was created with the helm create mhs-chart command, then adapted. In this "canary flavored" chart, I did some extra adaptation to use 2 replicas instead of 1 to make it more realistic and use a fixed version to 1.1.1 , I also added the canary resource where the magic happens.
Clone the chart repo:
And install MHS:
cd mhs-canary-chart
helm install mhs --namespace application ./mhs
After a few moments, if you look at the dashboard, you should see 2 replicas of MHS in the namespace application .
MHS 1.1.1 is deployed in your cluster
It is important to note that no canary analysis has been performed and the version has been automatically promoted. It was not a “real” canary release.
Why? Because Flagger needs to initialize itself the first time we do a canary deployment of the application. So make sure the version you are deploying with Flagger the first time is fully tested and works well!
You could also guess this auto-promotion happened because there was no initial version of the application in the cluster. Although this is obviously a good reason, it’s important to note that, even if we had a previous version before (e.g. 1.1.0 ), the canary version 1.1.1 would have still been automatically promoted without analysis.
You can still check the canary events with:
kubectl -n application describe canary/mhs
You should have a similar output without a canary analysis:
Events:
Type Reason Age From Message
---- ------ ---- ---- -------
Warning Synced 2m29s flagger mhs-primary.application not ready: waiting for rollout to finish: observed deployment generation less then desired generation
Normal Synced 92s (x2 over 2m30s) flagger all the metrics providers are available!
Normal Synced 92s flagger Initialization done! mhs.application
Or you can also directly check the log from Flagger:
export FLAGGER_POD_NAME=$(kubectl get pods --namespace flagger-system -l "app.kubernetes.io/name=flagger,app.kubernetes.io/instance=flagger" -o jsonpath="{.items[0].metadata.name}")
kubectl -n flagger-system logs $FLAGGER_POD_NAME
If you take a closer look at the Kube dashboard, you should see some mhs and mhs-primary resources:
mhs-primary are the primary instances (= the non-canary ones). Flagger automatically add the -primary suffix to differentiate them from the canary instances.
are the primary instances (= the non-canary ones). Flagger automatically add the suffix to differentiate them from the canary instances. mhs are the canary instances. They exist only during the canary deployment and will disappear once the canary deployment ends. That's why, in the screenshot above, you don't see any mhs canary pods (i.e. 0 / 0 pod).
Why this naming convention? I asked Flagger team directly and there is a technical constraint.
Flagger is now initialized properly and MHS is deployed to your cluster. You can use the terminal to confirm MHS is accessible (thanks to the Istio Gateway):
curl -I -H Host:mhs.example.com 'http://localhost'
You should receive an HTTP 200 OK response:
HTTP/1.1 200 OK
x-powered-by: Express
date: Mon, 05 Oct 2020 16:47:33 GMT
x-envoy-upstream-service-time: 10
server: istio-envoy
transfer-encoding: chunked
And:
curl -I -H Host:mhs.example.com -H X-Mirror-Code:500 'http://localhost'
should return an HTTP 500 response:
HTTP/1.1 500 Internal Server Error
x-powered-by: Express
date: Mon, 05 Oct 2020 16:48:09 GMT
x-envoy-upstream-service-time: 12
server: istio-envoy
transfer-encoding: chunked
Experiment 1 - MHS v1.1.2 canary deployment
We are going to install a newer version 1.1.2 . You need to manually edit the file mhs-canary-chart/mhs/values.yaml and replace tag: 1.1.1 with tag: 1.1.2 (this line).
Then:
cd mhs-canary-chart
helm upgrade mhs --namespace application ./mhs
While the canary deployment is in progress, it’s very important to generate some traffic to MHS. Without traffic, Flagger will consider that something went wrong with the new version and will rollback automatically to the previous one. Obviously, you don’t need this extra step in a production environment that continuously receives real traffic.
Run this loop command in another terminal to generate artificial traffic:
while (true); do curl -I -H Host:mhs.example.com 'http://localhost' ; sleep 0.5 ; done
Check the Kube dashboard, you should see the canary pod with the new version 1.1.2 at some point:
Canary deployment of MHS 1.1.2 in progress in your cluster
Check the canary events with the same command as before:
kubectl -n application describe canary/mhs
After a while (about 6 minutes) you should have a similar event output:
Events:
Type Reason Age From Message
---- ------ ---- ---- -------
Warning Synced 30m flagger mhs-primary.application not ready: waiting for rollout to finish: observed deployment generation less then desired generation
Normal Synced 29m (x2 over 30m) flagger all the metrics providers are available!
Normal Synced 29m flagger Initialization done! mhs.application
Normal Synced 10m flagger New revision detected! Scaling up mhs.application
Normal Synced 9m16s flagger Starting canary analysis for mhs.application
Normal Synced 9m16s flagger Advance mhs.application canary weight 10
Normal Synced 8m16s flagger Advance mhs.application canary weight 20
Normal Synced 7m16s flagger Advance mhs.application canary weight 30
Normal Synced 6m16s flagger Advance mhs.application canary weight 40
Normal Synced 5m16s flagger Advance mhs.application canary weight 50
Normal Synced 4m16s flagger Copying mhs.application template spec to mhs-primary.application
Normal Synced 3m16s flagger Routing all traffic to primary
Normal Synced 2m16s flagger (combined from similar events): Promotion completed! Scaling down mhs.application
The canary release performed successfully. Now you have version 1.1.2 installed on all the primary pods and the canary pod has been removed.
MHS 1.1.2 is deployed in your cluster
Why did this deployment take about 6 minutes? Because it includes a 5 minutes canary analysis. During this analysis, the traffic was routed progressively to the canary pod. The canary traffic increased by steps of 10% every 1 minute until it reached 50% of the global traffic. The analysis is configurable and defined in the canary.yaml file that was added to the chart.
Below is the analysis configuration we have used:
analysis:
# stepper schedule interval
interval: 1m
# max traffic percentage routed to canary - percentage (0-100)
maxWeight: 50
# canary increment step - percentage (0-100)
stepWeight: 10
# max number of failed metric checks before rollback (global to all metrics)
threshold: 5
metrics:
- name: request-success-rate
# percentage before the request success rate metric is considered as failed (0-100)
thresholdRange:
min: 99
# interval for the request success rate metric check
interval: 30s
- name: request-duration
# maximum req duration P99 in milliseconds before the request duration metric is considered as failed
thresholdRange:
max: 500
# interval for the request duration metric check
interval: 30s
The canary analysis has been covered with the 2 basic metrics that are provided out of the box by Istio / Prometheus (request success rate + duration). It is possible to define your own custom metrics. In that case, they will need to be provided by your application. Your application will need to expose a Prometheus endpoint that includes your custom metrics. And you will be able to update the Flagger analysis configuration to use them with your own PromQL query. Note this goes beyond the scope of this hands-on guide that uses only the built-in metrics.
Experiment 2 - MHS v1.1.3 faulty deployment
Again, you need to manually edit the file mhs-canary-chart/mhs/values.yaml and replace tag: 1.1.2 with tag: 1.1.3 .
Then:
cd mhs-canary-chart
helm upgrade mhs --namespace application ./mhs
We generate some artificial traffic:
while (true); do curl -I -H Host:mhs.example.com 'http://localhost' ; curl -I -H Host:mhs.example.com -H X-Mirror-Code:500 'http://localhost' ; sleep 0.5 ; done
This time, we also generate invalid traffic to make sure the request success rate is going down!
Check the canary events with the same command as before:
kubectl -n application describe canary/mhs
After a while (about 6 minutes) you should have a similar event output:
Normal Synced 8m23s (x2 over 20m) flagger New revision detected! Scaling up mhs.application
Normal Synced 7m23s (x2 over 19m) flagger Advance mhs.application canary weight 10
Normal Synced 7m23s (x2 over 19m) flagger Starting canary analysis for mhs.application
Warning Synced 6m23s flagger Halt mhs.application advancement success rate 57.14% < 99%
Warning Synced 5m24s flagger Halt mhs.application advancement success rate 0.00% < 99%
Warning Synced 3m24s flagger Halt mhs.application advancement success rate 71.43% < 99%
Warning Synced 2m24s flagger Halt mhs.application advancement success rate 50.00% < 99%
Warning Synced 84s flagger Halt mhs.application advancement success rate 63.64% < 99%
Warning Synced 24s flagger Rolling back mhs.application failed checks threshold reached 5
Warning Synced 24s flagger Canary failed! Scaling down mhs.application
And you are still on version 1.1.2 .
Flagger decided not to go ahead and propagate version 1.1.3 as it could not perform a successful analysis and the error threshold was reached, i.e. 5 times (indeed, each time, about 50% of the requests were ending up in an HTTP 500 response). Flagger has simply redirected all traffic back to the primary instances and removed the canary pod.
Congratulations, you’ve come to the end of this second tutorial!
Observations
Before we clean up the resources we’ve created, let’s wrap up with a list of observations:
Deleting a deployment will delete all pods (canary / primary). And we don’t end up with orphan resources.
Prometheus is required. Without it, the canary analysis won’t work.
It is not possible to re-trigger a canary deployment of the same version if it has just failed. It forces you to bump up the version (even if it was a configuration and not a code issue).
Flagger off-boarding process is not as simple as removing the canary resource from the chart and deploy a new version. If you delete the canary resource then Flagger won’t trigger the canary process, it will change the version in mhs and remove mhs-primary but mhs has 0 pods so it will make your service unavailable! You need to be careful and adopt a proper manual off-boarding process. Recently, the Flagger team added a property revertOnDeletion you can enable to avoid this issue. You can read the documentation to know more about this canary finalizer.
and remove but has 0 pods so it will make your service unavailable! You need to be careful and adopt a proper manual off-boarding process. Recently, the Flagger team added a property revertOnDeletion you can enable to avoid this issue. You can read the documentation to know more about this canary finalizer. After multiple deployments, it seems that some events can be missing, the Kubernetes describe command is accumulating them ( x<int> over <int>m ) sometimes the order is not preserved and/or some events are not showing up. You can look at the phase status (terminal status are Initialized , Succeeded and Failed ). The best is to look directly at the logs on the Flagger pod as this is always accurate and complete.
command is accumulating them ( ) sometimes the order is not preserved and/or some events are not showing up. You can look at the phase status (terminal status are , and ). The best is to look directly at the logs on the Flagger pod as this is always accurate and complete. The canary analysis should be configured to run for a short period of time (i.e. no more than 30 minutes) to leverage continuous deployment and avoid releasing a new version while a canary deployment for the previous one is still in progress. If you want to perform canary releases over longer periods, Flagger may not be the best tool.
Finally, it’s important to remember that the first time you deploy with Flagger (like in experiment 0 above), the tool needs to initialize itself ( Initialized status) and will not perform any analysis.
Cleaning up resources
Now the tutorial is complete you can remove the MHS application and its namespace.
helm delete mhs --namespace application kubectl delete namespaces application
We recommend that you leave Flagger and Istio in place to save time in the next tutorial. If however you’d like to remove everything now, then you can run the following commands.
Remove Flagger:
helm delete flagger --namespace flagger-system kubectl delete namespaces flagger-system
Remove Istio and Prometheus:
kubectl delete -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/istio/istio/release-1.7/samples/addons/prometheus.yaml istioctl manifest generate --set profile=demo | kubectl delete -f - kubectl delete namespaces istio-system
What’s next?
The next article will focus on the Grafana dashboard provided out of the box with Flagger which is a nice addition, so you don’t need to manually run any kuberctl commands to check the result of your canary deployments. Stay tuned! In the meantime, you can stop the Kubernetes cluster by unchecking the box and restarting Docker Desktop. Your computer deserves another break.
Learn more about technology at Expedia Group
|
https://medium.com/expedia-group-tech/flagger-canary-deployments-on-kubernetes-94364146ff94
|
['Fabian Piau']
|
2020-10-15 09:04:06.687000+00:00
|
['Software Engineering', 'Flagger', 'Kubernetes', 'Istio', 'Helm']
|
Arrival of Plutus Perks (Level 1)
|
In March, we introduced Pluton Rewards (PLU). Premium & Pro members have experienced 3% crypto (PLU) back on all purchases made with their slick Plutus Debit Cards and amassed huge savings in a very short time frame. We can now officially announce the soft release of another money-enhancing programme to you.
Plutus Perks will offer you additional fiat cashback on top of the generous 3% Pluton Reward. This adds utility to the PLU token and value to its holders.
Plutus Perks Explained
Earned PLU is displayed on your Pluton Dashboard. This will automatically unlock cashback opportunities which you can view in the same dashboard.
There are five levels in total. The more you spend with your Plutus Debit Card, the faster you will earn PLU and progress through the levels. Level 1–3 unlocks new categories with various brands and discounts. Each level has subcategories that also carry their own staking requirements to ensure you are constantly unlocking additional Perks as you earn instead of accumulating a whole lot of PLU with no reward (yes, we have got your back!)
Level 4–5 are bonus levels for the high-spenders and add deeper cashback discounts to your existing retail portfolio. The additional cashback rate is dynamic depending on a number of factors such as membership longevity, seasonality, partners and many more. This is a great way of rewarding our most loyal and engaged members with a small additional perk.
Today’s Release
Today is an MVP beta release of Level 1 that will help you get to grips with the programme and allow us to perfect a larger scale release in early Q3 with a more abundant range of retailers! Level 1 consists of highly established Fashion & Retail brands such as Nike and Gant that will offer you great savings across a range of product categories. We plan to add more household renowned retailers to Level 1 in the upcoming weeks leading to July and we can’t wait to share that with you.
Example
If you shop at Nike and purchase an item worth £120 through the Full Price Item’s list, you will receive 3% in Pluton (PLU) rewards for the purchase as well as an additional 4% cash on top (giving you a total of 7% back in value, which equates to £8.40).
To ensure you are eligible for your cashback reward:
Use the links on your Perks Dashboard. The purchase must also be made with your Plutus Debit Card at product checkout.
Reminder: Each merchant has their own cashback reimbursement timeframe.
Still to Come
There are a number of plans to further improve your spending experience so that you can enjoy the maximum out of your spending.
Withdraw Functionality
Currently, the PLU is displayed on your Pluton Dashboard but held in cold storage for the reward pool. Future releases will allow you to withdraw this PLU to any ERC20-enabled wallet so that you may use PLU as you wish — swap to fiat on our DEX or stake for additional perks.
Stake Location
With it, we will evolve the opportunity to stake PLU in the wallet of your choosing rather than the Pluton Dashboard alone. Using the transparency of blockchain technology, we will scan your attached wallet to identify your level and available perks so you can retain full custody of your Pluton.
Increased Cashback Opportunities
We will be continually increasing your list of Perks so that you enjoy as many cashback offers as possible. Our members already have a strong list of retail offerings which will constantly grow to suit the needs and demographic of our users.
Join Us
As always, there is still an overwhelming amount of exciting news under the radar that is yet to emerge so stay tuned. To stay as informed as possible, follow our Twitter account or Medium publication where we post content first. Join us on Discord to chat directly with the team and other community members, it is a very welcoming group.
|
https://medium.com/plutus/arrival-of-plutus-perks-level-1-160e4b4ef3ec
|
[]
|
2020-08-13 16:51:16.081000+00:00
|
['Bitcoin', 'Ethereum', 'Announcements', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Rewards']
|
2020, Terbungkus Habis
|
Farhan Muhammad Aditomo is a lifelong baseball fan who also happened to found love in other sports such as combat sports, motorsports, association football, and gridiron football. He aspires to make a living out of the texts about people within the aforementioned sports. Worships Hideki Matsui, but not Yomiuri Giants. Thinks coal miners as one of the best human resources for labor disputes all over the world.
You can follow him on Twitter as @fmaditomo or Instagram as @iniaditomo.
|
https://medium.com/@fmaditomo/2020-terbungkus-habis-5f856323a7fd
|
['Farhan Muhammad Aditomo']
|
2020-12-27 04:20:40.326000+00:00
|
['MLB', 'NFL', '2020', 'Sports', 'Fun']
|
How Much Does Running Cost?
|
Running is a great budget exercise because it requires minimal equipment, but it’s still a far cry from free. Each year, I spend hundreds of dollars on running, despite approaching the hobby with a frugal attitude. Below, I share each of my expenses and the ways I’ve found to save money. If you’re a new runner, I hope this gives you a great idea of exactly what costs to expect.
Shoes
Most runners consider shoes the one essential item needed for the hobby. I’ve heard suggestions that a good pair of shoes should cost at least $100, but that’s outrageous.
The key to saving money on running shoes is simply to buy the previous year’s model. (Just like cars, running shoes are typically updated once each year.)
Prior to the pandemic, I often found running shoes from major brands for as cheap as $30. Since so many more people have started running this year, demand has increased and driven prices up. Even so, it’s still easy to find deals for $50 to $60.
A great tool for finding cheap shoes is the price comparison website shoekicker.com. You can also find great deals by going directly to the shoe manufacturer’s website. Shoe prices oscillate frequently, so if they look high at the moment, just check back a week later.
Most running shoes last up to 500 miles. For a beginner, one pair of shoes will likely last you at least a year.
Estimated cost: $50
Clothing
Strictly speaking, you don’t need to spend a dime on running clothing. Any exercise gear will work. When I started running, I wore everyday t-shirts and basketball shorts.
With that said, running clothing does make a huge difference in your comfort level. When I finally switch to running shorts, I couldn’t believe how much easier they were to move in.
Most of the big discount clothing stores have running clothes, so you still don’t need to shell out much cash. I generally spend $20 to $30 on running shorts and $10 to $20 on shirts. For beginners, a couple of shirts and a couple of pairs of shorts are enough to get you started.
Estimated cost: $80
GPS Watch
These days, most runners like to track their runs using GPS. You can do this for free using apps on your phone. The most popular are Strava, MapMyRun, and RunKeeper.
When I started running, I used my phone to track runs for over a year. It worked fine, but I hated having it in my pocket where it constantly bounced against my leg. I tried buying a cheap arm strap for it but didn’t like the feeling of that either.
Finally, I broke down and bought a GPS watch. It’s been one of the best purchases I’ve ever made.
I got the Garmin Forerunner 35, which cost about $140 at the time. These days, the same model regularly dips as low as $90. Other GPS watches range in price from $40 discount brands to over $1,000 for the highest-end Garmins.
What I like best about having a watch is being able to easily check my pace while I run. It’s greatly helped me improve my consistency.
Estimated cost: $100
Food
My biggest running expense is one that I didn’t think about at all when I began: the food. Running burns a ton of calories. Unless you’re trying to lose weight, you’re going to need to eat a lot more than usual to keep up.
I calculated how much additional food I was eating because of running and discovered that it increases my grocery costs by up to 25%.
Beginner runners are unlikely to run nearly as much, but you should still plan for your new hobby to affect your running budget. Expect to burn about 100 calories for every mile run. This can quickly add up to an extra day’s worth of food per week!
Total Costs
You can start running with nothing more than a $50 pair of shoes. But, if you get serious about the hobby, expect the costs to climb fast.
Excluding food costs, around $230 should cover the first year of running with low-budget gear. If you opt for higher-end equipment, you could easily pay three or four times that.
The increase in food costs could add up to hundreds or even thousands. It’s worth calculating exactly how many calories you burn each week and thinking about ways to fill that calorie deficit cheaply.
Aside from food, I haven’t run into any “hidden” costs I didn’t expect. Overall, running is still one of the cheapest exercise choices around.
If you’re on the fence, I’d recommend starting with just a pair of running shoes. It’s a relatively cheap investment for a hobby that just might end up changing your life.
|
https://medium.com/runners-life/how-much-does-running-cost-dfd58915156e
|
['Benya Clark']
|
2020-12-16 14:38:43.825000+00:00
|
['Fitness', 'Running', 'Health', 'Running Tips', 'Finance']
|
3 things that keep you stuck on an emotional rollercoaster and the one and only thing you need to do to break free.
|
This year has not been easy for any of us. And the holiday season, in spite of all its magic, seems to add a lot of stress on top of all we have been already going through.
As a result you may feel like you’re being constantly hijacked for crazy adrenaline rides by frustration, anxiety or anger. Or, just the opposite, you may feel as if you’re submerged in honey. Every movement is an effort, there is no motivation and feel totally overwhelmed.
Whichever of these scenarios is playing out in your life right now, there is just one, brilliantly simple thing, you need to do to feel much better. (And I’m not talking a temporary relief but a long term, sustainable solution).
And this one thing is: Stop Resisting! Stop fighting!
And instead, give yourself permission to feel all of your feelings whatever they are.
Big or small. Subtle or intense. Nice or not-so-nice.
This might seem like a no-brainer. We all know that all that struggling and resisting does is to adds another layer of suffering.
Unfortunately, we often learnt quite early in life that feeling our feelings wasn’t safe and would not get us all the love and approval that we desperately needed. And we were right, at the time.
But… that was a long time ago, wasn’t it?
If you want to start doing things differently, so that you can stay in charge of your emotions, you need to stop doing these 3 things:
1. Stop dismissing your feelings as invalid and not important. Stop behaving as if they don’t matter at all or at least not as much as other people’s feelings. THEY DO MATTER. A lot.
2. Stop avoiding or running away from your feelings, as if they were more powerful than you and thus dangerous. This is never true. You are in charge here. Always.
3. Stop guilt-tripping yourself and beating yourself up for feeling the way you feel. You are not responsible for your feelings. You are only responsible for the way you handle them.
And instead, give yourself permission to feel the way you’re feeling!
I teach my clients plenty of powerful tools and techniques to help them start feeling more comfortable and at ease with all of their emotions. But for today you may start in the simplest way possible. Put your hand on your heart (this in itself releases oxytocin which calms your whole nervous system), take a deep breath in and a long breath out, and say to yourself:
‘It’s ok. It’s ok to feel what I feel. There is enough space for all of my feelings. I can handle this.”
And if you are tired of your emotions taking the best of you, let’s talk. Book a free Discovery Session on www.kasiakolek.com and let me help you create your own roadmap to calm, peace of mind and emotional balance.
One Last Thing… If you found this article helpful, please give it a few Claps so that other people can find it on Medium, too. Thank you!
|
https://medium.com/@kasiakolek/3-things-that-keep-you-stuck-on-an-emotional-rollercoaster-and-the-one-and-only-thing-you-need-to-d76bf73f4b04
|
['Kasia Kolek Msc', 'Ma']
|
2021-01-03 15:37:17.041000+00:00
|
['Emotional Wellbeing', 'Emotions', 'Emotional Intelligence', 'Self Love', 'Mindfulness']
|
How Long Does It Take to Make a Website?
|
How long does it take to build a website? The amount of time varies depending on the goal, size, and complexity of the project. Moreover, projects of the same type differ from one another. Someone may spend months preparing content for an otherwise ‘simple’ project whereas others build an online store within days leveraging the benefits of WordPress.
It’s possible to predict with pretty good accuracy how long it will take a developer to build a website, as long as it’s not too complex.
To know what price and timeline to expect when you’re ordering a website, you need to account for the scope of the site and your expectations on quality, and also be aware that not all developers are equally fast.
A Basic Website Timeline
The website development timeline consists of several stages. The amount of time spent on each stage corresponds to its set of objectives and complexity.
Discovery and planning (80+ hours)
Content Creation (80+ hours)
UI/UX Design (48+ hours)
Web Development / Coding (16+ hours)
Beta Testing & Modification (8+ hours)
Official Launch (8+ hours)
⠀
Assessment by the Type of Website:
Regardless of the project’s scope, it’s crucial to establish a timeline of stages and objectives to ensure the optimal result within the shortest amount of time. The developers should establish delivery on time and budget. If you wish to get your website launched in a timely manner, try to have at least the product requirements and content ready beforehand.
Many developers cite 30–45 days as a ‘normal’ time frame but also agree that software development is dependent upon too many factors. An experienced PM should help you to consider all the factors and estimate the optimal time and cost to build your website. Contact Onix — we’ll be happy to help!
|
https://medium.com/@onix-systems/how-long-does-it-take-to-make-a-website-612872a29c75
|
[]
|
2020-10-07 13:44:07.989000+00:00
|
['Website Development', 'Website', 'Website Design']
|
Journalists and Techies: An Important Alliance in Press Freedom, Safety
|
When journalists go missing — or worse, are murdered for investigating and reporting on government corruption or drug cartels — their investigative work and documents often disappear along with them. The work for which the journalist risked their life or freedom ends.
Efforts are underway to ensure that an investigative journalist’s work continues and is brought to light in the event a reporter’s life is tragically cut short, according to Javier Garza, a former Knight Fellow at the International Center for Journalists and former editorial director of El Siglo de Torreón. Garza said Andres D’Alessandro, executive director of the Newspaper Editors Association of Argentina, had an idea: What if a journalist’s notes, documents, etc. were preserved in a space, akin to a cloud, but with far more limited access and far greater security? In the event of a journalist’s jailing, disappearance or murder, another trusted journalist with access could pick up where the jailed or murdered journalist left off. Communication, trust, and the proper tech tools are key in making this journalistic handoff possible.
Keeping Investigative Information Safe
D’Alessandro asked Garza to partner with him to help give shape to this idea and bring it to fruition. The app or tech tool is still in its planning stages, but is necessary for journalists risking their lives to expose criminal behavior and corruption, said Garza, a fellow at the International Center for Journalists, who also does security work for journalists of the Word Association of Newspapers and News Publishers.
“There’s a need to protect materials that are part of an investigation,” said Garza, who is also a working journalist and hosts a radio show in his native Mexico. “This way, if a journalist senses that an investigation might be dangerous, they can protect their materials by loading to a server and then that server could be accessed by other journalists.”
Keeping journalists safe and their work secure is a topic Garza has researched extensively and continues to work toward. Last year, he published Journalists Security in the Digital World: A Survey: Are We Using the Right Tools?
A Matter of Life and Death
Security and secure tools are important life and death topics impacting journalists across the globe, particularly in Latin America, the Middle East, Central and Southeast Asia and Western Europe. Garza’s survey revealed that 70 percent of journalists do not use secure file storage and sharing and even fewer use encryption, geo-tracking, and risk-assessment tools. This, despite 45 percent of respondents indicating “they’ve had a security experience that could have been improved by a digital tool,” according to the survey.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, ten of the 30 journalists who have been killed this year were killed in Mexico. That rate is on par with the one dozen journalists killed in 2016.
Garza knew Javier Valdez, a fellow Mexican journalist, who was gunned down in broad daylight in May. Valdez was one of the founders of Ríodoce, a weekly that reported on crime and corruption in Sinaloa, a state known for rampant drug trafficking and violence. Valdez’s highly publicized murder was condemned by international groups, but like 90 percent of journalists’ murders, remains unsolved.
Speaking the Same Language
Garza hopes there will be a secure tool that would work much like Google Drive or Dropbox, which could be accessed from anywhere should a journalist be driven into exile, go missing or be murdered.
Among the biggest hurdles he faces, Garza said, is having journalists and software developers communicate and understand one another. “The main issue has been to try to get understanding between the people who are developing circumvention technologies that help provide protection and avoid censorship and those who need and would use those technologies to speak the same language.” Journalists, particularly old-school journalists, are not tech-savvy — “they came of age between Atari and Nintendo” — while some developers lack understanding of the particular needs of journalists and human rights defenders and activists, Garza said.
A Work in Progress
While social media has helped add a layer of security, the need for tech tools to enhance journalists’ safety is still a work in progress.
“What would (the proper tools) look like in terms of architecture?” Garza asked. “Once we have a clear idea, then we can bring in some journalists, do some pilot runs, and make journalists aware that the tool is available.”
|
https://medium.com/iff-community-stories/journalists-and-techies-an-important-alliance-in-press-freedom-safety-40fc8af7fb88
|
['Sylvia A Martinez']
|
2017-10-30 15:18:41.859000+00:00
|
['Journalism', 'Death', 'Security', 'Tech', 'Digital Marketing']
|
The Moon is rusting and turning Red, it’s likely Earth’s fault
|
Red Moon | Image from Pixabay
If there’s one thing we can rely on, it’s that the moon will always be there. Night after night. But our lunar satellite is actually changing, and in stranger ways than we could have ever imagined.
‘The Moon Mineralogy Mapper’ is a device designed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to study the composition of the moon. It’s what’s known as a spectrometer, which is a machine that produces spectral maps; which are maps that show the exact chemical arrangement of any given planet or, in this case, satellite.
The Moon Mapper works because every element on the moon emits a different wavelength of light on the electromagnetic spectrum, so it meticulously records these to provide us with some of the most detailed images we’ve ever seen. In fact, that first detected water on the moon in 2009. In 2020, scientists re-examined some past data from the Moon Minerology Mapper; data that was originally gathered as part of a survey taken twelve years earlier. When the mapper had been installed on Chandrayaan-1, an Indian spacecraft. The scientists from the University of Hawaii discovered something previously thought to be completely impossible. Analysing the lunar poles in particular, they appeared to be going rusty. Specifically, the mapper identified hematite, an iron oxide produced when iron meets water and oxygen, leaving rust. The problem here is that the moon shouldn’t have enough water or oxygen for rust to form.
How did oxygen and water get on the luner surface?
Well, it most likely has a lot to do with our planet, Earth. The most straightforward theory is that for at least 2.5 billion years, Earth’s plants have been pumping out oxygen, and the moon has picked up some of that. We can find proof of this in certain isotopes of oxygen that have now been found on the moon, because they’re isotopes that originate from Earth. The leading idea is that when the moon passes through Earth’s magnetotail, which is the trail the planet leaves behind as it orbits the sun, it’s then subjected to at least a little bit of our world’s oxygen. This happens only for short periods, but regularly. Although it still doesn’t completely solve the mystery. Because, what about the water?
Read More…
|
https://medium.com/@abstractwords/the-moon-is-rusting-and-turning-red-its-likely-earth-s-fault-16cac4a89f2d
|
['Sraboni Modak']
|
2020-12-12 09:19:12.508000+00:00
|
['Blood Moon', 'Science', 'Space', 'Moon', 'Physics']
|
Lawyers need to get their stories straight…
|
Lawyers need to get their stories straight…
…Or risk missing out on growth
The legal industry has got a flame under it. While the news value of investment banking is in a down cycle, the fizz in the law firm world is becoming audible.
Domestic U.S. firms are merging to strengthen regional and international positions and international firms are merging to strengthen global positions. In the UK, there have been 108 law firm mergers since 2011 — with the world’s now-largest law firm by number of lawyers, Dentons, leading the way. It seems that the pain of the financial crisis has shocked everyone into doing all they can to promote stability — meaning smarter and better controls, more pre-warning and tighter regulation. And many believe that increased stability is a direct result of increased size.
It wasn’t always like this. Just after the crisis, when we worked with firms like Osborne Clarke, Allen & Overy and the legal world’s equivalent of the Star Alliance, Lex Mundi, firms were loosely grouped in three clusters — predominately U.S. domestic firms with not that much interest in global business; major U.S., Asian and European firms with a lot of global interest; and ones in between, kind of bridging firms. So what’s changed? Is there still room for firms of all shapes and sizes? If so, what role does brand have to play?
I’m certain that we will still have groupings who decide to zag while others zig.
The current legal commentary is focused on the question of confidence in your brand. It’s hard to imagine for example, Quinn Emanuel taking a risk in merging with a player that could in any way divert its meaning and direction or detract from its existing reputation.
Equally, while all around are tying knots, there are many firms who would rather concentrate on what has produced their long-lasting client relationships and strong profitability. For instance, we all know that when clients are asked about cross-border transactions and who they’d rather handle them, they always say pre-existing relationships, lawyers they know. The brands they already trust. So for some, it was no surprise to read recently that the firm leading VW’s defence in the U.S. has only 66 lawyers. So this begs the question about the size thing… is it a sure-fire winner to go out there and rapidly build market share through mergers?
Felix Oberholzer-Gee from the Strategy Unit at Harvard Business School thinks possibly not. Rapid growth can be accompanied by a slide into a commoditised position as pricing is used to ensure market share gain feeds the larger machine. This puts all kinds of pressures onto the firm, perhaps the worst being that it could kill the motivation of associates to drive as hard for equity partnership as there’s not enough profit around for them to make it worthwhile. Theorists point to the current era in law as one step away from a different business model, closer to that of the accountants.
But all of that is fine and easy to understand. When it comes to brand (or reputation), the difficult bit is finding the right way to talk about your strategy, even, to be able define your strategy in such fluid circumstances.
From our experience with firms of all sizes, it’s not a question so much for people running the practice where this matter is gaining importance, but a question for the larger groups of partners who are getting swept along in the current. The irritating thing for many of these partners and their colleagues is the distraction of seeing the merger after the event, as somehow being the cause of some kind of limitation to growth because of cultural difficulties.
Indeed, sometimes these mergers fail the even more basic test — ‘what do my clients think?’ That’s when it can get tough.
It’s at that point that people in these firms are bound to ask, what are we doing, where are we trying to get to, what’s the organising idea that we use for our work, and how do we, all of the lawyers and the professionals in this new vision, get behind this and make it work?
So I’d suggest that whether you’re big or small, merged or independent, there’s never been more pressure to get your story straight — for your clients, your future trainees and your partners.
It’s not just the story you decide to tell but how one starts to think about the story that matters. And never forget, your brand — the external perception of your business — IS your story.
Lawyers are brilliant at reaching the positive by identifying and eliminating the negatives. But reputations and the cultures that create them are sometimes softer and more nebulous, they are harder to probe and also quite probably harder to empathise with when all around you is a race to get bigger.
Straight stories go down well. They should also be the easiest to tell.
|
https://medium.com/dragon-rouge/lawyers-need-to-get-their-stories-straight-or-risk-missing-out-on-growth-2907863ec787
|
['Dragon Rouge']
|
2016-04-19 16:06:46.847000+00:00
|
['Storytelling', 'Law', 'Branding']
|
How We Get Through This
|
Walks around my neighborhood are keeping me sane right now
As we settle into our second stay-at-home order in the Bay Area, I’ll be honest: it’s a bit of a struggle to offer new words of guidance, comfort, or advice. No one needs to be reminded of how hard a time this is — we’re all living it. Many of us had to make tough phone calls to loved ones to let them know we wouldn’t be gathering for Thanksgiving. And we’ll have to do it again for Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Years.
The unusual holiday season, of course, is piling on top of the many reasons folks are struggling right now. With unemployment rates and business closures still very high, people in our communities are fighting to pay rent and mortgages, to feed their families, and generally make ends meet. And with COVID-19 infection rates rising, we are losing too many people to this horrible virus.
With the rapid surge of infections and the diminishing capacity of our ICUs, our counties made the very difficult decision to return to a stay-at-home order. You can read more about what’s allowed and what’s not here. (TLDR; don’t gather with anyone outside of your household, stay home when you can, and no more outdoor dining for the time being.)
It’s going to be tough to get through the next couple of months. But I have faith that we can do this. After all, we did it before and we made it — and that was when there was no vaccine on the horizon.
We need to hang in there in the meantime, and try to stay as safe as possible. Our community has already done an excellent job beating back the virus — we’ve had much better health outcomes than most of the country. That’s because of your sacrifices and hard work.
And to be clear, everything about 2020 has been hard work: it’s hard work to make ends meet right now with a rapidly shifting economic landscape and little help from the federal government as we’re expected to stay home and close businesses. It’s hard work not to see family and friends, to be stuck at home without access to some of the things that normally bring us joy. It’s hard work to face down so much uncertainty and still persevere.
I personally believe in a “harm reduction” model, which is the framework many public health experts use when it comes to realistically keeping the public as safe as possible — given risks that people are likely to take — from health threats. What does harm reduction look like when it comes to COVID-19?
Don’t blame and shame. Rather than shaming people who are breaking the rules, model good behavior and kindly remind them of ways to do things more safely: wear masks, socially distance, favor outdoor activities over indoors when someone has decided to be with others. It’s an adjustment for everyone, even many months into this pandemic. Did some of your family get together inside for Thanksgiving? Are they planning on doing the same for Christmas? Instead of shaming them, remind them about the new stay-at-home order and suggest masking and being outdoors if they choose to move forward with a gathering despite public health orders.
Rather than shaming people who are breaking the rules, model good behavior and kindly remind them of ways to do things more safely: wear masks, socially distance, favor outdoor activities over indoors when someone has decided to be with others. It’s an adjustment for everyone, even many months into this pandemic. Did some of your family get together inside for Thanksgiving? Are they planning on doing the same for Christmas? Instead of shaming them, remind them about the new stay-at-home order and suggest masking and being outdoors if they choose to move forward with a gathering despite public health orders. Enjoy the things you CAN do that are mostly safe (although few things are entirely without risk): go on walks and enjoy the outdoors (parks and beaches are still open and playgrounds are reopening), get some exercise at home or outdoors, get takeout from local businesses and enjoy food at home with members of your household. Yes, we all have Zoom fatigue. I get it. I do as well. But I’ve had some fun game nights on Zoom with friends. Virtual get-togethers are better than none at all, and you can reminisce about all the fun times you had on Zoom together in March and April…
(although few things are entirely without risk): go on walks and enjoy the outdoors (parks and beaches are still open and playgrounds are reopening), get some exercise at home or outdoors, get takeout from local businesses and enjoy food at home with members of your household. Yes, we all have Zoom fatigue. I get it. I do as well. But I’ve had some fun game nights on Zoom with friends. Virtual get-togethers are better than none at all, and you can reminisce about all the fun times you had on Zoom together in March and April… Set boundaries! You can’t force anyone who is not you to behave differently. You only have a say over yourself and what your needs and boundaries are. Make your boundaries clear and set a good example, even if others aren’t able or willing to do the same.
You can’t force anyone who is not you to behave differently. You only have a say over yourself and what your needs and boundaries are. Make your boundaries clear and set a good example, even if others aren’t able or willing to do the same. Limit your time doing high-risk activities. We’re all going to need to go grocery shopping, get dental procedures, go to the post office, etc. But it’s important to limit your time in higher-risk spaces (i.e. indoor spaces). For those over 60, if at all possible, these activities should be avoided until you are vaccinated. For those under 60, send one person in your household to the grocery store, instead of two. Bring a list with you and try to get things done efficiently.
We are getting closer to this nightmare being behind us. So hang in there and stay as safe as possible. This community’s response to the pandemic continues to inspire me, and I know we will come out of this pandemic stronger than when we went in — with a commitment to build a better healthcare system and to address the massive inequities the pandemic has exposed.
As always, my office is here to answer any of your questions and provide support or help, whether around unemployment benefits, possible eviction, food benefits, or other needs.
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https://medium.com/@scott-wiener/how-we-get-through-this-5bc33cbd2318
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['Scott Wiener']
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2020-12-11 16:40:38.324000+00:00
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['Coronavirus', 'San Francisco', 'Health', 'Covid-19', 'California']
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Дать дуба в округе Юба скачать торрент ///
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Don't wait. The time will never be just right
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https://medium.com/@katheri43577113/%D0%B4%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%8C-%D0%B4%D1%83%D0%B1%D0%B0-%D0%B2-%D0%BE%D0%BA%D1%80%D1%83%D0%B3%D0%B5-%D1%8E%D0%B1%D0%B0-%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%87%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%8C-%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%82-b5a04e5f1d01
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[]
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2020-12-27 11:35:18.385000+00:00
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['Coronovirus', 'Covid 19']
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How Does Attitude Value The Actions Of People?
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How Does Attitude Value The Actions Of People?
When understanding how attitude can be adopted, it's easier to reach improvements into sustaining people's demands, within their relevant actions. Experts discovered that attitude is a superior indicator of prosperity, which was defined as being classified into the dominant attitude and loyal attitude.
For people that adopt a loyal attitude, achievements can be certain in showing a reliance on a belief, and that can cause difficulties for people who are exposing ideas beyond what can be reached, and this will make them appear inferior in their premises. When adopting a dominant attitude people accept that they can improve through effort and they outperform those with a loyal attitude, even when they succeed by using better decisions. They embrace difficulties and at the same time treat them as chances to discover new challenges. The best analysis would underline people who adopt the dominant attitude because they can lead to improvements. It also exposes that in time it is a tool for success.
When exposing a specific attitude through facts that complete consistency into adopting positions that underlines their achievements, knowledge confirms the act of integration. In achieving better results, will attitude be a guarantee to a satisfactory awareness or becomes the value of each person’s action?
The main circumstances of life are influenced by how people are handling different situations and problems. Of course, that by admitting that dominant people can extend to a more imposing attitude into society, also will involve the status of substantiating their qualities and particularity.
By embracing progress we are accepting knowledge into the requirements of everyday practices, and then society can’t progress to a more sustainable future. Each person perceives reality through progress. People with a loyal attitude can overcome conditions by admitting everything exactly as it is without revealing a particular determination, while people with a dominant attitude will actively perform until their last breath. Individuals with a dominant attitude react to problems more seriously. Their advice is not to remain defenseless, because the test for them is the attitude through which they respond to feelings. We can either gain and move ahead or let them drag us down. Countless successful individuals might have never made it if they had succumbed to the feeling of vulnerability.
Permanently, facts are coordinated by our attitude.
The representation of actions can engage each person into attaining distinctive reactions, and that will in fact assign value to those actions for different people. Imagine what might have occurred if people with a loyal attitude would plead to denials and given up hope?
Individuals with a dominant attitude can answer these facts through their perception of implying effectiveness into their ability to realize that loss can be effective. People should be certain about progressing even more through effort and afterward succeeding in different directions.
It is not so hard to realize the fact that people with a dominant attitude can beat their fears since they are more courageous than people who adopt a loyal attitude. It’s just because of the way they handle fears and the concerns that are slowing their responsiveness. In their most exemplary approaches, they defeat their disadvantages by adding new immediate actions into managing to move forward. People with a dominant attitude are very committed and enable individuals, in general, to realize that there’s nothing more important than growing into ideals that advance the actions to success. Committed individuals give their best performance, even on their most terrible days. They’re continually driving themselves to achieve progress.
Distinguishing attitude requires the assumption of consistency. At some point, before reaching the desired achievements people are entitled to do additional steps. When feeling consumed, remarks are substantiating intentions. Continuing into directing attitude into achieving progress will generally set boundaries in what can be accomplished, physically or mentally, settled beyond the amazing balance, that influence fact, into making the right choices for those challenges. Without restrictions, there are only actions, but there are no reasons for not seeing beyond them. In those cases, beliefs can give that feeling of succeeding or acting in what any man should continually exceed bypassing these intentions. In anticipating results individuals with a dominant attitude will realize that they will fail once in a while, however, they can never feel less empowered for anticipating results. Expecting results keeps them motivated and feeds their cycle of empowerment. After all, If they don’t believe that will succeed, at that point why giving themself such trouble?
Individuals with a dominant attitude, embrace adversity as a method for progressing, rather than something that keeps them behind. At the point when an unexpected circumstance challenges an empowered individual, they strive until they get better results. Try not to complain when things don’t go as you plan. Complaining is a conspicuous ground of the loyal attitude. A dominant attitude searches for opportunities in all things, so there’s no room for complaints.
Moving forward and taking action are facts that transform all your worries and disappointments into strengths. At that point, you have to move ahead to pursue a further challenge.
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https://medium.com/illumination/how-does-attitude-value-the-actions-of-people-d0058a543a5
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['Iulia C. Bocaneala']
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2020-12-17 17:56:09.939000+00:00
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['Progress', 'Articles', 'Attitude', 'People', 'Illumination']
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React Native reusable component — Todo list App
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We ( lazy programmers :D ) always tend to reuse ready made components and make use of any other things that can save time and effort and as Anthony J. D’Angelo said “Don’t reinvent the wheel, just realign it”.
It’s good that in React Native like in most programming languages we can make our own customized components and reuse them.
Here I’m going to show you how to make a simple component in your app in very simple and easy way.
I’ve choosen a simple ToDo list app to go through our examples here.
ToDo list app
Let’s do the red rectangle together:
Add “New Folder” in “src” folder, name it “components” Add “New File” name it “TodoItem.js” Copy the folloing code:
Now let use that component named “TodoItem”:
Go to the main file, in my app it’s “App.js” Add “import TodoItem from ‘./components/TodoItem’;” in the top of the file so now you can use that component Use this tag <TodoItem> wherever you want to use the component and you pass properties and functions too
So in simple words it’s the best practice to make your code shorter, cleaner, and more readalbe, so let’s say you want to make your own customized Button then your write the code ones and you can pass the color, font size, functions, and more …
To take a look or test my code for Todo list App feel free to visit this link:
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https://medium.com/@tammamwafai/react-native-reusable-component-todo-list-app-7f746d09526c
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['Tammam Wafai']
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2020-12-25 12:53:53.900000+00:00
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['To Do List', 'Apps', 'React Native', 'Reusable Component', 'Todo']
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It’s More Unaffordable to Not Have Health Insurance
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By Manny Otiko | California Black Media
As someone who has been self-employed as a rideshare driver and a freelance writer, I’ve received a crash course in making sense of the quirks and complications of the American healthcare system.
You learn very quickly when you’re self-employed that you have to do everything yourself — and, in the process, you have to understand all of it, too. You have to be your own HR department and accounts payable staff. That’s when you realize the value of employer-paid health insurance.
The cost of healthcare
With full-time employment, in some cases, employers pay all the health care insurance costs. In other cases, they pay half. When your monthly premium is $400, that $200 subsidy could go a long way.
I’m single, but it’s even worse for families. My brother, who has a wife and two children, pays more than $1,000 for his monthly premium. Fortunately, he makes a good living and can afford it. But many families can’t.
“The total costs for a typical family of four insured by the most common health plan offered by employers will average $28,166 this year,” according to the annual Milliman Medical Index, an independent assessment of health costs provided by a private risk management firm.
USA Today reports that healthcare costs have jumped $5,000 in two years and, already unaffordable, the prices keep rising.
Rent or health insurance?
I tried to do the responsible thing and buy health insurance, but it becomes prohibitive when you have to foot the bill yourself. Companies were quoting me premiums averaging about $400 per month — even with Obamacare. And with all the other essential bills, such as food, gasoline, rent, adding up, it comes down to a choice of what you can eliminate.
Like many Americans, you ask yourself what you can do without? I can do without health insurance, but I can’t do without transportation, food and shelter. That’s the central problem with Obamacare. It’s still too expensive and forces you to buy into the complicated healthcare system. Even with additional Covered California subsidies the costs are still high for freelance workers.
But after I fell ill during the COVID-19 pandemic, I learned the high cost of not having health insurance, too.
I woke up in the middle of the night, experiencing the worst pain I’ve ever had in my life. I finally called an ambulance and was transported to the hospital. I stayed in the hospital for about six hours. They never performed any surgery on me, or gave me any medication. (I had a kidney stone) But when I got the bill, it was about $15,000. Now, I’m buried in paperwork as I try to get rid of this debt. It’s no wonder that healthcare costs are the no. 1 source of bankruptcy.
Like many Americans, you ask yourself what you can do without? I can do without health insurance, but I can’t do without transportation, food and shelter. That’s the central problem with Obamacare. It’s still too expensive and forces you to buy into the complicated healthcare system. Even with additional Covered California subsidies the costs are still high for freelance workers.
A $15,000 bill
But people have to ask themselves, can you afford not to have health insurance? I chose to risk not having it and now I have close to $15,000 in medical debt. The worse thing is this: even if I had medical insurance, I still would have had a large bill. However, I realize that owing $7,000 in medical bills is not worse than close to $15,000.
I finally bit the bullet and decided to buy an HMO program that cost me close to $350 per month. That’s not an easy bill to pay. It’s like a car payment. (Fortunately, my car is paid for) When I complained about the cost to a friend, she told me I’d be better off saving the money. But I’ve already been down that road.
Therefore, I urge everyone in situations similar to mine to sign up for insurance through Covered California. It’s necessary. Open enrollment began Nov. 1 and runs through Jan. 31, 2021.
This raises an issue Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) talked about during her presidential campaign. Medical insurance is supposed to protect against medical debt. But even if you have it, you still get hit with a pile of bills. As Warren said, medical insurance doesn’t work. It’s false advertising.
“In 2005, she, along with David Himmelstein, Deborah Thorne and Steffie Woolhandler, Warren published a paper in the journal Health Affairs documenting a memorable statistic: More than 40 % of all bankruptcies in America were a result of medical problems, they wrote. In 2009, they updated that research with an even more startling number: Medical bills were responsible for more than 62 % of all American bankruptcies.”
For-profit propaganda
I favor a single-payer system where everyone gets covered. It also lowers health insurance costs because it reduces the administrative and advertising costs for companies. And no matter what the for-profit healthcare talking points tell us, single-payer systems are more efficient. The United Nations rated the French healthcare system the most efficient, and that’s a single-payer program. And you don’t see large numbers of Canadians crossing the border to go to American for-profit hospitals.
According to retired healthcare executive Randall Potter, the health insurance industry poured millions into a stealth propaganda campaign when director Michael Moore came out with his movie ‘Sicko.” The 2007 movie pointed out the flaws of the American for-profit system and showed how other countries had much more efficient health systems.
“The industry knows from years of focus group message testing that terms like ‘socialized medicine’ and ‘government-run health care’ scare many Americans and that many of us respond favorably to terms like ‘choice’ and ‘competition.’ Based on this knowledge, there were several big lies I helped craft — and that are still in circulation today,” said Potter in an NBC News article.
Whatever the answer is, we need to try something different, because this current system isn’t working. Just look at my story, and there are millions of people like me.
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https://eaafolabi.medium.com/opinion-its-more-unaffordable-to-not-have-health-insurance-sac-cultural-hub-ca8e110102c6
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['Manny Otiko']
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2020-12-09 21:40:40.398000+00:00
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['Insurance', 'Healthcare', 'Obamacare', 'Health', 'Medicine']
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Finding Inspiration in the Mountains
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I traveled cross country to Montana with two friends recently. It was the longest road-trip I’ve ever taken-roughly five days there and back. Despite a few setbacks and unexpected challenges along the way, we somehow managed to enjoy each other’s company for hours at a time. We survived sleeping on twin beds squished together, spiders in the basement of our Bed and Breakfast, a creepy hotel receptionist who “totally goes to Portland all the time”, and numerous other misadventures. We even almost adopted a cat.
The highlight of the trip, aside from seeing touristy spots like Mount Rushmore and the Lewis and Clark caverns, was the landscape. I’ve seen mountains in Colorado before but this was…it’s difficult to describe. Beautiful, overwhelming, spiritually…spiritual? There was an ancient and powerful feeling to them, with the craggy peaks and tall trees.
There were also the plains. Now that, I’ve never seen before. I was more or less prepared for mountains but driving through endless golden, mostly flat and sometimes low rolling hills, watching antelope graze and seemingly endless clouds paint the blue sky. Wow. Just…wow. We stopped in a small town so my friend could visit her grandparents’ graves and let me tell you, walking into a bar in a place where everyone knows each other and you’re the stranger is a pretty surreal experience. But seeing all that empty land and the tiny towns and isolated farms, I got the full understanding of just how big our country is and how ultimately irrelevant city-life is to people who live in nowhere.
I’ve lived in the suburbs, in the big city, and now I live in a small borough with barely over 1,000 people. I’m moderately well traveled, though I’d love to travel more, and like to think I’ve seen quite a bit of the diversity our country offers. But over two weeks I drove from the east coast, to busy Chicago, the badlands of South Dakota, mountains of Montana and Wisconsin, and beneath the immense skies of North Dakota. I’m not sure I’d do it again, if only because the driving took up so much time that could have been spent exploring. But I’m so glad I had the experience.
I’ve met many people who’ve barely been out of their state, let alone visited the opposite corners of their country. There’s no shame in loving where you live and sticking to what you know, but during the course of my trip I realized just how different we would feel, how much insight can be gained from seeing how other communities live. It’s easy to condense states and towns and populations down to stereotypes on the internet, when all we see is a badly curated version of the U.S. I knew North Dakota was less populated, but I had no idea what that meant. I knew that Montana had mountains, but seeing them-and seeing the effects of the wild fires in the northwest-gave me a perspective and context I never would’ve had otherwise. Pictures and words don’t capture the lived experience of being in those places.
Some people have the ability to travel regularly, and some don’t. I’ve always had aspirations of being a travel writer and this trip definitely reawakened that dream. I don’t know if I’ll be able to make another journey like this one again-but either way, my understanding of my country is a little broader, a little richer than it was before.
I’m supposed to tell you not to visit Montana, because they want to keep their beautiful places unbothered by commercialism and rapid growth. So all I’ll say is that if you DO find yourself in the northwest someday, keep an eye out for Big Foot, beware deer crossing the road, and try the huckleberry-it’s delicious.
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https://medium.com/@clarerushing/finding-inspiration-in-the-mountains-42a6b95fb44e
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['Clare Rushing']
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2021-09-08 20:16:25.187000+00:00
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['Travel Writing', 'Travel', 'America', 'Culture', 'Inspiration']
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What It’s Like to Live Paycheck to Paycheck as Fifty year olds
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Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels
I can distinctly remember biking through my hometown with my then boyfriend, now husband, talking about our futures. We insisted that we would never drive cars we couldn’t afford; we would prefer to be ‘house poor’ and live in place we loved where we could raise a family.
Little did we know.
Neither my husband nor I had been raised with a strong background in economics. Both our parents were in education — history and science. Shortly after we got married, my husband we presented with a job opportunity that set us on a path that essentially determined our economic future — only we didn’t know it at the time.
This job he took was a great opportunity — however, it was an enormous pay cut. This was twenty years ago. At that time, his salary was below the poverty level. My job brought us barely above that line — however, I’m a teacher so I only got paid nine months a year.
And so we began living paycheck to paycheck.
After a few years, my husband and I decided we needed to be in an industry that could pay him a salary that was above the poverty line before we could think about having children. So we moved home and we moved home and he took a job in sales.
This was a boost in income-which we appreciated. However, we were so far in debt at this point, we had no idea where to go from that point.
This is where I now tell my children we are a cautionary tale as had we made other choices perhaps we’d be in a different position today. We tried paying off multiple debts instead of tackling one at a time….
We rented several houses instead of buying one and staying put.
When we did finally buy one, we didn’t take into consideration how big our family would get and couldn’t stay there long term because we outgrew it.
We didn’t listen to our twenty-year old selves and bought a vehicle we couldn’t afford.
Some of the circumstances were out of our control…like the real estate market tanking when we needed to sell our too small house; an industry illegally paying their employees below the poverty line — something for which they were later sued for and found guilty of (but too late to help us of course).
However, those circumstances would have been far less damaging had we made better choices with the circumstances we could control. That is the lesson I teach my children. There’s nothing you can do about the circumstances you can’t control, so do the best with the ones you can.
I won’t pretend to say it’s a hard lesson to learn because as I sit here I am healthy, my family is healthy, my husband and I love each other, and my children are remarkable individuals. That’s the lesson I’ve learned in the face of all the economic difficulties we’ve faced through the years, and I’m grateful.
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https://medium.com/express-yourself/what-its-like-to-live-paycheck-to-paycheck-as-fifty-year-olds-d601be7c7266
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['Kathleen Finn']
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2020-12-12 17:36:34.876000+00:00
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['Financial Hardship', 'Money', 'Paycheck To Paycheck', 'Economics']
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More Than Enough, Chapter One
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I’ve actually given up on novels. I have one published by Kensington, another on Createspace after a near-miss with a publisher, but I’m at peace with the idea that I got more than many people do with the first experience. That said, I still feel attached to my characters, especially since the ones in More Than Enough evolved a lot over the years, especially since the people I paid to help me craft this book could never come up with reasons they shouldn’t see the light of day. I don’t have a huge following on Medium; just casting bread upon the waters. If you’re the one person who likes the story, I’m happy you found it entertaining. If nobody reads this, it won’t be more obscure than it was when confined to my laptop. :)
Section one is called “Michael”
CHAPTER ONE
Even at 11 p.m., the end-of-July heat and humidity made Syreeta’s dress cling like a childhood humiliation. She hated being cold, but still appreciated the polar blast of air conditioning that greeted her, her sister, Anita, and her future brother-in-law, Jay, as they entered the posh, downtown environs of The Kasbah on the second night of Caribana 1993, Toronto’s 26th annual celebration of their West Indian heritage.
If a fresh crop of black men bent on having a good time couldn’t distract her from the imminent threat of senior year, nothing could. She scanned the room, hoping that somewhere in the mass of melanated humanity surrounding the gleaming ebony curve of the bar, leaning against the aubergine walls, lurking behind the alabaster gauze curtains and gyrating on the dance floor, the man who would end her dry spell waited for her. And that he’d find her skintight scarlet dress and matching pumps impossible to ignore.
She spotted her Prince Charming the moment she entered the club. Well, so did everybody. He was hard to miss: 6’2, underdressed in a jet black tank and matching jeans, his bare arms cut and muscular, his stomach flat, his thighs twin columns of statuesque loveliness. His face impressed her even more, with onyx skin, lips like ripe plums, slanted eyes and high cheekbones that made her think of exotic lands she’d heard of only in legend. The diamond stud in his ear only added to the mystique. In short, he was the kind of man who makes grammatically correct sentences a challenge.
Their eyes locked for a tantalizingly long moment. Then, she forcibly turned her head. Why bother? A man like that had at least five women already. Besides, he scared her, leaning against the wall in a dark corner drinking beer, his expression so cold it dared anybody to approach him. Most of all, though, she hated it when people went to a dance and then just stood there, posing.
With three strikes, he would have been out if Syreeta had met another interesting male that night. Instead, she’d spent most of the evening trying not to choke on second-hand smoke and listening to Anita and Jay playing fashion police with the club’s customers, a pastime she found both hilarious and depressing. Syreeta glanced at her dress, regretting the decision to wear a take-no-prisoners outfit that intimidated more men than it attracted. Should have gone with common sense instead of fashion sense.
She was down to four piercings, two in each ear, she’d cut back on over-the top makeup, and while she sometimes wore Daisy Dukes and cropped tops, she never combined them anymore. But alcohol still calmed her down, so she was thankful for the constantly circulating, model-beautiful waitstaff, who made it easy for her to keep drinking rum punch so mouthwateringly sweet and tangy that after her third one, she demanded the recipe.
Maybe lime, coconut rum, grenadine, pineapple juice, Myers and Bacardi are a magic potion, or maybe she was trying harder than usual to kill the ache that comes from being disappointed, but that night Syreeta was this close to being drunk. Not that she embarrassed herself. When she needed to dance to Fatback’s version of “I’ve found Lovin’,” being high just meant she asked Prince Charming instead of somebody else. (One more drink and, as much as she liked that song, she would have danced by herself.)
She emptied her glass, handed it to a Halle Berry clone, and strode across the room, her inhibitions chemically nullified. As she approached, The Prince’s eyes widened with what appeared to be fear, surprise, or both. Syreeta smiled reassuringly. He smiled back, his angular face softening as the corners of his mouth forced his cheeks into symmetrical mounds, the expression in his eyes so endearing that she wished she’d asked him sooner. Then again, it took a while for her to have imbibed enough to have the guts.
“Would you like to dance?” she yelled in his ear. (The music was too deafening for seductive invitations. Besides, she always spoke loudly when she had a buzz).
“Sure,” he replied, in a voice like black sable on bare skin.
` The dance floor was an impenetrable wall, but as The Prince spoke, Syreeta could have sworn a path to the middle appeared, just like in a romantic movie. The crowd forced them close enough for her to smell his scent — Hugo Boss with an earthy touch of musk — and bask in the radiating sunshine of his body. Perfect, if the girl to her left hadn’t kept jabbing Syreeta with her elbow.
They jockeyed for position for about a minute, then Prince Charming took Syreeta’s hands and guided her a few steps backwards. Even though she’d never believed levitation could be a means of moving from place to place, she got so lost in The Prince’s eyes that she started to wonder. Somehow, Syreeta managed to smile at him and start dancing again, concentrating furiously on her equilibrium, painfully aware of the encroaching fog in her brain.
“Where are you from?” he asked, leaning close, tickling her ear with his breath.
“Edmonton, but I’ve been in Toronto about three years. You?”
He leaned in again. “I’m from New York.”
Syreeta nodded — a weekend visitor. She would have picked up on that if he’d asked someone to dance, but since he’d followed the lead of the majority of the best-looking Canadian guys, she hadn’t guessed. Actually, that made his behavior even more bizarre…
“You came for Caribana?”
“Yeah.”
“By yourself?”
He smiled. “Something wrong with that?”
“No.”
Syreeta smiled back and glanced away, trying not to stare, ingesting his presence like a pomegranate, one nourishing seed at a time. Her heart stayed in her throat until she’d stopped looking at him long enough to get caught up in the music again. He hasn’t even asked your name, she realized, a thought that relaxed her a bit.
After one more song, he asked, “Can I buy you a drink?”
She wasn’t ready to leave the floor, so she said, “Oh, did I wear you out already?”
He chuckled and responded, “Not even close, baby. I just want to talk to you some more, that’s all.”
Gazing at him felt like the pull of a riptide. Syreeta suppressed a strong impulse to make an excuse and flee, then followed him off the dance floor. The music was so loud where they were standing that she could have sworn her pulse changed its rhythm with every song. Good, because he had to speak directly into her ear to be heard, but bad because all that dancing could have diluted her sister’s Chanel №5 with the aroma of perspiration.
The Prince bought her ginger ale. She clutched it for dear life, happy to have something useful to do with her hands while she struggled not to become overwhelmed by her spinning brain.
“Thanks,” she said, leaning as inconspicuously as possible against the bar.
“You’re welcome. So…what’s your name?” His teeth actually seemed to glow, beacons in the midst of The Kasbah’s artful gloom. He has five other women, Syreeta thought desperately, swallowing hard.
“You know, I thought about that,” she said, swirling her ice so fast it was a miracle it stayed in the glass. “You asked me where I was from, but you didn’t ask me what my name was.”
The Prince’s eyes crinkled with amusement. “I would have asked you what your name was, but you obviously didn’t want to talk anymore.”
“Well, I was kind of interested in dancing.”
“I like that. I mean, that’s what we’re here for, not to get picked up.” He shifted his weight.
“That’s hard to believe. I mean, you haven’t danced all night.” Damn — just admitted watching him for hours…
“I haven’t tried to pick anybody up, either.”
“True. Which makes me wonder why you came.”
“Checking out the scenery.” He sipped his drink, taking Syreeta in with his eyes, making her insides tingle. “I’m a student of human nature. I wanted to see if people in Canada are the same as they are in New York.”
“Are they?”
“Yes and no. The single brothers here don’t ask you to dance, do they?”
“Yes and no. The better they look, the more they just hang out. Which is why I was sure you were Canadian.”
The Prince’s laughter had the color and flavor of a sip of fine merlot. “Nah.”
“What’s your excuse, then? Wait…don’t answer. I think I know.”
“Oh, really?”
He folded his chiseled arms. The artist buried deep inside Syreeta longed to draw those lovely contours…being an artist is a FANTASY! Then again, so is this man…
“Yes, really,” she continued. “You’re just afraid to get turned down.”
“I am not.”
“Oh yes, you are. Look, it’s no big deal. I mean, every time you ask someone to dance, all eyes are on you because you’re so damn big and handsome, and you never know, you could ask one of those girls who think dark-skinned guys can’t possibly look good. Then you’d have to walk all the way back to your spot on the wall empty-handed. Which is almost expected if you’re ugly, but when you’re gorgeous…well, it’s embarrassing.”
“Wow,” he said, shaking his head. “What was your name again?”
“Syreeta Evans. And I’m right, aren’t I, uh — ”
“Michael. You’re definitely not shy, are you, Syreeta?”
In her imagination, she watched Anita roll her eyes as Little Sister committed yet another dating faux pas. “Look, I’m sorry if I offended you. We can talk about something else, if you want…why are you looking at me like that?”
“Do you model?”
She chuckled nervously. “No.”
“What’s so funny?”
“It sounds like a line.”
“You’re a trip,” he said, with a bemused grin, furrowing his forehead.
“Is that good or bad? Or are you still trying to decide?”
He laughed. “Maybe. Anyway, it wasn’t a line, and if you don’t model, maybe you should think about it.”
“Are you an agent or something?”
“No, but I know a little about the business.”
“You’re a model?”
“Sometimes,” he said, still analyzing her face. “So, what do you do?”
He’s a model, Syreeta thought, even more convinced that she would probably never see him again, and even if she did, she probably couldn’t trust him. Which didn’t matter, because his beautiful head was full of nothing but air. Then again, he didn’t seem stupid. Besides, a lot of models weren’t dumb anyway, from what she’d read in fashion magazines.
“I’m a student,” she replied.
“What do you study?”
“Sociology.”
He grinned. “A student of human nature.”
Human interaction. She chose not to correct him. “Something like that. Although to be honest, I don’t think they’ve told me very much that couldn’t be picked up by anyone with a little common sense.”
“If you’re observant. A lot of people aren’t.” He surveyed the drunken crowd, smiling in a way that made Syreeta wish he lived closer. And that the DJ would play something slow.
“Is this your first time in Toronto?” she asked, more hopefully than she would have liked.
“Yes. But I have a feeling I’ll be back. Unless you plan on coming to New York.”
Her blood pressure spiked. He can say anything, she reminded herself. Doesn’t mean he’ll follow through. “I’ve always wanted to, but you know how it is for us poor students. We can’t just pick up and travel when we want to.”
“You don’t have a car?”
“I’ve got TTC.”
“What’s that?”
“Depends. But it comes with a chauffeur, plus a whole bunch of other seats, and you ring a bell when you want to get out, unless you’re underground.”
Michael chuckled. “Mass transit.”
“Toronto Transit Commission, to be exact. You drove up here?”
“Yeah.”
“What do you drive?”
“Are you into cars?”
“No.”
“So what difference does it make?”
He sounded so defensive, Syreeta decided to drop it. “Just making conversation,” she said, amazed it had taken that long to ask such a dumb question. She glanced around, finishing her drink. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her sister tapping on her watch. Syreeta looked at her wrist — 1:30. Not overly late, but Jay had to work at seven. Being in the hotel business had its perks, but Sundays and holidays were only occasional days of rest. “Seems like I’ve got to go.”
“Already?”
Syreeta pointed to Anita and her fiance. “That’s my chauffeur over there, and that’s my sister. They’re leaving, so that means I am, too.”
“If you want, I can drive you home.”
“Thanks, but I’d better not. It was a pleasure.” Syreeta put her glass on the bar and extended her hand. Michael clasped it with his giant mitts, pulling her in gently and kissing her cheek.
“Can I have your number, Syreeta Evans?” he whispered in her ear as he pulled away.
His breath against her skin made her shiver again. “Sure,” she said, trying to seem cool. Impossible, even with all that air conditioning.
Syreeta gave him her number, said goodbye, and picked her way across the room as steadily as she could, aware of the cold stares of a number of women as she passed. What is it with females, sometimes?
Anita’s smile was so broad, it belonged in an orthodontics commercial. “What’s his name?”
“Michael.”
“He looks like a hoodlum,” said Jay.
Anita stared at him. “Why?”
“Who dresses like that to go to a club?”
“He’s wearing a tank top,” Syreeta said. “If you looked that good in a tank top, maybe you’d be wearing one, too.”
Jay clenched his fist jokingly.
“Really, Jay, why?” Anita asked again, trying not to grin. “A good reason, this time.”
“Dressed like that and wearing an earring and driving a Mercedes…I mean, what does he do for a living?”
“He’s a model,” said Syreeta, resisting the urge to look down in embarrassment. “And how do you know he drives a Mercedes?”
“I saw him come and get something out of it while we were still in line. Where’s he from?”
“The States.”
“See? You can’t be too careful. You know how Americans are.”
“How are they?”
“He’s probably living in the car and wearing the rest of his paycheck on his back,” Anita said breezily, “but so what? Everybody needs a boy-toy now and then.”
Jay glared at her. “Really? You need one, too?”
Anita put her arm around him and purred, “I’m playing for keeps. Why would I want to mess with something disposable?”
He smiled slightly, then turned back to Syreeta. “You still can’t explain how he’s driving that car.”
“Are you implying that the only way a young black American can drive a Mercedes is by being a criminal? Are West Indians the only ones who know how to earn money honestly?”
“No, but — ”
“But what?”
“Well…what kind of job is a model anyway?” Jay replied exasperatedly. “What kind of man makes a living doing something so frivolous?”
“A drop-dead gorgeous one,” said Syreeta, and Anita gave her a high five that made Jay glare at her again.
“Be careful,” said Jay. “That’s all.”
Syreeta glanced at Michael, who caught her and smiled. Jay is just jealous, she thought, because he could never be that sexy in a million years. She’d always considered him an attractive guy, in a buttoned-down kind of way, but definitely not her type. She pinched his cheek and said, “No need to be careful, Jay-jay. He lives in New York, so I’ll never see him again. Weren’t we leaving?”
Syreeta looked around for the Mercedes as they headed for Jay’s Nissan. Maybe Michael is a criminal, she thought. Or maybe he thinks every woman is a gold digger.
She decided not to talk about Michael anymore around Jay, because she didn’t have enough information to argue. But as soon as they got home, she told Anita absolutely everything she could remember. Then she went to sleep, knowing sweet dreams were guaranteed.
|
https://medium.com/@mariathompsoncorley-3014/more-than-enough-chapter-one-93da1e760d1a
|
['Maria Thompson Corley']
|
2020-12-26 17:38:07.098000+00:00
|
['Fiction Series', 'New Adult', 'African American Lit', 'Artist Stories', 'Novel']
|
A Letter from the Founder: Our Helping Hands Story
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September, 2020. NJPA Helping Hands began with a bold vision: can we help any individual who requests help in our local region, and can we provide a volunteer opportunity for anyone who wants to give back? To understand where we came from, let’s start at the beginning.
Early March, 2020. The Inspiration
I was a graduate student studying and teaching in Palo Alto. The world looked like it was ending. In one week, six counties — encompassing cities from Oakland to Santa Cruz — shut down. In this panic, our college community banded together to create a Mutual Aid Spreadsheet, offering groceries, counseling, housing, and financial assistance. It was a spectacular moment. In a time when our government was unable to help, individuals in our community took it upon themselves to support each other. The group made 400 offers to struggling community members, and over 200 received support to fly home or find a place to stay. Throughout the madness of the shutdown, I vividly remember us uniting through the mutual aid group to help stabilize one another.
A copy of our mutual aid spreadsheet.
Late March, 2020. Building a track record in LA
As we all moved our separate ways, we tried using technological outreach to serve communities beyond our bubble. In that vein, lahelpinghands.com formed, intending to match volunteers with senior citizens for grocery and prescription pickups. While progress was initially slow, after connecting to the LA Mayor’s Office, we made 15 matches per week for a total of 200 matches among our 100 volunteers. A great thanks to Priya Chatwani, Nisha Chatwani, and JJ Ram for their leadership in building the group and another thanks to AllTogetherLA for merging with us to serve the senior population in the greater LA area..
April 2020. Coming Home: Founding NJPA Helping Hands
Seeing the success generated in LA, the rising COVID cases in NJ, and that I was heading back home for the extended future, I knew I had to test if this same initiative could take off here: whether we could help at least one person from the ground up. So, I set up the organization njpahelpinghands.com, and did a publicity sprint, getting on mutual aid groups and reaching out to old contacts. One of them was Danica Bajaj, a close family friend. Seeing her enthusiasm gave our organization new light. We quickly built cross-county connections and linked with individuals, community partners, and volunteers who wanted to help. As a result,we succeeded in our initial goal of matching at least one volunteer to a community org, and of matching at least one person in need with helpful resources.. Now, the question was whether we could continue on or fold up.
July 2020. Rebranding Helping Hands to better serve our population
Around July, we found an interesting observation. While we were originally working with seniors, most of our outreach pulled in younger individuals asking for help, many between 20–65. Additionally, many of these individuals were struggling financially. These individuals did not need us to do their grocery shopping; rather, like the people on the Mutual Aid Sheet at Stanford, they needed help navigating housing solutions, figuring out how to resolve financial emergencies and a ear to listen to as they charted next steps. We were left with two options, either to let these people slip through the cracks, or restructure our program to support them. We decided on the latter.
Over the next few weeks, we recruited Joe Miscioscia and Ruhi Kanwar, two fantastic leaders, to run our Allyship and Virtual Companionship programs respectively. The Allyship program, modeled off of Crisis Peer Counseling trainings at Stanford University, has developed into an 8 week mentorship program, matching people with a trained local ally to receive the necessary support. While there is still work to be done, the allyship team includes 6–8 amazing volunteers that have served over 15 matches, a sizable amount considering we do not run on any significant donations. Nevertheless, many of our matches have received $50 direct assistance gift cards, showing that we put our money where our mouth is. 100% of our funds have gone directly towards people and partner organizations who are in financial need or to our website and legal maintenance, an indication that we stand for building a lean, grassroots operation.
The Virtual Companionship program is similarly working to restore assisted living centers with companionship and entertainment to their seniors despite isolation’s setbacks. While currently not as far along, we have built out the mechanisms to provide Cards & Crafts sessions for any senior center in our local area as well as eventual 1:1 weekly phone calls. Both programs are built for sustainable success; with each volunteer and engagement, we expect the two initiatives to grow organically.
Finally, we have committed to supporting our students and families as schools open live and virtually. We have partnered with numerous education organizations such that we can provide free STEM tutoring to any low income school as well as volunteer opportunities for people looking to make yearlong teaching commitments as well as short term teaching help. Put all together, Allyship, Virtual Companionship, and Online Tutoring make up our three pillars of our organization.
Our Goals / What Our Culture Stands For
We have taken careful thought to build out sustainable goals and values by which we measure ourselves as an organization. These core priorities are influenced by principles from my work at Microsoft, which is one of the most well-run organizations I have been a part of.
Our mission: Enable individuals in our community to achieve more by 1) supporting each person who requests help through our Get a Match form; 2) providing a volunteer opportunity for each person who requests one; and 3) collaborating with existing community organizations to support our shared missions.
To get there, we have the following three values:
Trust: In order for Helping Hands to work, there has to be significant trust, between the matches, volunteers, admins, and outside community. Trust is the steady way we can build the sustained, legitimate connections and success stories to further expand the organization. End user focus: Helping Hands is not about the administration team. At the end of the day, we do very little. If it were not for our >80 volunteers and our >40 matches, Helping Hands wouldn’t exist. At all points, we need to be focusing on how our program is reaching or performing for our volunteers and matches. It is key that we never lose this focus, as this is what will make or break our organization. Be Transparent and Collaborative: This value is much easier said than done; however, it may be one of the most important parts about building a successful nonprofit. We want each volunteer to have a personal incentive to do this work. By keeping our vision razor focused on our partners and our matches, we can chart a path towards sustainability and longer term impact. And moreover, by doing this, we make this organization not founder-first but rather mission-first.
Next Steps — We need you!
All of our next steps are geared towards the ambitious goal of advancing our programs towards sustainability. We want to see if the pulse that we’ve hit can continue on, even after COVID-19. On our end, we’ve taken steps, receiving Non-Profit status in NJ as well as receiving generous grants from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, Peace First, and our friends at AllTogetherLA.
However, to succeed, we need you. We need people who believe that a local initiative can make an impact, and that their contributions matter. There is much work that needs to be done.
We are looking for:
a) individuals to help bolster our allyship and virtual companionship programs,
b) people with education backgrounds to support our tutoring programs, and
c) individuals to lead our matching processes and outreach efforts.
At the core of any successful community organization is its ability to unite people of vast interests under a common goal. We have already partnered with numerous organizations, ranging from the Bethesda Project combating homelessness in Philadelphia and the Cumberland County Health Department in NJ to the Black Brotherly Love Community Project in Philadelphia and Redefy. These organizations encourage existing community members and young students to get involved in social change projects. Our volunteer age-range is a testament to our unity, and so is the structure of our programs, providing our matches with three distinct services. At the end of the day, I believe that our strength stems from the solidarity of our one-of-a-kind community members, and we will continue to grow if everyone can lend a helping hand.
If you have any questions, please reach out at njpahelpinghands@gmail.com or call us at (609) 429-0580. Thank you for reading.
|
https://medium.com/@njpahelpinghands/a-letter-from-the-founder-our-helping-hands-story-72b55f268ad5
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['Nj Pa Helping Hands']
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2020-09-22 20:18:31.920000+00:00
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['Helping Others', 'Philadelphia', 'New Jersey', 'Community Organizing', 'Volunteering']
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How I setup geforce now from linux with a controller pro gamepad
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I searched how to do such a setup. First I tried to play using browser version for geforce now, but it does not work properly, for at least the one game I tried : fenyx immortals.
The problem was : when I am ingame, the “input lag” is longer and longer over time, so the game video render is totally not synchonized with the input from my gamepad.
How I run geforce now smoothly in real time from ubuntu:
I solved this by just installing the lutris version which is the geforce now browser version for windows.
The excellent lutris project is there https://lutris.net/
and the link to the install for geforce now is there : https://lutris.net/games/geforce-now/
Just install lutris on your computer and click install link on the geforce now lutris app script to install it (allow xdg to open the link in lutris app)
I don’t know technically what is the difference that makes it work using a “window” geforce now version, but my intuition tells me there is something wrong with image streaming possibly not using udp protocol in the browser. I really don’t know in the end, but it just work like this.
Setup for the controller pro
If connecting it using bluetooth is not enough, I followed the following steps that let me use properly the gamepad in my game 👍
install xboxdrv sudo apt install xboxdrv in ubuntu like distros test the gamepad sudo apt install jstest-gtk This tool let you check the controller works properly on your computer. It should work properly at this step. It might work properly in lutris setup from there, but It might also not work. Indeed, the geforce app in lutris seems to be a browser app in a chrome electron “container” . I had difficulties to make my controller work in chrome with my current setup as the browser test was working on firefox but not on chrome. (but geforce now works only on chrome) You can test your gamepad into chrome from this app https://gamepad-tester.com/ (hit some buttons on gamepad once the app is running to hope have a result). In case there is no result either on this site and on the geforcenow app in lutris, you should try the next step from here : (a link to stack overflow I lost :( )
This is because Linux doesn’t have a driver for Switch Pro controllers and Linux makes the device read-only by default. Chrome can use it without a driver but it needs to send commands to the device to initialize it first.
The fix is to configure udev rules that tell Linux to make the device writeable. As root, create a file /etc/udev/rules.d/50-nintendo-switch.rules and paste these rules into it:
# Switch Joy-con (L) (Bluetooth only) KERNEL=="hidraw*", SUBSYSTEM=="hidraw", KERNELS=="0005:057E:2006.*", MODE="0666" # Switch Joy-con (R) (Bluetooth only) KERNEL=="hidraw*", SUBSYSTEM=="hidraw", KERNELS=="0005:057E:2007.*", MODE="0666" # Switch Pro controller (USB and Bluetooth) KERNEL=="hidraw*", SUBSYSTEM=="hidraw", ATTRS{idVendor}=="057e", ATTRS{idProduct}=="2009", MODE="0666" KERNEL=="hidraw*", SUBSYSTEM=="hidraw", KERNELS=="0005:057E:2009.*", MODE="0666" # Switch Joy-con charging grip (USB only) KERNEL=="hidraw*", SUBSYSTEM=="hidraw", ATTRS{idVendor}=="057e", ATTRS{idProduct}=="200e", MODE="0666"
It should work as expected now :) Hope this help some folks !
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https://medium.com/@titus135/how-i-setup-geforce-now-from-linux-with-a-controller-pro-gamepad-9751d4759ce8
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['Eric Régnier']
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2020-12-27 16:49:53.743000+00:00
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['Geforce Now', 'Linux', 'Gaming', 'Gamepad', 'Lutris']
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The Kinkiest Way To Start Loving Your Body
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A story like no other for the open-minded souls only
What could this kinky way of loving your body be? Recording yourself during an extreme workout? Ass-fingering? Stripping in public? Naaaah!
Before I tell you, let me ask you yet another question. Do you ever focus on your partners’ body and their imperfections? Do you even notice? (K’, fine, that was two questions). I sure don’t give a damn. There is so much hotness about my partner. It outshines anything that he might think is imperfect.
The point is we’re so self-conscious of all the things that no-one sees or cares about. We suck our tummies in. We stand and pose a certain way to create the illusion of a thigh gap and a popped booty. We flip our hair all the time…Wait, am I naming the things that I do? Oh well, you got me! Let’s not smear it in my face.
I’m here to tell you that there is a place, a sacred place, where none of that matters. If it does, that’s your kink, not mine.
Now, I’m not sure how exactly I came up with this but when it happened I was shaken. I’m 138% sure that I was red as a lobster for the rest of the day. But in the best, goosebumps-up-my-spine way possible. And now I'm starting to feel the same sensations thinking about it.
Want to feel the same? Want to know what the hell I’m talking about? How badly do you wanna know? So badly that you’ll follow me and read all my stories? I’ll wait for you to do that first. I’m kidding. Or am I…
Before I tell you, I first want you to do something for me, all you beautiful and sexy ladies. (Yes, this story is for ladies but men are welcome, too. I request comments from you, though, as I’m dying to know what this would feel like for you.) I want you, to let go of any noise or judgments in your mind right now. I want you to visit the world of fantasy. Let go of everything and imagine what’s coming…don’t worry, nobody’s watching. In fact, you don’t even have to clap for this story, that’s how much freedom and privacy you have.
Find a quiet place either in your bed or on a sofa, or wherever you feel safe and comfortable. Continue reading only if you’re focused and have an open mind.
Imagine two scenarios: that you’re seducing yourself and that you’re seduced by yourself. Flip between the two as you wish. Touch your other self and feel touched by your other self. In other words, touch yourself and imagine what it feels like being touched by yourself.
Imagine that you’re sitting in a car behind the driver’s seat parked by a small turquoise lake. There’s not a single soul around. It’s a beautiful summer evening. The birds are chirping and there is a lovely breeze coming in through the window. The sunset reflects in the side mirrors brightening your face.
You’re sitting behind a driver who is also you. It’s just the two of you in the car. Your eyes meet in the rearview mirror and it’s the strangest yet most erotic moment of your life. There is love and there is lust. You lean over to the driver self and move her hair to the side to kiss her neck. Sliding your right hand toward the collar bone, the rim of her white lace T-shirt you slowly trace your fingers down until you cup her entire left breast. Feel how her chest is moving in and out as she inhales and exhales deeply. You then squeeze and massage her breasts while kissing her shoulder. Then her cheek. All while playing with her hair using your left hand.
It’s starting to get quite steamy, even for me as I’m writing this. Might have to excuse me for 7 minutes!
Now, flip to be the driver and feel the sensations of being touched like that. Feel the sensation of having your breasts squeezed gently and then firmly. Feel the warm breath on your neck and the wet kisses all over. Notice how you don’t suck your tummy in when she moves her hand down towards your groin. You’re completely relaxed and present in this sexy moment.
You let a small moan out and touch her hand as it rubs against your puss-puss. You both cup it and move your fingers up and down your clit. It’s burning at this point. You can’t contain yourself anymore so you turn around to face her. You’re looking at yourself, at your lips that are slightly parted. You push her back and lounge yourself on top of her across the back seats. You sit straddling her looking into her beautiful horny face and kiss her exactly how she likes it. You grab her hair, play with it, caress it, and grind yourself against her — this feels incredible to both of you. You know yourself so well.
Switch scenarios again. Imagine yourself sitting underneath the other you hugging and kissing you passionately. You don’t care about what your hair looks like or whether your breath stinks from the garlic soup you had for lunch earlier today (you can’t smell after all). You don’t care if your skin folds in what you’d consider an unflattering way. You feel sexy and wanted. You are you, and these little imperfections don’t matter. They’re beautiful and human. You finally see yourself in all your glory.
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https://medium.com/sexography/the-kinkiest-way-to-start-loving-your-body-2e441685690a
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['Michaela Grek']
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2020-12-05 18:48:17.753000+00:00
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['Self', 'Sex', 'Body Image', 'Self Love', 'Love']
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Syria and the Statistics of War
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But it is not just the bullshitting of Steven Pinker: numbers for many wars seem to have been pulled out of a hat. Some journalist cites some person at a conference; it finds it way to Le Monde or the New York Times, and that number becomes fixed for future generations. For our attempt to build a rigorous method of quantitative historiography, we devised statistical robustness techniques: they consist in bootstraping “histories” from the past, considering the past a realization between the lowest and the highest estimate available, producing tens of thousands of such “historical paths” and evaluate how “robust” an estimator to changes in the aggregate. More depressingly, we found that no historian had bothered to do similar cleaning up work or robustness check –yet the statistical apparatus is there to help.
It hit me that I needed to look into the estimates of Syrian refugees in Lebanon –here again numbers are flying without much rigor, swelling upwards from report to report. But we can assess the bias: they are potentially overstimated (as Amin Maalouf commented, the télephone arabe mechanism makes people more likely to increase the number in order to get attention). For, at a certain municipality in Lebanon, I was told that the number of refugees in the town, while large, was considerably lower than what was used by the bureaucrats of the U.N. My suspicion is tat the real number is about a third of what is published. While this is very optimistic for Lebanon (there should be fewer refugees than claimed, so let us worry less about the stability of the place), it is not good for the economics and funding of U.N. agencies and the lifestyle of their bureaucrats.
Now, the reasonable estimation of casualties from the Syrian war. We hear half a million people died in Syria. We are also told that many are “murdered” by Putin, Assad, and Catherine the Great (who came down to bully the Ottomans in the Levant after her invasion of the Crimea). It is easy to verify that much of the information we get about “butcher” of Damascus are suspicious: some Saudi-Qatari funded P.R. firms in Washington and London have shown evidence of hyperactivity. Just as the number of hospitals in East Aleppo where Al-Qaeda is based (and from where it shells civilians in other parts of the city), just as the number of hospitals per capita there appears to me several times that in the rest of the world (every day we hear that the Russians have destroyed another hospital, yet the State department spokesman John Kirby could not place or name any of the five hospitals he was recently discussing). (Well it turned out after the evacuation that the hospital was not targeted). I see propagandists and Al Qaeda apologists such as Charles Lister (at the Salafi-funded Middle East Institute) throw numbers that get cited –yes, some idiot will cite numbers from the Al Qaeda propagandist Charles Lister, and may eventually be cited in turn by some decent newspaper, hence get fixed for posterity. I once saw a serious American journalist (“expert” on Syria) posting on social media macabre scenes as a testimony of Assad’s murders: it turned out that a picture of “dying children victims of Assad” was likely to be from Libya four years earlier; it appeared to be promoted by a Qatari-funded P.R. firm. Her reaction was unapologetic: “Don’t you think Assad is capable of these crimes?”
Trust none of what you hear, some of what you read, half of what you see goes an old trader adage. As a trader and quant/mathematical statistician, I have been taught to take data seriously, trust nobody’s numbers, and avoid people naive enough to engage in policy based on lurid but questionable pictures of destruction: the fake picture of a dying child is something nobody can question without appearing to be an asshole. As a citizen, I require that the designation “murderer” be determined in a court of law, not by Saudi-funded outlets — once someone is called a murderer or butcher, all bets are off. I cannot believe governments and bureaucrats could be so stupid. But they are.
Note: Nobody can claim that I am an Assad apologist. Assad blew up our house in Amioun when in 1982 my grandfather, as a member of parliament, voted for Bashir. But I overcome my personal grudge to look at this as a scientist, and a humanist: Sunni Islamic Jihad is far too dangerous to let my grudge get into the way.
PS. It turns that the realistic toll for the Hama uprising by the Moslem Brotherhood of 1979-1982, usually reported to have caused between 30,000 and 40,000 victims, could be around 2,000. More critically, the mysterious swelling of the estimate took place over time, with no novel information. (Data on declassified reports provided by Sharmine Narwani.)
PPS. Bill Clinton, when president, made a statement in 1999, about the casualties in Serbia-Bosnia and Croatia being around 250,000 dead: at least two to three times the total number taking the upper bound of current estimate. But the Clinton inflation went wild when it came to Kossovo; of his 100,000 “missing” Kossovars, only 3,000 to 5,000 turned out later to be fatalities. Yet he shelled the place and demonized the Serbs based on this information. Note that Saudi-funded P.R. firms were also active with the Kossovo story.
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https://medium.com/opacity/syria-and-the-statistics-of-war-910eb1a00bbd
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['Nassim Nicholas Taleb']
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2017-02-23 11:43:50.391000+00:00
|
['ISIS', 'Foreign Policy', 'Syria', 'History']
|
The whole human
|
Remember that last line of Heinlein’s above? Specialization is for insects.
Dedicate your lifetime to one field field of endeavor and you might just find yourself in the same predicament twenty years (or ten, or five) into your career as the horse drawn carriage manufacturer found himself in when Henry Ford rolled the first Model T off the line. The same can be said for the steam engine mechanic or the Java programmer. You have the greatest computer ever designed between your ears. Exercise every single quadrant of it. For your whole life.
As Thomas Wolfe wrote in 1940, You can’t go home again. Why? Because home isn’t the same anymore. And neither are you. The same is true for all the other good olde days. Besides the fact that they were never as good as you remember them, everything else has changed in the interim anyway. Like time, all movement must be forward.
Have you had a conversation with a Millennial lately? Ask them what they want to do for a living. Not many will say “sit in a cubicle at a giant corporation for the next 30 years.” Why? Because they are shitty, soul sucking jobs that leave you wondering where the hell your life went while you were looking forward to the pension they terminated ten years ago. Teaching your kid that success is achieved in that manner is teaching them to live the life you lived. Is that what you really want for them?
Why is adulting so hard? Because the world your parents lived in is gone. We can only teach you what we know, and frequently that knowledge no longer applies to the world you’re living in. Every generation has to learn a new paradigm to be successful. Even the concept of success changes as time passes.
Want to be a whole human? Never let up on learning.
Thank you for reading.
|
https://dickmillet.medium.com/the-whole-human-82353cddc9bc
|
['Dick Millet']
|
2018-06-18 03:33:19.775000+00:00
|
['Philosophy', 'Life Lessons', 'Future Of Work', 'Adulting']
|
Blood Face Detector in Python(Part 2) — Building a Web Application using Streamlit in Python
|
Note: You can download the source code for the project on my Github page. The code for today's article can be found in the app.py file.
Now, coming back to the topic:
Step-1: Installing Streamlit using Pypi
Simply open your terminal and write:
pip install streamlit
Step-2: Importing the required libraries
from sklearn.metrics import classification_report, accuracy_score, confusion_matrix
from tensorflow.keras.applications.mobilenet_v2 import preprocess_input
from tensorflow.keras.preprocessing.image import img_to_array
from tensorflow.keras.models import load_model
from imutils.video import VideoStream
from PIL import Image,ImageEnhance
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import pandas as pd
import numpy as np
import argparse
import imutils
import time
import glob
import random
import cv2
import os import streamlit as st st.set_option('deprecation.showfileUploaderEncoding', False)
@st.cache(suppress_st_warning=True)
@st.cache(persist=True)
I have imported streamlit as st on the last import line and all the other TensorFlow and utility libraries are also imported.
Last three line of code is to avoid any warnings you may get while using OpenCV with streamlit.
Step-3: helper function to predict images
# helper function to predict images
def imagepreds(image):
# load our serialized face detector model from disk
prototxtPath = os.path.sep.join(['Model', "deploy.prototxt"])
weightsPath = os.path.sep.join(['Model', "res10_300x300_ssd_iter_140000.caffemodel"])
net = cv2.dnn.readNet(prototxtPath, weightsPath) # load the face mask detector model from disk
model = load_model('blood_noblood_classifier.model')
orig = image.copy()
(h, w) = image.shape[:2] # construct a blob from the image
blob = cv2.dnn.blobFromImage(image, 1.0, (300, 300), (104.0, 177.0, 123.0)) # pass the blob through the network and obtain the face detections
net.setInput(blob)
detections = net.forward() # loop over the detections
for i in range(0, detections.shape[2]):
# extract the confidence (i.e., probability) associated with
# the detection
confidence = detections[0, 0, i, 2]
# filter out weak detections by ensuring the confidence is
# greater than the minimum confidence
if confidence > 0.6:
# compute the (x, y)-coordinates of the bounding box for
# the object
box = detections[0, 0, i, 3:7] * np.array([w, h, w, h])
(startX, startY, endX, endY) = box.astype("int")
# ensure the bounding boxes fall within the dimensions of
# the frame
(startX, startY) = (max(0, startX), max(0, startY))
(endX, endY) = (min(w - 1, endX), min(h - 1, endY)) # extract the face ROI, convert it from BGR to RGB channel
# ordering, resize it to 224x224, and preprocess it
face = image[startY:endY, startX:endX]
#face = cv2.cvtColor(face, 1)
face = cv2.cvtColor(face, cv2.COLOR_BGR2RGB)
face = cv2.resize(face, (224, 224))
face = img_to_array(face)
face = preprocess_input(face)
face = np.expand_dims(face, axis=0)
# pass the face through the model to determine if the face
# has a mask or not
(blood, noblood) = model.predict(face)[0] # determine the class label and color we'll use to draw
# the bounding box and text
label = "Blood" if blood > noblood else "No Blood"
color = (0, 0, 255) if label == "Blood" else (0, 255, 0)
# include the probability in the label
label = "{}: {:.2f}%".format(label, max(blood, noblood) * 100)
# display the label and bounding box rectangle on the output
# frame
cv2.putText(image, label, (startX, startY - 10),
cv2.FONT_HERSHEY_SIMPLEX, 0.45, color, 2)
cv2.rectangle(image, (startX, startY), (endX, endY), color, 2)
# show the output image
st.image(image, caption='Predictions', width=720)
If you have read my previous article (part-1 of this blog post) there is nothing new for you in this function to understand except the last line where we are using st.image(image, caption='Predictions', width=720) to show the output instead of the OpenCV utility method imshow() .
Step-4: helper function to predict in real-time
# helper function to predict in real-time
def videopreds():
# define a helper function to detected face and bounding box for each image
# in a live video frame
def detect_and_predict_blood(frame, faceNet, bloodNet):
# grab the dimensions of the frame and then construct a blob
# from it
(h, w) = frame.shape[:2]
blob = cv2.dnn.blobFromImage(frame, 1.0, (300, 300), (104.0, 177.0, 123.0))
# pass the blob through the network and obtain the face detections
faceNet.setInput(blob)
detections = faceNet.forward()
# initialize our list of faces, their corresponding locations,
# and the list of predictions from our face mask network
faces = []
locs = []
preds = [] # loop over the detections
for i in range(0, detections.shape[2]):
# extract the confidence (i.e., probability) associated with
# the detection
confidence = detections[0, 0, i, 2]
# filter out weak detections by ensuring the confidence is
# greater than the minimum confidence
if confidence > 0.5:
# compute the (x, y)-coordinates of the bounding box for
# the object
box = detections[0, 0, i, 3:7] * np.array([w, h, w, h])
(startX, startY, endX, endY) = box.astype("int")
# ensure the bounding boxes fall within the dimensions of
# the frame
(startX, startY) = (max(0, startX), max(0, startY))
(endX, endY) = (min(w - 1, endX), min(h - 1, endY)) # extract the face ROI, convert it from BGR to RGB channel
# ordering, resize it to 224x224, and preprocess it
face = frame[startY:endY, startX:endX]
face = cv2.cvtColor(face, cv2.COLOR_BGR2RGB)
face = cv2.resize(face, (224, 224))
face = img_to_array(face)
face = preprocess_input(face)
# add the face and bounding boxes to their respective
# lists
faces.append(face)
locs.append((startX, startY, endX, endY)) # only make a predictions if at least one face was detected
if len(faces) > 0:
# for faster inference we'll make batch predictions on *all*
# faces at the same time rather than one-by-one predictions
# in the above `for` loop
faces = np.array(faces, dtype="float32")
preds = bloodNet.predict(faces, batch_size=32)
# return a 2-tuple of the face locations and their corresponding
# locations
return (locs, preds) # load our serialized face detector model from disk
prototxtPath = os.path.sep.join(['Model', "deploy.prototxt"])
weightsPath = os.path.sep.join(['Model', "res10_300x300_ssd_iter_140000.caffemodel"])
faceNet = cv2.dnn.readNet(prototxtPath, weightsPath) # load the face mask detector model from disk
bloodNet = load_model('blood_noblood_classifier.model')
# time.sleep(2.0)
@st.cache(allow_output_mutation=True)
def get_cap():
return cv2.VideoCapture(0) cap = get_cap() frameST = st.empty() # loop over the frames from the video stream
while True:
# grab the frame from the threaded video stream and resize it
# to have a maximum width of 400 pixels
# frame = vs.read()
# frame = imutils.resize(frame, width=400)
ret, frame = cap.read()
# detect faces in the frame and determine if they are wearing a
# face mask or not
(locs, preds) = detect_and_predict_blood(frame, faceNet, bloodNet) # loop over the detected face locations and their corresponding
# locations
for (box, pred) in zip(locs, preds):
# unpack the bounding box and predictions
(startX, startY, endX, endY) = box
(blood, noblood) = pred
# determine the class label and color we'll use to draw
# the bounding box and text
label = "Blood" if blood > noblood else "No Blood"
color = (0, 0, 255) if label == "Blood" else (0, 255, 0)
# include the probability in the label
label = "{}: {:.2f}%".format(label, max(blood, noblood) * 100)
# display the label and bounding box rectangle on the output
# frame
cv2.putText(frame, label, (startX, startY - 10),
cv2.FONT_HERSHEY_SIMPLEX, 0.45, color, 2)
cv2.rectangle(frame, (startX, startY), (endX, endY), color, 2) # show the output frame
frameST.image(frame, channels="BGR")
# do a bit of cleanup
cv2.destroyAllWindows()
Again if you have read part-1 of this blog post, this part would be pretty clear to you as there are not many changes in this part. Here we are using frameST = st.empty() to get a frame after starting the VideoCapture() method and using frameST.image(frame, channels="BGR") to show the output frame.
Step-5: Designing the Front Page for your application
ig = Image.open('sample.jpg')
st.image(ig, width=920) st.title('Blood Detection Classifier')
st.text('Build with Streamlit,Tensorflow, Keras and OpenCV By Mrinal Walia')
st.header("Select the options from sidebar: ")
st.subheader("Image Detection: For uploading an Image")
st.subheader("Video Detection: For opening the webcam and checking the results")
st.subheader("Performance Metrics: To check various performance metrices")
st.markdown("THANKS FOLKS!!")
st.subheader("Happy Learning")
st.subheader("Creator: @MRINAL WALIA")
st.markdown('Source Code Link: https://github.com/abhiwalia15/Face-Classification-into-Blood-No-Blood')
There are various methods that can be used to design the front page for your application. I always encourage you to write some useful information regarding your project and/or give links to your code or social profiles so if anyone wants to reach out to you, he/she can easily connect with you.
Note: Refer to the streamlit documentation.
Step-6: Writing the main function
def main(): menu = ['Image Detection', 'Video Detection', 'Perofrmance Metrics']
choice = st.sidebar.selectbox('Menu',menu) if choice == 'Image Detection':
st.subheader('**Blood Detection**')
img_file_buffer = st.file_uploader("Upload an image")
if img_file_buffer is not None:
image = Image.open(img_file_buffer)
img_array = np.array(image)
imagepreds(img_array) elif choice == 'Video Detection':
st.subheader('**Blood Detection**')
videopreds() elif choice == 'Perofrmance Metrics': st.subheader('About Performance Metrics') st.info("CLASSIFICATION REPORT")
cr = Image.open('Results/classification_report.png')
st.image(cr, width=320) st.info("CONFUSION MATRIX")
cm = Image.open('Results/confusion_matrix.png')
st.image(cm, width=320) st.info("ACCURACY SCORE")
acs = Image.open('Results/accuracy_score.png')
st.image(acs, width=320)
I have used a sidebar to prompt the user with various options. Use can also use a dropdown or checkbox.
If the user selects the 'Image Detection' from the sidebar, firstly the file_uploader built-in function in streamlit is used to upload the file and then the image is converted to an array and is passed to the imagepreds() function.
from the sidebar, firstly the built-in function in streamlit is used to upload the file and then the image is converted to an array and is passed to the function. This will return the predictions on the uploaded image.
If the user selects 'Video Detection' choice then the videopreds() function is called.
choice then the function is called. At last 'Performance Metrics' is an extra part but I found this useful for the project to upload the performance metrics for everyone to understand how well the model is performing.
Step-7: Call the main function
# driver code
if __name__ == '__main__':
main()
It's time now to wrap up the code and call the main function.
Step-8: Save the python script and run the file
Now, everything is done, save the file and open up the terminal and type the following command for the streamlit application to run on the local host machine.
$ streamlit run app.py
Results:
|
https://ai.plainenglish.io/blood-face-detector-in-python-part-2-building-a-web-application-using-streamlit-in-python-3ff3bde74fe7
|
['Mrinal Walia']
|
2020-10-23 02:26:15.873000+00:00
|
['TensorFlow', 'Keras', 'Data Science', 'Python', 'Artificial Intelligence']
|
Christmas & Peace Education: 1914’s Truce by Football
|
By Isti Toq’ah
Founder of PANDAI (Indonesia’s Peace Education / Pendidikan Damai Indonesia)
This story might come from the far land away from Indonesia which happened long long time ago. However, the peace value is for sure still and always relevant to be the lesson learned of any generation follows it. In the spirit of peace education, I believe:
"There is always human's face that shows humanity even in the darkest and most unlikely place, time, and event."
Actually Pope Benedict XV recommended to conduct a pause of war in time of Christmas celebration on 7th of December, 1914. This year was in time of World War I and December became the fifth month of the war. Sadly, this proposal refused officially. Later on, surprisingly the troops announced a truce unofficially on Christmas Eve. Both British and German soldiers sang Christmas carols to one another across their borders.
Beneath from their trenches, the German soldiers approached the British to come to an empty land by saying Merry Christmas in English. In the beginning, the British disbelieved and thought it was just a trick. But then, the British found the German were unarmed. They tried to leave their trenches and gave their hands to shake British's. This continued to be unexpected instant Christmas's celebration. They shared each other's cigarettes and plum puddings as Christmas presents. Next, they sang various songs and carols together.
Some German soldiers made Christmas trees surrounded their trenches. After that, the German and British also played football together.
"How marvelously wonderful, yet how strange it was. The English officers felts the same way about it. Thus Christmas, the celebration of love, managed to bring mortal enemies together as friends for a time," said Kurt Zehmisch, a German lieutenant.
Even though this kind of truce was hardly happened and never really repeated in the history, still, this event was heartening and showing how humanity was still likely to be present even in the most unlikely place, time, and event. At the end of the day, these soldiers were also humans who missed the warmth of Christmas spirit where usually the period when they gathered with their loved ones.
Among these soldiers, some of them were quite unhappy because they speculated the truce would undermine the spirit of fighting. They were afraid their fellows would forget their main goal to fight for their country. This kind of toxic nationalism and patriotism often misunderstood which led to the intoxication of humans' souls.
Though in many history along with peace and conflict studies books questioned, did these soldiers merely follow the orders instead of listen to their consciences? Did these soldiers just try to save their own lives plus their loved ones by following these orders? Yet, it's tragic the main option was by killing others. A few of them decided to help the "enemies" or "targets" even they had to sacrifice their lives just like in the movies "Sound of Music (1965)" and "Where Hands Touch (2018)."
Further reading:
|
https://medium.com/@pandaiindonesia/christmas-peace-education-1914s-truce-by-football-537de1d4cf4a
|
[]
|
2020-12-24 17:22:14.215000+00:00
|
['Peace', 'Christmas', 'Christmas Truce', 'Christmas Day Truce', 'Peace Education']
|
Women shave half short hair 2022 Europe and the United States popular not connected layers of short hair
|
Women shave half short hair 2022 Europe and the United States popular not connected layers of short hair Qtfn Dec 25, 2021·2 min read
When girls with a lot of hair cut short hair will experience this: a lot of hair, help me thin a little, huh? The next time I don’t thin it out, it will still warp! So, this hairstyle is definitely a blessing for girls with a lot of hair.
Shave half of the short hair, although cut a lot of hair, but not at all see! The hair is put down very natural down, hot C-roll or something is also super convenient!
This hairstyle also has a great benefit is that it looks like the neck is longer, raising the hairline at the back of the head, and the hair at the back of the cut sassoon head will no longer be tied to the neck.
If you cut this hairstyle, the hair on top does not have to be thinned at all, so the hairstyle will also look more natural, want to make up this kind of lazy people, intuitive hair washing will also be much more convenient.
Of course this hairstyle still has drawbacks, is the hair less girls can not shave, at first will also feel behind the cold cold cold, meet windy days, is also blowing do not want.
But there is no way to stop the attraction of this hairstyle ah, very alternative but not easily exposed, the key is very modifying face shape.
Especially for girls with a short chin, this hairstyle can modify the perfect side face and will also change the whole head shape, making you look more elegant.
|
https://medium.com/@qtfnhair/women-shave-half-short-hair-2022-europe-and-the-united-states-popular-not-connected-layers-of-short-ae31934305aa
|
[]
|
2021-12-25 06:17:24.173000+00:00
|
['Hair', 'Hair Loss', 'Hair Salon', 'Hair Care', 'Hairstyle']
|
Human Anatomy and Physiology: The Circulatory System and Circulatory Diseases
|
The circulatory system is one of the most important systems of our body. Its the system responsible for bringing oxygen to your body’s cells and taking away waste products. It works in tandem with the respiratory system in order to work effectively.
Parts of the Circulatory System
The Heart
The heart is in the center of the chest. It is made up of four chambers and numerous valves that work together to handle the blood flow of your body. These four chambers are known as the right atrium, left atrium, right ventricle and left ventricle.
The upper chambers of the heart are known as the atria. The right atrium recieves deoxygenated blood from the body through the superior and inferior vena cavas. The left atrium recieves the oxygen rich blood that is transported from the lungs. The valves that connect the atriums to their respective ventricles are called the atrioventricular valves. They are the tricuspid valve on the right atrium and the mitral valve on the left atrium. Ventricles are the chambers which are found on the lower regions of the heart. The right ventricle receives the deoxygenated blood that the right atrium collected from the body and sends it to the lungs through the pulmonary arteries. The left ventricle receives the oxygen rich blood from the left atrium and sends it to the aorta so it can be sent back out to the body.
The wall of the heart is made of three different layers. The outermost later is known as the epicardium, then the myocardium and the innermost layer is known as the endocardium. In the three layers, the inner and the outer layers are thin while the myocardium is thick as it is made up of cardiac muscle fibres.
The heart and the circulatory system consist of two types of blood vessels. These are veins and arteries. While these are both blood vessels, they have a number of key differences. Your arteries are responsible for carrying oxygen rich blood to your cells. On the other hand, veins carry the blood back to your heart to absorb more oxygen. About 75% of all the blood in your body is in your veins. One key difference is that veins have valves while arteries do not. Veins often need to push blood against gravity in order to get the blood back to your heart. The one way valves in your veins open for blood going towards the heart but don’t allow the blood to flow back.
The Lungs
As you know, the blood brings oxygen and takes away the carbon dioxide waste from the cells. Once the oxygen has been dropped off and the carbon dioxide is picked up, the blood can be considered used blood. The used blood is then transported to the lungs so it can be replenished.
In the alveoli of the lungs, the oxygen the respiratory system has brought in is swapped for the carbon dioxide in the used blood. The alveoli are incredibly thin and are surrounded by capillaries. The used blood goes through these capillaries and then the oxygen and carbon dioxide are swapped. Then as you exhale, the carbon dioxide is expelled.
Stages of the Circulatory System
The circulatory system starts with the oxygenated blood being pumped out to your body through your aorta. The oxygenated blood then goes to your body’s cells to drop off oxygen and collect carbon dioxide. The reason we need the oxygen is so our cells can go through cellular respiration and get energy. The carbon dioxide your blood picks up is a byproduct of cellular respiration. The deoxygenated blood enters your right atrium through the superior and inferior vena cava.
The blood then goes through the tricuspid valve in order to reach the righ ventricle. Your right ventricle then pumps deoxygenated blood through the pulmonary valve up to your pulmonary artery. The pulmonary artery then takes the deoxygenated blood to the lungs.
The deoxygenated blood becomes oxygenated and drops off waste
at the alveoli, which are little sacks storing the oxygen that we inhale. Oxygen is transferred into the blood and waste is transferred out of the blood through the capillaries. The newly oxygenated blood leaves the lungs and returns to the heart through the pulmonary veins and enters the left atrium, ready to return to the cells of the body.
The left atrium pumps blood through the mitral valve to the left ventricle. From here, the blood is pumped to the aorta. The aorta then starts the cycle all over again, sending the blood out to your body. Over the course of the day, more than 2000 gallons of blood are cycled through the heart.
Common Illnesses and Disorders
Coronary heart disease and Angina
Over time, through a process called atherosclerosis, your artery walls can get clogged up with fatty deposits that are called atheroma. If this build up causes your arteries to become too narrow, your blood supply will be completely blocked. Coronary heart disease is the term used to refer to this occurrence.
If a coronary artery is fully blocked, a heart attack may occur. However, if it is only partially blocked, chest pains known as angina may occur.
Stable angina is a symptom of coronary heart disease. It can range from a slight uncomfortable feeling in your chest to a feeling of tightness that starts in your chest and could spread to your arms, jaw or back. Breathlessness is also a potential side effect. These symptoms usually go away after around 15 minutes.
Arrhythmia
Your heart rhythm is naturally controlled by the sinus node in your right atrium. The sinus node produces electrical impulses that normally start each heartbeat. These impulses cause the atria muscles to contract and pump blood into the ventricles. The electrical impulses then run into the atrioventricular node that delays the sending of the impulses. This gives the ventricles time to fill up before the electrical impulses makes them send the blood out. In a typical heart, this would result in a heartbeat of around 60–100 bpm.
Arrythmia is the term used to describe your heart beating at an irregular pace. This includes when your heart beats too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia),or just generally in an irregular way. Tachycardia is when your resting heart rate exceeds that of 100 bpm. Bradycardia is when your resting heart rate is lower than 60 bpm.
Some common causes of arrhythmia include:
Coronary heart disease
Having high blood pressure
Potential complication of heart surgery or heart attacks
There are different variations of arrhythmia and some are normal while some can be very serious. For example, occasional tachycardia is a form of arrhythmia that can be caused by caffeine if things like coffee or soda.
|
https://medium.com/@vici-arjun/human-anatomy-and-physiology-the-circulatory-system-and-circulatory-diseases-57aae098cb01
|
['Arjun Arunkumar']
|
2021-07-15 16:59:00.646000+00:00
|
['Circulatory System', 'Biology', 'Anatomy', 'Science', 'Heart']
|
Treating Her Bad
|
50-word Story
Treating Her Bad
His bad past.
Photo by Enzo B on Unsplash
“The only thing I can think about is that I have treated her badly?” James said.
The Man didn’t say anything and walked through the window. Then he waved to James to come over.
They went through the other cracked door. A shadow came again. There was someone else there.
|
https://medium.com/illumination/treating-her-bad-d42514ce8540
|
['Agnes Laurens']
|
2020-10-11 03:48:11.817000+00:00
|
['Storytelling', 'Writing', '50 Word Stories', 'Short Story', 'Psychology']
|
Viewing Chainlink Transactions on the Ropsten Testnet
|
To begin, you can watch the transactions of the deployed LINK token contract on Ropsten here. This link filters for the event topics of data requests. Click on a transaction and go to the Event Logs tab and you’ll notice some of the events contain a lot more data than the others. Those are the requests for data, and you can change the Hex drop-down to Text on the last few entries and see part of the payload.
See the URL and the path that makes up the payload of the request.
You can also use a CBOR decoder to view the full payload in plain text:
We use CBOR to encode requests for data.
For example, here is a transaction of one of my tests. First, you can see that the beginning of the Input Data, 0x620cae68 , is the function selector of requestEthereumPrice(string) when you hash it with Keccak-256. Then, if you convert the input data to UTF8, you’ll see that I used “USD” for my input parameter.
USD is the input parameter used.
Going to the Event Logs tab of that transaction, you can again see the requesting payload, and the address of the oracle contract that I used, here. On the oracle contract, you’ll see the transaction that my node created to fulfill the request here, and again, you can convert the Input Data to UTF8 to see the value that was given.
696.64 is the value given to the oracle contract.
Additionally, you can go to the Event Logs tab, and directly obtain the hex value sent to the contract:
Topics[2] contains the requested value.
Once you enter the value of the last topic (Topics[2]) into a hex-to-string converter, you can see the value:
The requesting contract wanted bytes returned.
If you would like to deploy contracts or run your own Chainlink node on Ropsten, check out the examples on our Github. You can now create your own contracts to utilize Chainlink on Ropsten. Feel free to ask us questions on Gitter!
|
https://medium.com/chainlink/viewing-chainlink-transactions-on-the-ropsten-testnet-d59d7173e510
|
['Thomas Hodges']
|
2018-06-04 15:52:01.022000+00:00
|
['Smart Contracts', 'Ethereum', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Blockchain', 'Decentralization']
|
A Reimagined Vice Presidency
|
Cred: AP.
Future vice presidents best be former senators.
John Adams may have decried the perceived worthlessness of the position, but neither he nor successor Vice President Thomas Jefferson were negligent in their duties as President of the Senate. For, until the Kennedy Administration, the vice president was a primarily legislative role, with the president’s second-in-command having offices on Capitol Hill, not in the West Wing.
Today, the vice president is whatever the current president imagines. They are surrogate campaigners, proxy emissaries, and, most importantly, vote-getters every four years. Vice presidents are picked to balance presidential tickets and, on the odd occasion, succeed to the presidency itself. They relegate their responsibility as presiding officer in the Senate to their senatorial compatriots, who gladly relish their independence from the executive branch.
This oversight in what a reimagined vice presidency can be is a gross oversight for effective future governance.
Future vice presidents best be former senators, as they will need their parliamentary experience and years of building relationships with other senators to effectively wield their role as presiding officer. In this new vice presidency, vice presidents will actively wield the gavel, ensuring that the president’s agenda is muscled or cajoled through the obstinate upper house. Indeed, the Founding Fathers saw the role in a similar light, with John Adams “persuad[ing] senators to vote against legislation he opposed.” Vice Presidents Dallas, Morton, and Hobart “studied the Senate’s rules and precedents,” presiding “most effectively.” It was not until Lyndon Johnson that the vice president’s historically paramount role was set aside, as LBJ desired a more executive role for himself, and President Kennedy was unwilling to be seen as beholden to Johnson’s admittedly formidable skill as a legislator. Vice President Agnew attempted to regain lost ground by learning the rules of the Senate, actively presiding in proceedings, and inquiring as to how senators intended to vote. Clearly, a historical precedent exists for vice presidents to be active and willing Presidents of the Senate.
The implication of having a future vice president on the floor of the Senate would manifest itself in an arguably more successful presidential agenda. Instead of relying on the whims of Senate party politics, the president would have a constitutionally empowered advocate moving the sludge through the legislative pipeline. More importantly, the White House would empower vice presidents to contribute in their own way to a four- or eight-year legacy, instead of playing an arguably useless role, as it stands. If the goal is active, effective governance, presidents will need to use every tool at their disposals, and a vice president in the Senate would be a sterling start.
|
https://medium.com/the-hamiltonian/a-reimagined-vice-presidency-2b4ec7b6ff6e
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['Curtis H. Stratton']
|
2020-12-24 18:22:31.024000+00:00
|
['US Politics', 'Congress', 'Vice President', 'American Politics', 'Us Senate']
|
The new era of Journalism.
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The new era of Journalism.
How many times have you clicked off an article because you didn’t want to sit for hours reading? In contrast to popular belief, a long article is not always the best article; according to research 75% of people would prefer to read a story that is under a thousand words. People have become accustomed to reading shorter articles as the new age of ‘Microblogging’ has arisen.
What is Microblogging?
“Microblogging allows users to publish and share brief updates for real‐time and asynchronous communication with no more than 140 characters. Users may explore, follow, reply or forward each other’s posts, allowing interactions and collaborations to take place among people from virtually any corner of the world (Java, Song, Finin & Tseng, 2007).”
Essentially, a Microblog is just a small piece of writing that is used on social media platforms to gain audience interaction; it became popular when the new rise of social media began, as journalists and writers could use microblogging as a tool to engage with readers quicker. Microblogging can also be used to promote longer articles on journalists blog pages to keep them informed of new uploads, just like I did when promoting this blog on Twitter.
When to use Microblogging?
• To promote your full article on social media, to catch readers attention.
• To report on live events that need constant short, snappy updates.
• To share personal opinions on matters that are reflected in your article.
• To gain followers on your social media platform, so in turn, they read your blog promotions, which will increase engagement.
• To share image/videos that you may not include in your blog.
Microblogging Sites.
Facebook
Facebook is one of the most popular social networking sites. On Facebook, you can create a personal or professional profile which allows you to share a ‘status’ where you can post text updates, photos and videos, which are all uploaded to your page. You can even create specific pages, which allow you to focus on specific topics, for example, I created a Facebook page to help promote this very blog, focussing on social media and political matters.
Facebook enables readers to ‘comment’ back on your posts, with their own opinion and views, which in turn, increases your engagement. You can do almost anything on Facebook, from selling a product, to sharing live videos; it is a great platform for sharing content and gaining reader interaction, that can really help promote your articles.
Instagram
Instagram takes the visual aspect of journalism to the next level; the social media platform is used to post photographs with a hefty two thousand characters caption, with each individual post. Instagram helps capture the reader’s attention with visually appealing images, which entices the reader to click the link to the article.
Instagram can also be used as a platform where you can collect research for articles and news stories, as you can post polls and questions on your ‘story’, enabling you to hear directly from your viewers. Similar to Facebook, you can comment on other profiles posts and stories, which further allows readers to stay interactive with your work.
Twitter
Twitter has been a microblogging site since it was first created as a platform. It is one of the most popular microblogging sites, as it allows you to publicly share your views and opinions on important and unimportant matters. On the social media site, you create a profile where all your tweets are saved, and readers can scroll through all of your previous tweets. Tweets can include images, videos, links, GIFs and text, each tweet containing just under three hundred characters.
Features of Twitter:
The main features that helped improve my reader engagement on twitter were:
The #hashtag.
To efficiently use a #, hashtag a word in your tweet that is ‘trending’ on twitter. By using the hashtag, it puts your tweet into a category, and when users of the social media site, use the search engine to read tweets on specific matters, your tweet is more likely to be read.
I used various hashtags whilst tweeting, in order to increase the level of engagement. By using hashtags on relevant words in my tweet, my engagement increased. After viewing my twitter activity, I found that on tweets where I didn’t use any hashtags, 67 people had viewed my tweet, however, when I used a relevant hashtag, my views increased to 141; which shows that when using relevant hashtags your level of engagement will increase.
Polls
Using polls on twitter is another great way to collect research for your articles. I conducted a research poll to find out the amount of people who used social media as a form of news reading, I then used the data collected from these polls in my ‘The Role of Social Media in Journalism’ blog post.
“Microblogging made it easy for the audience to ask questions, have discussions, share resources (Ebner, 2009b; Ross et al, 2011) and create shared comments on learning materials (Ebner, 2009a).”
When using polls on Twitter, engagement is likely to increase, as it is a quick and easy way for readers to share their opinions with a click of a button.
What are the benefits of Microblogging?
Many people, especially those who voice their personal opinions and views on twitter are already microblogging, without even realising. Microblogging is key to building connections with your audience; frequently posting on all social media platforms is vital in promoting your business, microblogging allows you to share your content faster, with a place for your audience to interact with your articles.
Furthermore, it is a quick and easy way for you to provide content for readers to keep them interested until your next article is published. Microblogging also allows you to post in real time, reporting on events that are happening live, including breaking news. This allows content to stay relevant to the reader.
Although there are many benefits to using microblogging, there is only a limited amount of characters that can be used, especially on Twitter and Instagram, which limits what you can share to the audience. Microblogging can become ineffective when pumping your social media sites full of ‘thin’ content, posting about irrelevant things that loses the reader’s attention and causes them to no longer engage with your tweets.
Overall, microblogging has increased my social media engagement which has helped my blog to gain more readers. Microblogging is a key tool to use when writing a blog; after using this tool first-hand, I have realised how important social media is in the new age of journalism.
So, before I go too far over 1,000 words and you click off this article, make sure to let me know what you think about microblogging, and how it has helped you on my Twitter.
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https://medium.com/@serenapolly9/microblogging-33fd3cc0f797
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['Serena Soroka']
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2021-01-16 16:03:34.401000+00:00
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['Blogging Tips', 'Twitter', 'Microblogging', 'Instagram', 'Facebook']
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Train a NN using Keras to fit the Predator-Prey cycle using GAN architecture.
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Train a NN to fit the Predator-Prey cycle dataset using GAN architecture (discriminator & generator), and I’ll use the GPU for that.
Let’s make it quick and to the point. You can find all the core code here and the final code here (with a lot of improvements).
GAN Architecture
A generative adversarial network is a class of machine learning frameworks designed by Ian Goodfellow and his colleagues in 2014. Two neural networks contest with each other in a game. Given a training set, this technique learns to generate new data with the same statistics as the training set.
Imports
import os
import random
import numpy as np
import pandas as pd
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import seaborn as sns
from tqdm.notebook import tqdm # from tqdm import tqdm_notebook as tqdm
import tensorflow as tf
from tensorflow.keras.models import Model,Sequential
from tensorflow.keras.backend import sin,mean
from tensorflow.keras.layers import Input, Reshape, LeakyReLU, Activation, Dropout, Flatten
from tensorflow.keras.layers import Dense, BatchNormalization, Conv1D
from tensorflow.keras.optimizers import Adam, SGD, RMSprop
from tensorflow.keras.callbacks import TensorBoard
Hyper-Parameters
b = 1
h = 0.005
ϵ = 0.8
d = 0.6
steps = 50000
XY = np.empty((2, steps))
XY[:,0] = 50, 100
dt = 0.001
Dataset (you can skip)
This time I’ll create the cycle dataset using my own generative functions that simulate the P-P cycle in nature.
def get_rates(x, y, b, h, ϵ, d): ###
return np.array([
b*x, # prey born
(1-ϵ)*h*x*y, # prey killed, no predator born
ϵ*h*x*y, # prey killed, predator born
d*y, # predator killed
])
def draw_time(rates): ###
# assert rates.sum() > 0, rates
return np.random.exponential( 1/rates.sum() )
def draw_reaction(rates): ###
rates /= rates.sum()
return np.random.multinomial(1, rates).argmax()
updates = np.array([
[ 1, 0], # prey born
[-1, 0], # prey killed, no predator born
[-1, 1], # prey killed, predator born
[ 0,-1], # predator killed
])
def gillespie_step(x, y, b, h, ϵ, d): ###
rates = get_rates(x, y, b, h, ϵ, d)
Δt = draw_time(rates)
ri = draw_reaction(rates)
Δx, Δy = updates[ri]
return Δt, Δx, Δy
def gillespie_ssa(b, h, ϵ, d, times_,t0=0, x0=50, y0=100, t_steps=steps, tmax=steps*dt,padding=False): ###
xx = np.full(steps,0,dtype='int')
yy = np.full(steps,0,dtype='int')
t = 0
i = 0
xx[0] = x0
yy[0] = y0
while t<tmax and yy[i]!=0:
if times_[i] <= t:
i += 1
xx[i] = xx[i-1]
yy[i] = yy[i-1]
else:
# update
Δt, Δx, Δy = gillespie_step(xx[i], yy[i], b, h, ϵ, d)
t = t+Δt
xx[i] = xx[i]+Δx
yy[i] = yy[i]+Δy
if i <= steps and not padding:
return np.array([times_[:i+1],xx[:i+1],yy[:i+1]])
else:
return np.array([times_,xx,yy])
times = np.linspace(0, steps*dt, steps)
t,x,y = gillespie_ssa(b, h, ϵ, d,times_=times)
x_max,y_max = x.max(),y.max()
x_,y_ = x / x_max, y / y_max
# Sample function
def sample_data_pp(num=1000):
indices = np.sort(np.random.choice(len(x_),num,replace=False))
return np.array([np.array(x_[indices]),np.array(y_[indices])])
Let’s check the sampling function for both Predator and Prey:
ax = pd.DataFrame(np.transpose(sample_data_pp())).plot()
Let me focus only on the Prey cycle:
t = sample_data_pp(num=1000)
plt.plot(np.transpose(t[0]));
Now you can start with the actual GANs code…
Generator
def create_G(num=100):
G_in = Input(shape=15)
x = Reshape((-1,1))(G_in)
x = Conv1D(2,3,activation=LeakyReLU())(x)
x = BatchNormalization()(x)
x = Dropout(0.5)(x)
x = Conv1D(4,3,activation=LeakyReLU())(x)
x = BatchNormalization()(x)
x = Dropout(0.5)(x)
x = Conv1D(8,3,activation=LeakyReLU())(x)
x = BatchNormalization()(x)
x = Dropout(0.5)(x)
x = Conv1D(16,3,activation=LeakyReLU())(x)
x = BatchNormalization()(x)
x = Dropout(0.5)(x)
x = Conv1D(32,3,activation=LeakyReLU())(x)
x = BatchNormalization()(x)
x = Dropout(0.5)(x)
x = Conv1D(64,3,activation=LeakyReLU())(x)
x = BatchNormalization()(x)
x = Dropout(0.5)(x)
x = Conv1D(100,3,activation='tanh')(x)
x = Flatten()(x)
G = Model(G_in,x,name='Generator')
G.compile(loss='binary_crossentropy',optimizer=Adam(learning_rate=0.001))
return G
G = create_G()
G.summary()
Model: "Generator"
_________________________________________________________________
Layer (type) Output Shape Param #
=================================================================
input_1 (InputLayer) [(None, 15)] 0
_________________________________________________________________
reshape (Reshape) (None, 15, 1) 0
_________________________________________________________________
conv1d (Conv1D) (None, 13, 2) 8
_________________________________________________________________
batch_normalization (BatchNo (None, 13, 2) 8
_________________________________________________________________
dropout (Dropout) (None, 13, 2) 0
_________________________________________________________________
conv1d_1 (Conv1D) (None, 11, 4) 28
_________________________________________________________________
batch_normalization_1 (Batch (None, 11, 4) 16
_________________________________________________________________
dropout_1 (Dropout) (None, 11, 4) 0
_________________________________________________________________
conv1d_2 (Conv1D) (None, 9, 8) 104
_________________________________________________________________
batch_normalization_2 (Batch (None, 9, 8) 32
_________________________________________________________________
dropout_2 (Dropout) (None, 9, 8) 0
_________________________________________________________________
conv1d_3 (Conv1D) (None, 7, 16) 400
_________________________________________________________________
batch_normalization_3 (Batch (None, 7, 16) 64
_________________________________________________________________
dropout_3 (Dropout) (None, 7, 16) 0
_________________________________________________________________
conv1d_4 (Conv1D) (None, 5, 32) 1568
_________________________________________________________________
batch_normalization_4 (Batch (None, 5, 32) 128
_________________________________________________________________
dropout_4 (Dropout) (None, 5, 32) 0
_________________________________________________________________
conv1d_5 (Conv1D) (None, 3, 64) 6208
_________________________________________________________________
batch_normalization_5 (Batch (None, 3, 64) 256
_________________________________________________________________
dropout_5 (Dropout) (None, 3, 64) 0
_________________________________________________________________
conv1d_6 (Conv1D) (None, 1, 100) 19300
_________________________________________________________________
flatten (Flatten) (None, 100) 0
=================================================================
Total params: 28,120
Trainable params: 27,868
Non-trainable params: 252
I like to add the InputLayer so that I could just to make everything is ok until this point.
Discriminator
def create_D(num=100):
D_in = Input(shape=num)
x = Reshape((-1,1))(D_in)
x = Conv1D(num/2,3,activation=LeakyReLU())(x)
x = Conv1D(num/10,3,activation=LeakyReLU())(x)
x = Conv1D(num/50,3,activation=LeakyReLU())(x)
x = Flatten()(x)
x = Dense(128,activation=LeakyReLU())(x)
x = Dropout(0.5)(x)
x = Dense(64,activation=LeakyReLU())(x)
x = Dropout(0.5)(x)
x = Dense(32,activation=LeakyReLU())(x)
x = Dropout(0.5)(x)
x = Dense(8,activation=LeakyReLU())(x)
x = Dense(2,activation='sigmoid')(x)
D = Model(D_in,x,name='Discriminator')
D.compile(loss='binary_crossentropy',optimizer=RMSprop(lr=0.003))
return D
D = create_D()
D.summary()
Model: "Discriminator"
_________________________________________________________________
Layer (type) Output Shape Param #
=================================================================
input_2 (InputLayer) [(None, 100)] 0
_________________________________________________________________
reshape_1 (Reshape) (None, 100, 1) 0
_________________________________________________________________
conv1d_7 (Conv1D) (None, 98, 50) 200
_________________________________________________________________
conv1d_8 (Conv1D) (None, 96, 10) 1510
_________________________________________________________________
conv1d_9 (Conv1D) (None, 94, 2) 62
_________________________________________________________________
flatten_1 (Flatten) (None, 188) 0
_________________________________________________________________
dense (Dense) (None, 128) 24192
_________________________________________________________________
dropout_6 (Dropout) (None, 128) 0
_________________________________________________________________
dense_1 (Dense) (None, 64) 8256
_________________________________________________________________
dropout_7 (Dropout) (None, 64) 0
_________________________________________________________________
dense_2 (Dense) (None, 32) 2080
_________________________________________________________________
dropout_8 (Dropout) (None, 32) 0
_________________________________________________________________
dense_3 (Dense) (None, 8) 264
_________________________________________________________________
dense_4 (Dense) (None, 2) 18
=================================================================
Total params: 36,582
Trainable params: 36,582
Non-trainable params: 0
Same here … Just a bit less complex.
GAN
Here you can see an example how Keras and Torch are so different. While it’s the same concept, It feels like a different architecture almost completely.
def create_GAN(G,D,num=100):
D.trainable = False
GAN_in = Input(shape=15)
x = G(GAN_in)
x = D(x)
model = Model(GAN_in,x,name='GAN')
model.compile(loss='binary_crossentropy', optimizer=G.optimizer)
return model
GAN = create_GAN(G,D)
GAN.summary()
Model: "GAN"
_________________________________________________________________
Layer (type) Output Shape Param #
=================================================================
input_3 (InputLayer) [(None, 15)] 0
_________________________________________________________________
Generator (Functional) (None, 100) 28120
_________________________________________________________________
Discriminator (Functional) (None, 2) 36582
=================================================================
Total params: 64,702
Trainable params: 27,868
Non-trainable params: 36,834
Sanity Check:
Due to the complex of the model let me make sure all is working as expected:
data_temp = sample_data_pp(num=15)
print(data_temp.shape,G(data_temp).shape,D(G(data_temp)).shape,GAN(data_temp).shape)
(2, 15) (2, 100) (2, 2) (2, 2)
Training
noise_size = 15
# set layers on/off train
def trainable_D(D,trainable):
D.trainable = trainable
for layer in D.layers:
layer.trainable = trainable
def train_D(GAN,G,D,on_pray=True):
# samples size (batch)
batch_size = 15
# set_trainability
trainable_D(D,True)
# create noise
noise = np.abs(np.random.randn(batch_size,noise_size))
# fake
x_fake = G.predict(noise)
y_fake = np.zeros((batch_size,2)) # 0.1 instead of 0 - to evoid mode collapse
y_fake[:,0] = 1 # 0.9 instead of 1 - to evoid mode collapse
loss_fake = D.train_on_batch(x_fake,y_fake)
# real - PREY
if on_pray:
x_real = np.array([sample_data_pp(num=100)[0] for i in range(batch_size)])
else:
x_real = np.array([sample_data_pp(num=100)[1] for i in range(batch_size)])
y_real = np.zeros((batch_size,2)) # 0.1 instead of 0 - to evoid mode collapse
y_real[:,1] = 1 # 0.9 instead of 1 - to evoid mode collapse
loss_real = D.train_on_batch(x_real,y_real)
return loss_fake,loss_real
def train_G(GAN,G,D):
# samples size (batch)
batch_size = 15
# set_trainability
G.trainable = True
trainable_D(D,False)
# create noise
noise = np.abs(np.random.randn(batch_size,noise_size))
# fake
# x_fake = G.predict(noise)
y_fake = np.zeros((batch_size,2))
y_fake[:,1] = 1
loss = GAN.train_on_batch(noise,y_fake)
return loss
Another Sanity Check:
train_D(GAN,G,D), train_G(GAN,G,D)
((0.6930726766586304, 0.7439238429069519), 0.6872183680534363)
Ok, it works :))
Training GAN
def train(GAN, G, D, epochs=100, n_samples=100, verbose=True):
d_loss_fake = []
d_loss_real = []
g_loss = []
e_range = range(epochs)
if verbose:
e_range = tqdm(e_range)
for epoch in e_range:
loss_fake,loss_real = train_D(GAN,G,D)
d_loss_fake.append(loss_fake)
d_loss_real.append(loss_real)
loss = train_G(GAN,G,D)
g_loss.append(loss)
if verbose and ((epoch+1)%(epochs//10)==0):
print("Epoch #{}:\t Generative Loss: {}, \t Discriminative Loss fake: {}, Discriminative Loss real: {}".format(epoch+1, g_loss[-1], d_loss_fake[-1], d_loss_real[-1]))
return g_loss,d_loss_fake,d_loss_real
g_loss,d_loss_fake,d_loss_real = train(GAN, G, D, verbose=True)
HBox(children=(FloatProgress(value=0.0), HTML(value=''))) Epoch #10: Generative Loss: 2.36905574798584, Discriminative Loss fake: 0.015760576352477074, Discriminative Loss real: 0.0186001006513834
Epoch #20: Generative Loss: 13.932963371276855, Discriminative Loss fake: 0.003945493139326572, Discriminative Loss real: 1.4132818250800483e-05
Epoch #30: Generative Loss: 20.495332717895508, Discriminative Loss fake: 0.004247874021530151, Discriminative Loss real: 0.00016064960800576955
Epoch #40: Generative Loss: 18.873523712158203, Discriminative Loss fake: 0.0483543686568737, Discriminative Loss real: 0.001071239123120904
Epoch #50: Generative Loss: 16.03032875061035, Discriminative Loss fake: 0.017826693132519722, Discriminative Loss real: 0.08348666876554489
Epoch #60: Generative Loss: 6.583922386169434, Discriminative Loss fake: 0.04926323890686035, Discriminative Loss real: 0.15698513388633728
Epoch #70: Generative Loss: 3.1525802612304688, Discriminative Loss fake: 0.008090116083621979, Discriminative Loss real: 0.6023349165916443
Epoch #80: Generative Loss: 0.24656127393245697, Discriminative Loss fake: 0.010115372948348522, Discriminative Loss real: 7.273652590811253e-05
Epoch #90: Generative Loss: 2.347670555114746, Discriminative Loss fake: 0.004298840183764696, Discriminative Loss real: 0.000157357266289182
Epoch #100: Generative Loss: 1.5693128108978271, Discriminative Loss fake: 0.0020043672993779182, Discriminative Loss real: 0.10965212434530258
Here a result of a Google Colab Notebook with 50K epochs.
Generate
Now you can use the generator model to generate more data.
batch_size = 1
# create noise
noise = np.abs(np.random.randn(batch_size,noise_size))
# fake
x_fake = G.predict(noise)
y_fake = D.predict(x_fake)
# real
x_real = np.array([sample_data_pp(num=100)[0] for i in range(batch_size)])
y_real = D.predict(x_real)
plt.figure(figsize=(10,5))
plt.plot(np.transpose(x_fake*x_max),label='Fake')
plt.plot(np.transpose(x_real*x_max),label='Real')
plt.legend();
plt.show();
Still has some work, but it’s a pretty good fit :)
Further Work:
You should get femiliar with these techniques, that would come handy while training GANs:
Feature matching
Feature matching suggests to optimize the discriminator to inspect whether the generator’s output matches expected statistics of the real samples.
In such a scenario, the new loss function can be any computation of statistics of features.
For example, mean or median.
Feature matching suggests to optimize the discriminator to inspect whether the generator’s output matches expected statistics of the real samples. In such a scenario, the new loss function can be any computation of statistics of features. For example, mean or median. Historical Averaging
This addition piece penalizes the training speed when Θ is changing too dramatically in time.
It’s basicly an moving avarage on the i & i-1 changin of the loss, with L2 norm. And uses as a regulator on the loss of the generator.
This Will smooth out the noise and reduce the generator’s variance.
This addition piece penalizes the training speed when Θ is changing too dramatically in time. It’s basicly an moving avarage on the i & i-1 changin of the loss, with L2 norm. And uses as a regulator on the loss of the generator. This Will smooth out the noise and reduce the generator’s variance. Batch Discrimination
With minibatch discrimination, the discriminator is able to digest the relationship between training data points in one batch, instead of processing each point independently.
In one minibatch, we approximate the closeness between every pair of samples, and get the overall summary of one data point by summing up how close it is to other samples in the same batch.
With minibatch discrimination, the discriminator is able to digest the relationship between training data points in one batch, instead of processing each point independently. In one minibatch, we approximate the closeness between every pair of samples, and get the overall summary of one data point by summing up how close it is to other samples in the same batch. Adding Noises
To “spread out” the distribution and to create higher chances for two probability distributions to have overlaps.
For example, One solution is to add continuous noises to the real examples of the discriminator D.
To “spread out” the distribution and to create higher chances for two probability distributions to have overlaps. For example, One solution is to add continuous noises to the real examples of the discriminator D. G’s L1
Use L1 Normalization on G’s weights.
Use L1 Normalization on G’s weights. Gradients Computetion Ratio
Compute the gradients of G & D with a different ratio.
For example, on every train of G — train the D for 5 times.
Compute the gradients of G & D with a different ratio. For example, on every train of G — train the D for 5 times. Smoothing Target
When feeding the discriminator, instead of providing 1 and 0 labels — use soften values — Such as 0.9 and 0.1.
It is shown to reduce the networks’ vulnerability.
When feeding the discriminator, instead of providing 1 and 0 labels — use soften values — Such as 0.9 and 0.1. It is shown to reduce the networks’ vulnerability. Label Presentation
Train the model on a different label’s presentations.
For example, in this case — fourier transform.
Train the model on a different label’s presentations. For example, in this case — fourier transform. Network Params
Play with all the params of the networks.
for example, LR can have a huge affect and the “golden rule” G:0.0001 D:0.0004 is just a starting point.
Play with all the params of the networks. for example, LR can have a huge affect and the “golden rule” G:0.0001 D:0.0004 is just a starting point. Skip-z Connection
Feed the noise vector to additinal layers not just the first one.
Very similar to attention in nlp.
Feed the noise vector to additinal layers not just the first one. Very similar to attention in nlp. Better Metric of Distribution Similarity
The loss function of the vanilla GAN fails to provide a meaningful value when two distributions are disjoint.
For example, instead of BCE loss use Wasserstein loss.
Closing Thoughts
This implementation was about implement GAN in Keras while using a more complex D & G architectures.
If you wish, you could try a couple of quick things to check if it will preform better:
Better Metric of Distribution Similarity — Wasserstein Loss
Clipping values
Gradients Computation Ratio — 1:5
Tried Smoothing Target technique — 0.9 & 0.1 instead of 1 & 0
HAVE FUN … :))
|
https://medium.com/@sahar.millis/train-a-nn-using-keras-to-fit-the-predator-prey-cycle-using-gan-architecture-73fa69827243
|
['Sahar Millis']
|
2020-10-20 03:09:32.391000+00:00
|
['Gans', 'Keras', 'Data Science', 'Generative Adversarial', 'Deep Learning']
|
Supporting New Parents During Lockdown
|
Becoming a new parent at any time is stressful, but adding a new little one during a pandemic is a reality that many new parents are facing. Here are a few ways that you can support family, friends, neighbors, or co-workers who have recently become new parents.
It is tempting to want to see the new baby, but let the parents be the guide with what they are comfortable with. Abiding by their wishes for health precautions should be their (and your) number one priority.
Ask to set up a Zoom or Facetime call so that you can congratulate the new family and get to see the new little one. Allow them to set the time that is best for their schedules, and be flexible, as little ones are not on a tight schedule. Encourage parents to reschedule if they seem stressed and keep the conversation short for their convenience.
Like with any newborn, dropping off a meal is always welcome. During this time, it might even be better to simply drop a gift card in the mail so they can use it when they want.
Help with a chore. While many things need to be done inside the house, see if there are other things you can help new parents with. Mowing the lawn, dropping off a package of diapers, or seeing if there is something you can pick up from the store will be much appreciated.
For parents that need to return to work after their new child arrives, there are special things to keep in mind. For parents that are returning to front-line jobs, extra stress is bound to be a part of their day. A smile, encouraging word, or a little treat can go a long way to making them feel like they can make it through another day.
New parents that are returning to work-from-home situations will have different stresses. They may feel trapped in the house, so offer to take a socially distant walk so they can get out. Dropping off a gift at their doorstep is always encouraging.
Lockdown has not been easy on anyone, but with parents that are balancing a newborn, these are just a few tips that could help ease them into life with a little one.
|
https://medium.com/@ralphbyer/supporting-new-parents-during-lockdown-d2ee81f1d942
|
['Ralph Byer']
|
2020-11-06 16:50:08.893000+00:00
|
['Parents', 'Lockdown', 'Covid 19', 'Ralph Byer', 'Baby']
|
A Dark Sky is the Best Sky
|
Light pollution negatively affects every species on Earth — including humans. It’s disruptive for circadian rhythms in everything from people to plants. It shifts behavioral patterns for nocturnal species like bats. It also blinds and disorients migrating birds and insects. Light pollution can also signal habitat loss.
Deborah Lee Soltesz Coconino NF/USFS
Defenders works to protect quite a few imperiled species that are negatively affected by light pollution in different regions around the country. There’s a natural synergy between dark skies and wildlife conservation — a dark sky is a healthy sky for biodiversity. These are some of endangered species I talked about when I presented (virtually!) yesterday during International Dark Sky Week (April 19 through 26):
Southwest
The ocelot, Mexican gray wolf, cactus ferruginous pygmy owl, lesser long-nosed bat and the jaguar are all negatively impacted by light pollution — as they all primarily move at night in search of food or mates. They are all negatively impacted by border wall construction and associated habitat fragmentation, but if you consider the lighting (and noise) associated with construction and militarization, you’ll realize there’s an even larger biological footprint.
|
https://medium.com/wild-without-end/a-dark-sky-is-the-best-sky-df335f026658
|
['Defenders Of Wildlife']
|
2020-04-23 12:09:22.128000+00:00
|
['Wildlife', 'Environment', 'Defenders In Action', 'Light', 'Stars']
|
Cis By Default: My Continued Exploration of Gender in the 21st Century
|
November 13–19 is Transgender Awareness Week, leading up to the Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20.
At birth, I was assigned the sex “female.” My little baby self had female parts, and so the medical professionals attending did what medical professionals did back in the day: they marked the little box “F” for Female.
Because of this, I was raised female. I was given a code of behavior considered acceptable for girls and future women. I was given clothes that matched the expected norms for female people. I used the girls bathroom and locker rooms in school.
But, honestly, that was pretty much the extent of my being a girl. I wasn’t girly or particularly interested in girly things. I wasn’t a tomboy, either. I just liked books and music and non-gender specific things.
This feeling only grew more pronounced as I got older. I was certainly not interested in boys romantically or sexually. I wore the minimal amount of make-up required by society for as long as I could stand it (before giving it up completely in 1993). I chose clothes for comfort, not style. In the 1980s, when perms and vertical bangs were the norm, I wore a simple ponytail or braids.
When She Became He
Like most of us, I never thought of gender at all except in the most abstract ways. Politically, socially, and spiritually, I considered myself a woman and (later on) a lesbian. I fully embraced feminism (still do) as something the world critically needs if it’s ever going to heal from its self-inflicted macho wounds.
That all changed in the mid-2000s when I learned a friend I’d lost touch with had died. In my frantic search to reach out to her partner, I kept getting a weird address. My friend’s partner was Jane, but the email address our mutual friends sent me said “Jim.” It took three attempts before I realized that “Jane” was now “Jim.”
I won’t lie and say I handled it well. I was still reeling from the loss of a woman who had been a mentor to me. For a while, Jim’s transition felt like a second loss on top of everything else. I felt like I’d lost two mentors, one to death and the other to something I just couldn’t even begin to wrap my head around.
But I knew I had to get over my damned self and be good with it. Because that’s what friends and family do — they support you, even if they can’t even begin to understand. You get good with it because you love them unconditionally.
How Do You Feel Like a Woman or a Man?
Intellectually, I didn’t have a problem with Jim’s transition. Jim was the real person all along; he’d just been wearing an “Jane suit” for the bulk of his life. Now he was wearing his own skin. Cool. Got that. I’m good with that.
But this started me on the subject of gender dysphoria —the feeling that you are a gender other than the one you were assigned at birth. It was something I’d never thought of before. And it wasn’t long before I realized, I had no idea what it felt like to be female. I just was. The more I thought about it, the more the entire thing eluded me.
How do you feel like a woman? Is it the clothes you wear? The way you talk or act? What exactly constitutes womanness in a person, and what does that feel like? Jim transitioned over a decade ago, and it was only recently that it finally dawned on me that I don’t feel any gender at all. I identify as female because it’s what I’ve always been told I am, but I don’t feel female.
Today a writer on Quora put it in a way that summarizes exactly how I feel: “cis by default with no internal sense of gender.” I experience no actual feeling of gender one way or another (which would technically put me on the nonbinary spectrum), but I have no corresponding dysmorphia about my body or pronouns.
So What Does it Mean?
Did I just come out as nonbinary? I don’t know. I’m pretty comfortable with being identified as a woman, so my friends and family are not going to have to start using new pronouns for me.
I just wanted to share this because it illustrates that gender identity is not so simple as it appears. You may have been assigned a gender at birth and truly identify with that gender. You may have been assigned a gender at birth, and resonate completely with another gender. You may not feel any gender at all.
And guess what? You’re still you. I’m still me. Jim is still Jim.
If you’re struggling with this from the outside, please, please, just relax. It’s okay. If you are not affected by it personally, that’s cool. But gender identification not some big, scary, world-changing thing you have to be afraid of. It’s just how people feel about themselves and how they want to be seen in the world.
It’s not rocket surgery, folks. It’s just treating people the way they want to be treated.
You got this.
P.S. I got Jim’s permission before using his name or story. Because outing people who have transitioned (even if you don’t use last names) is not cool. That’s their story to tell, not yours.
|
https://medium.com/thoughts-on-gender-lgbtq-issues/cis-by-default-my-continued-exploration-of-gender-in-the-21st-century-93369d0d4a1d
|
['Deborah Baudoin', 'She Her']
|
2020-11-19 23:56:47.698000+00:00
|
['Transawareness Week', 'Nonbinary Identity', 'Lgbtqia', 'Gender Identity']
|
I Need You
|
lovethispic.com
Need is a feeling
Need is an experience
Need is selective
I need you and you and you
You need me and her, him and them
We need each other and this Earth
Need is not a choice
Give freely and we will need less
Give openly and we will be free
Give freedom and we will progress.
**Response to NEED prompt by Terijo, more than one line though**
|
https://medium.com/poets-unlimited/need-is-a-feeling-need-is-an-experience-need-is-selective-i-need-you-and-you-and-you-you-need-me-e17cd64344c3
|
['Kd Lit Yogi']
|
2017-09-05 21:16:57.798000+00:00
|
['One Line', 'Poets Unlimited', 'Poetry On Medium', 'Poetry', 'Freedom']
|
Elite Serfdom Opportunity For Best-In-Class Peasant Farmers
|
Elite Serfdom Opportunity For Best-In-Class Peasant Farmers
Are you a harvest hacker with a proven track record in converting non-arable fields to agriculture success stories?
Photo by Kylie Paz on Unsplash
About the Company
Fyoodle is a fast-growing fiefdom seeking skilled peasant farmers (Grain Gurus) to take our medieval farming operation into the next age.
We’re not your run-of-the-mill feudal estate. We’re changing the world. Fyoodle is revolutionizing agriculture by leveraging serf-based solutions to grossly enrich our benevolent overlords. The fiefdom has unlimited runway due to our tyrannical leadership, cutting-edge culture, and unpaid workforce that is contractually forbidden from leaving the premises.
About the Role
We empower serfs at Fyoodle to be more than indentured servants. As a Grain Guru, you’ll have complete ownership over your granted land. Technically speaking, the lords maintain all rights to “your” land and can seize it back at any time. But figuratively speaking, you are one-thousand percent in control of your own destiny.
Your hard manual labor will be rewarded with a small share of the subsistence you produce. The more you grow, the more you eat. There are no limits to your potential as long as you disregard the estate’s unpredictable weather, self-serving management, and swarms of locusts.
This is a unique opportunity to come into a venture-backed manorial system on the ground floor. The floor is outside; no shelter is provided.
About You
You must be a dynamic troubadour that wants the challenge of a literal lifetime. Those looking for a standard dawn-to-dusk debt bondage gig need not apply.
We want to hear from you if:
You are a wheat wizard with hands-on experience in farming parcels of land with minimal oversight. For you, crop failure is NOT an option.
You are a harvest hacker with a proven track record in converting non-arable fields to agriculture success stories.
You collaborate cross-functionally with stakeholders at all levels, from captive serfs to high-born prisoners to landless knights.
You possess an acute understanding of mandatory tithing practices and an uncanny knack for paying the right tax to the right lord at the right time.
You are a self-motivated problem solver determined to do whatever it takes to quash peasant uprisings.
Preferred qualifications include:
Comfort with ambiguity and a demonstrated ability to hunger through famine
Current and/or future offspring to inherit labor obligations a must
Survival through the Crusades or comparable religious war a plus
Our Perks
We offer exceptional perks to attract exceptional talent.
Hectares of land commensurate with experience
Comprehensive benefits package including access to medical-grade leeches and protection against invasions
Dog-friendly work environment
Mildew-resistant barley kernels thanks to generous seed funding
Exposure to senior members of the nobility and clergy
Common space with backgammon tables and mead on tap
Rigid lodge-from-work policy
Compulsory church services — we have a work hard, pray hard culture
Annual Midsummer festival
Unlimited vacation (at your own peril)
Join Fyoodle as we accelerate to hyperspeed. If you’re offered a seat on this horse-drawn wagon, don’t ask what seat. Just get on, and hold tight — we’re about to trot off at 15 miles per hour!
|
https://medium.com/slackjaw/elite-serfdom-opportunity-for-best-in-class-peasant-farmers-4bcf300339ab
|
['Emily Gao']
|
2020-06-20 12:16:00.881000+00:00
|
['Business', 'Satire', 'Technology', 'Startup', 'Humor']
|
Introducing Hypersign Data Defender program
|
At Hypersign, we deeply believe that community is an essential part of any decentralized project and it needs to get involved in the product development and raise awareness around Personal Data Protection, Privacy and security in general.
With that in mind, we would love to present the “Hypersign Data Defender Program”, which allows community members to test life-changing products of Hypersign and receive perks for doing it.
What is the Data Defender program?
Security and identity management products require deep beta-testing and access to a huge amount of data to produce safe and unhackable software. That’s where Hypersign needs some assistance from the community!
What you will get from joining the Data Defender program:
1. You will try Hypersign’s life-changing products before the world as a beta-tester.
2. You will become a part of our exclusive group of supporters.
3. You will work closely with the core Hypersign team members and share your feedback on the products.
4. You will be able to receive a private allocation of the $HID tokens for being a top contributor.
$15,000 private allocation will be distributed among the top participants of the program! As a top contributor, you will be eligible for your share of private allocation.
What kind of people do we need?
You care about the privacy and security of the personal data
You are a passionate crypto enthusiast
You want to become a long-term supporter of Hypersign
You have 5 minutes of free time
What will be required from you?
The Hypersign team is constantly working on new applications, and we need supporters that will try and test these products and share their feedback with the core team.
The dates
The program starts today (30th of May) and ends on the 3rd of June. Anyone can apply within this timeframe.
How do you join the program?
(This is beta-testing! You might face technical issues! So if you face any technical issues, please, go to https://t.me/hypersignchain )
On your Desktop/Laptop Visit the following URL:
https://bit.ly/3pfrmDL
Click on “Use Web Wallet”,
Note: Before enrolling yourself in the whitelist, please ensure you have registered in the Hypersign Web wallet — the instructions are provided under.
Web Wallet Registration Documentation:
If you want to enroll with the Web Wallet app, please use this document.
2. After clicking on the “USE WEB WALLET” button, you will see your Hypersign Web Wallet Pop-Up and asking you to Authorize Access. Click the “Authorize” button.
3. You will then see this confirmation Pop Up and Hypersign will then allow you access to the WhiteListing Form.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen by performing all 3 actions as requested.
Follow Hypersign on Twitter.
Tweet the text as specified, tag your friends, and paste the URL of the tweet in the space provided under and check the box
Join the Hypersign Telegram group and check the box.
Click Next >
5. In the next screen, please provide the missing information, your name and email address will be pre-entered based on your Web Wallet Registration, please fill in the missing fields. Click Next.
6. This is the final step, please review all your information carefully, if you need to made changes, please click on ‘Back’ to edit, if you are satisfied the information, you may proceed to submit your application.
7. The last step is the confirmation screen, this means that you have been enrolled into the white list and you will receive an email with the Whitelisted Credentials which you can use in other Whitelist events that are powered by Hypersign.
Note: filling the whitelist form does not guarantee your acceptance in the program.
Stay tuned for more announcements!
Website
Twitter
Telegram
|
https://medium.com/hypersign/introducing-hypersign-data-defender-program-12e2c71708a3
|
[]
|
2021-06-03 15:45:39.033000+00:00
|
['Community Engagement']
|
Catch Up On The Classics During COVID-19
|
In no particular order…
First up, I recommend just about anything by British writer George Orwell, but I’m particularly going to suggest that you check out Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm, both eloquent, page-turning dystopian narratives written in the 1940s. These two books are not just two must-reads within mid-century classics, but must-reads within dystopian fiction, speculative fiction, and two of my personal favourites.
Crossing the Atlantic, American writers J.D. Salinger with his 1951 novel Catcher in the Rye and Harper Lee with her 1960 To Kill a Mockingbird — both novels which tend to find themselves on high school reading lists. You might have read these when you were a teen or you might have passed them by, either way, if you haven’t ever read these at all or haven’t read these since you were a teen — these are well worth checking out.
African-American writer Richard Wright’s 1940 protest novel Native Son holds a combative history of acceptance and complaint within American public schools and libraries, is graphic and harrowing, and is a classic of African-American literature as it depicts the realities of African-American life in Chicago in the 1930s.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s isn’t just a film! Although if you want to watch it during quarantine obviously go for it! But the original 1958 novella Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote, along with the small selection of his short stories that often get bound together in its book form, is next on this list. Capote’s writing is exquisitely crafted, bringing you into the position of a somewhat neutral on-the-shelf but curious observer, with plenty to set your brain ticking.
Crossing the Pacific, Chinese writer Eileen Chang and her 1943 collection of short stories Love in a Fallen City is well worth picking up. Chang is often commended as one of the greatest Chinese 20th Century writers.
There are so many well-crafted, absorbing, challenging, and insightful books from this era. So, here are just a few more mid-century classics for you to catch up on during quarantine / self-isolation:
Guatemalan writer Miguel Ángel Asturias ’ 1946 classic novel The President
’ 1946 classic novel American writer Carson McCullers with her 1946 novel A Member of the Wedding
French-Algerian writer Albert Camus ’ 1947 novel The Plague (although that might sit a bit too close to home at the moment!)
’ 1947 novel (although that might sit a bit too close to home at the moment!) Japanese writer Osamu Dazai ’s 1948 post-war novel No Longer Human, a Japanese modern classic
’s 1948 post-war novel a Japanese modern classic American writer Ernest Hemingway ’s 1951 esteemed novel The Old Man and the Sea (if you haven’t read any Hemingway yet, definitely get into this!)
’s 1951 esteemed novel (if you haven’t read any Hemingway yet, definitely get into this!) British writer William Golding ’s 1954 dystopian novel Lord of the Flies which depicts a group of island marooned preteen boys in their attempt to survive and govern themselves.
’s 1954 dystopian novel which depicts a group of island marooned preteen boys in their attempt to survive and govern themselves. Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe ’s 1958 novel Things Fall Apart is often noted as his greatest work and cited as one of the most-read (if not the most widely read) books within modern African literature
’s 1958 novel is often noted as his greatest work and cited as one of the most-read (if not the most widely read) books within modern African literature South-African writer Es’kia Mphahlele ’s autobiographical 1959 novel Down Second Avenue , banned under apartheid, depicted the author’s struggle for an education and his challenges as a teacher under apartheid
’s autobiographical 1959 novel , banned under apartheid, depicted the author’s struggle for an education and his challenges as a teacher under apartheid American writer Sylvia Plath with her semi-autobiographical 1963 novel The Bell Jar
I hope this gives you some books to add to your TBR, and better yet, some books to enjoy reading while you stay home during this pandemic.
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash
By the time this is all over, you’ll have caught up on some classic mid-century books — some of which may have been on your TBR for a while while others may have become new additions to your TBR after reading this article.
Happy reading, and be safe and well!
|
https://medium.com/inspired-writer/catch-up-on-the-classics-during-covid-19-1404be8b0425
|
['Anna Kirkpatrick-Jung']
|
2020-04-23 08:30:27.119000+00:00
|
['Quarantine', 'Reading', 'Covid 19', 'Coronavirus', 'Classics']
|
13 Clever Money Lessons My Pain in the Ass Boss Taught Me
|
13 Clever Money Lessons My Pain in the Ass Boss Taught Me
This guy was the devil’s uncle and he can teach you a lot.
Picture by OzgeCebeci
If the devil had an uncle then this guy would be it.
Despite the obvious leadership lessons he taught me about how not to lead humans, he taught me a lot about money. The moment he became my boss I knew it would be over quickly. Over the short time I spent working for him, I took notes of all the money lessons he imparted on me before I became the dearly departed.
The cleverest money lessons come from financially rich people who are poor in all other areas of life. Money can show you the ugly side of life which you can learn from. Here’s what the devil’s uncle taught me.
Invest in yourself above all else.
That’s why he was an ass. All the money he made from holding various senior leadership roles was invested in meat pies, beer and real estate. Not a dollar was spent on self-education.
He had the self-awareness of a 5 year old. He was emotionally unintelligent. His jokes were uncomfortable. His communication style was that of a little boy playing in a sandpit and wanting to destroy all the other children’s sandcastles.
All he would have had to do was spend some of his money on understanding himself. He had childhood trauma; it was written all over his face. He clearly had lots of romantic relationship issues over the years.
You can’t prevent tragedy, but you can learn to deal with it by investing your money in yourself.
You can be rich in one area of your life and poor in others.
He was rich in the work he did. He found a way to “step over dead bodies” (as he called it) and get financially rich off a corporate fat cat salary.
To his credit he was fairly rich in the family area of his life too and prioritized his wife and children. In the areas of friendship, health, fitness, entertainment and travel, he was incredibly poor.
When you meet a financially wealthy person, take a look at what areas of their life they had to neglect in order to get the money. It’s rare someone is a billionaire and is 10/10 in all other areas of their life.
The high-net-worth individual title isn’t impressive.
This is a title he loved to drop. He wanted everyone in the office to know that his bank deemed him to be a high-net-worth individual. This was the first time I had come across this strange version of bragging.
Your financial status is nobody’s business.
Shouting from the rooftops how much money you have is a great way to get robbed and cheated by an email from a Nigerian Prince.
It’s not how much money you have. It’s what you do with it. You can do meaningful stuff with money. This is what people remember. This is what attracts people into your life that can help take you to the highest of highs and experience a sense of joy you didn’t know existed.
Titles are for the factory worker industrial age. In the 2020s it’s all about how your work contributes to the evolution of society. The meaning of your work outweighs the money it places in your bank account.
Bank digit competitions don’t beat the Olympics.
He was a competitive son of a gun. Everything was a game with a guaranteed loser — this is how he thought about money. You were either a rich winner or a poor loser. There was no in-between.
The number of zeroes at the end of your bank balance is meaningless. You can have lots of zeroes in your bank account and sit at home alone, while battling divorce, with estranged children who never want to speak to you again, and still become incredibly unhappy.
Life isn’t a competition.
A competitive mindset works against you. Why? You can’t always be the money-making winner. At some point it will be your turn to lose. I learned that when this terrible boss fired me. I had to spend my time eating shit for a while and looking for a new job.
Replace competition with the art of collaboration.
You’ll make a lot more money.
A Porsche doesn’t make you interesting.
One day I came into the office early. We went out for coffee which was never fun. He told me a story about how he was so rich and successful and threw money at a Porsche like it was nothing.
I was supposed to be interested by his Porsche porn. It didn’t make sense. It was a piece of metal with four wheels exactly like my moderately priced Honda Civic. No matter how many times he shared his Porsche story to impress people, nobody was interested.
He ended up going back to a Toyota and never talking about cars again. You don’t need to be a slave to a luxury car and get into debt.
Stick with the Toyota.
Stay away from mortgage motivation.
The moment this boss went from sweetheart to the devil’s uncle was when he casually dropped the phrase “mortgage motivation.” I’d never heard this phrase before. He explained to me before I started hiring people that I must only choose candidates who have a mortgage.
I wasn’t familiar with this interview question. That’s when I saw his true red devil colors.
“You need to select people who have a mortgage so if we need extra revenue on a particular month we can put our fingers into their backs and drive them harder. A mortgage is a form of motivation a person can’t ignore. They either comply or they can’t pay their mortgage and their family will be disappointed with them. Their partner may even leave them.”
He then told the story of how he was going to bring across his mate from another company to help with managing. Apparently, his mate was an expert at sticking fingers into people’s backs as they made phone calls to customers.
Mortgage motivation is modern-day human slavery. Don’t fall into the trap.
Avoid debt if you can.
Take on a level of debt you can easily repay (if you must).
Avoid employers who promote mortgage motivation.
The best money motivation is to earn money to invest into things that give you meaning in your life (and in the lives of others).
Your job title doesn’t change your salary.
Job title circus made no sense to me. It looked as though he was getting pay rises every six months. His job title kept getting fancier. That’s when a colleague alerted me to the game: you can change your job title on LinkedIn as many times as you want, to whatever you want.
Your job title doesn’t equal the amount on your paycheck.
If you buy books then actually read them.
A financial education can make you clever with money. Finance books are a great way to learn about money — from hedge fund managers, Wall Street tycoons, CEOs, tech company founders, etc.
Every day I would come to work and see books on my boss’s desk. The books seemed to randomly change a lot. I learned that leaving books on your desk is supposed to make you look smart. What made me laugh was when I found out he hadn’t actually read any of the books. Use your money to buy books and then actually read them.
Every dollar you spend learning about money is the equivalent of roughly ten dollars you don’t have to work for in the future.
Nobody cares how many homes you’ve got.
The number of homes you have doesn’t make you rich. My bad boss had lots. The funny thing was the homes were all in terrible suburbs.
Location, location, location is what counts with property. A good property in a terrible suburb with a high crime rate won’t go up as fast as a modest property in leafy green suburb with no bank robbers.
You can have a lot of homes and still be an asshole.
The way you treat people can make you a lot more money than investing in lots of properties and treating people like human slaves.
Don’t live on a golf course.
If you live on a golf course you’re not rich. You’re stupid. Who wants golf balls hitting their house?
Who wants to give directions to a kids birthday on a golf course? Who wants to have the stripy pants club hanging around the front of your house?
My bad boss lived on a golf course. It was situated in one of the most dangerous suburbs in my hometown. He paid top dollar to live in a dangerous area and brag about golf course life. Everybody at work knew about his home because he made it a point of telling everybody. It made no sense.
You can live on a golf course but if the suburb is more dangerous than Compton California, where Snoop Dog grew up, how is that a good financial decision? It isn’t. It’s also the reason why his tin pot convertible Porsche kept getting broken into, forcing him to sell his ego on a car website for $100K.
Amenities to your home don’t make you rich. The family in the home do.
Throw wads of cash at your health.
He looked like a grandpa with grey hair, even though he wasn’t old. His eyes were devil red. The white part of his eyes was pineapple yellow. His skin looked like a shriveled up paper bag you put mushrooms in.
His beer gut would hang over his belt, where all the unreleased emotion he was too afraid to let go of was stored. The financial lesson he taught me was simple: look after yourself.
Spend money on your health.
Buy lots of fruit and vegetables.
Drink water so you flush your system.
Lower your alcohol consumption or give it up entirely.
Spend money on going to a gym or doing group exercise in the sun.
The state of your body determines your energy levels. Low energy produces angry bad bosses. You can be far more productive and make a helluva lot more money when your brain isn’t foggy.
Energy is life. Energy attracts the people to you who can help you earn a decent living, so you can stress less and work less.
Replace hate with love and you’ll be filthy stinking rich.
My bad boss was an angry grandpa with a one-way ticket to the mental hospital. His financial problem was hate.
Hate makes you poor. You seek revenge and treat others badly when you’re a hater with unresolved psychological issues. Love makes you a lot of money. People who live their life with love may not have as much money in their bank account, but love makes their life worth living.
Love conquers all — even your financial goals.
Help other people make money.
It’s way more fun. Seeing people hit their financial goals and provide for their family, thanks to your help, is one of the best feelings in the world. That’s what my bad boss inspired me to do. Every bad boss can learn to become a human again.
How much money you make depends on how committed you are to working on yourself.
|
https://medium.com/the-ascent/13-clever-money-lessons-my-pain-in-the-ass-boss-taught-me-156be5a04172
|
['Tim Denning']
|
2020-12-12 15:02:23.480000+00:00
|
['Money', 'Leadership', 'Books', 'Life Lessons', 'Work']
|
Trent & Allie presents VPN Coupon Code for Security Online
|
Trent and Allie are a traveling couple with one goal — enjoy the adventures of traveling, collecting moments, and inspiring others to travel and experience the world by sharing their moments on Youtube. And that is what you will find on their Youtube channel — inspiration.
Trent and Allie
One of their best travel companions is their dog Frank and Surfshark VPN. For those who wonder why VPN is a great travel companion, I am here to answer this question and share a discount code presented by Trent and Allie for Surfshark VPN.
How to get Surfshark VPN with an 82% discount
Let’s start with the discount and how to get it. Just follow these simple steps:
Go to Surfshark website here and find the subscription plans they offer; Below the subscription plans you will find a window where you will need to insert a coupon code by Allie and Trent; Insert the coupon code frank;
When you add the coupon code you will be able to see a unique plan for two years subscription with an 82% discount and one extra month for free; Create an account with your email and continue the purchase.
Why VPN is a great travel companion
There are many VPN use cases, but the main ones for the traveler are security online and the ability to bypass firewalls and geographical restrictions.
VPN helps people claim anonymity and security online, it encrypts users’ traffic online and changes their IP address. By doing so, it allows people to mask their identity and location online, to bypass monitoring, to secure users’ sensitive information online and avoid data theft. While traveling, VPN is especially useful since people then tend to use open wi-fi everywhere they go. Public wi-fi especially lacks security since it is easy to hack it and then hack all users that are connected to that network.
Another popular use case of VPNs while traveling is the ability to change your device IP address and bypass geographical restrictions and firewalls. VPNs have many servers in many different countries. When you connect to any of the servers, your IP changes, and you can access websites that are not available in your country but, for example, are available in the United States. Connect to US-based servers, and you will be able to access content online that is only available in the US.
Some countries like China have strict regulations online, they block even such social media accounts like Facebook, which means when you travel to China, you will not be able to access these kinds of websites, and VPN will help you out.
Another use case special for travelers is that VPN can help you to bypass price discrimination online. I guess many of you already know that price varies based on your location, and you can buy one thing online much cheaper in one country than in another. VPN helps you choose from which country you want to buy something and help you buy more affordable plane tickets, hotel bookings and car rentals.
Why Surfshark
Surfshark
Surfshark is simply one of the best VPNs in the market, which makes innovative decisions that cares about their users’ security and experience with their product. They have a strict no-logs policy, they have fast servers worldwide, supports torrenting, offer a built-in ad-blocker, GPS spoofing feature, unblocks major streaming platforms, offer 24/7 customer support, and 30-day money-back guarantee.
Surfshark features
|
https://medium.com/@sandersbo796/trent-allie-presents-vpn-coupon-code-for-security-online-5bc6ddc790f8
|
['Bob Sanders']
|
2020-09-10 12:33:25.924000+00:00
|
['Cybersecurity', 'Discount', 'Security', 'Coupon', 'VPN']
|
Can Students Without High School IEPs or 504 Plans Get College Accommodations?
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Can Students Without High School IEPs or 504 Plans Get College Accommodations? Elizabeth Hamblet Follow Apr 25 · 3 min read
The short answer is “yes.” Most college disability services offices don’t deny accommodations to students simply because they haven’t had an IEP or 504 plan in high school. In fact, there is a good chance that students won’t be asked whether or not they had a plan. (Remember that IEPS and 504 plans aren’t valid at college.) Instead, they will likely be asked to provide recent testing for their learning disability or ADHD.
When college disability services (DS) offices do ask about plans, it is often to get a sense of students’ educational history and use of accommodations that they found helpful. (Remember that colleges aren’t required to provide students with the same accommodations written into their IEPs or 504 plans, though they likely will, depending upon what they were.) However, DS offices are aware that there could be several reasons why students didn’t have an IEP or 504 plan, e.g., they attended a private school, were homeschooled, their parents didn’t want them in special education because they didn’t want their student to feel stigmatized, etc. Many will not penalize students simply because they didn’t have plans. What many will ask for is documentation that shows that students have a disability that substantially limits their functioning (typically, this will be found in fairly recent testing for those with learning disabilities).
By the same token, colleges won’t automatically grant students accommodations simply because they have had an IEP or 504 plan previously. Colleges typically want to see objective evidence that the impact of a disability is significant enough to require accommodation, which is why they often want to see testing and only consider an IEP or 504 plan as supplementary documentation. If they don’t see evidence of that kind of deficit, the presence of an IEP or 504 (to document student’s history of receiving accommodations) may not be persuasive.
To help support students’ need for accommodations, private schools can assign someone to write a letter or some kind of narrative explaining how teachers have informally accommodated students (e.g., allowed him to take tests in a separate room with a proctor) even though these accommodations were not memorialized in a plan. It can be helpful to include comments from teachers (e.g., she often had to come after school to finish her lab because she couldn’t finish during class time). Parents/guardians of homeschooled students who are part of a learning community might wish to ask the teachers working with their student to provide similar observations. If parents or guardians are homeschooling by themselves, they can talk about their student’s work process and how they see their student’s disability affecting him or her in everyday life (e.g., “We had to set up a checklist for everyday chores to make sure she completed them thoroughly.”). These documents can be helpful supplementary documentation to back up the more formal documentation they’ll likely have to submit.
Parents/guardians should be aware that the process where students register with DS to request accommodations doesn’t occur until after they have enrolled at college (typically, right after they pay their enrollment deposit). Colleges cannot ask questions about students’ disability during the admission process (though students can certainly choose to talk about this, if they wish). Keeping this in mind, parents/guardians should not ask the school to take their student off of an IEP or 504 plan based on the mistaken idea that it will affect their college admissions chances.
To learn more, read From High School to College: Steps to Success for Students with Disabilities. Contact Elizabeth for 50% off list price on the paperback (use code “website”) or go to Amazon to buy in paperback or for Kindle. Also review the resources available at the Families & Students web page.
[Note — this piece is for informational use only. It should not be considered medical, legal or technical advice, and it is not intended to substitute for advice from a qualified professional.]
|
https://medium.com/ld-advisory/can-students-without-high-school-ieps-or-504-plans-get-college-accommodations-6ad9487b3169
|
['Elizabeth Hamblet']
|
2021-05-11 17:22:49.632000+00:00
|
['Adhd', 'Accommodations', 'Special Education', 'College Admissions', 'College Prep']
|
Your limitation — it’s only your imagination
|
“Everything you can imagine is real.” Pablo Picasso
Our imagination is one of the keys to a productive life. In fact, life is only limited by a lack of imagination. Our imagination is the key to untold worlds when we grow up as children. And it has been shown that children with very active imaginations are more likely to dream as adults and strive for more things.
At the age of five, the children’s imagination is at their peak, their memory is sharp, and they can remember anything very quickly.
But it’s a sad fact that we’re told to “Stop Dreaming” and living in an imaginary world isn’t good for us. The worst thing you can do for yourself is to suppress your imagination, for it will only lay the foundation for accelerated aging, and all too often a life that feels unsatisfied.
See an example: Imagine if you’re asking your parents or anyone else for guidance: What can I do in my life? They’re answering anything you want. And you don’t think you can do anything, you give up without trying to do it. This is your failure. Your imagination is the only limitation.
Simply, we can say that nothing will stop you except your imagination, so if you have a lot of imagination, nothing will stop you, but if you don’t have any imagination, your strengths and abilities will be limited because you don’t have enough imagination to help you overcome your problems and difficulties.
To achieve your goal, learn to use your imagination, and raise your thinking to a higher level. Your imagination is going to motivate you to move in the direction of your dreams.
|
https://medium.com/@MohsinSad123/your-limitation-its-only-your-imagination-28b30486ac50
|
['Mohsin Khan']
|
2019-09-04 11:07:48.135000+00:00
|
['Life', 'Imagination', 'Life Lessons', 'Limitations', 'Motivation']
|
GIVING UGANDA’S YOUTH AN EDUCATION FOR A WINNING FUTURE
|
Senior 3 teacher Solomon Bbosa, a teacher at Entebbe Secondary School who teaches a business and entrepreneurship skills lab that teaches students skills to help them find their confidence to meet today’s economic and employment challenges.
“Zip…Zap…Zoom,” the students of senior 3 at Entebbe Secondary School shout among each other.
They are standing in a circle alongside their teacher Mr. Bbosa, who is leading their business and entrepreneurship class today. But before they can jump into the lesson on credit transactions, Mr. Bbosa is giving them an energizer group exercise to wake them up.
The energizer is just the start of a three-part 80-minute lesson, called skills lab, based on a pedagogy that gets the students to build, practice, and present their work. So Mr. Bbosa will spend the first 20 minutes teaching the ins and outs of credit transactions, before the students practice by creating their own paperwork in small groups, and then presenting their work to the rest of the class.
“The presentations will be at random so I want everyone to participate,” Mr. Bbosa tells them as they get into their small groups. He has turned what could easily have been a very rote lesson into one that keeps the students’ attention throughout.
Skills lab — best exemplified by Mr. Bbosa’s business and entrepreneurship class — is a one-year course that teaches students soft and hard skills to help them find their confidence to meet today’s economic and employment challenges.
“It guarantees the learners keep up with the work we have for them,” Mr. Bbosa said.
The skills lab was created by Educate!, an NGO that tackles high youth unemployment by partnering with schools and governments in Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya to reform what schools teach and how they teach it so that students have the skills to start businesses, get jobs, and drive development in their communities.
“Right now you have secondary school education systems that are often failing to teach students the skills that they need to succeed in a modern economy where a majority of them are projected to work in the informal sector,” said Hayley Doner, Head of East Africa External Relations for Educate! “So you have teachers at the front of the room dictating as students take notes and memorize facts that ultimately don’t serve them when they head out into a workplace.”
The organization’s work is best showcased through Educate! Experience, their 10-year-old flagship program used in over 750 secondary schools across Uganda (25 percent of the nation’s schools). Educate! Experience works to cause school wide change by looking at the key stakeholders in these schools: the students and the teachers.
One of the more popular aspects of the Educate! Experience here at Entebbe Secondary School, located right outside Uganda’s capital of Kampala, is the Educate! Club. This student-run business club teaches students how to start and run their own enterprises. The club creates and sells everything from freshly made juices and chocolate donuts to liquid soap, bar soap, sandals, and baskets.
“We are known to have successful ideas and projects with good results,” said Miriam, 16, president of the club. One of their most popular enterprises, for example, involves selling popcorn during movie nights at the boarding school.
“We take the profits and reinvest them into supplies and creating more products and trying more ideas,” she said. “I have learned a lot and want to keep learning.”
As for how the Educate! has impacted her life, she paused to think before answering.
“Dealing with Educate! is like dealing with your future,” she finally said. “If you stick with Educate!, they also stick with you!”
|
https://medium.com/@tina_80612/giving-ugandas-youth-an-education-for-a-winning-future-315890e86c43
|
['The Partnership', 'Psipse']
|
2019-07-10 12:18:08.891000+00:00
|
['Africa', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Life Skills', 'Sdgs', 'Education']
|
This Year, Visiting Santa is Like Visiting Your Uncle in Prison Upstate
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This Year, Visiting Santa is Like Visiting Your Uncle in Prison Upstate
Photo by Mike Arney on Unsplash
I never thought visiting Santa could be compared to taking a trip to see your black sheep uncle in prison upstate, but this year is granting us the opportunity to live our wildest reality.
This weekend, we booked a photoshoot with Santa. It will be my daughter’s third photo with Santa but first separated by plexiglass.
She won’t be sitting on his lap. Instead, she’ll wave to him through a see-through plastic divider that will likely be wiped down with a commercial-grade cleanser between children.
Santa, like your drunk uncle, will be sitting helplessly behind glass, waving good cheer and whatever else he has back there. My wife and I are trying to figure out how to explain this new reality to our toddler.
So far, here’s what I came up with:
Santa has a cold
Innocently enough, Santa is taking a precaution to sit behind the plexiglass to ensure all he spreads this holiday season is Christmas cheer. Having this divider will keep all of the children safe so they can enjoy Christmas morning without a runny nose or fever.
Santa is shy
Sometimes, Santa needs some distance. Delivering toys to every girl and boy takes a tool. Having the divider will give Santa the space he needs this year to mentally prepare for his big night of deliveries.
The Forcefield of Christmas Cheer
The transparent plastic wall is actually a forcefield used to capture Christmas cheer that Santa uses to fuel his sleigh on Christmas Eve. The more you talk and tell Santa what toys you want, the more the forcefield gets filled with Christmas cheer.
In Conclusion
I think Santa has a cold this year.
Signup for my newsletter!
|
https://medium.com/@welcomehomejoe/this-year-visiting-santa-is-like-visiting-your-uncle-in-prison-upstate-df186829626f
|
['Joe Wilson']
|
2020-12-09 02:10:11.971000+00:00
|
['Santa Claus', 'Santa', 'Christmas', 'Parenting', 'Fatherhood']
|
The best Slack groups for UX designers
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Tons of companies are using Slack to organize and facilitate how their employees communicate on a daily basis. Slack has now more than 5 million daily active users and more than 60,000 teams around the world.
But whether the company you work for use Slack or not, you can still use the tool to connect and stay in touch with other professionals like you. The design and tech communities have been creating a series of groups to chat about references, events, books, links, case studies and best practices in our field. The best part: anyone can join and participate in the discussions.
Here are some of my favorites Slack groups:
Conversations on web and UI animation
Designers and researchers from around the world discussing user experience
A community for Sketch designers
A community to help you figure out your next steps in becoming a better designer from folks a few steps ahead of you
For digital nomads working on startups
A community for designers, PMs, and developers
A community-driven effort to make web accessibility easier
For people who are interested in the user experience of content
An active community of creatives to learn, share and grow with
From the creators of the homonym user testing tool
A curated community where photographers can share and meet great people who also enjoy photography
All the things relevant to product management
A community for creative developers to share knowledge
A Slack community for iOS developers to share experiences and learn
Slack group with ReactJS news
Group about application hosting on Google’s infrastructure
Official Slack group for the Bootstrap framework
A safe, confidential space for women who work in technology
Developers of Slack bots on Slack
Artificial Intelligence group on Slack
Slack group of people from sub-reddit /Entrepreneur
Group with independent game developers
See also:
The best new UX books from the last 3 years
The best Medium publications from design teams to follow
The best UX and design conferences in 2017
The best YouTube channels for designers and developers
|
https://uxdesign.cc/the-best-slack-groups-for-ux-designers-25c621673d9c
|
['Fabricio Teixeira']
|
2020-06-19 12:04:16.882000+00:00
|
['Ux Resources', 'UX', 'Slack', 'Tech', 'Design']
|
Valhalla 2021 Review
|
While we look forward to the new year and the future of our project, we believe it’s also important to reflect on the previous year and where we have come from.
Valhalla was launched in May as a community coin with no team, no roadmap, no leadership and no LP. Alex and I picked up the challenge and started to build a team and utility around the coin. As the market faltered in the summer, planning continued and a strategy to relaunch the coin with a new contract, dev team, improved tokenomics, and a utility already in production, built entirely from volunteer efforts.
We have been consistently amazed by the support of the community and this is part of what drives us to keep pushing forward to Valhalla. This has come in multiple forms, be it defense of the project in our telegram and elsewhere, to the DMs that we get, to the diamond hands who have been holding since day 1.
For the presale and initial launch we completed the following
Pre-launch Website and Whitepaper overhaul
AMAs in Crypto Ballers, Rudes Lounge Zero to Hero, Phoenix Holdings, Coin Launch
Lounge, and a large one in our own channel.
We were pinned in many groups, including very large groups such as the Shampoo Lounge and Saiyan Signal
Valhalla was included in all major launch listings.
Multiple Tweets from influencers including Crypto Maestro.
Ads ran through large crypto ad platforms through (Coinzilla & Pushground)
Due to unfortunate market timing we ended up launching into a red market, due to this and in order to maximise the effectiveness of our marketing budget we have not marketed heavily during this time period. However we have continued working diligently in the background.
It was raised that our whitepaper and website made us look like a charity token, while we support charity we are very much a utility token, and to reflect this the white paper has been re-written to better push our use cases, and the website is in the process of some heavy updating, some of which has already been implemented such as the gitbook integration to create a Valhalla Wiki. Upcoming changes are a full website redesign to make the information displayed clearer to new users, integration of the rewards dashboard, a swapper so users can purchase VLH directly through the website, and Medium blog integration.
We are also currently in discussion with multiple staking platforms, to create staking options, these options will include, staking to earn additional VLH while continue to gain your bUSD rewards, staking to earn both VLH and a partner token while continue to claim bUSD rewards, staking your VLH and sacrificing your bUSD rewards in order to earn additional VLH tax free through an automated buy-back feature (this will be a great option for those who maybe hold only a small amount of token and want to quickly increase their VLH bags). We are also considering the options of listing the token with other LP pairs such as FEG.
As part of the updating of Valhalla’s marketing we spoke to an SEO expert who has given us some valuable advice on how best to reach certain markets and also improve our visibility on sites such as google and twitter, you will see this start to roll out with the website and whitepaper updates.
As we move closer to the new year we are already starting to see the market improve, and we are aligning our marketing to make use of the next bull run.
Starting this off was an AMA on the 29th of December with RedlightTokenDistrict.
We are also in talks with a well know influencer for an AMA in their group in January, with plans currently being discussed with two airdrop tokens — one very well known for their shilling. These airdrops will help us in multiple aspects, first with the awareness that we will gain from those groups but also by increasing our holder count, which is an important listing criteria for sites such as trust wallet. We will also be doing our first token buy back from the whale wallets to go into the staking pools, which will give the token a noticeable price increase, and improve the APY for our staking pools.
Coin tracking applications are currently underway, with the most common platforms and a few less common ones too, currently we are working on the following applications, CMC, CG, NOMEX, crypto.com and the Safemoon wallet. We are now listed on WatcherGuru, https://watcher.guru/coin/valhalla, and awaiting confirmation for listing on a Chinese voting platform https://cntoken.io/.
I believe that covers the majority of what we have going on right now, however as we move into the new year it’s important to consider our long term visions.
Valhalla aims to become a conversion point for new users into DeFi, this starts with our initial use cases of our Tutorial Hub and Wallet trackers, alongside implementing direct buy features into the site so they will be able to convert fiat into both BNB and VLH. However our plans extend much further beyond that, with the addition of an NFT platform and a Token IDO LaunchPad we will be moving towards a single point of call for new users to learn about DeFi, purchase NFTs and get access to safe vetted tokens, while being provided the knowledge and tools to track their investments and make educated decisions. Long term our aim is to become the only site users will need to find new calls, this would mean providing access to data scraped from sites such as CMC and Pancake Swap to find new listings and top trending tokens, implementing our own charting tools, and expanding Valhalla across multiple chains.
We are excited for the future of Valhalla and look forward to everyone taking this journey with us.
Happy Holidays
From Valhalla Token
|
https://medium.com/@valhallatokenofficial/valhalla-2021-review-afb9c6866124
|
['Valhalla Token']
|
2021-12-30 20:43:59.603000+00:00
|
['Cryptocurrency', 'Bsc', 'Defi']
|
SETI #14: Spotify CEO, Sports & Business, Xmas at Home | Arekibo Recommends
|
In our last SETI, we focused on articles about the state of digital in 2020, how mini-games and micro-interactions are changing consumer behaviour and how Covid19 vaccine is changing the tech world. Today we will be reading about the renaissance of the QR code, what businesses can learn from high-performance sports and how to stay safe celebrating Christmas at home.
Leadership: The Observer effect, the interview with Spotify founder
Daniel Ek, Founder and CEO of Spotify does things very differently from other business leaders and in this interview is talking about his leadership style, time management, decision making, Spotify’s impact on the world and much, much more.
Technology: Monitor and analyze your software
A list of 21 programs that are great for analyzing or benchmarking your devices — whether you’ve got a mobile phone, laptop or desktop PC running Windows, Linux, or macOS, to get you covered for 2021.
Digital: Components randomizer for Figma
An interesting research done on a component randomizer on Figma: 50 / 50 split component with an H1, paragraph and CTA. 115 alternative layouts based on a a simple pixel gird and rules set up around margins and spacing.
Digital: The renaissance of the QR code
In a touch-free world, the QR code is having its moment. Once dismissed as a marketing gimmick, the black and white patterns are proving their worth during the coronavirus pandemic.
Business in lockdown: What high-performance sport can teach business
Business has always found inspiration in sport. And the lockdown has been no exception. This article gathers the recent high-performance (virtual) coffee breaks heard from over 120 leaders from around 32 different sports around the world, from locations as widespread as San Jose, Munich, and Melbourne.
Development: .Net Conference 2020
In the previous SETI we have covered the release of .Net 5. Today we want to turn your attention to a .NET conference that happened last month. This link hosts all the awesome sessions from various teams and community experts that showed all sorts of cool things we can build with .NET across platforms and devices.
UX: The relationship between data and design explained
In this Ted Talk, Rochelle King, the senior designer at Spotify, walks us through the process of redesigning a major website, revealing best practices for navigating the relationship between designers, data and the people for whom it is built.
WFH: Siemens to let staff ‘Work From Anywhere’ permanently
Earlier this year, Siemens let staff “Work From Anywhere” permanently where they are most productive.
Covid19: What’s allowed and what to avoid this Christmas
Government stresses ‘every contact counts’ as it outlines options available at Level 3. See some of the advice on shopping, family gatherings, Santa drive-through and Christmas markets in Ireland this year.
Neuroscience: Why you should read this out loud
Most adults retreat into a personal, quiet world inside their heads when they are reading, but we may be missing out on some vital benefits when we do this.
Feel free to share and tweet us or contact us if you have read any interesting articles that you think we should feature.
We hope you enjoy the selection. Sign up to the newsletter if you would like us to let you know when the next SETI selection is published.
About the Author
|
https://medium.com/@arekibo/seti-14-spotify-ceo-sports-business-xmas-at-home-arekibo-recommends-ddc926098bbd
|
['Arekibo Communications']
|
2021-01-07 09:38:10.075000+00:00
|
['WFH', 'Spotify', 'Tedtalks', 'Business', 'Šport']
|
Midwives for CryptoKitties: Little Kitten is Yours, but Birthing Fee is Mine, Part 1
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Overview of the CryptoKitties game
The CryptoKitties is a game that consists of collecting virtual cats. Cats in the game can be created by Axiom Zen, the company behind the game, or created by the players of the game who can breed two cats to generate a new one. The physical attributes of each is determined by its own genetic sequence, which is mainly inherited from its parents’ genes with some randomness.
The main functions of the CryptoKitties game are implemented in smart contract called KittyCore. All operations related to genomes are stored in smart contract GeneScience. There is a market for buying and selling cats, and it is deployed in smart contract SaleClockAuction. Another market is for “renting” cats for breeding purposes, which is in smart contract SiringClockAuction.
Here is a summary on the smart contracts related to the CryptoKitties game.
KittyCore: 0x06012c8cf97BEaD5deAe237070F9587f8E7A266d
creator: 0xba52c75764d6F594735dc735Be7F1830CDf58dDf
time: Nov-23-2017 05:41:19 AM +UTC GeneScience: 0xf97e0A5b616dfFC913e72455Fde9eA8bBe946a2B
creator: 0xba52c75764d6F594735dc735Be7F1830CDf58dDf
time: Nov-23-2017 05:40:25 AM +UTC SiringClockAuction: 0xC7af99Fe5513eB6710e6D5f44F9989dA40F27F26
creator: 0xba52c75764d6F594735dc735Be7F1830CDf58dDf
time: Nov-23-2017 05:41:47 AM +UTC SaleClockAuction: 0xb1690C08E213a35Ed9bAb7B318DE14420FB57d8C
creator: 0xba52c75764d6F594735dc735Be7F1830CDf58dDf
time: Nov-23-2017 05:41:27 AM +UTC
The address of the KittyCore contract is 0x0601, and this smart contract provides the main entry points for players to interact with the game.
The most important function in the game is the giveBirth() function, which will be called to give birth of a new cat. When two cats breed, information on what block the pregnancy will be completed will be stored on the pregnant cat. In Ethereum blockchain, however, there is no inherent timer that allows a piece of code to be automatically executed in a certain block. This means that someone must call the function giveBirth() in the smart contract to deliver the baby.
contract KittyBreeding is KittyOwnership {
/// @notice Have a pregnant Kitty give birth!
/// @param _matronId A Kitty ready to give birth.
/// @return The Kitty ID of the new kitten.
/// @dev Looks at a given Kitty and, if pregnant and if the gestation period has passed,
/// combines the genes of the two parents to create a new kitten. The new Kitty is assigned
/// to the current owner of the matron. Upon successful completion, both the matron and the
/// new kitten will be ready to breed again. Note that anyone can call this function (if they
/// are willing to pay the gas!), but the new kitten always goes to the mother's owner. function giveBirth(uint256 _matronId)
external
whenNotPaused
returns(uint256)
{
// Grab a reference to the matron in storage.
Kitty storage matron = kitties[_matronId]; // Check that the matron is a valid cat.
require(matron.birthTime != 0); // Check that the matron is pregnant, and that its time has come!
require(_isReadyToGiveBirth(matron)); // Grab a reference to the sire in storage.
uint256 sireId = matron.siringWithId;
Kitty storage sire = kitties[sireId]; // Determine the higher generation number of the two parents
uint16 parentGen = matron.generation;
if (sire.generation > matron.generation) {
parentGen = sire.generation;
} // Call the sooper-sekret gene mixing operation.
uint256 childGenes = geneScience.mixGenes(matron.genes, sire.genes, matron.cooldownEndBlock - 1); // Make the new kitten!
address owner = kittyIndexToOwner[_matronId];
uint256 kittenId = _createKitty(_matronId, matron.siringWithId, parentGen + 1, childGenes, owner); // Clear the reference to sire from the matron (REQUIRED! Having siringWithId
// set is what marks a matron as being pregnant.)
delete matron.siringWithId; // Every time a kitty gives birth counter is decremented.
pregnantKitties--; // Send the balance fee to the person who made birth happen.
msg.sender.send(autoBirthFee); // return the new kitten's ID
return kittenId;
}
}
When the function giveBirth() is called, it first checks if the pregnancy has reached its course, which is done in function _isReadyToGiveBirth(). It then determines the genes of the offspring are determined by calling function mixGenes() in the GeneScience smart contract. Finally, the new kitten is created with the generated genes and the matron is the owner of the newly born baby.
It can be seen that there is no restriction on the invocation of the function giveBirth(), so everyone can call the function to deliver the baby even though the expected baby belongs to someone else. This is an incentive mechanism by the developers of the game to encourage the delivery of the child as soon as the pregnancy has been completed in order to reduce the chances of players gaming the system.
When computing the genome of a cat in the mixGenes() function, the block hash of the target block to deliver the cat is used as the source of randomness. In Ethereum blockchain, only the block hashes of the past 256 blocks are available to the EVM and therefore to the contracts. Thus, it is desirable that the new kitten should be delivered within 256 blocks of the target block.
If a cat is delivered after 256 blocks of the target block, the block hash is unavailable and thus it is zero. In that case, a faked target block is generated based on the current block and the target block as shown in the following piece of code for the mixGenes() function.
GeneScience {
/// @dev the function as defined in the breeding contract - as defined in CK bible
function mixGenes(uint256 _genes1, uint256 _genes2, uint256 _targetBlock) public returns (uint256) {
require(block.number > _targetBlock);
// Try to grab the hash of the "target block". This should be available the vast
// majority of the time (it will only fail if no-one calls giveBirth() within 256
// blocks of the target block, which is about 40 minutes. Since anyone can call
// giveBirth() and they are rewarded with ether if it succeeds, this is quite unlikely.)
uint256 randomN = uint256(block.blockhash(_targetBlock)); if (randomN == 0) {
// We don't want to completely bail if the target block is no-longer available,
// nor do we want to just use the current block's hash (since it could allow a
// caller to game the random result). Compute the most recent block that has the
// the same value modulo 256 as the target block. The hash for this block will
// still be available, and – while it can still change as time passes – it will
// only change every 40 minutes. Again, someone is very likely to jump in with
// the giveBirth() call before it can cycle too many times. _targetBlock = (block.number & maskFirst248Bits) + (_targetBlock & maskLast8Bits); // The computation above could result in a block LARGER than the current block,
// if so, subtract 256.
if (_targetBlock >= block.number) _targetBlock -= 256; randomN = uint256(block.blockhash(_targetBlock));
} // generate 256 bits of random, using as much entropy as we can from
// sources that can't change between calls.
randomN = uint256(keccak256(randomN, _genes1, _genes2, _targetBlock));
uint256 randomIndex = 0; // rest of code is omitted
}
}
It is clear that if the baby cat is given birth after 256 blocks of its target block, the faked target block is completely deterministic, and the genome of the new cat can be predicted in advance. In that case, the owner of the cat would have the opportunity to manipulate the genetic combination of its kittens and gain an unfair advantage against other breeders.
To keep this from happening, the game collects a fee from every breeding (called birthing fee), and allows anyone to claim the birthing fee by calling the giveBirth() function on the pregnant cat at (or after) the target block. The new cat still goes to the owner of the pregnant cat. But anyone can give birth to a cat whose pregnancy period has ended and be compensated for it.
The birthing fee on the delivery of a new kitten is transferred to the caller of the giveBirth() function by the statement msg.sender.send(autoBirthFee) in the function. Currently, the birthing fee is 0.008 Ethers.
This incentive mechanism in the CryptoKitties game has led to the emergence of the CryptoMidwives, which are agents who, even though they are not the owners of the to-be-born kittens or even though they are not themselves players of the game at all, fulfill the critical function of baby delivery in the CryptoKitties economy.
The crypto-midwife service is typically designed as a complex system that monitors the Ethereum blockchain to identify pregnant cats, collects information on the target blocks of pregnant cats, and invokes giveBirth() function on the right times to grab birthing fee. Part of this complex crypto-midwife service is implemented in smart contracts.
Nowadays, crypto-midwife service has become an economy in the CryptoKitties game and the competition in this market is fierce. Many attempts to call giveBirth() function arrive too late, meaning that when the transaction is processed by the miners the cat is no longer pregnant because another transaction was processed first.
Let us take a deep look at this crypto-midwife market in this article.
A Crypto-Midwife
The first crypto-midwife to be studied is the one deployed on the Ethereum blockchain by the following transaction.
Transaction Hash: 0xd2ea80192c6f00d76867817000110239535f48984ee90aee29311bdc55da3ab6
Status: Success
Block: 7175488 1464789 Block Confirmations
Timestamp: 236 days 39 mins ago (Feb-04-2019 10:58:43 PM +UTC)
From: 0x06aba80df0bb055e707a2c0337910c1438dc9d17
To: [Contract 0x4a2b76d5cb87bab48a14759649bb43ec8a35a628 Created]
Value: 0 Ether ($0.00)
Transaction Fee: 0.00015351672763 Ether ($0.03)
Gas Limit: 600,000
Gas Used by Transaction: 75,624 (12.6%)
Gas Price: 0.000000002030000101 Ether (2.030000101 Gwei)
Nonce Position 11023 25
Input Data: (omitted)
The smart contract was deployed on Feb-04–2019 10:58:43 PM +UTC. Its deployer is 0x06ab. The address of the smart contract is 0x4a2b.
As the creator of this smart contract did not publish its source code, we resort to reverse engineering techniques to restore it.
The source code of the smart contract for the crypto-midwife service, named contract_4a2b, is presented as follows.
pragma solidity ^0.5.1;
contract contract_4a2b {
address constant master = 0x00000000a8F806c754549943B6550A2594c9a126;
constructor () public {
}
function () external payable {
(bool success,) = master.call.value(msg.value)(msg.data);
}
}
This smart contract is amazingly simple. The only function with real code is its fallback function, which directly calls a function in another smart contract.
It is evident that there is no access control on the fallback function. So, no only the creator of the smart contract but also everyone in the world can call this function. However, this will not be a problem for the creator of the smart contract, which will become clear later.
In fact, this smart contract just acts as a wrapper to the smart contract whose address is 0x00000000a8F806c754549943B6550A2594c9a126, let us name it as contract_a8f8.
The contract_a8f8 is deployed on the Ethereum blockchain by the following transaction.
Transaction Hash: 0xa4540bb6a28be9af2b779e2027e491b22bb8638585bb296c4642b625e3ff68d2
Status: Success
Block: 6720524 1919588 Block Confirmations
Timestamp: 315 days 13 hrs ago (Nov-17-2018 09:35:14 AM +UTC)
From: 0x6a05fc6615c4f2bc872901876744b81f2414f44f
To: [Contract 0x00000000a8f806c754549943b6550a2594c9a126 Created]
Value: 0 Ether ($0.00)
Transaction Fee: 0.0019226203577 Ether ($0.33)
Gas Limit: 1,300,000
Gas Used by Transaction: 477,077 (36.7%)
Gas Price: 0.0000000040300001 Ether (4.0300001 Gwei)
Nonce Position 18 76
Input Data: (omitted)
The creation time of this smart contract, contract_a8f8, is Nov-17–2018 09:35:14 AM +UTC. Clearly, it is deployed much earlier than the wrapper contract contract_4a2b, which is created on Feb-04–2019 10:58:43 PM +UTC. It can be inferred that before the wrapper smart contract is created, the contract contract_a8f8 is triggered directly to utilize its midwife’s service. The creation of the wrapper is only an afterthought.
The creator of contract_a8f8 is 0x6a05, who is not the same as the one deploying the wrapper smart contract. It is quite natural to guess that the creator of contract_4a2b and the creator of contract_a8f8 belong to the same group.
Again, the source code the the contract_a8f8 is recovered via reverse engineering methods due to the unavailability of its source code.
The source code of contract_a8f8 is given below.
pragma solidity ^0.5.1;
contract contract_a8f8 {
address constant target = 0x06012c8cf97BEaD5deAe237070F9587f8E7A266d;
address constant admin = 0x06ABA80DF0Bb055E707A2c0337910C1438dc9d17;
uint256 constant MASK_1 = uint256(~((2 ** 248) - 1));
uint256 constant BYTE_1 = (2 ** 248);
uint256 constant BYTE_2 = (2 ** 240);
uint256 constant BYTE_3 = (2 ** 232);
uint256 constant BYTE_4 = (2 ** 224);
uint256 constant SHIFT_1 = 0x0100;
uint256 constant SHIFT_2 = 0x010000;
uint256 constant SHIFT_3 = 0x01000000;
uint256 constant SHIFT_4 = 0x0100000000;
// slot 0x00
uint256 numAgents; // slot 0x01
uint256 unused;
constructor () public {
}
// function selector: 0x2e1a7d4d
// code entrance: 0x0579
function withdraw(uint256 _val) public {
checkOrigin();
checkGasLimit(); if (_val > 0) {
tx.origin.transfer(_val);
}
}
// function selector: 0xcb3b3ab3
// code entrance: 0x059c
function setUnused(uint256 _val) public {
checkOrigin();
checkGasLimit();
unused = _val;
}
function () external payable {
if (msg.data.length <= msg.value) {
return;
} uint256 start = msg.value;
uint256 input; assembly {
input := calldataload(start)
} if ((input / BYTE_1) == msg.value) {
input = input * SHIFT_1;
uint256 secondByte = input; input = input * SHIFT_1; // slot 01: uint256 unused; if (((secondByte & MASK_1) == BYTE_1) && (tx.gasprice > 0)) {
// get storage refund
uint256 slot = input / BYTE_2;
assembly {
sstore(slot, start)
}
} input = input * SHIFT_2; uint256 cooldownEndBlock = input / BYTE_4; input = input * SHIFT_4; if (blockhash(cooldownEndBlock - 1) != 0) {
uint256 matronId = input / BYTE_3;
uint256 numBirth = 0;
while (matronId > msg.value) {
input = input * SHIFT_3; // function giveBirth() selector: 0x88c2a0bf
(bool success,) = target.call(
abi.encodeWithSelector(0x88c2a0bf, matronId)); if ((success) && ((secondByte & MASK_1) == BYTE_1)) {
// suicide agent contracts to get refund
uint256 nonce = input / BYTE_3;
uint256 nonceEnd = nonce + 6;
while (nonce < nonceEnd) {
if (nonce > 0xffff) {
address addr = address(uint160(bytes20(
keccak256(abi.encodePacked(
bytes1(0xd9),
bytes1(0x94),
address(this),
bytes1(0x83),
uint24(nonce)
))))); addr.call.value(msg.value)("");
}
else if (nonce > 0xff) {
address addr = address(uint160(bytes20(
keccak256(abi.encodePacked(
bytes1(0xd8),
bytes1(0x94),
address(this),
bytes1(0x82),
uint16(nonce)
))))); addr.call.value(msg.value)("");
}
else if (nonce > 0x7f) {
address addr = address(uint160(bytes20(
keccak256(abi.encodePacked(
bytes1(0xd7),
bytes1(0x94),
address(this),
bytes1(0x81),
uint8(nonce)
))))); addr.call.value(msg.value)("");
}
else {
address addr = address(uint160(bytes20(
keccak256(abi.encodePacked(
bytes1(0xd6),
bytes1(0x94),
address(this),
uint8(nonce)
))))); addr.call.value(msg.value)("");
} nonce = nonce + 1;
}
} input = input * SHIFT_3;
numBirth = numBirth + 1; if (numBirth == 4) {
assembly {
input := calldataload(0x20)
}
}
else if (numBirth == 9) {
assembly {
input := calldataload(0x3e)
}
} matronId = input / BYTE_3;
}
} return;
} if ((input & MASK_1) == BYTE_1) {
// create bank of storage
input = input * SHIFT_1; // 0x64 = 100
uint256 slot = input / BYTE_3;
uint256 slotEnd = slot + 100; if (slot > 1) {
while (slot < slotEnd) {
assembly {
sstore(slot, 1)
} slot = slot + 1;
}
} return;
} if ((input & MASK_1) == 2 * BYTE_1) {
// create pool of agents uint112 tail = 0x3318585733ff600052601b6005f3;
bytes memory code = abi.encodePacked(
bytes1(0x7a),
bytes1(0x73),
address(this),
tail
); uint256 len = code.length;
address deployed; // 0x3c = 60
for (uint256 idx = 0; idx < 60; idx++) {
assembly {
deployed := create(0, add(code, 0x20), len)
}
} numAgents = numAgents + 60;
}
}
// internal functions
// code entrance: 0x0633
function checkOrigin() private view {
require (tx.origin == admin);
}
// code entrance: 0x0655
function checkGasLimit() private view {
// 0x01312d00 = 20000000
require (block.gaslimit < 20000000);
}
}
The most obvious thing about the source code is that the entire functionality of the midwife service is implemented within the fallback function. The other function named withdraw() is used by the administrator of the smart contract to withdraw funds from the contract. The administrator of the smart contract is hard coded in the code, which is 0x06ab, who is also the creator of the wrapper smart contract contract_4a2b.
It is interesting that the deployer of the contract_18f8 is 0x6a05, however, the administrator is set to be 0x06ab, who later creator the wrapper contract_4a2b for contract_18f8. Clearly, addresses 0x6a05 and 0x06ab know each other, they may be even controlled by the same person.
The address of the smart contract for KittyCore, the core service for the CryptoKitties game, is also hard coded in the source code in variable “target”.
The fallback function takes a byte sequence as its input and provides different services accordingly. The first byte of the input sequence determines the type of service the caller intends to use.
There are mainly three different types of services:
the first byte is 0: birth delivery service the first byte is 1: create bank of storage the first byte is 2: create pool of agent contracts
In the birth delivery service, the height of the block in which the births of crypto-kitties are expected is specified in the input sequence. As multiple births can be due on the same block, the input can include information on many births. For each birth, the matronId and a nonce are provided in the input sequence.
For each birth, the birth delivery service calls the function giveBirth() in the smart contract for the KittyCore using the provided matronId as parameter.
The invocation of the giveBirth() function costs gas. If the code for birth delivery service is not designed and implemented in an efficient manner, the profit by delivering a birth will be eaten up by the miner (as transaction fee).
Therefore, this smart contract takes advantage of both storage refund and contract refund provided by Ethereum blockchain.
In Ethereum blockchain, storages consumed by a contract are stored by all nodes of the blockchain forever. That is obviously very expensive. To encourage contract writers to delete storage variables when they are no longer useful, Ethereum provides a refund when a storage element is deleted. This refund can pay for up to half of the gas used by a contract transaction.
Similarly, Ethereum also provides gas refund when deleting a whole contract.
This is why this smart contract also provides services to create a bank of storage and to create a pool of agent contracts.
In the service for creating a bank of storage, the start key of the storage is specified in the input sequence, and the service will create 100 storage slots and assign non-zero (in this case 1) value to each slot. As the content of these storage slots are not zero, so they are occupied and acts as a gas deposit. These storage slots can be released later by setting them to zero, so that storage refunds can be obtained.
In the same manner, in the service for creating a pool of agent contracts, 64 agent contracts will be created whenever this service is invoked. These agent contracts are very simple, they simply self destruct themselves when they are triggered if the callers are their creators, or crash otherwise.
With the bank of storage and the pool of agent contracts at hand, the birth delivery service and compensate the cost of invoking giveBirth() function by releasing one storage slot to get the storage refund and instructing 6 agent contracts to destruct themselves to get the contract refund.
For details, please refer to the pieces of code starting at comment “get storage refund” and comment “suicide agent contracts to get refund” in the source code.
It can be seen that there is no access control to the fallback function, implying that any one can invokes the services provided by this function. However, the birth fee from a successful delivery of birth is stored in the smart contract, not the caller of the function. In order to extract money from this smart contract, the withdraw() function should be called. As expected, the withdraw() function first checks whether or not the caller is the administrator and it simply reverts the transaction if the caller is not the administrator.
The CryptoMidwife in action
As discussed above, the user of this crypto-midwife service can interact with either contract_4a2b (the wrapper) or contract_a8f8 (the core).
Before the crypto-midwife service can be used to deliver kittens, a bank of storage and a pool of agent contracts should be first created.
Here is an example transaction that triggers the function to create part of the storage bank.
Transaction Hash: 0x0ac4c974bfa7dd782027eb1a5378cc9e86c6966f070854ddaf130edc56b93d0d
Status: Success
Block: 6720538 1919582 Block Confirmations
Timestamp: 315 days 13 hrs ago (Nov-17-2018 09:38:04 AM +UTC)
From: 0x29ae0154e2a95ad4366abbe14b8b253fbbb44add
To: Contract 0x00000000a8f806c754549943b6550a2594c9a126
Value: 0 Ether ($0.00)
Transaction Fee: 0.00612400452278 Ether ($1.06)
Gas Limit: 2,050,000
Gas Used by Transaction: 2,027,816 (98.92%)
Gas Price: 0.0000000030200001 Ether (3.0200001 Gwei)
Nonce Position 5353 10
Input Data: 0x01002e7c
In this transaction, the input sequence to the fallback function is “0x01002e7c”. Because the first byte is “01”, it will trigger the service for creating a bank of storage. The remaining three bytes, “002e7c”, acts as the starting key for a bank of 100 storage slots. Thus, the key for the very last storage slot is (0x002e7c + 0x64–1) = 0x002edf.
On the other hand, the following transaction is used to create a pool of agent contracts.
Transaction Hash: 0x23e0c9c6c957dcb73adce9537ff3cb32de4447d194f1e2bec739e0c587248080
Status: Success
Block: 6720542 1919579 Block Confirmations
Timestamp: 315 days 13 hrs ago (Nov-17-2018 09:39:28 AM +UTC)
From: 0x06aba80df0bb055e707a2c0337910c1438dc9d17
To: Contract 0x00000000a8f806c754549943b6550a2594c9a126
Value: 0 Ether ($0.00)
Transaction Fee: 0.00691722868904 Ether ($1.20)
Gas Limit: 2,300,000
Gas Used by Transaction: 2,290,473 (99.59%)
Gas Price: 0.0000000030200001 Ether (3.0200001 Gwei)
Nonce Position 6558 72
Input Data: 0x02
The input sequence to the fallback function is a single byte “0x02”, and it will trigger the service for creating a pool of 100 agent contracts. The sender of this transaction is 0x06ab, while the sender of the previous transaction is 0x29ae. The status of both transactions are “success” as everyone can use this smart contract by invoking its functions.
Because for each successful invocation of giveBirth() function, the smart contract will release 1 storage slot and 6 agent contracts, it is expected that more transactions for calling agent creation service than for calling storage creation service. By scanning the transactions sent to contract_a8f8, we can verify that it is indeed so.
When invoking the child delivery service to give birth a new kitten, the transaction may arrive late because there is another transaction that delivers the same new kitten and has already processed in previous blocks or even in the same block but is positioned ahead of the current transaction.
Here is a transaction that attempts to deliver a child but arrives late.
Transaction Hash: 0x95fc8abca4116b7d10a8da8b10798fb7cddc08fc370c0bbf5d8dfed4cb2ce7ea
Status: Success
Block: 6720662 1919468 Block Confirmations
Timestamp: 315 days 12 hrs ago (Nov-17-2018 10:08:16 AM +UTC)
From: 0x2a9847093ad514639e8cdec960b5e51686960291
To: Contract 0x00000000a8f806c754549943b6550a2594c9a126
Although one or more Error Occurred [Reverted] Contract Execution Completed
Value: 0 Ether ($0.00)
Transaction Fee: 0.000136560262 Ether ($0.02)
Gas Limit: 340,000
Gas Used by Transaction: 16,653 (4.9%)
Gas Price: 0.000000008200339999 Ether (8.200339999 Gwei)
Nonce Position 92424 42
Input Data: 0x00012edf00668c961219e9000001
The input sequence to the fallback function is “0x00012edf00668c961219e9000001”. Thus, it will trigger the service to deliver one new kitten.
The target block number for the child delivery is 0x00668c96, that is, 6720662. The height of the current block is also 6720662. So, the transaction tries to deliver the kitten at the right block. However, the transaction is reverted because the giveBirth() function fails.
From the input sequence, we know that the key for storage slot is 0x2edf, which is one of the slots in the storage bank created by the transaction described above (in block 6720538).
The matronId for the to-be-born kitten is 0x1219e9, and the nonce for agent contract is 0x000001.
Therefore, this transaction tries to deliver a single child.
The transaction fee of this transaction is 0.000136560262 Ethers, which is much less than that of the transaction creating storage bank, 0.00691722868904 Ethers, or that of the transaction creating contract pool, 0.00691722868904 Ethers.
Let us look at a transaction that successfully deliver a kitten.
Transaction Hash: 0x19192c10c80e3d1992544c13955d8d133b01462ad0ba3c5f11acb630101be2aa
Status: Success
Block: 6720668 1919464 Block Confirmations
Timestamp: 315 days 12 hrs ago (Nov-17-2018 10:09:34 AM +UTC)
From: 0x2a9847093ad514639e8cdec960b5e51686960291
To: Contract 0x00000000a8f806c754549943b6550a2594c9a126 SELF DESTRUCT Contract 0xf4fcd6188acd111d8964c1f42e7a624a57112462
SELF DESTRUCT Contract 0xe3fa49d1ee4f46383405ab2b7800df5b2a0e87d0
SELF DESTRUCT Contract 0x6c369b3223567dedadbc9f71aede48b35aa80674
SELF DESTRUCT Contract 0xc4622874a15cdbe2986aa60cd8e1668da7ef7b0b
SELF DESTRUCT Contract 0x52cfb61968d59a1900aa64ff93a027f799f4609d
SELF DESTRUCT Contract 0x7861331e3675ac1a91eb56c2fc1763b2963b0caa Tokens Transferred: From 0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000To 0x75771dedde9707fbb78d9f0dbdc8a4d4e7784794 For ERC-721 TokenID [1191526] CryptoKittie... (CK) Value: 0 Ether ($0.00)
Transaction Fee: 0.0012375051089 Ether ($0.21)
Gas Limit: 340,000
Gas Used by Transaction: 150,909 (44.39%)
Gas Price: 0.000000008200339999 Ether (8.200339999 Gwei)
Nonce Position 92425 18
Input Data: 0x00012ede00668c9c122e42000007
The transaction indeed successfully delivers a new kitten, whose Id is 1191526. The matronId of the new baby is 0x122e42.
The information also shows that 6 agent contracts destruct themselves.
The transaction fee of this transaction is 0.0012375051089 Ethers. Compared to the birthing fee earned by this transaction (i.e., 0.008 Ethers), the transaction fee is about 1/7. So, the storage refund and contract refund indeed help reduce the cost of transaction execution and the transaction fee. Therefore, the crypto-midwife service is still quite profitable.
The internal transactions generated by this transaction are:
The contract call From 0x2a9847093ad514639e8cdec960b5e51686960291 To 0x00000000a8f806c754549943b6550a2594c9a126 produced 7 contract Internal Transactions : Type Trace Address From To Value Gas Limit call_0_1 0x06012c8cf97bead5deae237070f9587f8e7a266d 0x00000000a8f806c754549943b6550a2594c9a126 0.008 Ether 2,300 suicide_1_0 0xf4fcd6188acd111d8964c1f42e7a624a57112462 0x00000000a8f806c754549943b6550a2594c9a126 0 Ether 0 suicide_2_0 0xe3fa49d1ee4f46383405ab2b7800df5b2a0e87d0 0x00000000a8f806c754549943b6550a2594c9a126 0 Ether 0 suicide_3_0 0x6c369b3223567dedadbc9f71aede48b35aa80674 0x00000000a8f806c754549943b6550a2594c9a126 0 Ether 0 suicide_4_0 0xc4622874a15cdbe2986aa60cd8e1668da7ef7b0b 0x00000000a8f806c754549943b6550a2594c9a126 0 Ether 0 suicide_5_0 0x52cfb61968d59a1900aa64ff93a027f799f4609d 0x00000000a8f806c754549943b6550a2594c9a126 0 Ether 0 suicide_6_0 0x7861331e3675ac1a91eb56c2fc1763b2963b0caa 0x00000000a8f806c754549943b6550a2594c9a126 0 Ether 0
It clearly indicates that 0.008 Ethers are transferred from the KittyCore contract (i.e., 0x0612) to the contract_a8f8. It also shows that 6 agent contracts self destroy themselves.
During the execution of the transaction, the KittyCore contract also emits some events shown below.
Transaction Receipt Event Logs Address 0x06012c8cf97bead5deae237070f9587f8e7a266d
Name Birth (address owner, uint256 kittyId, uint256 matronId, uint256 sireId, uint256 genes)
Topics 0 0x0a5311bd2a6608f08a180df2ee7c5946819a649b204b554bb8e39825b2c50ad5
Data
00000000000000000000000075771dedde9707fbb78d9f0dbdc8a4d4e7784794
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000122e66
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000122e42
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000a35b7
0000421252198a30c2e22109600a008cc462d861a860314d3194a81aeaf0b16c Address 0x06012c8cf97bead5deae237070f9587f8e7a266d
Name Transfer (address from, address to, uint256 tokenId)
Topics 0 0xddf252ad1be2c89b69c2b068fc378daa952ba7f163c4a11628f55a4df523b3ef
Data
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
00000000000000000000000075771dedde9707fbb78d9f0dbdc8a4d4e7784794
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000122e66
Two events are generated: one is Birth() for giving birth to a new kitten and the other Transfer() for transferring birthing fee to the caller.
The Birth() event shows that the owner of the newly born cat is 0x75771dedde9707fbb78d9f0dbdc8a4d4e7784794, the matronId is 0x122e42, and the sireId is 0x0a35b7. The Id of the new kitten is 0x122e66 (i.e., 1191526).
References
|
https://medium.com/@zhongqiangc/midwives-for-cryptokitties-little-kitten-is-yours-but-birthing-fee-is-mine-part-1-d945f723aa65
|
['Zhongqiang Chen']
|
2019-10-12 00:30:30.810000+00:00
|
['Ethereum Blockchain', 'Crypto Midwife Service', 'Storage Refund', 'Contract Refund', 'Cryptokitties']
|
Just a Dog: One Gallon Part Two.. Click here to read the first part about…
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Click here to read the first part about One Gallon.
Dad, center looking at the camera with my brother, left and others splitting wood.
A whole gallon of water.
My dad would go out to the wood sale almost every day, his health permitting. Besides a broken back, he suffered health problems from a diet of meat and potatoes and a lifelong smoking habit. During the week, he’d cut enough wood to fill up the back of his truck plus a little more. On the weekend, I would go out with and load the truck while he cut. On one of his weekday trips in late winter, he found One Gallon, or more accurately, that One Gallon found him. The dog wandered into where my father was cutting, and he had just settled down to have some lunch and sharpen the teeth on his chainsaw. The dog was skinny, malnourished collie, and had not seen a person in ages, which was even more apparent, considering that there were no sheep in the area and hadn’t been for months.
Dad went to the truck and pulled out the gallon of water he always took with him. He’d only drank a small amount that day and poured it into an old pan he had in the pickup. The dog drank the water to the bottom, so he filled it again. The dog drank it. He filled it again, and again, till the jug was empty. The dog drank it all. He shared a bit of his sandwich with the dog and went back to work. By the end of the day, the dog stuck around, and Dad loaded him up in the truck and brought him back to the house. My dad named him One Gallon.
Guardian Angel
One Gallon was a sweet, gentle dog. He never barred his teeth or growled at the grandkids. He loved pets and belly rubs. He was also insanely loyal to my dad. During this period, dad’s health declined. I hesitate to give a year, but I believe it was 1990 or 1991. One gallon would stay at my dad’s bedside whenever he was sick, and the winter after my dad found him, Dad grew ill. His crippled back and chronic smoking made any cold or flu a cruel punishment, and for nearly two weeks, my father could barely get out of bed. One Gallon stayed at his bedside the entire time. He would only leave to use the bathroom and get a drink and a bite of food. My mother called him my Dad’s guardian angel.
Once Dad was back to health a month later, he resumed his activities with One Gallon in tow. He’d take the dog with him to cut wood, irrigate the fields, and ride on the tractor with him when he cut hay. He had sold the cattle off years before, sadly, so the dog didn’t have any work he was born to do, but you could see the cattle dog instinct in him as he chased through the fields or ran in the pasture behind the house.
Boy, he did love to run. We live in a very rural area, and though it’s more populated than it was when One Gallon was with us (and we no longer own the property), there is still a lot of wide-open space for dogs to run and explore, which is both wonderful and a downfall. One Gallon loved to explore and run, and when he wasn’t with my dad, he’d go on brief adventures in the pastures and fields near the house. That would be his downfall.
He vanished.
I never witnessed one of my dogs being hit by a car, thank goodness, but being rural, dogs can go missing. One Gallon was the first. One day he just disappeared. My father searched for him to no avail. It devastated my mother and me. After a week or two of looking, we gave up. My father hoped that he had found somebody else to be their guardian angel. It was nearly a year later when my Dad cleared out some overgrowth in the canal about half a mile behind the house he found him. He’d gone down into the canal to sniff something and became entangled by the roots and vegetation and couldn’t escape the water when the headgate opened. The dog drowned in a canal just over a thousand feet from where my father would have been. I remember when Dad told me about finding him when a dog I had gone missing. There was a sadness in his voice. He loved that dog.
One Gallon was a rarity. He turned up like a miracle. He stayed and watched over my father and our family like a guardian angel for a year and a half. He was the first dog that made me realize just how amazing dogs could be.
|
https://medium.com/@original-lojakz/just-a-dog-one-gallon-part-2-bc72b0ed882d
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['Frank Shaw']
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2020-12-11 21:12:17.776000+00:00
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['Biography', 'Life', 'Family', 'Dogs', 'Fathers']
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Love Ep. 1: The Spine-Chilling Adventure
|
When I first met my boyfriend, I didn’t even notice him really, I actually noticed his friend first. Then I just happened to go on a group trip with him and his friends and my best friend, and I noticed how cute he was then. I really got to know him over that trip, but when we started dating when things got a little different.
It took me a whole year of mixing friendship and relationship to fall in love with this guy. I didn’t even noticed it happening until I had a talk with him. I felt my heart almost grow in size when I told him how in love with him I was. Then I started to cry, it’s such a scary idea that I could just lose him at any point. Either through death, or what if he just doesn’t want me anymore? I have to remind myself to stay in the present moment.
Right now: he’s dating me, and only me. He cares and has love for me, and only me. That is all I need to know.
The one mistake I’ve seen most couples make is the expectation that they’ll stay together forever. Honestly that has been the downfall as well has the most painful part of most relationships that I’ve seen fail. I chose to not make that mistake, as best I could, so I keep things in the present tense.
I try to knock down any thought that says “One day you’ll marry him. One day you guys will be in a house together with kids. One day…” Which trying not to think that way is impossible. Though replacing it with present tense life: not too difficult. Honestly the hardest part is when I see the fake engagement ring that I got to keep away creeps at my job. When I see the engagement ring, sometimes I just pretend it’s real, I give myself the fantasy so I could live like that for just a moment. For a moment, I’m engaged and marrying the man I love.
But for now he is dating me, he wants me, he cares about me, and that is all I need to know.
The song vibe right now: Honeybee | The Head and the Heart | Lyrics ☾☀
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https://medium.com/@depressoesspresso/love-ep-1-the-spine-chilling-adventure-5f605101bb62
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[]
|
2020-12-24 20:49:21.593000+00:00
|
['Pain', 'Scary', 'Love', 'Friendship', 'Happiness']
|
7 Tips to Go From Beginner to Advanced in Vue.js
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1. Fully Understand Reactivity
How reactivity works
Reactivity is a simple concept in front-end development libraries and frameworks. Understanding how it works at a deep level, though, can be hard. But it is well worth your time.
Here’s a small example:
<h1>{{ name }}</h1>
When the value of name changes, the UI will be updated accordingly. This is a very basic way to explain reactivity, but there are many more advanced examples to help you understand how it works.
Where reactivity goes wrong
Things can go wrong if you’re accessing a property within an object, as explained in this example:
In the example above, we define myObject as an empty object in the data method. Later, we give myObject.message a value.
This results in {{ myObject.message }} never displaying anything even though it receives a value at some point. Why is that?
That is basically because Vue does not know of the existence of the myObject.message property and therefore cannot react to changes in its value.
How do I fix this?
There are a couple of ways to make sure that Vue reacts to changes in the myObject.message property. The most simple is to initialize it with an empty or null value:
myObject: {
message: ''
}
If myObject.message exists in the data method, then Vue will listen and react to changes in its value and update the UI accordingly.
Another way to make sure the UI is updated is to update the full myObject object this way:
this.myObject = {message: 'Hello'}
Since Vue listens and reacts to changes in myObject , it will pick up this change and update the UI accordingly.
In short, Vue doesn’t listen to property changes in an object unless it knows these properties. Properties need to be defined in the data method or you need to update the whole object instead of the properties to make sure Vue tracks changes.
Learn more about reactivity by reading the “Reactivity in depth” section of the official documentation.
By understanding reactivity well, you can:
|
https://medium.com/better-programming/7-tips-to-go-from-beginner-to-advanced-in-vue-js-af7ca56ea31d
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['Aris Pattakos']
|
2020-11-18 16:31:33.928000+00:00
|
['Programming', 'Software Development', 'JavaScript', 'Vue', 'Vuejs']
|
Sunday afternoon at Lambeth County Court
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Lambeth County Court, a civil court building in inner south London, closed in the autumn of 2017. Its closure was first proposed by the Ministry of Justice in 2015, who described its deficiencies as a court building:
The accommodation is poor and not fit for purpose; it requires significant investment to enable the building to be improved up the required standard. The lighting, air conditioning and all of the pipe work for heating and water needs to be replaced. The building has no scope for expansion as it is situated in a predominately residential area.
The closure was strenuously opposed, as it meant the loss of a local civil court dealing in particular with housing cases, in a densely built-up area of London. The detailed story of its closure is set out in a blog written by the late Sir Henry Brooke in November 2017, shortly before his death in early 2018. His account itself extensively drew on that written in October 2017 by London housing solicitor Giles Peaker, known on the internet as Nearly Legal, under the title Hide and Seek with Justice — A Rant.
Entrance door, Lambeth County Court
Judges Entrance, Lambeth County Court
The building in which the court was housed was purpose-built in 1928, at an estimated cost of £21,500, a two storey building with a wide facade, in a very similar style to that of other inner London county courts of the same date. This is a distinctive 1920s style, influenced by European modernism and Art Deco. In the 1890s, Arthur Conan Doyle put some memorable dialogue about new civic buildings in London into the mouths of his characters Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson:
“It’s a very cheery thing to come into London by any of these lines which run high, and allow you to look down upon the houses like this.”
I thought he was joking, for the view was sordid enough, but he soon explained himself.
“Look at those big, isolated clumps of building rising up above the slates, like brick islands in a lead-coloured sea.”
“The board-schools.”
“Light-houses, my boy! Beacons of the future! Capsules with hundreds of bright little seeds in each, out of which will spring the wise, better England of the future.
Staircase wall and roof light, Lambeth County Court
Staircase detail, Lambeth County Court
Entering a court building is not as universal an experience as going to school, but there is an echo of this sense of civic worth in the design and location of these distinctive 1920s inner London courts. As for their users past and present — some are successfully avoiding a metaphorical shipwreck in their lives, and some are not. The British Newspaper Archive records numerous cases from around the date of the building of the new court. Then, as in more recent times, many cases heard there dealt with property and housing. A judge of the court alliteratively criticised the Rents Restriction Acts as “a curse to the county courts of the country” in his valedictory speech, the “curse” being “the distressing and expensive litigation occasioned by the Acts to poor people.”
In one case, a woman employed as a rent collector who was serving a notice to quit was bitten by the tenant’s dog and successfully sued for the value of her torn stockings, which she produced to the court, fending off hostile questions about whether her stockings were cotton or wool. In another, a Miss Wright, a tenant of a room in Camberwell, defended a possession action by asking the judge if she could “put in a personal word”. She said:
“I trust in God and have my orders from Above. If He tells me to remain, I do so, Sir.” But there appeared to be something very material and earthly about Miss Wright’s methods of evading service. The landlord said that, being unable to get a reply when he knocked at the door of her room, he resorted to the device of placing the blue paper between two birthday cards, and even then she took the cards and left the summons! The lady was given three weeks to find another place.
District Judges’ chambers and waiting room, Lambeth County Court
Ground floor, Lambeth County Court
One of the more unusual cases heard at Lambeth County Court, in May 1928, must have been that of a Mrs Ali Thabeth, who had been born in Weston-super-Mare as Gwendoline Millar, and whose life had taken her far from her seaside birthplace. She was applying for custody of her 17 year old daughter, who was then being looked after by the Church of England Society for Providing Homes for Waifs and Strays. This was a society which had grown out of the Sunday School of St Anne’s Church in south Lambeth, and still had its headquarters in Kennington, which explains why the case was heard in Lambeth. Gwendoline claimed that she and her former husband, Samuel Vizar, a Polish Jew who she had married in 1910, had sailed to Buenos Aires in 1911 with their daughter, then less than a year old, and that in Buenos Aires her husband had sold Gwendoline “into the white slave trade” (i.e. prostitution) for £250.
She refused to submit to the life, but through torture, starvation, and threats that if she did not submit the baby would suffer she was forced to yield. She subsequently escaped, and made her way to the house of Mr Truscott, Methodist missionary. Her husband came to the house with two detectives, and said she must go with him as she was his lawful wife. Truscott had no alternative but to give way, and she was returned to the brothel. Her husband took her baby away and said that if she refused to submit the child would suffer “even unto death.” One day she came into contact with engineer from South Wales, who was serving a British ship and who knew her parents. Through him the house was raided by detectives, and she was taken into custody. She then got into touch with the British Consul, and went to a nunnery. Her baby was eventually returned her in a poor state of health. She obtained a post on a ship, the Highland Rover, the Nelson Line, as stewardess, and worked her passage to England. When she got home, she found her mother had married a second time. On August 7, 1912, she sent in a form asking the society take over her child. This was done, and then she worked as domestic servant in several places until her marriage — she believed her other husband had died — on January 31, 1918, at Newport Register Office, to Ali Thabeth, Mohammedan seaman. They were now keeping a boarding-house for Arab seamen only, at Cardiff.
Gwendoline herself had grown up with her widowed mother and boarders living with them by the docks in Barry, in South Wales, so this last was a life she knew. She was only 17 when she married, and already pregnant with her daughter. After she had given evidence, the judge talked to her“neatly-dressed” daughter himself in his private room, and refused her mother’s application “without the slightest hesitation”.
Far-fetched though this story sounds, it would have had contemporary resonance. The trafficking of Jewish girls and women from central Europe to Buenos Aires, where prostitution was legal, had been a subject of great concern to Jewish communities in Argentina and in England for years, and of a degree of moral panic, both at the date when Gwendoline and her daughter were in Buenos Aires and at the date of the hearing. One of the characters in Evelyn Waugh’s satire Decline and Fall, published later in 1928, was an upper-class woman who secretly ran a prostitution business in Latin America, and the MP who had promoted a Criminal Law Amendment (White Slave Traffic) Bill in 1912 spoke of “foreign agents of the international white slave traffic” using England as “a clearing house for the dispatch of marketable goods to South America”. In 1927 the French journalist Albert Londres had published Le Chemin de Buenos Aires, a book-length work of reportage on the white slave prostitutes of Buenos Aires.
But to return to the present, I visited Lambeth County Court for the first time other than as a barrister attending a hearing, in June 2019, when it was open for the exhibition of “I Will Not Hesitate to React Spiritually”, an art installation presented by Roaming Room, and created by Greta Alfaro, a Spanish artist who is interested in “the hidden things that you don’t want to be made public, that dirty the official image of persons and institutions”. Although the building was said to have been cleared of records and documentation following its closure, some papers had been left behind, and these, with personal details redacted, were used by the artist, together with photographs and videos and objects in glass cases, to give the court’s proceedings a kind of imaginary afterlife.
“This area has been cleared of all records and documentation” sticker at Lambeth County Court
Part of Greta Alfaro’s art installation at Lambeth County Court
Even absent the installation, the court building itself merited a visit of which the only purpose was to see the building for its own sake, not as a place to work — no security checks, no lists, no bundles, no staff, no clients, no judge. And to photograph it freely, not something ever permitted in a working court building. Last year, I saw Carey Young’s short film Palais de Justice, a film made surreptitiously, in “urban explorer” style, in the Palais de Justice in Brussels, and focussing on women judges and lawyers at work. It’s a film which strongly conveys both the palatial grandeur of the building, rather less sumptuous in the present than when it was first built, and the surreptitiousness of the endeavour.
Lambeth County Court is more of a ‘maison’ than a ‘palais’ de justice, but it announces its purpose firmly above the entrance door, not only with its name carved in stone, but with stonework ‘fasces’ immediately above the ‘LAMBETH’. These ‘fasces’ were a classical symbol of justice — a bundle of twelve rods wrapped together with an axe — and a word which did not have the sinister connotation in 1928 that it now has as the root of ‘fascism’.
Entrance to Lambeth County Court, with stonework fasces above the word LAMBETH
Inside the public area of the court, up the handsome curving staircase, space is frozen in time, with the distinctive public telephone box, and the separate male and female “advocates robing room” (more often mixed and called a ‘suite’ in a modern court building). The women’s room is locked, and the men’s has nothing but cricketing memorabilia — a nod to the nearby Oval — a sterile room from which the working life of a court has evaporated. There are no papers, no broken lever arch binders, no battered textbooks, no bags or coats, no wing collars, wigs or gowns, no notices, no coffee cups, not even a forlorn piece of tinsel around a coat hanger, left from some long-past Christmas.
Telephone box and entrance to Female Advocates Robing Room, Lambeth County Court
Framed silver cricket bat, Male Advocates Robing Room, Lambeth County Court
In the court room itself, the emptiness and light give it the feel of some spacious Dutch church in a 17th century painting — save for the Art Deco Egyptian Revival stonework at the back of the judge’s dais — a fashion in design inspired by the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922.
Judge’s dais, witness box and reporters’ seating, Lambeth County Court
Egyptian Revival Art Deco stonework of judge’s dais, Lambeth County Court
The courtroom as seen by the judge, Lambeth County Court
The judge’s room itself is darkened for the showing of Greta Alfaro’s video — a macabre dance of death for the court, as the masked, wigged figure dances along a bench in the corner of which sits a skull.
Still from Greta Alfaro’s video, ‘Court Service’
Turning back through the corridor, along which many judges will have walked in the near ninety years of the building’s working life, from the judge who invited the “neatly-dressed” young girl torn between the care of the Waifs and Strays Society and her mother into his private room in the spring of 1928, to the last judge to sit in the last case heard in the autumn of 2017, waiting for the door to open and the usher to call “Court rise!”, a glimpse through the spyhole cut into the court door shows the light falling on the empty bench from which justice has now once and for all departed.
|
https://medium.com/@abarbararich/sunday-afternoon-at-lambeth-county-court-2240a91fb3d
|
['Barbara Rich']
|
2019-06-12 11:49:39.528000+00:00
|
['London', 'Art', 'Lambeth County Court', 'Law', 'Architecture']
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Prompt #2 — Touch
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It’s what’s for dinner.
Prompt #2 — Touch
September 5, 2017
I gotta say… This has been an amazing response to the prompt. And I’m lovin every single second of it! Thank you ALL for your amazing words, your enthusiasm, and your incredible talents. I am awed. Truly awed.
[Heath, here, popping in to second that! It was incredibly hard to choose and we were left feeling a bit guilty about the 2 spots considering several absolute stand outs here. Be very proud of your work!]
We gotta do this again… And SOON!!
|
https://medium.com/poetry-under-cover/prompt-2-touch-736cbf839f5e
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[]
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2017-09-05 23:14:07.749000+00:00
|
['Touch Prompt', 'Poetry', 'Poetry Under Cover', 'Writing Prompts']
|
How To Find The “ One Big Domino “ That Solve Most Of Your Problems
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Do you always make excuses?
If only I was lucky.
If only I were better looking
If only I am more talented.
If only I am more capable.
If only I can make it.
You blame your frustration, failures, defeats into something that is out of your control.
You feel like you are a victim of fate, you feel helpless.
The weather sucks! If only it was better I would not lose the race.
A black cat crosses my path! If only he did not, I would be lucky and win.
If I was wearing my lucky red polka dot underwear, I could have made it through the next round.
I know it`s tiring to make excuses, to feel like you lost control over your life. You wish you can turn things around.
Start new.
Start fresh.
If only you can find that one thing in your life.
“One Big Domino” that can fix, solve, dealt, and have a positive knock-on effect on all aspects of life, to help you succeed in whatever your goals were.
And YES, you can find it! Take my hand and let me show you how:
Example Of “One Big Domino”
Your ” One Big Domino ” could be struggling with low self-esteem, confidence, discipline, being short-tempered and other countless issues.
For me personally, I should work on getting things done and stop procrastination.
It would have a positive effect on all other aspects of my life.
If only I can get stuff done and stop procrastinating, I would:
Be more productive with a short period of time.
I`d go to bed early, have a quality sleep that would make me more physically and mentally aware the next day.
I won`t hate myself for being such a lazy ass, I won`t feel frustrated and defeated anymore.
I can still have time to exercise every day, rather than sitting around and doing nothing.
I can spend more time with my family.
I can get more out of life.
All this just by getting things done and stop procrastinating.
Finding Your Own Domino
Now that you made it this far, Its time to find your own domino!
To find your own ” One big domino ” ask yourself this simple question:
What is the one thing that can greatly improve all aspect of your life?
Now that you found it, create a plan on how you can improve.
Then give it a big push by taking action and watch everything fall into place.
Do you want to change your life for the better?
Yes, you can!
Do you want to improve all aspect of your life?
Yes, you can!
You can do it, I know you can. Its time for a change.
Let`s Go!
|
https://medium.com/@kennethgabors/how-to-find-the-one-big-domino-that-solve-most-of-your-problems-105b6d3cbf4b
|
['Kenneth Gabor']
|
2019-02-17 06:57:57.744000+00:00
|
['Personal Development', 'Self Improvement', 'Habit Building', 'Habits', 'Productivity']
|
COVID Underdogs: Sri Lanka
|
COVID Underdogs: Sri Lanka
Like New Zealand except better
In lieu of a wedding, Darshana Kumara Wijenarayana and Pawani Rasanga gave to the needy
As a note, Sri Lanka didn’t test enough, had a resurgence and is absolutely struggling with its second wave. 🤦🏾♂️
Sri Lanka is used to disaster. Over the last 15 years, I’ve lived through a tsunami, war, more terrorism than I can count, floods, riots, and been hospitalized with dengue. Shit just happens every few years.
Sri Lanka, however, is not a disaster.
Throughout all of this, we remain a beautiful, friendly, and generally safe place to visit and be. Rather than making us weak, generations of hard experience has made us strong. We are used to collective sacrifice. We do not debate killing our elders. We are resilient, like many of the nations you only see on the bad news.
In fighting COVID-19, that resilience served us well.
We crushed it.
Sri Lanka reacted early (<100 cases), reacted hard (total lockdown), and has almost completely eliminated COVID-19 from our shores. Over 100 grueling days later, we have no community spread, and — masks on — have returned to life. I went to the beach. I saw my 96-year old Achchi after three months. She was so happy and yet so short that she kissed my wife’s boob.
Forget New Zealand. Jacinda Ardern is great, but Sri Lanka is an island with 4x the population that has crushed the curve harder and flatter than them.
This is what we did.
First Case Wedding
Sri Lanka’s first recovered case
For a long time, Sri Lanka only had one case, imported from China on January 27th. She was tested, treated, recovered. Getting out, she basically had a wedding with the Minister of Health and DG of Health Services. This was, in hindsight incorrect, but sweet. We never blamed China or the WHO, we just worked with them and saved our own asses.
Being paranoid, many Sri Lankans immediately bought or improvised face masks in January. I scoffed, but I was wrong. That paranoia was wise.
After Patient 1 recovered, things were quiet for a month and a half. Then we got hit. It wasn’t from China, which had their shit together. Our epidemic arrived via Italy.
Next Case Dreading
The Navy rehearsing in March. Navy personnel would ultimately suffer more infections than the rest of the country combined.
On March 10th, a Sri Lankan tour guide was confirmed as being infected, likely via Italian tourists. He passed the infection on. We had local transmission. By March 10th, our epidemic had truly begun.
The whole country tensed up, except for the literal old boys of our two most irresponsible schools — Royal and St. Thomas — who insisted on having a dayslong drinking party. Predictably, an infected airline pilot was there, and the whole country was on edge.
At this point, things could have easily gone either way. Italy rapidly accelerated from less than 100 cases to tens of thousands and Sri Lanka was on the same trajectory. Everybody was, that’s just the curve.
And don’t say Sri Lanka just got lucky, or it’s the climate. Yes, it’s hotter than Satan’s taint here, but COVID-19 is so rabid and new that it spreads regardless. We saw it rapidly go from one person to hundreds in the Navy. So no, we didn’t just get lucky.
We just took right action, at the right time. There was strong, largely military leadership from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, our well developed public health sector, and especially the Epidemiology Unit, themselves battle-hardened from fighting malaria and dengue.
In the public, there was widespread compliance and support. The doctor’s union stopped meddling in politics and gave good medical advice, for once. Nurses, doctors, cops, and troops all showed up to work. Dengue labs converted to run PCR tests and sequenced the full genome of our local strain. The larger public just masked up, shut up, and stayed home.
We didn’t waste time debating whether disasters exist. Everyone in this country has experienced some disaster, we know. Nothing like COVID, but if someone says a weird word like tsunami we don’t ask, we just move.
Sri Lanka reacted fast, we reacted aggressively, and that made all the difference.
Two weeks to eternity
The airport before it closed
Every country had two weeks. From the minute you get your first confirmed case, the clock is ticking, and it runs out after 100. Once you hit 100 cases you’re already dead, you just don’t know it yet. What each country did in those first two weeks echoed through eternity.
Countries that acted fast — like Korea, Mongolia, or Trinidad & Tobago — survived. Countries that dithered — like the US or UK — were hammered and will never suppress the virus now. Those two weeks were a window and it closed.
Sri Lanka made the most of it.
Within five days of the first local case (March 15th), Sri Lanka banned travel from much of Europe, Iran, and Korea. For some reason, we exempted the UK, but it rapidly became clear that they were the worst. Within a day we banned flights from there as well.
During this time things were changing every hour. My wife and one child were in the UK and barely got back on one of the last flights in (we self-quarantined). I know people just stuck in Sweden or the US. Many more got stuck in the Middle East. By March 22nd the airport was completely closed.
This was a huge sacrifice. We cut off the entire tourism industry like a gangrenous limb. We left thousands of Sri Lankans stranded abroad. But it worked.
Closing borders does not stop a pandemic, it just limits the size of the problem you have to deal with it. It makes test/trace/isolate possible. If we’d shut later we’d have had thousands of cases to find. If we’d shut earlier it could have been zero. As it was I think we had a few hundred to start. It was tremendously difficult to find and contain everything, but we did (inshallah).
Because we had fewer cases, we had time to scale up our defenses before the virus went viral. That’s why we’re able to safely open up now.
Above all, it was those two weeks. Because the Sri Lankan government acted in those two weeks, we saved thousands of lives and our entire economy. Our health system is good, but we have zero flex in the ICUs. We would have gotten hammered. Even waiting 12 days cost us 11 lives. Waiting any longer would have cost hundreds or thousands more. It could have cost everything.
That’s why we shut everything down.
Total Curfew
|
https://indica.medium.com/covid-underdogs-sri-lanka-db6eca164a35
|
['Indi Samarajiva']
|
2020-12-01 10:15:44.021000+00:00
|
['World', 'Government', 'Sri Lanka', 'Coronavirus', 'Covid 19']
|
UK MPs call for banishing Iran’s IRGC as a psychological oppressor gathering
|
A report by the UK’s all-party international concerns selects advisory group has prescribed the British government to make moves to authoritatively assign Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps as a fear monger association. According to media reports, British MPs required the public authority to restrict IRGC as a fear-based oppressor gathering, observing its apparent and suffering help for psychological militants and non-state entertainers who are attempting to hamper the harmony and solidness in the area.
The report noticed that the IRGC’s vindictive activities in Iran just as across the district are countering the UK’s advantages and those of the Iranian public, considering it a “legitimate advance” in light of their “bankrolling and reinforcing of terrorism”.At a similar time, the report proposed to rethink Iran’s atomic arrangement in an offer to incorporate harder punishments and restricting responsibilities for Tehran for mocking the guidelines of the understanding. In the report, MPs from all UK parties additionally stated that it is essential for the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) to put a coupling limitation on Iran from creating ballistic rockets.
English MPs additionally pummeled Iran for its accursed basic liberties record, requiring the UK to reprimand Tehran’s act of keeping British double nationals as a strategy of “state-supported prisoner taking”.It was likewise brought up that there is a requirement for tending to security issues in the Gulf locale to fabricate territorial and worldwide agreement to address the difficulties presented by Iran’s destabilizing movement. Parliament’s international concerns advisory group executive Tom Tugendhat further hit out at the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office for its dull reaction to Iran’s prisoner taking, asking the Office to harden its way to deal with the issue. He recommended the Foreign Office to approach Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to perceive that keeping common freedoms standards is essential for building up better binds with the West.
The MPs additionally noticed that the UK is very much positioned to talk about with the US and its partners in the Middle East to plan a typical system to address the destabilizing exercises of Iran and its Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, perhaps by supplanting the arrangement eventually. Prior to April 2019, the United States had assigned Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as an unfamiliar fear based oppressor association. It was essentially the first occasion when the US had named an administration substance of another nation as an FTO.”The IRGC is the Iranian government’s essential method for coordinating and actualizing its worldwide psychological militant mission,” US President Donald Trump had said in his April 8 explanation.
|
https://medium.com/@ahmadtan740/uk-mps-call-for-banishing-irans-irgc-as-a-psychological-oppressor-gathering-97fd3c65a16
|
[]
|
2020-12-16 11:12:32.528000+00:00
|
['Iran', 'Irgc', 'Hassan Rouhani', 'Middle East', 'UK']
|
How Salesforce Accelerates Design Productivity and Collaboration
|
The Lightning Design System plugin for Sketch is packed with features to help anyone prototype in a fraction of the time. Download the Lightning Design System plugin for Sketch now to bring your Salesforce ideas to life!
Below, we’ll explore the evolution of the Lightning Design System, and how the plugin extends its reach. We’ll also examine how the plugin contributes to the next phase of design: Relationship Design.
The Lightning Design System’s Evolution
The Lightning Design System arrived in 2015 as one of the first design systems to market. It was also the world’s first living open-source enterprise design system. It created a common language and tools to accommodate unprecedented growth and align thousands of designers and engineers creating the Salesforce Lightning Experience.
The scalable Lightning Design System serves the entire Salesforce ecosystem of employees, partners, customers, and their customers. The efficient, accessible, and platform-agnostic system supports a variety of technology stacks. It provides design best practices, resources, and tools to increase productivity. These assets enable the creation of beautiful, cohesive product experiences.
Continuous innovation is a hallmark of the Lightning Design System. It has evolved in response to changes in technology and partner and customer needs. New tools have been released over the years that bring the design system directly into daily workflows. This allows for even greater efficiency and collaboration capabilities. In January 2020, the SLDS Validator Extension for Visual Studio Code was released to optimize the developer workflow using the Lightning Design System.
And today, the Lightning Design System plugin for Sketch brings the Lightning Design System directly into the concepting workflow. It saves a significant amount of time by allowing you to use the Lightning Design System from within Sketch.
|
https://medium.com/salesforce-ux/how-salesforce-accelerates-design-productivity-and-collaboration-fd697446c1eb
|
['Kyle Haskins']
|
2020-09-22 18:05:25.820000+00:00
|
['Salesforce', 'Product Design', 'Sketch', 'Design Systems', 'Design Process']
|
Is The IPad Pro 12.9 The Best Tablet Out There?
|
Apple has become a strong competitor in the technology market. From its smartphones to laptops, the logo is recognizable worldwide. As of late, the tablets have been crowned as some of the best.
Recently, Apple released the iPad Pro 12.9 which has a large display and a slim design that has many tablet enthusiasts turning heads. Not only is the model attractive but its hardware and software have been enhanced.
The Pro in iPad Pro might be short for “professional” but it can be used for different reasons: from playing games, creating content, or working on different documents. As you can see, the qualities are endless but let’s go beyond the surface and see what this iPad is really about.
Design
The iPad Pro 12.9 is one of the largest tablets in the Apple collection, but it does not take the title for being the biggest on the market — that goes to the Samsung Galaxy tablets. Regardless, it is still larger due to its incredible display.
Its body measures 11 by 8 inches with its width being less than one inch — thinner than most smartphones. When holding it, the iPad Pro just feels like a thin sheet of metal — some might like it while others might think it is too fragile. The device has rounded edges and minimal design giving it a sleek look.
As mentioned, the iPad Pro is thin for being a tablet but still has some heft to it. For the Wi-Fi model, it weighs a pound while the cellular version is almost a pound and a half. Nothing grand, but for a tablet, it is on the heavier side. Regardless, it has a nice feel to it as the weight and thin design slide right into your hands.
When holding it in vertically, you will find a large speaker and power button at the top while the bottom has another collection of speakers and a USB port. The right side has the two volume buttons, a magnet to hold an Apple pencil, and a SIM port. The left just has the microphone perforation.
On the back, there’s the camera and even though it does stick out a bit, it is nothing drastic and hardly noticeable allowing it to keep the flat design smooth.
The iPad Pro 12.9 in Use
The display itself is one of the main features of the iPad Pro. It is the biggest display in all Apple devices and makes it the perfect tablet to do all sorts of activities from working on documents to creating sketches.
Besides its incredible size, the screen has Apple’s new Liquid Retina display which is the same as the iPhone XR. This LCD is almost as sharp and colorful as the OLED display but one of its setbacks is in the black reproduction. Also, the pixel density in the iPad Pro is lower than in any iPhone but since you won’t necessarily hold the iPad as close to your face, the quality will still be fine.
One of the strongest and best features the display has is the True Tone which adjusts the screen’s lighting and white balance depending on your environment. With that, you won’t have to constantly work with the screen settings or brightness.
With all the greatness the iPad Pro 12.9 possesses, one major setback is the battery life. Apple has been known to have some weak batteries in its iPhones but when it comes to a device that is meant for productivity, it can be a bit disappointing. In the tablet, there is a 9720mAh battery which is pretty small for such a big tablet.
When using the iPad for long periods, users will notice the significant battery drainage and it is evident that the battery won’t last for a day. This is mainly targeted to those intensive users who intend on using the iPad to sketch or work on a word processor. For those who use the iPad to read or send emails, the battery won’t run out as fast.
The battery also does not recharge as fast. If you are charging it from empty to full battery, it could take about two hours and a half hours which definitely is not ideal.
The iPad Pro 12.9’s camera is not raved about because it is not one of its strongest features, but you can still capture a good image here and there. The rear camera shoots 12-megapixel images at f/1.8. It also has a 5x zoom, timer, and panorama mode. The camera is not the greatest and again, the tablet is not advertised for its camera, but it will still do the job.
The front camera is a TrueDepth camera that shoots 7-megapixel images at f/2.2. Again, not the best camera but for video calls or quick shots, you can’t go wrong with it. The iPad also has portrait mode which is an interesting feature that most of Apple’s newer iPhones have as well. You can work with different f-stops and features within the portrait mode like stage or studio lighting.
How Do They Compare?
The iPad Pro 12.9 is a device that is hard to compete with when it comes to tablets. Aside from its sleek design, the hardware is beyond this world. You can do all types of tasks with the tablet which is why many invest in it.
Now with the features the tablet has, the price can be steep for a few. It is sold in the same range as the MacBooks. An alternative is the Microsoft Surface Pro 6. It’s not iPad Pro 12.9 but still does the job.
Conclusion
With the good and the bad, the iPad Pro 12.9 still remains top-tier against its competitors. Just like the model prior, the iPad Pro 11, its newer version is not only better but also bigger. But this can be subjective to being a bad thing — to each their own. The large screen and fast processor makes the iPad Pro 12.9 a great tablet to work on various tasks.
Though, with its greatness, there comes a price and a high one. This tablet is not cheap, which is not surprising with all its qualities so if you are looking to invest, you won’t be disappointed with this iPad.
THE REVIEW
SCORE:8
Apple has constantly given its consumers top-notch devices whether it be laptops, smartphones, or tablets. With its latest tablet model, it has amped up expectations for its competitors. The iPad Pro 12.9 has impressed many simply with its design that consistents of a large screen and sleek design. Not only does it look amazing but its performance also goes above and beyond.
Pros
Has a huge display screen
Sound is impressive for a tablet
Cons
Battery life is lackluster
No headphone jack or connector
Face ID has a short range
iPad Pro 12.9 DEALS
(We get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.)
|
https://medium.com/lumoid/is-the-ipad-pro-12-9-the-best-tablet-out-there-f00007790774
|
['Lumoid Staff']
|
2019-09-23 14:01:01.479000+00:00
|
['Gear', 'iPad', 'iPad Pro', 'Apple', 'Tablets']
|
Shot! The 1975 in Brighton
|
There’s a song on the 1975’s latest album called Love It If We Made It. Whilst it may have been written about a relationship, its title could also describe how the band must have felt when I first saw them. That was back in May 2013.
They were playing Brighton’s Paganini Ballroom as part of that year’s Great Escape festival. I was there that day and I remember coming away feeling disappointed with their live performance, which fell a long way short of my expectations based on how good those nascent tracks like Chocolate sounded on record.
Fortunately, by the time I saw them again two years later in 2015, they had redeemed themselves and put on a really impressive show at the Brighton Centre, a show that stood out for its use of video graphics as much as the improvement in their stage presence.
For any artist in the music industry nothing says “we made it” more than headlining a massive festival. This year, the 1975 will headline Reading and Leeds. 2019 already feels like it’s going to be a huge year for the band, a year that kicked off with multiple BRIT award nominations and a headline tour of the UK in support of their third record, the internet-inspired, A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships that included two shows at the 02 Arena, Britain’s biggest indoor music venue.
Arguably, the best song on the album is Love It If We Made It. Lyrically smart, it references everything from selfie culture to Kanye West and Donald Trump. It also contains the line “Modernity has failed us.” In fact, one could contend that modernity is the very reason for the 1975s success and, in so many ways, it’s the very thing that epitomises them. They are a perfect example of a thoroughly modern band.
It comes through in their songs – the subjects they sing about and how they sound – and it resonates across every aspect of their live show. Like almost all big artists these days they’re backed by a huge video screen. Having one is just the start, it’s what you do with it that counts. And how the 1975 use theirs is what makes them such a modern live band. For that, they owe much to their award-winning lighting designer Tobias Rylander.
Visually, they’d stepped things up. Matty Healy had described it as being “full of light” and it certainly was. There were influences from Kasabian’s 48:13 tour of 2015 with the use of large text and solid colours. But perhaps most interesting is how LED video screens now have become light sources and are eclipsing conventional theatre lighting in dictating the mood and feel of each song.
For much of this show, Healy and his three band mates are enveloped in a haze of smog-like smoke and silhouetted against the ever changing glitzy screen graphics. Behind them are two extra musicians and a pair of dancers, the Jaiy Twins.
Three huge rectangular frames, one behind and one at either side, help create the impression of scale, while subconsciously alluding to the ubiquitous shape of modernity: the smartphone. The frames themselves are pulsating LEDs. And, to further emphasise the importance of the rectangle in contemporary life, the two video screens to either side of the set are in portrait mode, rather than landscape.
Being it was over three years since they last played Brighton, a palpable feeling of expectancy could be felt among the young, sold out crowd as they waited for what seemed ages for the 1975 to take the stage.
Even though he’s not your typical frontman, Matty Healy clearly has a special bond with his fans. Onstage, he’s a little awkward — often using his hoodie as something to hide his face, a face that increasingly reminds me of silent movie star Harold Lloyd, whilst at other times, there’s something of a James Dean look about him. What there’s no doubt about is he’s the focal point of the band.
The others, with the exception of guitarist/keyboard player, Adam Hann, are in truth fairly anonymous, preferring to just play their instruments and stay out of the limelight. Hann himself impressed with some excellent guitar licks, demonstrating that he’s the one most responsible for the band’s sound.
That being said, for me the real star of the show was the screen graphics. Appropriately for such a modern band, they elevated the performance into something a lot more interesting. As good as it was, now having read about other gigs on the tour, I’ve a suspicion Brighton, being the smallest venue, didn’t actually get to see the full show.
Whatever we got, it was a step up for the 1975, a performance that cements them as one of most important British bands out there. Now with three albums worth of material to choose from, the 24-song set has more light and shade and is peppered with more standout tunes for the audience to sing along to, something they did en mass from beginning to end.
Notable among the best were It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You) a song about Healy’s successful battle with heroin addiction and the gorgeous Change Of Heart which contains the personification of modern lyrics: ”And then you took a picture of your salad and put it on the Internet.”
Describing their music, someone recently put it like this: “The 1975 make slinky funk-pop for the smartphone generation.” I couldn’t say it any better. Although their name may be out of date, they make modern music, music that speaks to the youth of today.
Setlist: Give Yourself A Try | TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME | She’s American | UGH! | Sincerity Is Scary | It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You) | Loving Someone | The Ballad Of Me And My Brain | A Change Of Heart | Narcissist | How To Draw/Petrichor | An Encounter | Robbers | falling for you | Me | I Like America (And America Likes Me) | Somebody Else | Girls | I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes) || Love It If We Made It | Be My Mistake | Chocolate | The Sound | Sex
|
https://medium.com/@gmarlowe/shot-the-1975-in-brighton-a0ce39a1d04e
|
['Gary Marlowe']
|
2019-01-22 09:58:45.877000+00:00
|
['1975', 'Review', 'Brighton', 'Lighting', 'Music']
|
Are Drop-In Audio Apps the Future?
|
As people stopped traveling, bars closed, conferences and in-person meetings went virtual — we found new (and not so new) ways of trading ideas and staying in touch. Staying connected has never been more important. While Zoom and video has dominated workplaces and get togethers with friends, we’ve also seen audio apps take off — Clubhouse being the primary example. But there are others I’ve been exploring such as Capiche.fm (livestream a phone call) and Roadtrip (listen to music with friends).
“Audio hits different.” –a Clubhouse user the other day
In 2020 there’s been a lot to discuss. I consider it an inflection point in modern day history for several reasons, but that’s for another time. Whether it’s the global pandemic (and it’s politicization), George Floyd and Black Lives Matter, the US election, Brexit, or the economy, there’s a lot happening in the world that’s surfaced (or re-surfaced). We need a public gathering place to address these things. So are these drop-in audio apps like the modern day Agora? In Ancient Greece, the Agora served as as a gathering place for political debates, trade, sports and other functions. It served a lot of purposes, but it helped democratize information by creating a public forum.
Now back to 2020.
While Twitter still dominates the ‘real time’ zeitgeist, news and other forms of fast information exchange, these new drop-in audio apps prove to be doing well because of their simplicity, familiarity and scale. Audio is familiar (think podcasts, radio, etc), but it’s also low commitment if you want it to be. You can listen in for a bit without having to actively contribute to the conversation — you don’t have to actively play DJ with Roadtrip if you don’t want. The scale and accessibility is real too: it’s on our phones and can be accessed globally — listen to thought leaders or “normals” exchange ideas on a topic on the train or while driving (or 35 thousand feet up when we’re all flying again).
There’s still an element of spectatorship though — in a crowded room, you might not know who’s who. While your favorite celebrity might feel more comfortable not putting something down in writing, they and the rest of us are still careful in what we say — conversations come with a lot of context. On Clubhouse for example, there’s no rewinding, it’s not rehearsed or scripted. (Although, there are have been reports of screen recording recently).
I was recently in a room with Joe Budden and a few others who were discussing the risks in ‘saying whatever comes to mind’ — you might have execs or others with power in the room listening in. You’re not completely free from critique, just ask Akademiks when he joined his “Welcome Party” on Clubhouse.
“This isn’t a clubhouse anymore, it’s just a club.” –a Clubhouse user a few days ago expressing concern about the growing lack of exclusivity with the platform.
Will audio replace other media types or platforms? Nope; it’s complimentary. Most recently, I saw that Twitter is testing into audio rooms, allowing people to create/join rooms — this would create a one-stop-shop, since they already have live video as well. I joined a conversation where Twitter’s Chief Design Officer, Dantley Davis, was hosting a great discussion on the thinking so far and how they’re experimenting with it. As folks contributed to the dialog, Jack listened in — it was actually really awesome.
A simple graph showing the interconnected nature of creators, content and an active user base.
I think there’s product/market fit for drop-in audio apps (and features) if they can figure out how to make it a business while satisfying their user base. There’s been some recent discussions on Clubhouse’s influencer program, for example. On Twitter, I would imagine this could further help their engagement KPIs (e.g. DAU and time spent per session). I think there’s consumer demand for audio, as long as the content is valuable. If you don’t get enough interesting people (and consequently interesting content), then you’ll lose the audience and not achieve product/market fit — hence why the point on business viability here is so important.
In general, I like where it’s going and how the main players are testing into it and validating along the way.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts. See you online!
|
https://medium.com/@sarkiskalashian/are-drop-in-audio-apps-the-future-1a9db4a7fc48
|
['Sarkis Kalashian']
|
2020-12-27 22:24:44.104000+00:00
|
['Clubhouse', 'Product Market Fit', 'Product Management', 'Twitter', 'Audio App']
|
History of Girls Kode
|
These days, almost everything can be solved through clicks anytime and anywhere. Technology and digital growing faster and more intense than ever. Data says, by January 2020, more than half of the world’s population using the internet and there are 3.80 billion social media users in January 2020. This gives an insight into how big is the technology and digital world right now. But unfortunately, there are still not enough women in the industry.
History of Girls Kode
Access for everyone
There are not enough women in tech
Rina, the founder of Girls Kode, heard from many tech company head hunters from many tech conferences that programmer women are rare. Some reason why there aren’t many women in technology industries is:
Bias of gender
Some people in the industry do underestimate women, even though women have skills and competences.
Role Model
There are a few numbers of successful women in the Technology and Digital world for a role model.
Academic support
Most universities and academy curriculum for technology is not relevant to the industry need’s
Positive support system
There are still a few support systems to support and improve skills and knowledge.
Another course after graduated
Have you ever feel the need to take another course to keep you updated with the jobs?
Like how many youths in big cities that worked in the technology industry, Rina Kusmalasari, the founder of GirlsKode, finds many obstacles that many people may face: many hard-skill needed in the industry isn’t taught at school, one of them is coding. So, she needs to take another course to enrich her skills, unfortunately, that cost more bucks. Right at this moment, the idea sparks. Next, she and her friends initiate to build a tech women community where women can learn the technology and digital world from inspirational speakers. That was moment, Rina with her friend Laurenza Claudia which really loves about Digital and that is what she doing for her job. Finally, Rina and Lauren start with a lot of discussion and preparation so they ask their good friends Adit (from creative) and Naufal (from Tech) to create Girls Kode.
Girls Kode concern in college student and workers (youth ages)
Girls Kode members vary from IT and digital workers to fresh graduates and students. To enrich members’ knowledge and preparations, Girls Kode invites great people that work in the technology industry as speakers. They share insight about the working environment and needed skills for the community members. Most of them are big company worker or branded StartUp founder. Besides that, as a community, the members have freedom to ask and give their insight in technology and digital problems.
By holds classes, seminars, and discussions, Girls Kode’s focus not only on the members’ career development but also to improve members’ skills in technology and the digital world.
Girls Kode community as a support system!
Girls Kode community formed to help solve the problems every woman faced in their career.
How Girls Kode try to solve the challenges.
Everyone is welcome!
Let’s join the movement through linktr.ee/girlskode
Written by Esa Difny
|
https://medium.com/girls-kode/history-of-girls-kode-4062b8cced09
|
['Girls Kode']
|
2020-12-05 12:24:29.920000+00:00
|
['Career', 'Skills', 'Digital', 'Girlskode', 'Technology']
|
Do you know the Similarity between Monaco and Indonesia?
|
Monaco and Indonesia have identical flags in terms of colors and design. The only difference between the two flags is size.
For more such interesting facts, please follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
|
https://medium.com/@akashag1001/do-you-know-the-similarity-between-monaco-and-indonesia-5eeb8f1b3624
|
['Akash Agrawal']
|
2020-12-13 19:18:04.448000+00:00
|
['Interesting Facts', 'General Knowledge', 'Knowledge', 'Facts']
|
Nervos Completes Band Protocol Integration to Provide DApps Secure & Easy-to-Integrate Connections to External Data
|
Band Protocol is proud to announce four months after our initial collaboration with Nervos, China’s leading public blockchain ecosystem, the integration to bring reliable and secure third-party data to The Nervos CKB is complete! Nervos developers are now fully empowered to access an expansive set of price feeds and other real-world data sources with custom aggregation and update parameters to reliably secure any category of decentralized application.
The Nervos team has also developed a web application to visualize the oracle bridge including price feeds which are live on the Mainnet.
👉 Check it out here: https://oracle-bridge.ckbapp.dev/
👉 Github Repo: https://github.com/duanyytop/ckb-oracle-bridge
The partnership with Nervos was first announced in August, since then both teams have worked in close collaboration to build the bridge implementation from BandChain to Nervos. This means that Nervos developers can access premium and institutional-grade price data from crypto price aggregators such as Brave New Coin, real-world events such as weather or flight data for insurance products, and sports results.
“The completion of our integration with Band Protocol is an important milestone for our entire ecosystem but significantly DeFi developers, as they now have full access to a variety of secure, real-time data for their applications. We look forward to seeing how the Nervos community takes advantage of this opportunity and our ongoing collaboration with the Band Protocol team.”
Terry Tai, Co-Founder of Nervos
Nervos developers can also connect dApps with any open APIs via a customizable Data Oracle Script, which is programmable in Rust and any language compatible with the WebAssembly standard.
“Working closely with the leading blockchain platforms such as Nervos in China and ICON Network in South Korea position Band Protocol in the strongest position to integrate and collaborate closely with the respective decentralized application ecosystems, bringing off-chain data on-chain in a seamless and highly secure manner.”
Soravis Srinawakoon, CEO & Co-Founder of Band Protocol
Nervos will continue to work together with Band Protocol to drive adoption and set a standard for the usage of scalable and secure decentralized oracles. This deep collaboration effort begins with DeFi products and then expand into other industry verticals such as insurance, games and betting applications.
|
https://medium.com/bandprotocol/nervos-completes-band-protocol-integration-to-provide-dapps-secure-easy-to-integrate-connections-27476dc39cff
|
['Kevin Lu']
|
2020-12-18 13:11:01.124000+00:00
|
['Defi', 'Blockchain Development', 'Partnerships', 'Decentralization']
|
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