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How to use behavioral science to improve your experience

How to use behavioral science to improve your experience A beginner’s guide to applying behavioral economics, cognitive science, psychology, and neuromarketing. Photo by Tyler Nix on Unsplash So you want to apply behavioral science to your experience, but you’re not sure where to start? You’ve probably been hearing a lot of terms like behavioral economics, psychology, or neuromarketing being kicked around. What does it all mean, and can it really make your experience better for customers? Behavioral science is the study of why people make, and act, on decisions. The “behavioral science” umbrella includes behavioral economics, cognitive science, neuromarketing, and psychology. Principles are fair game as long as they’ve been stress-tested in a research environment and deal with how people make decisions. Photo by Hugo Rocha on Unsplash How can we apply behavioral science to experience design? Design, Marketing, and Customer Experience managers can use behavioral science in several ways: Frame creative communications: If you’re designing an email, TV commercial, poster, pamphlet, or a website, research is your friend. Behavioral science can help you leverage the science of customer persuasion. If you’re designing an email, TV commercial, poster, pamphlet, or a website, research is your friend. Behavioral science can help you leverage the science of customer persuasion. Design “choice architecture”: Choice architecture is the way we present a choice, and how this presentation influences decisions. For example: How many product options do we show? How is the product priced in relation to other products? What language do we use to describe sales and promotions? Photo by Franki Chamaki on Unsplash Here’s the one thing you need to know about people At the core of behavioral science is the idea that people don’t actually know what motivates them. We’re all more influenced by our “choice environment” than we realize. For example, “anchoring bias” states that people use the first piece of information they see to judge all later information. Photo by Krissia Cruz on Unsplash This principle was explored in a study conducted by research duo Tversky and Kahneman. Participants watched a roulette wheel that was rigged to stop only on 10 or 65. They were then asked to guess the percentage of the United Nations members from Africa. If subjects saw the roulette wheel stop on 10, they guessed a number that was 25% lower than people whose wheel stopped at 65. People didn’t realize that the “random” number on the roulette wheel had influenced their answer to an unrelated question. In other words, people greatly underestimate context in their decision-making. Also known as the fundamental attribution error, it’s a key principle of behavioral science. We’re all liars — why behavioral science is so important One of the major pitfalls of market research is you can’t trust what people tell you. Everything they say goes through an internal filter before they share it with the world. To make matters worse, customers will say one thing then do the total opposite. This doesn’t mean focus groups and other kinds of qualitative research aren’t useful. But it does mean we shouldn’t rely only on qualitative research to make experience design decisions. As legendary marketer David Ogilvy once said: “The trouble with market research is that people don’t think how they feel, they don’t say what they think and they don’t do what they say.” Photo by Kristina Flour on Unsplash How behavioral science can help — and hurt — you Make your strategy stronger. The rigor, depth, and age of the field mean it’s robust enough to stand up to scrutiny. When you use behavioral science, you’re improving the odds that your approach will be successful. Recognize invisible barriers. Behavioral science helps you get under the skin of why customers might be doing what they’re doing. By looking at the context of decisions, you can spot places where the environment is driving the “wrong” behavior. Behavioral science helps you get under the skin of why customers might be doing what they’re doing. By looking at the context of decisions, you can spot places where the environment is driving the “wrong” behavior. Drive customer choice. When you use behavioral science, you increase the probability that customers will do what you want them to. You no longer have to rely on “gut feel” or qualitative research to make expensive and risky decisions. Instead, you can base your approaches on proven, peer-reviewed research. Hidden dangers of behavioral science The law of small numbers. Daniel Kahneman used this phrase to describe people’s tendency to make generalizations based on small amounts of data. Be wary of betting the farm on small experiments. When an experiment is successful in a pilot group, continue to test it in different environments. That way you can make sure it works across a representative sample of customers before rolling it out to everyone. Behavioral science interventions can go badly. Consider the case of United Airlines, who restructured their yearly bonus as a lottery with huge prizes. Rather than give a smaller cash payment to everyone, United gave everyone a chance at a big prize. United re-framed their annual bonus into what they felt would be a more attractive payoff. But they failed to consider the powerful “loss aversion” principle: People are happier with a small guaranteed payoff than with a chance at a much bigger prize. Within days United had to withdraw the lottery plan and return to their normal financial payout scheme.

https://medium.com/choice-hacking/how-to-use-behavioral-science-to-improve-your-experience-123da6618586

['Jennifer Clinehens']

2020-11-11 14:31:38.587000+00:00

['Marketing', 'Startup', 'Business', 'User Experience', 'Psychology']

Title use behavioral science improve experienceContent use behavioral science improve experience beginner’s guide applying behavioral economics cognitive science psychology neuromarketing Photo Tyler Nix Unsplash want apply behavioral science experience you’re sure start You’ve probably hearing lot term like behavioral economics psychology neuromarketing kicked around mean really make experience better customer Behavioral science study people make act decision “behavioral science” umbrella includes behavioral economics cognitive science neuromarketing psychology Principles fair game long they’ve stresstested research environment deal people make decision Photo Hugo Rocha Unsplash apply behavioral science experience design Design Marketing Customer Experience manager use behavioral science several way Frame creative communication you’re designing email TV commercial poster pamphlet website research friend Behavioral science help leverage science customer persuasion you’re designing email TV commercial poster pamphlet website research friend Behavioral science help leverage science customer persuasion Design “choice architecture” Choice architecture way present choice presentation influence decision example many product option show product priced relation product language use describe sale promotion Photo Franki Chamaki Unsplash Here’s one thing need know people core behavioral science idea people don’t actually know motivates We’re influenced “choice environment” realize example “anchoring bias” state people use first piece information see judge later information Photo Krissia Cruz Unsplash principle explored study conducted research duo Tversky Kahneman Participants watched roulette wheel rigged stop 10 65 asked guess percentage United Nations member Africa subject saw roulette wheel stop 10 guessed number 25 lower people whose wheel stopped 65 People didn’t realize “random” number roulette wheel influenced answer unrelated question word people greatly underestimate context decisionmaking Also known fundamental attribution error it’s key principle behavioral science We’re liar — behavioral science important One major pitfall market research can’t trust people tell Everything say go internal filter share world make matter worse customer say one thing total opposite doesn’t mean focus group kind qualitative research aren’t useful mean shouldn’t rely qualitative research make experience design decision legendary marketer David Ogilvy said “The trouble market research people don’t think feel don’t say think don’t say” Photo Kristina Flour Unsplash behavioral science help — hurt — Make strategy stronger rigor depth age field mean it’s robust enough stand scrutiny use behavioral science you’re improving odds approach successful Recognize invisible barrier Behavioral science help get skin customer might they’re looking context decision spot place environment driving “wrong” behavior Behavioral science help get skin customer might they’re looking context decision spot place environment driving “wrong” behavior Drive customer choice use behavioral science increase probability customer want longer rely “gut feel” qualitative research make expensive risky decision Instead base approach proven peerreviewed research Hidden danger behavioral science law small number Daniel Kahneman used phrase describe people’s tendency make generalization based small amount data wary betting farm small experiment experiment successful pilot group continue test different environment way make sure work across representative sample customer rolling everyone Behavioral science intervention go badly Consider case United Airlines restructured yearly bonus lottery huge prize Rather give smaller cash payment everyone United gave everyone chance big prize United reframed annual bonus felt would attractive payoff failed consider powerful “loss aversion” principle People happier small guaranteed payoff chance much bigger prize Within day United withdraw lottery plan return normal financial payout schemeTags Marketing Startup Business User Experience Psychology

Why You Should Ditch the Keyboard and Pick Up a Pencil Now and Then

Our love affair with all things digital has brought many great inventions into the world. But in our enthusiasm for computerized products and services we could be losing sight of an extraordinarly powerful tool for teasing out the kind of creative insights that fueled the technology revolution in the first place —namely, the hand-drawn doodle, sketch, or snippet. There are two arguments for incorporating this tool into your creative arsenal: one, research shows that ideas can flow from hand to mind as fluidly as from mind to hand, and two, visual thinking comes more naturally to us than language-based cognition. The nice thing is, you don’t have to be Leonardo da Vinci to wield a pencil or its modern equivalent to positive effect. In fact, the person who invented one of the most popular products on earth had no formal training in drawing, yet was able to harness pencil and paper to propel his invention from concept to market. Here is his story. A Milkshake, An Inventor, and An Idea Sometime in the 1930s a man sat with his young daughter inside a San Francisco soda fountain called the Varsity Sweet Shop. He watched as the counterman set down a milkshake in front of her, two paper straws poking up from the tall glass containing the frothy liquid. The girl beamed happily up at the treat. But there was a problem: how to drink it? The tops of the straws stood well above the little girl’s head. She could try elevating her diminutive frame by placing her hands on the counter and raising herself up, but it would be difficult to sustain the pose for too long. She could grasp the glass with two hands and lower it down to her lap, but it was heavy and uncomfortably cold to the touch. She could bend the straws downward, but the sharp crease resulting would choke off the supply of air and liquid, defeating their purpose. She could ask her father to find a few telephone books to lift her up, except that she might fall off the precarious prop. In business school, professors call situations of this kind a pain point. A pain point is the moment when someone encounters an obstacle preventing him or her from realizing a goal. Fortunes large and small have been built by people keen enough to discern a pain point afflicting a potential customer base, and then to devise a solution customers were willing to pay for. Such a person was the girl’s father. His name was Joseph B. Friedman. Friedman was a born inventor; he conceptualized his first product, a lighted pencil, at age fourteen. He was awarded the first of nine eventual US patents at twenty-two. Fig. 2: Concept sketch for a flexible straw, by Joseph B. Friedman. 1930s. Joseph B. Friedman Papers, 1915–2000, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. Leaving the fountain parlor that day, Friedman went home and played around with an idea bubbling in his head. An inveterate scribbler, he pulled out a piece of paper and pencil, and began to rough out an idea for a straw that would bend over the lip of the glass (Fig. 2). He also cobbled together a makeshift prototype out of a couple of straws he’d taken from the sweet shop. From these efforts came his concept for the Flex-Straw, the now ubiquitous drinking tube with the ridged section that allows for bending without crimping. It would take Friedman another decade to manufacture and ship his first order. The Flex-Straw proved such a hit with the market — hospitals especially — that twenty years later he could sell his rights to the invention to a large corporation for a considerable sum. The story of Joseph Friedman, a young girl, and a milkshake represents a classic case of opportunity meeting preparation. Integral to that story is the role of Friedman’s initial sketch, undoubtedly one of many he produced in the process of inventing a bendable straw. Together these sketches performed four critical functions in fueling his imagination: 1: Idea capture Ideas can be fleeting. Putting down his initial thoughts rapidly lessened the risk of Friedman’s forgetting them because of the brain’s limited capacity for retaining short-term memories. 2: Idea development Few ideas are born fully hatched, like Athena from the head of Zeus. Most require considerable refinement in progressing from concept to executable product. In Friedman’s case, his early scratchings would have been followed up with increasingly detailed and precise delineations, culminating in the mechanically drafted documents submitted for his patent application and for machine tooling. Back of envelope sketches by Joseph B. Friedman. Joseph B. Friedman Papers, 1915–2000, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution 3: Idea visualization Externalizing ideas does several useful things. It gives creatives something they can show others to get critical feedback. It builds a memory warehouse they can consult in the future. And it gives them a powerful tool for convincing others to buy into a creative idea. Friedman, for instance, was able to raise venture capital for his scheme by showing prospective investors a solution to a tangible problem. Writers do something similar by submitting queries and proposals to literary agents and publishers. Imagine either trying to achieve their ends merely by waving their arms around or talking a good story. Those are the methods of the huckster, not the visionary. 4: Brain and body conditioning Writing and drawing not only advance a project, they also bolster mental and physical states generally. Numerous investigations indicate that recurring motions of the hand energize regions of the brain associated with creativity and long-term neurological health. Video produced by my colleague in creativity Chris Dunmire of Creativity Portal. How to Do It Develop the skill Like riding a bicycle, drawing is a skill that anyone can learn. Abundant resources exist to help you get started. Sunni Brown’s The Doodle Revolution, Dan Roam’s The Back of the Napkin, and Betty Edwards’ Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain are just three volumes that come to mind. Online and classroom-based courses are valuable sources of instruction too. Fig. 3: Notebook of Joseph L. Friedman. 1958. Joseph B. Friedman Papers, 1915–2000, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. Be prepared Keep the tools for writing and drawing close at hand. Small notebooks and a smartphone outfitted with a stylus are universal favorites, since they can be slipped into a pocket for quick access. A journal on your nightstand and waterproof paper in the shower are excellent substitutes for locations in the home where pockets are commonly in short supply. Fixed surfaces, whether wall-mounted drawing boards or walls treated with special paints or adhesive panels, are better suited for places where collaboration, instruction, information sharing, and large-scale diagramming or picture-making occur. Make it a habit Author and design hacker David Kadavy writes 100 words every day immediately on waking up, exploiting the fertile creative period in between waking and sleep. Julia Cameron’s bestselling book The Artist’s Way ups the ante to about 750 words in her famous Morning Pages dictate. Complement routinized brain dumps throughout the day with other modes of writing or drawing, be they long-form, spontaneous scribbling, sketching, mind mapping, journaling, or quick captures of brain bursts. Bonus Fun Fact Did you know that the earliest known straws date from around 3000 BCE? And that for centuries they’d been fashioned by hand in various materials, from gold to grass reeds, until a fellow named Marvin Chester Stone patented the first industrially-produced paper version in 1888? Neither did I, until I began wading through the history of the drinking tube while researching my book on creativity in home environments. My point? That real-life creativity is far more likely to take the form of a tweak than a leap, to be evolutionary rather than revolutionary, like Friedman’s Flex-Straw. But that’s okay, because it means that it lies within the power of nearly everyone to make the world a little better one small step at a time.

https://medium.com/the-innovation/why-you-should-ditch-the-keyboard-and-pick-up-a-pencil-now-and-then-9151a29138ab

['Donald M. Rattner']

2020-09-11 19:30:49.141000+00:00

['Creativity', 'Innovation', 'Design', 'Psychology', 'Self Improvement']

Title Ditch Keyboard Pick Pencil ThenContent love affair thing digital brought many great invention world enthusiasm computerized product service could losing sight extraordinarly powerful tool teasing kind creative insight fueled technology revolution first place —namely handdrawn doodle sketch snippet two argument incorporating tool creative arsenal one research show idea flow hand mind fluidly mind hand two visual thinking come naturally u languagebased cognition nice thing don’t Leonardo da Vinci wield pencil modern equivalent positive effect fact person invented one popular product earth formal training drawing yet able harness pencil paper propel invention concept market story Milkshake Inventor Idea Sometime 1930s man sat young daughter inside San Francisco soda fountain called Varsity Sweet Shop watched counterman set milkshake front two paper straw poking tall glass containing frothy liquid girl beamed happily treat problem drink top straw stood well little girl’s head could try elevating diminutive frame placing hand counter raising would difficult sustain pose long could grasp glass two hand lower lap heavy uncomfortably cold touch could bend straw downward sharp crease resulting would choke supply air liquid defeating purpose could ask father find telephone book lift except might fall precarious prop business school professor call situation kind pain point pain point moment someone encounter obstacle preventing realizing goal Fortunes large small built people keen enough discern pain point afflicting potential customer base devise solution customer willing pay person girl’s father name Joseph B Friedman Friedman born inventor conceptualized first product lighted pencil age fourteen awarded first nine eventual US patent twentytwo Fig 2 Concept sketch flexible straw Joseph B Friedman 1930s Joseph B Friedman Papers 1915–2000 Archives Center National Museum American History Smithsonian Institution Leaving fountain parlor day Friedman went home played around idea bubbling head inveterate scribbler pulled piece paper pencil began rough idea straw would bend lip glass Fig 2 also cobbled together makeshift prototype couple straw he’d taken sweet shop effort came concept FlexStraw ubiquitous drinking tube ridged section allows bending without crimping would take Friedman another decade manufacture ship first order FlexStraw proved hit market — hospital especially — twenty year later could sell right invention large corporation considerable sum story Joseph Friedman young girl milkshake represents classic case opportunity meeting preparation Integral story role Friedman’s initial sketch undoubtedly one many produced process inventing bendable straw Together sketch performed four critical function fueling imagination 1 Idea capture Ideas fleeting Putting initial thought rapidly lessened risk Friedman’s forgetting brain’s limited capacity retaining shortterm memory 2 Idea development idea born fully hatched like Athena head Zeus require considerable refinement progressing concept executable product Friedman’s case early scratching would followed increasingly detailed precise delineation culminating mechanically drafted document submitted patent application machine tooling Back envelope sketch Joseph B Friedman Joseph B Friedman Papers 1915–2000 Archives Center National Museum American History Smithsonian Institution 3 Idea visualization Externalizing idea several useful thing give creatives something show others get critical feedback build memory warehouse consult future give powerful tool convincing others buy creative idea Friedman instance able raise venture capital scheme showing prospective investor solution tangible problem Writers something similar submitting query proposal literary agent publisher Imagine either trying achieve end merely waving arm around talking good story method huckster visionary 4 Brain body conditioning Writing drawing advance project also bolster mental physical state generally Numerous investigation indicate recurring motion hand energize region brain associated creativity longterm neurological health Video produced colleague creativity Chris Dunmire Creativity Portal Develop skill Like riding bicycle drawing skill anyone learn Abundant resource exist help get started Sunni Brown’s Doodle Revolution Dan Roam’s Back Napkin Betty Edwards’ Drawing Right Side Brain three volume come mind Online classroombased course valuable source instruction Fig 3 Notebook Joseph L Friedman 1958 Joseph B Friedman Papers 1915–2000 Archives Center National Museum American History Smithsonian Institution prepared Keep tool writing drawing close hand Small notebook smartphone outfitted stylus universal favorite since slipped pocket quick access journal nightstand waterproof paper shower excellent substitute location home pocket commonly short supply Fixed surface whether wallmounted drawing board wall treated special paint adhesive panel better suited place collaboration instruction information sharing largescale diagramming picturemaking occur Make habit Author design hacker David Kadavy writes 100 word every day immediately waking exploiting fertile creative period waking sleep Julia Cameron’s bestselling book Artist’s Way ups ante 750 word famous Morning Pages dictate Complement routinized brain dump throughout day mode writing drawing longform spontaneous scribbling sketching mind mapping journaling quick capture brain burst Bonus Fun Fact know earliest known straw date around 3000 BCE century they’d fashioned hand various material gold grass reed fellow named Marvin Chester Stone patented first industriallyproduced paper version 1888 Neither began wading history drinking tube researching book creativity home environment point reallife creativity far likely take form tweak leap evolutionary rather revolutionary like Friedman’s FlexStraw that’s okay mean lie within power nearly everyone make world little better one small step timeTags Creativity Innovation Design Psychology Self Improvement

Getting Back On The Shoulders Of Giants

Photo by Mattias Milos on Unsplash Giants in mythology are ferocious and terrifying beasts that are feared and often subjugated, lest they take over the universe. In Norse mythology, they dwelt in the infertile lands of Jotunheim, sworn enemies of the gods, destroyers of peace and order. Gods and humans enjoyed luscious and protected realms. In Welsh mythology, the pesky upstart giant Rhitta Gawr grew tired of serving the Kings of England and listening to their petty concerns. “He was stronger, braver, any bigger than any of them — despite their crowns and fancy royal cloaks.” He attacked and slew all but one of the kings , the legendary King Arthur. We side against the giants, but gods and men have their moments too. Wind forward from the 5th, 6th and 7th centuries; past the Viking Age and the rule of King Arthur and we start to see a re-characterisation of the giant. No longer the barbaric destroyer of peace and civilisation but a giant in thinking emerges — a phrase for someone who pushes knowledge and understanding beyond mere mortal comprehension. The colossal stature starts to refer not to the height of the creature but the distance beyond ordinary thinking that they can see. In 1695 Sir Isaac Newton wrote to his contemporary Robert Hooke, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulder of giants.” Now an iconic phrase it was a humble recognition of the contribution to Newton’s discoveries by those who went before. The words are then carried over to Stephen Hawking who writes about the trailblazers of physics and astronomy: Galileo, Copernicus, Kepler, Einstein and of course Newton in his book, On The Shoulders of Giants. And now, when society stands on a sharp ledge, the opportunity to bravely venture into a new way of thinking on one side or attempt to re-create a past that we’re starting to recognise as unsustainable which way shall we turn? We must move in one direction. Have we been standing on the shoulders of medium-sized people for too long? A virus rages, unemployment soars, and the earth continue to suffer under a mass of waste and global warming. Isn’t it time to amplify some new voices? Giants in science and mythology share two characteristics. Firstly their stature; be it physical or metaphorical. Secondly, their position in society, they are coming from a position outside of a status quo realm. In Norse mythology the giants were Utangard spirits, meaning they were from “beyond the enclosure”, quite literally outsiders. Their existence represented a threat to those gods and humans of the ‘Innangard’, ‘inside the enclosure’. The Vikings recognised the essential nature of all creatures to provide balance in the universe. Gods and men are not infallible, and the giants keep them in check, as in Welsh mythology. They are a form of resistance. Who Are Our Giants Now? Who are your giants? Who are the people whose words and actions drive a new kind of future? Who are those who provide resistance to the gods of the now? Who of those can see beyond to another future; maybe better or maybe worse but a vision that transcends the stubborn denial or ignorance of most of us. It’s up to you whose shoulders you stand on, but I have three, probably more. They are women of different ages, from different continents and with various missions but who share the criteria of a giant. They see possibilities; they see dangers in the status quo and through their thinking allow me to see hope in another future. Malala Yousafzai Malala was eleven years old when the Taliban closed the schools for girls in her village in Pakistan, but she continued to speak out for the rights of education for women. The dangers involved cannot have been underestimated by Malala or her father, a champion of education for all. Three years later in 2012 a masked gunman boarded a bus and sought out Malala, shooting her in the head for her crime of speaking out for education. “The terrorists thought that they would change my aim and stop my ambitions, but nothing changed in my life except this; weaknesses, fear and hopelessness died, strength, power and courage were born.” Here she speaks in front of the U.N Youth Assembly in 2013, a year after the attack. Eight years on she is the youngest person ever to have received a Nobel Peace Prize, she has graduated from The University of Oxford, and she remains a vocal champion of free education for all children globally. A giant of courage, of vision Greta Thunberg Greta! I know, she’s everybody’s giant. Except perhaps the middle-aged men on talk shows who took time out from their otherwise critical job to ridicule the actions of a teenager with Asperger’s. Nice! If we’re talking of allegorical dimensions, this equates to the height of a leprechaun. We don’t look to this teenage climate activist for fluffy optimistic advice, she presents a darker view, but she’s also leading a movement of young people and activists. She shows us emotional turmoil, but she shows us a solution in her actions. She’s mobilised numbers in the millions across the world for action. You’ve probably seen her impassioned speech at the U.N Climate Action Summit 2019. A giant of action and resolution. “We are at the beginning of mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth.” Carlota Perez My third giant today is a British-Venezuelan researcher, lecturer and expert on the history of technical revolutions, amongst many other things. Carlota is currently pushing an agenda for a better world based on sustainable economic growth and new intangible models of measurement. When discussions among world leaders are focusing on the health vs economy argument, Carlota is painting a picture of a future of wellbeing; a more equitable existence for humans and a sustainable path for the earth. The battle between Green and Growth is sometimes presented as a winner take all fight, but Carlota sees past this and gives us options to drive a different narrative. Quite literally a breath of fresh air. Her ideas are big and involve a change at a governmental level which depending on which part of the world you are from, can feel hopeless. But her latest article Imagining A Good Life In A Green and Fair Society talks about cultural obstacles to a green and equitable future; negativity, consumption analysis and the way we convey our message. These things are up to us consumers. We don’t need government direction to tell us to consume less or be mindful of the world around us. She’s long been a proponent of Universal Basic Income which finally seems to be getting a look in across different cities on the globe. It’s that a system of capitalism that under-represents so many people on the world is so staunchly defended and alternative propositions kicked down the road.

https://medium.com/an-injustice/standing-on-the-shoulders-of-medium-sized-people-c28fba022df0

['Sarah Thomas']

2020-08-13 21:16:14.451000+00:00

['Storytelling', 'Climate Change', 'Education', 'Society', 'Writing']

Title Getting Back Shoulders GiantsContent Photo Mattias Milos Unsplash Giants mythology ferocious terrifying beast feared often subjugated lest take universe Norse mythology dwelt infertile land Jotunheim sworn enemy god destroyer peace order Gods human enjoyed luscious protected realm Welsh mythology pesky upstart giant Rhitta Gawr grew tired serving Kings England listening petty concern “He stronger braver bigger — despite crown fancy royal cloaks” attacked slew one king legendary King Arthur side giant god men moment Wind forward 5th 6th 7th century past Viking Age rule King Arthur start see recharacterisation giant longer barbaric destroyer peace civilisation giant thinking emerges — phrase someone push knowledge understanding beyond mere mortal comprehension colossal stature start refer height creature distance beyond ordinary thinking see 1695 Sir Isaac Newton wrote contemporary Robert Hooke “If seen standing shoulder giants” iconic phrase humble recognition contribution Newton’s discovery went word carried Stephen Hawking writes trailblazer physic astronomy Galileo Copernicus Kepler Einstein course Newton book Shoulders Giants society stand sharp ledge opportunity bravely venture new way thinking one side attempt recreate past we’re starting recognise unsustainable way shall turn must move one direction standing shoulder mediumsized people long virus rage unemployment soar earth continue suffer mass waste global warming Isn’t time amplify new voice Giants science mythology share two characteristic Firstly stature physical metaphorical Secondly position society coming position outside status quo realm Norse mythology giant Utangard spirit meaning “beyond enclosure” quite literally outsider existence represented threat god human ‘Innangard’ ‘inside enclosure’ Vikings recognised essential nature creature provide balance universe Gods men infallible giant keep check Welsh mythology form resistance Giants giant people whose word action drive new kind future provide resistance god see beyond another future maybe better maybe worse vision transcends stubborn denial ignorance u It’s whose shoulder stand three probably woman different age different continent various mission share criterion giant see possibility see danger status quo thinking allow see hope another future Malala Yousafzai Malala eleven year old Taliban closed school girl village Pakistan continued speak right education woman danger involved cannot underestimated Malala father champion education Three year later 2012 masked gunman boarded bus sought Malala shooting head crime speaking education “The terrorist thought would change aim stop ambition nothing changed life except weakness fear hopelessness died strength power courage born” speaks front UN Youth Assembly 2013 year attack Eight year youngest person ever received Nobel Peace Prize graduated University Oxford remains vocal champion free education child globally giant courage vision Greta Thunberg Greta know she’s everybody’s giant Except perhaps middleaged men talk show took time otherwise critical job ridicule action teenager Asperger’s Nice we’re talking allegorical dimension equates height leprechaun don’t look teenage climate activist fluffy optimistic advice present darker view she’s also leading movement young people activist show u emotional turmoil show u solution action She’s mobilised number million across world action You’ve probably seen impassioned speech UN Climate Action Summit 2019 giant action resolution “We beginning mass extinction talk money fairy tale eternal economic growth” Carlota Perez third giant today BritishVenezuelan researcher lecturer expert history technical revolution amongst many thing Carlota currently pushing agenda better world based sustainable economic growth new intangible model measurement discussion among world leader focusing health v economy argument Carlota painting picture future wellbeing equitable existence human sustainable path earth battle Green Growth sometimes presented winner take fight Carlota see past give u option drive different narrative Quite literally breath fresh air idea big involve change governmental level depending part world feel hopeless latest article Imagining Good Life Green Fair Society talk cultural obstacle green equitable future negativity consumption analysis way convey message thing u consumer don’t need government direction tell u consume le mindful world around u She’s long proponent Universal Basic Income finally seems getting look across different city globe It’s system capitalism underrepresents many people world staunchly defended alternative proposition kicked roadTags Storytelling Climate Change Education Society Writing

Welcome to my story.

Welcome to my story. Excitement, science fiction, cats and dogs living together, mass hysteria! First of all, I really am glad that you have taken the time to come visit my blog. I am certainly new to this medium, and writing in general. Which is why the Word Crimes picture is up there from the song by the same title. You can find it here. Now, why do I have the picture there, well it is because I will for the most part be writing this story rough draft style. There maybe grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. Though I will try my hardest to avoid those when possible. Let’s get to why you should follow my blog. I love writing fictional stories, but have never done so in a public place. As such, I wanted to give it a try, and here we are. This story I am about to write for you is called Alice. It will follow a female robot as she becomes the first self aware machine in human history by a fluke of nature. Like in Jurassic Park, life finds a way. You and I are going to follow Alice through her “life” as she discovers what it means. There will be adventure, there will be some adult content, there will be fun. Also I would love to hear your feedback as we go. We can sort of make this interactive! I am not afraid of criticism, however please keep it constructive. There is no need for trolls here. I want to aim for 3 pages a week, though we will see how long I can keep that up for. I love you beautiful creatures. ~Naomi

https://medium.com/a-l-i-c-e/welcome-to-my-story-92b1b746deaf

['Naomi Hanson']

2016-07-29 16:20:07.571000+00:00

['Fiction', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Science Fiction', 'Storytelling', 'Books']

Title Welcome storyContent Welcome story Excitement science fiction cat dog living together mass hysteria First really glad taken time come visit blog certainly new medium writing general Word Crimes picture song title find picture well part writing story rough draft style maybe grammar punctuation spelling error Though try hardest avoid possible Let’s get follow blog love writing fictional story never done public place wanted give try story write called Alice follow female robot becomes first self aware machine human history fluke nature Like Jurassic Park life find way going follow Alice “life” discovers mean adventure adult content fun Also would love hear feedback go sort make interactive afraid criticism however please keep constructive need troll want aim 3 page week though see long keep love beautiful creature NaomiTags Fiction Artificial Intelligence Science Fiction Storytelling Books

I Went Viral And Got 674 Followers on News Break

I Went Viral And Got 674 Followers on News Break Playing it safe seems to be the worst thing you can do for News Break Screenshot from the author Like many Medium writers, I started posting and publishing my pieces on News Break, relatively later than many writers I know. According to Ash Jurberg, News Break is a tech company that gives writers the opportunity to receive a monthly retainer based on views and referrals. As a reader, I use News Break for local news since it gives me access to local outlets. As a writer, I haven’t really gotten that into it. I decided to hop onto the News Break bandwagon of other writers on Medium joining News Break. My philosophy going into News Break was to post the pieces that did well on Medium onto News Break. First, I decided to post my piece about the rise and fall of Jared from Subway, which is my highest performing piece on Medium. I then didn’t look at News Break for a whole day. But I looked back a day later to see 59 comments on it. Hearing about the notorious toxicity of many News Break comments, I decided not to check them. However, I, unfortunately, did decide to check them about an hour later, and I wish I didn’t. Readers just tend to be more crass and blunt, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s definitely a more immature audience than Medium. I would simply refresh the page to see significantly more comments every single time. I was pretty psyched and got the typical dopamine rush you get from an exploding article. But apparently, stats took a whole day to refresh, so I had no idea how many views or impressions my piece was getting. The stats finally did refresh some time before midnight that night, and that piece about Jared drove most of my traffic below: Screenshot from the author What have I learned from my progress so far on Newsbreak? Absolutely nothing. Most of the pieces I’ve posted have over 1,000 views on Medium, but only one has done well on Newsbreak, with over 1 million impressions and over 250,000 views. I don’t know what works well, and what doesn’t, and I don’t claim to. I post three articles a week since that’s what other Medium writers told me to do. I was later to the game than other writers, but I’ll still re-post occasionally. But the general rule, which I think my friend Matt Lillywhite can attest to, is to post, publish, hope for the best, then move onto the next one. Matt has published 359 posts and has 2709 followers, and I’ve read most of his pieces on Medium. You don’t know what might do well and what might not. And any degree of certainty you feel will likely be wrong. The rule that I originally thought of “what does well on Medium does well on News Break” is not necessarily true. And I thought it was just a different platform in general, with more newsy pieces performing better since it’s a news platform. That hasn’t entirely been true either. I notice that self-improvement is not the drive on News Break like it is on Medium, and some writers have said relationship-oriented pieces do better. It seems like I’m a complete one-hit-wonder on Newsbreak, and that’s fine. It’s not my main platform, and I’m glad it’s giving me more exposure for my work. Medium is still my main gig and always will be. As a reader, what I don’t like about News Break is that my publisher account and my reader account are not linked, so every time I like or comment on a Medium writer’s piece on News Break, I am “A user from Baltimore.” News Break has been different from Medium in that it’s novel and exciting. I don’t know much about the company, and would certainly like to reference Ash’s article about the history of News Break and the ins and outs of the platform. I certainly hope News Break isn’t a fad because it provides the opportunity for Medium writers to syndicate and gain a new audience. I have been lucky in a lot more ways than not. I was lucky to be accepted as a News Break writer since I’ve heard of other writers on Medium not being accepted. I have been lucky to have my first article be such a big hit, and I’ve been lucky to be one of the first Medium writers to surpass a big benchmark on News Break. I have been lucky in more ways than I can count just relying on zero intentionality and blind faith to do well on the platform. And it’s because of that luck that I don’t want to convey the message that “I was able to do this and you can too.” But you don’t know until you try it out. Screenshot from the author Overall, I encourage any writer on Medium who has the opportunity to seek a new outlet for their previous pieces on News Break. Sure, some people might suggest you ramp up the “clickbaitiness” on your News Break pieces, but it’s still too soon to tell for me. What I will say is it’s a relatively no-risk proposition to simply syndicate your pieces across News Break — I have spent about 10 minutes total putting my pieces from one platform to the other, so it’s not particularly time-consuming and you’ve already put in the work. My strategy is likely not perfect, and I do likely need to post more and revise my headlines, but I’m happy with the start so far. I initially wanted to play the “wait and see” strategy to see how other people did on News Break before exploring it myself. I will say now that that was a mistake since publishing on News Break tends to be a low effort proposition. There’s a lot of uncertainty about News Break from the Medium writing community, but playing it safe seems to be the worst thing you can do for News Break.

https://medium.com/the-partnered-pen/i-went-viral-and-got-674-followers-on-news-break-8f35d4f31112

['Ryan Fan']

2020-12-07 02:57:25.021000+00:00

['Freelancing', 'Nonfiction', 'Writing', 'Marketing', 'Self']

Title Went Viral Got 674 Followers News BreakContent Went Viral Got 674 Followers News Break Playing safe seems worst thing News Break Screenshot author Like many Medium writer started posting publishing piece News Break relatively later many writer know According Ash Jurberg News Break tech company give writer opportunity receive monthly retainer based view referral reader use News Break local news since give access local outlet writer haven’t really gotten decided hop onto News Break bandwagon writer Medium joining News Break philosophy going News Break post piece well Medium onto News Break First decided post piece rise fall Jared Subway highest performing piece Medium didn’t look News Break whole day looked back day later see 59 comment Hearing notorious toxicity many News Break comment decided check However unfortunately decide check hour later wish didn’t Readers tend crass blunt there’s nothing wrong it’s definitely immature audience Medium would simply refresh page see significantly comment every single time pretty psyched got typical dopamine rush get exploding article apparently stats took whole day refresh idea many view impression piece getting stats finally refresh time midnight night piece Jared drove traffic Screenshot author learned progress far Newsbreak Absolutely nothing piece I’ve posted 1000 view Medium one done well Newsbreak 1 million impression 250000 view don’t know work well doesn’t don’t claim post three article week since that’s Medium writer told later game writer I’ll still repost occasionally general rule think friend Matt Lillywhite attest post publish hope best move onto next one Matt published 359 post 2709 follower I’ve read piece Medium don’t know might well might degree certainty feel likely wrong rule originally thought “what well Medium well News Break” necessarily true thought different platform general newsy piece performing better since it’s news platform hasn’t entirely true either notice selfimprovement drive News Break like Medium writer said relationshiporiented piece better seems like I’m complete onehitwonder Newsbreak that’s fine It’s main platform I’m glad it’s giving exposure work Medium still main gig always reader don’t like News Break publisher account reader account linked every time like comment Medium writer’s piece News Break “A user Baltimore” News Break different Medium it’s novel exciting don’t know much company would certainly like reference Ash’s article history News Break in out platform certainly hope News Break isn’t fad provides opportunity Medium writer syndicate gain new audience lucky lot way lucky accepted News Break writer since I’ve heard writer Medium accepted lucky first article big hit I’ve lucky one first Medium writer surpass big benchmark News Break lucky way count relying zero intentionality blind faith well platform it’s luck don’t want convey message “I able too” don’t know try Screenshot author Overall encourage writer Medium opportunity seek new outlet previous piece News Break Sure people might suggest ramp “clickbaitiness” News Break piece it’s still soon tell say it’s relatively norisk proposition simply syndicate piece across News Break — spent 10 minute total putting piece one platform it’s particularly timeconsuming you’ve already put work strategy likely perfect likely need post revise headline I’m happy start far initially wanted play “wait see” strategy see people News Break exploring say mistake since publishing News Break tends low effort proposition There’s lot uncertainty News Break Medium writing community playing safe seems worst thing News BreakTags Freelancing Nonfiction Writing Marketing Self

How to Build an Email List of 500 Subscribers in a Month

I’ve made a decision. 2021 is going to be the year I finally, finally, go all in on trying to make self-publishing a thing in my life. My plan is simple. I’m going to publish romance novels. They’re my first love. I found my traditional publishing niche in children’s literature, but I started out to be a romance writer. I decided to go with a pen name for a couple of reasons. Reason one: see children’s literature. I don’t want to write both middle grade books and smut with the same name. Reason two: I’m a teacher at heart and I want to be able to teach the things I’m learning to other people. That means starting from scratch and doing things that can be recreated. I don’t want to mess up my experiments by using my own already-established audience. So, I have a pen name. And a month ago, I created a brand new email list. You know — with zero subscribers. Photo: Author So, there’s a screenshot of my Convertkit subscriber chart. Here’s what I did in the last month to build my email list. Offer a Little More What you can see is that I started the account on November 4, so exactly a month ago. It’s hard to see but I had three sporadic followers between November 4 and November 16. Those are actually some of my favorites, because they represent people who read one of my stories and really liked it. I put a link to an expanded epilogue at the back of my first published short read. And three people out of the ten or so who actually bought the book downloaded it and made it onto my list. That’s 30 percent, ya’ll. Yay! It’s a good indication that my landing page at the back of my books will do okay, when I have more readers entering my funnel. What to do: When you put work out into the world, always have a way of capturing readers who enjoyed it. For fiction, a little more story is a great idea. An expanded epilogue, like I did, is one idea. You can also write a short story that answers a question or tells the story of a popular secondary character. Another idea is to just have a generic free story that you offer readers who might have enjoyed what they just read. This is a good idea, for when you don’t have time to write a new story. Ask Your Friends There’s a little blip at November 16. That represents me posting a little note on my personal Facebook wall that said simple this: Who do I know who reads romance books? About fifteen people either liked my post or left a comment. I PM’d each of them and told them that I have a new pen name and I’m publishing romance — it’s a secret, but would they be interested in joining my email list? If they said yes (they all did), I asked for their email address and then added them to my list manually. What to do: Just what I did. Ask a pointed question, designed to find out who you know who is interested in what you’re up to. I wanted to make sure I only added romance readers to my list, because I’m trying to preserve my Amazon also boughts (I don’t want Amazon’s algorithm to get mixed up about what people who buy my book are also interested in.) Rather than just posting a landing page link to Facebook (although, why not try that, too?) You can ask a question that is designed to bring your friends who really might be interested in what you’re doing out of the woodwork. Then reach out to each of them personally. Get their email address and add them yourself. This is a nice first step to building your list, because it’s pretty much guaranteed to work. And I promise, going from zero to a few subscribers is a good boost. Think About Where You Might Already Have Some Subscribers You’ll notice a big old spike in my subscribers on November 24. That was about 280 subscribers. After pretty much a whole week of not adding anyone and feeling sorry for myself, I started to think about where I might already have some emails I can add to my list. I remembered that three years ago, I’d added a short story to a site called Prolific Works. It was a romance story, so I knew that the people who downloaded it were romance readers. They were people who found it because they were looking for a romance story to read. So — full disclosure. Adding people who two or three years ago downloaded a story from a different pen name isn’t ever going to lead to a super healthy, engaged email list. Because those people likely don’t remember joining any list and for sure not my pen name’s list. But I added them anyway, then sent an email out letting them know what I’d done, linking them to my book on Amazon, and inviting them to unsubscribe if they didn’t want to be on my list. Fifty took me up on that. And only about 10 percent even opened my email. Here’s what I’m planning to do about it: This week, I’m going to tag all those folks in Convertkit. I’ll email them and ask them to click a link if they WANT to stay, then remove everyone else at the end of a week. It’ll shrink my list, but leave me with something healthier. I anticipate that the vast majority of this group of subscribers will be removed. BUT, I’m not sorry I did this. Because having an email list of 250 or so really lit a fire under my butt. I wanted more, so I started thinking about how to get more. Another place I might have found subscribers, but I won’t because I’m trying to preserve my experiment, is in my Ninja Writers list. I could write a blog post designed to figure out which of my followers read romance books, then send the link in an email, and finally send the people who click that link a landing page to join my new list. What to do: Think about where you might already have subscribers you can seed your list with. It might seem on first glance that you’re doomed if you don’t have something like this. Trust me, I’m only including this because you might have some subscribers laying around and I don’t want you to forget about them. But all isn’t lost if you don’t. Of all my new subscribers, these are the least effective and I expect to remove the vast majority of them in the next week or two. Host a Giveaway Starting on December 1 in my chart, you’ll see a steady influx of subscribers. Those are folks who joined my list via a giveaway I’m currently hosting. I spent some time thinking about what I could offer that would be valuable to readers of my genre, but wouldn’t be so generic that I’d wind up with a bunch of subscribers who only wanted to win my prize, but otherwise would never engage with me. So, something like a Kindle or a gift card to Amazon wouldn’t work. I realized that people who read my genre are voracious readers and they tend to read on e-readers and are almost always Kindle Unlimited subscribers. Because they read so much that buying hard copies of all their books would be too expensive. So I decided to choose five popular titles and offer paperback copies in my giveaway. I called it a Book Boyfriend giveaway and added in . . . um . . . another kind of boyfriend. Screenshot: author I’m five days into a seven day giveaway and I’ve added more than 300 subscribers to my list. Screenshot: author When I sent another email to my list, my open rate increased to 23 percent. That’s pretty much industry standard and includes those subscribers who will eventually be removed from my list. I put some money into this method. For me, it was important to get my email list off the ground and I was willing (and able) to invest in it. I bought King Sumo for a onetime $49 payment. And I’ll buy those books and the, uh, other thing, which I anticipate will cost about $100. And then I bought some Facebook ads. I’ve spent $50 a day on ads. In all, I’ll spend $350 on advertising my giveaway. So a total of $500. I love King Sumo, because it rewards people for sharing your giveaway with more entries. It also gives more entries for things like following social media. As a result of my giveaway, besides adding more than 300 email subscribers so far, I’ve built my Instagram and Facebook followers by about the same amount. I didn’t set up Twitter until three days in, but it’s built up some as well. Obviously, I could have built my list faster with a bigger ad spend. And I could have spent much less and still built some list. You can run a Facebook ad for as little as $1 a day. You can also find free places to advertise your giveaway. I’ve added mine to Facebook groups dedicated to my genre, when it’s allowed. I have NOT shared it with my friends because I’m really trying to keep my pen name secret. What to do: Come up with a prize that will appeal to exactly the folks you want on your list, and host a giveaway. Be really thoughtful about your prize. You want it to be something valuable — to the people you want to attract. You’ll want to have your social media accounts set up for this, too. Because if you use King Sumo, you can use your giveaway to build those as well. Set them up and get a little content up in them. I spent about two weeks starting up my Facebook and Instagram accounts. I wish I’d set up my Twitter account as well. I honestly didn’t think I was going to do Twitter at all, but changed my mind three days in. Put aside some money to pay for Facebook ads for this one, if you can. Even if it’s just $20. It’ll make a difference. And share your giveaway link everywhere you can think to. Offer a Reader Magnet A reader magnet is just what it sounds like: a free read that draws readers to you. I used a site called Story Origin to host my reader magnet. I did that around the same time I started my giveaway. Story Origin is in beta — and it has been for a long, long time — so it’s totally free right now. In the last four days I’ve added 25 people to my email list via my reader magnet. Screenshot: Author I used a novella that I wrote a long time ago as my reader magnet. At some point I may remove it and put it up for sale, but for now I’m happy to give it away. Story Origin is a site for all kinds of writers. You can put a reader magnet up there no matter your genre — including non-fiction. In addition, you can join newsletter swaps and other people’s giveaways or sales. What to do: Head over to Story Origin and join. Create a reader magnet and get it up on the site. Once you have some people on your email list, start looking for newsletter swaps and giveaways you can join. You can add your reader magnet to Prolific Works, too, by the way. It took me about three years to give away 280 copies, but it’s not nothing! Wrap-Up I started from scratch with a pen name and a brand new Convertkit account on November 4, 2020. I’m writing this post on December 4, 2020, one month later. I used a free account at Convertkit — which allows me up to 2000 followers before I have to start paying. I can’t do automated emails with a free account, but for my purposes (building an email list for my fiction that I’m just barely starting to publish), that’s okay. I can send a single automated incentive email with my opt-in attached, even with a free account. I spent $100 on the items to offer as a prize in a giveaway and spent another $350 in ads and paid $49 for King Sumo, to host the giveaway. A total of $499. I currently have 561 email subscribers, one month after starting to build that list. I’ll come back in another month for another update, where I’ll also be able to let you know whether the list made a difference when I launch a new book.

https://medium.com/the-write-brain/how-to-build-an-email-list-of-500-subscribers-in-a-month-8c8e99f5967c

['Shaunta Grimes']

2020-12-04 18:34:08.430000+00:00

['Writing', 'Creativity', 'Productivity', 'Business', 'Email Marketing']

Title Build Email List 500 Subscribers MonthContent I’ve made decision 2021 going year finally finally go trying make selfpublishing thing life plan simple I’m going publish romance novel They’re first love found traditional publishing niche children’s literature started romance writer decided go pen name couple reason Reason one see children’s literature don’t want write middle grade book smut name Reason two I’m teacher heart want able teach thing I’m learning people mean starting scratch thing recreated don’t want mess experiment using alreadyestablished audience pen name month ago created brand new email list know — zero subscriber Photo Author there’s screenshot Convertkit subscriber chart Here’s last month build email list Offer Little see started account November 4 exactly month ago It’s hard see three sporadic follower November 4 November 16 actually favorite represent people read one story really liked put link expanded epilogue back first published short read three people ten actually bought book downloaded made onto list That’s 30 percent ya’ll Yay It’s good indication landing page back book okay reader entering funnel put work world always way capturing reader enjoyed fiction little story great idea expanded epilogue like one idea also write short story answer question tell story popular secondary character Another idea generic free story offer reader might enjoyed read good idea don’t time write new story Ask Friends There’s little blip November 16 represents posting little note personal Facebook wall said simple know read romance book fifteen people either liked post left comment PM’d told new pen name I’m publishing romance — it’s secret would interested joining email list said yes asked email address added list manually Ask pointed question designed find know interested you’re wanted make sure added romance reader list I’m trying preserve Amazon also boughts don’t want Amazon’s algorithm get mixed people buy book also interested Rather posting landing page link Facebook although try ask question designed bring friend really might interested you’re woodwork reach personally Get email address add nice first step building list it’s pretty much guaranteed work promise going zero subscriber good boost Think Might Already Subscribers You’ll notice big old spike subscriber November 24 280 subscriber pretty much whole week adding anyone feeling sorry started think might already email add list remembered three year ago I’d added short story site called Prolific Works romance story knew people downloaded romance reader people found looking romance story read — full disclosure Adding people two three year ago downloaded story different pen name isn’t ever going lead super healthy engaged email list people likely don’t remember joining list sure pen name’s list added anyway sent email letting know I’d done linking book Amazon inviting unsubscribe didn’t want list Fifty took 10 percent even opened email Here’s I’m planning week I’m going tag folk Convertkit I’ll email ask click link WANT stay remove everyone else end week It’ll shrink list leave something healthier anticipate vast majority group subscriber removed I’m sorry email list 250 really lit fire butt wanted started thinking get Another place might found subscriber won’t I’m trying preserve experiment Ninja Writers list could write blog post designed figure follower read romance book send link email finally send people click link landing page join new list Think might already subscriber seed list might seem first glance you’re doomed don’t something like Trust I’m including might subscriber laying around don’t want forget isn’t lost don’t new subscriber least effective expect remove vast majority next week two Host Giveaway Starting December 1 chart you’ll see steady influx subscriber folk joined list via giveaway I’m currently hosting spent time thinking could offer would valuable reader genre wouldn’t generic I’d wind bunch subscriber wanted win prize otherwise would never engage something like Kindle gift card Amazon wouldn’t work realized people read genre voracious reader tend read ereaders almost always Kindle Unlimited subscriber read much buying hard copy book would expensive decided choose five popular title offer paperback copy giveaway called Book Boyfriend giveaway added um another kind boyfriend Screenshot author I’m five day seven day giveaway I’ve added 300 subscriber list Screenshot author sent another email list open rate increased 23 percent That’s pretty much industry standard includes subscriber eventually removed list put money method important get email list ground willing able invest bought King Sumo onetime 49 payment I’ll buy book uh thing anticipate cost 100 bought Facebook ad I’ve spent 50 day ad I’ll spend 350 advertising giveaway total 500 love King Sumo reward people sharing giveaway entry also give entry thing like following social medium result giveaway besides adding 300 email subscriber far I’ve built Instagram Facebook follower amount didn’t set Twitter three day it’s built well Obviously could built list faster bigger ad spend could spent much le still built list run Facebook ad little 1 day also find free place advertise giveaway I’ve added mine Facebook group dedicated genre it’s allowed shared friend I’m really trying keep pen name secret Come prize appeal exactly folk want list host giveaway really thoughtful prize want something valuable — people want attract You’ll want social medium account set use King Sumo use giveaway build well Set get little content spent two week starting Facebook Instagram account wish I’d set Twitter account well honestly didn’t think going Twitter changed mind three day Put aside money pay Facebook ad one Even it’s 20 It’ll make difference share giveaway link everywhere think Offer Reader Magnet reader magnet sound like free read draw reader used site called Story Origin host reader magnet around time started giveaway Story Origin beta — long long time — it’s totally free right last four day I’ve added 25 people email list via reader magnet Screenshot Author used novella wrote long time ago reader magnet point may remove put sale I’m happy give away Story Origin site kind writer put reader magnet matter genre — including nonfiction addition join newsletter swap people’s giveaway sale Head Story Origin join Create reader magnet get site people email list start looking newsletter swap giveaway join add reader magnet Prolific Works way took three year give away 280 copy it’s nothing WrapUp started scratch pen name brand new Convertkit account November 4 2020 I’m writing post December 4 2020 one month later used free account Convertkit — allows 2000 follower start paying can’t automated email free account purpose building email list fiction I’m barely starting publish that’s okay send single automated incentive email optin attached even free account spent 100 item offer prize giveaway spent another 350 ad paid 49 King Sumo host giveaway total 499 currently 561 email subscriber one month starting build list I’ll come back another month another update I’ll also able let know whether list made difference launch new bookTags Writing Creativity Productivity Business Email Marketing

Seven Dangerous Lies Trump Spread About the Coronavirus

Seven Dangerous Lies Trump Spread About the Coronavirus Believing in this fake-news can cost you your life Source: NBC News Unfortunately, we are living in Post-Truth and the pandemic has been the biggest testament to that. The last nine months have been fraught with beserk misinformation often times sugar-coated with flimsy research. President Trump seems to have prized the cake for being the leading progenitor of medically incorrect pandemic literature. While it is virtually impossible to call out the fluff from the towering peaks of untruth, it is worthwhile to remind ourselves of the facts that pose serious medical risks for all. Here’s are seven lies that are absolutely ridiculous and you better be careful with them to save your life. Anti-malarial drugs can treat Coronavirus The POTUS has shown tremendous confidence in hydroxychloroquine as an effective treatment for the virus. Having stockpiled 63 million doses, one would expect the belief to be backed by some scientific rationale. However, the FDA has warned against taking the drug. Not to mention, that large observational studies have concluded that the drug has no effect on Covid-19 patients. Furthermore, the Trump administration's testing czar, Brett Giroir hs also cautioned against the consumption of this medicine. In case, you do contract the virus, please do not rely on self-medication of chloroquine. It's advisable to seek a proper medical opinion on the prognosis. Coronavirus is as deadly as common flu Trump has repeatedly drawn on home-spun data to compare Coronavirus to common flu. The latest instance occurred on 6th October when he was fresh out of Walter Reed. Experts from across the globe have warned against this misconception and have stated that the virus is much more hazardous than the flu. In terms of the statistics as well as in terms of their behavior the two viruses are not comparable. Any allusion to the flu would potentially mellow down the dangers associated with the virus, risking public health and safety. It is extremely important that we take this crisis seriously and refrain from comparisons that embolden callousness. 99 percent of the cases are totally harmless On 4th July, Trump said that 99% of the cases are harmless and people should not be too bothered about the virus. Quickly defusing this belief WHO launched a statement establishing that about 15% of the cases can be severe with around 5 percent being critical. Moreover, Dr. Fauci has also lambasted the growing misconception that Covid-19 is predominantly a mild disease. Considering the voluminous medical opinion urging for caution, you should be as careful of the virus as you should be of falsehoods like this one. Children are immune to Covid-19 On multiple occasions has the President claimed that people from ages 0–18 are virtually immune to the virus. However, this claim has been proven wrong time and time again by prominent medical experts and pandemic data. Studies conducted in the US and China have suggested that though children are showing mild symptoms it does not imply that they do not contract the virus. In fact, the CDC believes that about 7% of the cases have occurred in children. Additionally, because they do not show symptoms, children can act as potential carriers of the contagion for older adults. With little research conducted on the long-term impacts of the virus, we are playing in the dark about what the future might hold for the infected children. Therefore, falling for this fad would be exposing oneself to unforeseen dangers in the future. The vaccine will be ready by Election Day Donald Trump has expressed his trust in a vaccine becoming available before Election Day. With less than two weeks to 3rd November, experts have warned against waiting for a cure before the deadline. On catching the disease now, one must not wait for the vaccine and immediately follow the established medical protocol. Waiting for a cure must not deter you from deferring your medical help under the pretext that a vaccine would happen in a short while. Such a false belief can lead to extremely devastating consequences. Injecting Bleach kills Covid-19 On April 23, Trump stated that injecting bleach can be a potential measure against the virus. In his defense, he did roll back the statement and claimed that he was being sarcastic. However, after his remarks, the damage has been done with disinfectant poisoning cases shooting up across the country. In an unrelated case, around 500 people succumbed to methanol poisoning in Iran over Covid related rumors. This shows how dangerous unscientific claims can be when they stem from the helm of leadership. For all intents and purposes, intravenous injections of disinfectants will do nothing but take life and the populace must be crystal clear about that. Mexicans are responsible for spreading the virus The President has held no barrels when accusing Mexicans of spreading the contagion in the US borders. With the extreme xenophobia aside, this statement has come under scrutiny by medical experts. Such a belief is baseless and incendiary with the medical reports identifying no relation between the spread and immigration. Even after we have overcome the virus, such strains of hatred can continue to plague our society if we fall for such fallacious beliefs. Falling for this lie would make you more susceptible to unwarranted stereotypes.

https://medium.com/discourse/seven-dangerous-lies-trump-spread-about-the-coronavirus-cbe9dae0689d

['Shourya Agarwal']

2020-10-25 20:05:26.903000+00:00

['Election 2020', 'Politics', 'Health', 'Coronavirus', 'Science']

Title Seven Dangerous Lies Trump Spread CoronavirusContent Seven Dangerous Lies Trump Spread Coronavirus Believing fakenews cost life Source NBC News Unfortunately living PostTruth pandemic biggest testament last nine month fraught beserk misinformation often time sugarcoated flimsy research President Trump seems prized cake leading progenitor medically incorrect pandemic literature virtually impossible call fluff towering peak untruth worthwhile remind fact pose serious medical risk Here’s seven lie absolutely ridiculous better careful save life Antimalarial drug treat Coronavirus POTUS shown tremendous confidence hydroxychloroquine effective treatment virus stockpiled 63 million dos one would expect belief backed scientific rationale However FDA warned taking drug mention large observational study concluded drug effect Covid19 patient Furthermore Trump administration testing czar Brett Giroir h also cautioned consumption medicine case contract virus please rely selfmedication chloroquine advisable seek proper medical opinion prognosis Coronavirus deadly common flu Trump repeatedly drawn homespun data compare Coronavirus common flu latest instance occurred 6th October fresh Walter Reed Experts across globe warned misconception stated virus much hazardous flu term statistic well term behavior two virus comparable allusion flu would potentially mellow danger associated virus risking public health safety extremely important take crisis seriously refrain comparison embolden callousness 99 percent case totally harmless 4th July Trump said 99 case harmless people bothered virus Quickly defusing belief launched statement establishing 15 case severe around 5 percent critical Moreover Dr Fauci also lambasted growing misconception Covid19 predominantly mild disease Considering voluminous medical opinion urging caution careful virus falsehood like one Children immune Covid19 multiple occasion President claimed people age 0–18 virtually immune virus However claim proven wrong time time prominent medical expert pandemic data Studies conducted US China suggested though child showing mild symptom imply contract virus fact CDC belief 7 case occurred child Additionally show symptom child act potential carrier contagion older adult little research conducted longterm impact virus playing dark future might hold infected child Therefore falling fad would exposing oneself unforeseen danger future vaccine ready Election Day Donald Trump expressed trust vaccine becoming available Election Day le two week 3rd November expert warned waiting cure deadline catching disease one must wait vaccine immediately follow established medical protocol Waiting cure must deter deferring medical help pretext vaccine would happen short false belief lead extremely devastating consequence Injecting Bleach kill Covid19 April 23 Trump stated injecting bleach potential measure virus defense roll back statement claimed sarcastic However remark damage done disinfectant poisoning case shooting across country unrelated case around 500 people succumbed methanol poisoning Iran Covid related rumor show dangerous unscientific claim stem helm leadership intent purpose intravenous injection disinfectant nothing take life populace must crystal clear Mexicans responsible spreading virus President held barrel accusing Mexicans spreading contagion US border extreme xenophobia aside statement come scrutiny medical expert belief baseless incendiary medical report identifying relation spread immigration Even overcome virus strain hatred continue plague society fall fallacious belief Falling lie would make susceptible unwarranted stereotypesTags Election 2020 Politics Health Coronavirus Science

Digital Media Is Suffocating — and It’s Facebook and Google’s Fault

Laura Bassett • May 6, 2019 Newsrooms across the country are laying off journalists, because the ad dollars generated from their work all filter up to Big Tech. Roughly 2,400 journalists and media staffers in the United States lost our jobs in the first few months of 2019. I was laid off in January, after nearly a decade in my newsroom. The Huffington Post had hired me in November 2009 to write what Arianna Huffington called the “flesh and blood” stories of the recession — people losing their jobs, plunging underwater on their mortgages, hocking their wedding rings to put food on the table. My first beat was economic suffering. I didn’t understand at the time that journalism was staring down its own Great Recession. We at HuffPost knew the cuts were coming. They’d been the subject of happy-hour chats for weeks. Verizon, our parent company, had declared our website essentially worthless in late 2018 and directed staff reductions across the board. Even so, my own layoff came as a shock. As a senior politics reporter for the site who represented it on cable news every weekend, my job had felt like an integral part of my identity. In a brief, surreal phone call, my boss told me she’d had to make some tough choices and that my job had been eliminated. I had five hours to clean off my desk, turn in my laptop, phone, and badge, and say goodbye to the newsroom that had been a second home to me. A sympathetic colleague handed me a miniature bottle of red wine and a plastic cup. In the days that followed, what was harder than losing my job was having to watch the whole industry start to crumble along with it. BuzzFeed laid off 15 percent of its staff the day after Verizon eliminated my job at HuffPost; Vice layoffs came soon after. Gannett, the largest newspaper publisher in the country, cut 400 jobs from local papers. In April, more job cuts hit the Cleveland Plain Dealer, which has shrunk to less than a tenth of its former size over the past few years, leaving just 33 journalists to cover a metro area of two million people. Last week, the New Orleans Times-Picayune was folded into a competitor, ending a 182-year run, with its entire staff, including 65 editors and reporters, let go. Tom Feran, a 66-year-old reporter at the Plain Dealer who heroically volunteered to be laid off to save the job of a younger staffer, aptly described the feeling as that of “a cartoon character running off a cliff into space and then looking down and noticing I’m not standing on solid ground anymore. Or like the end of ‘She’s So Heavy,’ by the Beatles, which just suddenly ends.” Google and Facebook dominate the digital ad market, consuming more than 60 percent of all revenue. I have never paid much attention to the financial side of journalism. But since being laid off, I’ve made it my mission to understand the existential threat news publishers are facing from Big Tech. Companies like Apple, Facebook, and Google are using their tech muscle to monetize news for their own profit, but at the expense of the newswriters. Google and Facebook dominate the digital ad market, consuming more than 60 percent of all revenue. Apple is leveraging its iPhone and Mac users to roll out its own news subscription product, Apple News+. Sadly, this product undercuts the subscriptions sold by existing publishers while Apple takes 50 percent of the revenue. Google is also planning a policy change that would severely undermine news gathering. The company is reportedly considering restricting third-party cookies in its Chrome web browser, which it could announce as soon as its annual conference on May 7. Cookies are the largely unseen infrastructure on which the online marketplace runs. Cookies allow websites that provide free content to also collect anonymized data on users’ interests, giving advertisers critical information about the market for their products. This value exchangeis necessary to support nearly every site on the internet, but it is the lifeblood of digital journalism. An online advertisement without a third-party cookie sells for just 2 percent of the cost of the same ad with the cookie. Google will likely frame its policy change in terms of online privacy — a real and important concern for Americans. But if Google restricts or eliminates third-party cookies on Chrome, the collection of user data for profit won’t go away. Tech giants will continue building dossiers on every American who uses the internet. The move would simply force publishers to use Google as a middleman for advertising sales, giving Google a cut of the ad revenue that would otherwise go to hiring journalists. Tech companies are well aware of their negative impact on journalism and have pledged $600 million toward efforts to support it. But this is a drop in the bucket compared to the damage they have caused. $600 million is a small price to pay to ensure publishers become more reliant on the data Google and Facebook harvest from users across their multiple platforms. It would be far more helpful for them to facilitate a flow of digital advertising dollars back to the publishers who hire the journalists and create the content, instead of tweaking their policies in ways that make it even harder for a digital news site to sell an ad. A robust and well-funded news media is vital to a healthy democracy. The public should be aware of Big Tech’s death grip on publishers, particularly as Google weighs a potentially devastating policy change that few people understand. And more broadly, lawmakers in Congress on both sides of the aisle should be discussing legislative solutions to regulate or break up the tech giants and restore fairness to the digital ad market. It’s uncomfortable for journalists to talk or write about ourselves, or to elevate an issue that’s in our own self-interest. We’re taught not to be the story. But as the president attacks us with dangerous rhetoric, and tech monopolies siphon off our revenue streams, it’s never been more necessary for us to link arms to fight for the health and future of our industry. One or two companies should not have the power to cripple the free press in the United States.

https://medium.com/save-journalism/digital-media-is-suffocating-and-its-facebook-and-google-s-fault-fdea4b9b7d7e

['Save Journalism']

2019-05-20 15:59:57.083000+00:00

['Journalism', 'Digital Journalism', 'Facebook', 'Google', 'Big Tech']

Title Digital Media Suffocating — It’s Facebook Google’s FaultContent Laura Bassett • May 6 2019 Newsrooms across country laying journalist ad dollar generated work filter Big Tech Roughly 2400 journalist medium staffer United States lost job first month 2019 laid January nearly decade newsroom Huffington Post hired November 2009 write Arianna Huffington called “flesh blood” story recession — people losing job plunging underwater mortgage hocking wedding ring put food table first beat economic suffering didn’t understand time journalism staring Great Recession HuffPost knew cut coming They’d subject happyhour chat week Verizon parent company declared website essentially worthless late 2018 directed staff reduction across board Even layoff came shock senior politics reporter site represented cable news every weekend job felt like integral part identity brief surreal phone call bos told she’d make tough choice job eliminated five hour clean desk turn laptop phone badge say goodbye newsroom second home sympathetic colleague handed miniature bottle red wine plastic cup day followed harder losing job watch whole industry start crumble along BuzzFeed laid 15 percent staff day Verizon eliminated job HuffPost Vice layoff came soon Gannett largest newspaper publisher country cut 400 job local paper April job cut hit Cleveland Plain Dealer shrunk le tenth former size past year leaving 33 journalist cover metro area two million people Last week New Orleans TimesPicayune folded competitor ending 182year run entire staff including 65 editor reporter let go Tom Feran 66yearold reporter Plain Dealer heroically volunteered laid save job younger staffer aptly described feeling “a cartoon character running cliff space looking noticing I’m standing solid ground anymore like end ‘She’s Heavy’ Beatles suddenly ends” Google Facebook dominate digital ad market consuming 60 percent revenue never paid much attention financial side journalism since laid I’ve made mission understand existential threat news publisher facing Big Tech Companies like Apple Facebook Google using tech muscle monetize news profit expense newswriter Google Facebook dominate digital ad market consuming 60 percent revenue Apple leveraging iPhone Mac user roll news subscription product Apple News Sadly product undercut subscription sold existing publisher Apple take 50 percent revenue Google also planning policy change would severely undermine news gathering company reportedly considering restricting thirdparty cooky Chrome web browser could announce soon annual conference May 7 Cookies largely unseen infrastructure online marketplace run Cookies allow website provide free content also collect anonymized data users’ interest giving advertiser critical information market product value exchangeis necessary support nearly every site internet lifeblood digital journalism online advertisement without thirdparty cookie sell 2 percent cost ad cookie Google likely frame policy change term online privacy — real important concern Americans Google restricts eliminates thirdparty cooky Chrome collection user data profit won’t go away Tech giant continue building dossier every American us internet move would simply force publisher use Google middleman advertising sale giving Google cut ad revenue would otherwise go hiring journalist Tech company well aware negative impact journalism pledged 600 million toward effort support drop bucket compared damage caused 600 million small price pay ensure publisher become reliant data Google Facebook harvest user across multiple platform would far helpful facilitate flow digital advertising dollar back publisher hire journalist create content instead tweaking policy way make even harder digital news site sell ad robust wellfunded news medium vital healthy democracy public aware Big Tech’s death grip publisher particularly Google weighs potentially devastating policy change people understand broadly lawmaker Congress side aisle discussing legislative solution regulate break tech giant restore fairness digital ad market It’s uncomfortable journalist talk write elevate issue that’s selfinterest We’re taught story president attack u dangerous rhetoric tech monopoly siphon revenue stream it’s never necessary u link arm fight health future industry One two company power cripple free press United StatesTags Journalism Digital Journalism Facebook Google Big Tech

The True Power of Science Fiction

The True Power of Science Fiction It’s not just about pew-pew lasers and cranial ridges you know Science fiction as a genre is often sneered at by literary types as time-wasting pop-culture trash. In this article I will explain what science fiction means to me, and why it is not at all a frivolous genre. The Human Condition The best use of science fiction is when it allows us a peek at humanity in ways that other genres cannot. By posing outlandish ‘what ifs’, we can explore human nature from new angles. In fiction, we often see stories of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Science-fiction really allows us to go to town with the ‘extraordinary circumstances’ part. What if you met a duplicate of yourself? What if you discovered you were not human, but a robot? What if you were thrown into another dimension, a time loop, an alternate history, or a simulation? These kinds of stories prompt us to think about how we would react in those situations, giving us a tool to better understand ourselves. To people who are not a fan of the genre, these premises may seem silly and nonsensical, but the premise is not the point. The science-fiction premise is merely the extraordinary catalyst for probing the human spirit in ways that real life cannot. Scientists often perform experiments where they put test subjects in situations beyond what would be found in nature, in order to see how systems react to extremes. Science-fiction is a laboratory for the human condition. Eliot is an ordinary boy exposed to extraordinary circumstances (E.T.) Social Issues In a similar way, the genre allows us to explore social issues from a clinical viewpoint, without the baggage of our everyday biases. Aliens let us to look at racism and other forms of bigotry, zombies can be an allegory of sexually transmitted diseases, and robots let us reexamine slavery from a fresh perspective. We can explore the issue objectively, taking on things like euthanasia, addiction, disease, prejudice, political extremes, mental illness, civil rights, sexuality, and transgenderism, all safely removed from an earthly context, without knee-jerk emotional responses clouding our judgement. Imagine writing a book about racial tensions in 60s America. It can be done, it has been done, by great authors. The problem is that people will bring their own perspective and their own prejudices to it. A real racist probably won’t even pick it up after reading the blurb, so even if the message is about how racism is illogical and harmful, the people who actually need to hear that message won’t get it. However, science-fiction can remove such issues from their real-world setting, and put them in jars to be studied by everyone. And the people viewing them won’t even realise what they are looking at until it has percolated through the subconscious. A classic example of this comes from an episode of Star Trek, called “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield.” It has a species where people are born with one side of the bodies jet black and the other purest white. Their entire society is divided by which way round the black/white halves are. They have an oppressed race and an oppressor race. But which is which? Captain Kirk and crew cannot understand the prejudice and hate over something so arbitrary and trivial, just as an outside observer would be flummoxed by our own species’ prejudice over nothing more than skin tone. Oppressor and oppressed, which is which? (Star Trek) It’s a pretty unsubtle message, a product of its time, but the point stands. Within the genre of science-fiction, writers can put social issues under the microscope and study them in sterile conditions. You simply can’t do that without speculative fiction. Philosophical/Ethical Issues Through the genre, we can also really explore abstract philosophical and ethical questions in a way that we can really connect with. Can computers ever be conscious? Is terrorism ever justified? Is euthanasia sometimes the rational/compassionate option? At what point should our most sacred laws be suspended? Are a single person’s rights more important than the rights of many? What if we were all nothing but brains in jars? It’s entirely possible to sit in our armchairs, gazing at our navels and ponder these issues, but science fiction allows us to put them into stories where we can really explore them in a grounded way. Of course, many of these questions can be explored in other genres, but with science-fiction we can tailor an ethical dilema perfectly in ways that can’t be seen elsewhere. For example, Minority Report asks a mind-boggling question: if we could see the future, would it be ethical to punish the perpetrators of crimes they never actually commit? They would have committed them had we not interfered, but due to our interference they never actually get to commit them. It puts the concept of guilt into a kind of Schrödinger’s Box, where the defendants are in some kind of uncollapsed state of being both guilty and not guilty at the same time. It may seem like a nonsense thought experiment to some, but it can help to solidify our thoughts on the topic and make them more robust, and it often has surprising real-world applications. Minority Report. Actually, the short story is even more mind-bending than the movie. Future Exploration With science fiction, we can already begin to discuss important ideas that will not seem important until the future. For example, what will we do when we can build robots with genuine consciousness? How will we decide whether they are conscious or not? How will our legal systems have to change to accommodate freedoms of artificial intelligence? What kind of opposition and prejudice might they face in society? Even though AI is nowhere near complex enough for that to be an issue today, through science-fiction we can already begin debating and exploring such issues. This is true for other fields too. How shall we prepare for first contact with intelligent extraterrestrial life? What kind of government and economy should we have when people start colonising other planets, other star systems? What are the political, scientific, entertainment, economic, religious, and moral ramifications of bringing back extinct species through genetic engineering? We can explore the issues from the comfort of a good book and a soft chair. Also, it’s not uncommon for science-fiction to predict scientific discoveries or inspire new technologies. It can be a scratchpad for scientists and engineers to sketch out promising ideas that may invoke ‘eureka’ moments in their readers. A prediction of face-to-face calls from nearly a century ago. (Echte Wagner 1930) Exploration of the Unknown Personally, this is my main reason for loving science-fiction. I really want to have my mind blown and feel genuine awe. I want to see amazing new vistas, and discover mind-boggling new concepts. I want to see gob-smacking new technologies, novel organisms, dazzling worlds, and confusing paradoxes. And I want to see how humans, not too dissimilar to myself, react to such experiences. Certuries ago, the world was much more of a mystery. Explorers provoked real awe in the population. Outside one’s own parochial existance, people didn’t have a clue what might be living in the fartherst corners of the world. On every map, “‘ere be dragons” was a warning against stepping beyond the known, but now we know dragons don’t exist. We may not know absolutely everything about our world — there are always a new species of butterfly or bat being discovered every year — but we do have a pretty comprehensive understanding of life as it is now, and how it was in past eras. There’s very little real exploration to be done. There are no fantastical creatures left to discover on our humble planet. Science-fiction lets us all be explorers. We may have a grasp on what’s down here, but up there is still a huge mystery. While there won’t be literal dragons, its feasible that somewhere in the vastness of the universe, awe-inspiring behemoths slumber under golden skies, and gigantic helium-filled gas-whales softly graze on flying plantkon. I’m an explorer at heart, and I can explore strange new worlds from the saftey of my imagination. The alien world of Forbidden Planet Escapism And finally, science-fiction can also just be for fun. A jolly good romp. To tell a tale of generic heroism and adventure, with pew-pew lasers and snarky robot companions. Can’t we just have a bit of harmless escapism from our boring 9 to 5 jobs? Children’s fiction in the past used to always include a moral. It was specifically a teaching tool to explaining why children should not steal, tell lies, or bully others. But then in the 19th Century there came a period of utter nonsense, with the likes of Edward Lear and Lewis Carroll, that made children’s fiction “fun” for fun’s sake. And so it is with science-fiction too. It’s allowed to just be fun. There is nothing wrong with space battles and sexy aliens for the sake of adventure and thrills. Not every story has to be deep and meaningful and lyrical.

https://daley-paley.medium.com/the-true-power-of-science-fiction-f4a1b70125dd

['Dale Thomas']

2020-12-16 23:59:18.892000+00:00

['Fantasy', 'Writing', 'Science Fiction', 'Science', 'Books']

Title True Power Science FictionContent True Power Science Fiction It’s pewpew laser cranial ridge know Science fiction genre often sneered literary type timewasting popculture trash article explain science fiction mean frivolous genre Human Condition best use science fiction allows u peek humanity way genre cannot posing outlandish ‘what ifs’ explore human nature new angle fiction often see story ordinary people extraordinary circumstance Sciencefiction really allows u go town ‘extraordinary circumstances’ part met duplicate discovered human robot thrown another dimension time loop alternate history simulation kind story prompt u think would react situation giving u tool better understand people fan genre premise may seem silly nonsensical premise point sciencefiction premise merely extraordinary catalyst probing human spirit way real life cannot Scientists often perform experiment put test subject situation beyond would found nature order see system react extreme Sciencefiction laboratory human condition Eliot ordinary boy exposed extraordinary circumstance ET Social Issues similar way genre allows u explore social issue clinical viewpoint without baggage everyday bias Aliens let u look racism form bigotry zombie allegory sexually transmitted disease robot let u reexamine slavery fresh perspective explore issue objectively taking thing like euthanasia addiction disease prejudice political extreme mental illness civil right sexuality transgenderism safely removed earthly context without kneejerk emotional response clouding judgement Imagine writing book racial tension 60 America done done great author problem people bring perspective prejudice real racist probably won’t even pick reading blurb even message racism illogical harmful people actually need hear message won’t get However sciencefiction remove issue realworld setting put jar studied everyone people viewing won’t even realise looking percolated subconscious classic example come episode Star Trek called “Let Last Battlefield” specie people born one side body jet black purest white entire society divided way round blackwhite half oppressed race oppressor race Captain Kirk crew cannot understand prejudice hate something arbitrary trivial outside observer would flummoxed species’ prejudice nothing skin tone Oppressor oppressed Star Trek It’s pretty unsubtle message product time point stand Within genre sciencefiction writer put social issue microscope study sterile condition simply can’t without speculative fiction PhilosophicalEthical Issues genre also really explore abstract philosophical ethical question way really connect computer ever conscious terrorism ever justified euthanasia sometimes rationalcompassionate option point sacred law suspended single person’s right important right many nothing brain jar It’s entirely possible sit armchair gazing navel ponder issue science fiction allows u put story really explore grounded way course many question explored genre sciencefiction tailor ethical dilema perfectly way can’t seen elsewhere example Minority Report asks mindboggling question could see future would ethical punish perpetrator crime never actually commit would committed interfered due interference never actually get commit put concept guilt kind Schrödinger’s Box defendant kind uncollapsed state guilty guilty time may seem like nonsense thought experiment help solidify thought topic make robust often surprising realworld application Minority Report Actually short story even mindbending movie Future Exploration science fiction already begin discus important idea seem important future example build robot genuine consciousness decide whether conscious legal system change accommodate freedom artificial intelligence kind opposition prejudice might face society Even though AI nowhere near complex enough issue today sciencefiction already begin debating exploring issue true field shall prepare first contact intelligent extraterrestrial life kind government economy people start colonising planet star system political scientific entertainment economic religious moral ramification bringing back extinct specie genetic engineering explore issue comfort good book soft chair Also it’s uncommon sciencefiction predict scientific discovery inspire new technology scratchpad scientist engineer sketch promising idea may invoke ‘eureka’ moment reader prediction facetoface call nearly century ago Echte Wagner 1930 Exploration Unknown Personally main reason loving sciencefiction really want mind blown feel genuine awe want see amazing new vista discover mindboggling new concept want see gobsmacking new technology novel organism dazzling world confusing paradox want see human dissimilar react experience Certuries ago world much mystery Explorers provoked real awe population Outside one’s parochial existance people didn’t clue might living fartherst corner world every map “‘ere dragons” warning stepping beyond known know dragon don’t exist may know absolutely everything world — always new specie butterfly bat discovered every year — pretty comprehensive understanding life past era There’s little real exploration done fantastical creature left discover humble planet Sciencefiction let u explorer may grasp what’s still huge mystery won’t literal dragon feasible somewhere vastness universe aweinspiring behemoth slumber golden sky gigantic heliumfilled gaswhales softly graze flying plantkon I’m explorer heart explore strange new world saftey imagination alien world Forbidden Planet Escapism finally sciencefiction also fun jolly good romp tell tale generic heroism adventure pewpew laser snarky robot companion Can’t bit harmless escapism boring 9 5 job Children’s fiction past used always include moral specifically teaching tool explaining child steal tell lie bully others 19th Century came period utter nonsense like Edward Lear Lewis Carroll made children’s fiction “fun” fun’s sake sciencefiction It’s allowed fun nothing wrong space battle sexy alien sake adventure thrill every story deep meaningful lyricalTags Fantasy Writing Science Fiction Science Books

Do You Really Have Insomnia?

Effects of Insomnia Just as I’m sure everyone experiences at least once in their life low mood that surpasses the intensity of regular sadness, I’m sure everyone experiences symptoms of insomnia at least once in their life. While any form of insomnia is dangerous, acute insomnia often resolves itself over time, once the underlying cause is addressed. Chronic insomnia, however, is far more dangerous, even lethal. According to an article by Healthline, an analysis of sixteen studies with over a million participants and over 112,566 deaths revealed sleeping less than seven to eight hours per night increased risk of death by twelve percent. A more recent study on the effects of persistent insomnia and mortality over 38 years revealed those with persistent insomnia had a 97 percent increased risk of death. Mayo Clinic says in addition to having a poorer quality of life, those who suffer from insomnia also have the following complications: Lower performance on the job or at school; Slowed reaction time while driving and a higher risk of accidents; Mental health disorders, such as depression, an anxiety disorder or substance abuse; and, Increased risk and severity of long-term diseases or conditions, such as high blood pressure and heart disease. From personal experience, I can tell you chronic lack of sleep affects one’s mental health in terrible ways. You always feel fatigued, have trouble concentrating on anything, lose the joy in everyday activities you previously found enjoyable, develop a persistent headache, experience frequent disorientation, absentmindedness and memory loss, perpetually remain in an irritable mood, and experience exacerbated symptoms of depression and anxiety. The three needs humans have are widely accepted as water, food, and sex. But I believe sleep is another fundamental need. After all, a lack of sleep has been linked to all kinds of problems, such as liver failure, hallucinations and psychosis, and in some rare cases, even death. In fact, there exists an incredibly rare sleep disorder known as Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI). It is a genetic disease that begins with mild symptoms of insomnia and gradually progresses toward chronic insomnia, hallucinations, dementia, and ultimately, death. Bottom line — if you think you suffer from insomnia, no matter how mild, consult a doctor.

https://medium.com/invisible-illness/do-you-really-have-insomnia-e8a4d4b7eb3c

['Chandrayan Gupta']

2020-12-03 03:10:01.957000+00:00

['Psychology', 'Life', 'Mental Health', 'Health', 'This Happened To Me']

Title Really InsomniaContent Effects Insomnia I’m sure everyone experience least life low mood surpasses intensity regular sadness I’m sure everyone experience symptom insomnia least life form insomnia dangerous acute insomnia often resolve time underlying cause addressed Chronic insomnia however far dangerous even lethal According article Healthline analysis sixteen study million participant 112566 death revealed sleeping le seven eight hour per night increased risk death twelve percent recent study effect persistent insomnia mortality 38 year revealed persistent insomnia 97 percent increased risk death Mayo Clinic say addition poorer quality life suffer insomnia also following complication Lower performance job school Slowed reaction time driving higher risk accident Mental health disorder depression anxiety disorder substance abuse Increased risk severity longterm disease condition high blood pressure heart disease personal experience tell chronic lack sleep affect one’s mental health terrible way always feel fatigued trouble concentrating anything lose joy everyday activity previously found enjoyable develop persistent headache experience frequent disorientation absentmindedness memory loss perpetually remain irritable mood experience exacerbated symptom depression anxiety three need human widely accepted water food sex believe sleep another fundamental need lack sleep linked kind problem liver failure hallucination psychosis rare case even death fact exists incredibly rare sleep disorder known Fatal Familial Insomnia FFI genetic disease begin mild symptom insomnia gradually progress toward chronic insomnia hallucination dementia ultimately death Bottom line — think suffer insomnia matter mild consult doctorTags Psychology Life Mental Health Health Happened

Should YouTube Have a Dislike Button?

Should YouTube Have a Dislike Button? My thoughts. YouTube is one of those platforms I don’t spend much time on. For starters, I am not a big fan of their interface. Plus, I find the vibe a bit on the old school side of things. However, I was on it recently because I happened to do a video collaboration with a friend that was uploaded onto the website. Then I saw the ‘thumbs down’ button. Mind you, I have not received any dislikes yet on the content we posted however I did have a few thoughts on it. Is having a ‘dislike’ button really necessary? While I am all for constructive criticism, I find that having a ‘thumbs down’ button promotes online negativity. And it could be a gateway to trolling others on the internet too. We’ve all heard the line on Medium, “If you don’t like something someone posted, unfollow them or just simply move on.” And I think that motto should apply for other platforms as well. It’s okay to dislike something. It’s okay to hate something. But I don’t agree with having a button that expresses that on someone else’s work. It reminds me of those websites back in the day like “Hot or Not” or “Rate My Body”. It simply just feels tacky and outdated. And here’s the thing: not everything on YouTube has to be good. However, it is supposed to be a platform where people can express themselves in a comfortable setting. Imagine if Medium had a “boo” button. Don’t you think that would demotivate a lot of writers on here? Don’t you think that it may push someone who’s already dealing with mental health issues over the edge? As a mental health advocate, I think that it is crucial that social media platforms pay attention to what they are allowing their users to do. With the rising number of suicides related to social media, it is so important to not provoke those who may be using the website as an outlet. Or sometimes even — a cry for help. Some people may say, “Well, if you don’t like the platform just don’t use it.” But it’s not that simple. Some people prefer to use the website simply because it is easily accessible. It’s a well-known platform that has an established following and it can be a good way to express your creativity. But in my mind, as an indie creator, I don’t find it empowering when others are able to ‘thumbs down’ your content. Honesty is great. Feedback is even better. But we don’t need to display the number of people who disliked our work. Creators are some of the most sensitive folks out there and one of the things that keep us going is knowing how much support we have. Throwing a ‘dislike’ button on your multi-billionaire platform spreads negativity on the internet and it even prevents some of the best people from creating more. Let’s bring people up and not down, shall we?

https://medium.com/the-partnered-pen/should-youtube-have-a-dislike-button-b0215ada869c

['Katy Velvet']

2020-05-14 09:28:14.482000+00:00

['Business', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Mental Health', 'Social Media', 'Psychology']

Title YouTube Dislike ButtonContent YouTube Dislike Button thought YouTube one platform don’t spend much time starter big fan interface Plus find vibe bit old school side thing However recently happened video collaboration friend uploaded onto website saw ‘thumbs down’ button Mind received dislike yet content posted however thought ‘dislike’ button really necessary constructive criticism find ‘thumbs down’ button promotes online negativity could gateway trolling others internet We’ve heard line Medium “If don’t like something someone posted unfollow simply move on” think motto apply platform well It’s okay dislike something It’s okay hate something don’t agree button express someone else’s work reminds website back day like “Hot Not” “Rate Body” simply feel tacky outdated here’s thing everything YouTube good However supposed platform people express comfortable setting Imagine Medium “boo” button Don’t think would demotivate lot writer Don’t think may push someone who’s already dealing mental health issue edge mental health advocate think crucial social medium platform pay attention allowing user rising number suicide related social medium important provoke may using website outlet sometimes even — cry help people may say “Well don’t like platform don’t use it” it’s simple people prefer use website simply easily accessible It’s wellknown platform established following good way express creativity mind indie creator don’t find empowering others able ‘thumbs down’ content Honesty great Feedback even better don’t need display number people disliked work Creators sensitive folk one thing keep u going knowing much support Throwing ‘dislike’ button multibillionaire platform spread negativity internet even prevents best people creating Let’s bring people shall weTags Business Entrepreneurship Mental Health Social Media Psychology

When not to call a Blue a Blue — functional colour names for Design Systems

Photo by Balázs Kétyi on Unsplash As a contractor, I frequently work with different companies and teams which included some good designers. However, regardless of where each design team might be in terms of skill level, as soon as you start handling multiple designs, organising all the elements between them starts to get tricky. This is where most people start thinking about organising a design system to follow, a part of which is the colour pallet. This is used to help ensure visual and semantic consistency throughout the project and facilitate both design and development (thank goodness for variables). Most of the times I’ve seen this style guide take a shape like the one on the side here. This might seem like the logical way of organising your pallets, but, as I’m about to argue, it comes with its own set of problems. Why is this a problem? “But Goncalo, surely it’s alright to name a blue colour ‘Blue’? What else would I call it?” That is a fair point, so let’s see where that leads by doing a hypothetical project, as a thought experiment. We start doing exploratory designs and quickly create styles for the brand colours which happen to be blue and purple. We even label them as brand colours, so it doesn’t get messy down the line. Now we can start working on the actual design. In the process, we end up adding a few more colours, for things like buttons, alerts, infoboxes, and all those fairly standard design elements. So far so good, but let’s keep going. In the real world, a designer’s work is subjected to frequent changes. This uncertainty comes as part of the job, after all. So let’s say the brand team decide the blue needs to be lighter. This is a problem for us because a lighter blue might get confused with the information colour. We can change it to a ‘Success Green’, but then we need to change the button colour as well. Before we know it, we ended up with our library very untidy, and with its colours mislabelled. “Granted, but you could always just relabel the colours” Sure, and it would be easy to do with a handful of them, but doing it with a library of dozens or even over 100 colours isn’t so easy. Besides, if handoff has already happened, which in the agile era is more likely than not, the developers will also need to go and change their code to match. So this problem extends beyond design and is a hassle for our coding friends too. How can we do it differently? There are a few libraries I’ve found at the time of writing which did it differently, and they tend to be development frameworks, not design. Let’s have a look at a couple of examples:

https://uxdesign.cc/when-not-to-call-a-blue-a-blue-functional-colour-names-for-design-systems-773e2a422464

['Goncalo Andrade']

2019-07-04 21:39:18.991000+00:00

['Product Management', 'Design Patterns', 'Design', 'Productivity', 'Design Process']

Title call Blue Blue — functional colour name Design SystemsContent Photo Balázs Kétyi Unsplash contractor frequently work different company team included good designer However regardless design team might term skill level soon start handling multiple design organising element start get tricky people start thinking organising design system follow part colour pallet used help ensure visual semantic consistency throughout project facilitate design development thank goodness variable time I’ve seen style guide take shape like one side might seem like logical way organising pallet I’m argue come set problem problem “But Goncalo surely it’s alright name blue colour ‘Blue’ else would call it” fair point let’s see lead hypothetical project thought experiment start exploratory design quickly create style brand colour happen blue purple even label brand colour doesn’t get messy line start working actual design process end adding colour thing like button alert infoboxes fairly standard design element far good let’s keep going real world designer’s work subjected frequent change uncertainty come part job let’s say brand team decide blue need lighter problem u lighter blue might get confused information colour change ‘Success Green’ need change button colour well know ended library untidy colour mislabelled “Granted could always relabel colours” Sure would easy handful library dozen even 100 colour isn’t easy Besides handoff already happened agile era likely developer also need go change code match problem extends beyond design hassle coding friend differently library I’ve found time writing differently tend development framework design Let’s look couple examplesTags Product Management Design Patterns Design Productivity Design Process

Long or Short: Which Headlines Are Better?

Long or Short: Which Headlines Are Better? The research is divided, but you don’t have to choose Illustration by Cynthia Marinakos. I spent over an hour today browsing reputable sites for the answer to the question: Are long or short headlines better? In between running to the couch to comfort my seven-year-old who was freaked out by the thunderstorm bellowing through our home, here’s what I discovered: Some tell us the ideal blog post headline length is 60 characters. Others recommend 90–99 character headlines because they increase click-through rates by 0.43%. Then it also depends on what platform you’re writing on. For instance, 40 to 49 characters are ideal for LinkedIn headlines as these were found to receive the highest number of post views overall. In The Anatomy of a Perfect Blog Post, Hubspot informs us that headlines between eight and 12 words are shared most often on Twitter. And headlines between 12 and 14 words are liked most often on Facebook. Backlinko analyzed 912 million blog posts and tells us that “very long” headlines outperform short headlines — 14 to 17 words are the way to go, generating 76.7% more social shares than short headlines. Buffer tells us that according to science, the ideal length of a headline is six words since we absorb only the first three words and the last three words of a headline. Then there’s Google search to consider: How many characters will appear in search results before the headline gets cut off? A Google forum product expert tells us it’s not about the number of characters — it’s a certain width in pixels that limits what is shown of a title. This width roughly translates into something between 60 and 70 characters. And then I was thrilled to find this, which none of the others mentioned at all: a cross-sectional study of 22 scientific journals discovered that longer titles seem to be associated with higher citation rates. The authors conclude that editors who insist on short and concise titles need to update the guidelines for authors so there’s more flexibility in title length. So are long or short headlines better? It makes sense that the more descriptive a title, the more a reader will know what to expect. But there’s such conflict between research, I’m not convinced that headline length is really that important.

https://medium.com/better-marketing/long-or-short-which-headlines-are-better-9752063361ff

['Cynthia Marinakos']

2020-01-15 15:36:12.314000+00:00

['Productivity', 'Creativity', 'Writing', 'Business', 'Headline Hacks']

Title Long Short Headlines BetterContent Long Short Headlines Better research divided don’t choose Illustration Cynthia Marinakos spent hour today browsing reputable site answer question long short headline better running couch comfort sevenyearold freaked thunderstorm bellowing home here’s discovered tell u ideal blog post headline length 60 character Others recommend 90–99 character headline increase clickthrough rate 043 also depends platform you’re writing instance 40 49 character ideal LinkedIn headline found receive highest number post view overall Anatomy Perfect Blog Post Hubspot informs u headline eight 12 word shared often Twitter headline 12 14 word liked often Facebook Backlinko analyzed 912 million blog post tell u “very long” headline outperform short headline — 14 17 word way go generating 767 social share short headline Buffer tell u according science ideal length headline six word since absorb first three word last three word headline there’s Google search consider many character appear search result headline get cut Google forum product expert tell u it’s number character — it’s certain width pixel limit shown title width roughly translates something 60 70 character thrilled find none others mentioned crosssectional study 22 scientific journal discovered longer title seem associated higher citation rate author conclude editor insist short concise title need update guideline author there’s flexibility title length long short headline better make sense descriptive title reader know expect there’s conflict research I’m convinced headline length really importantTags Productivity Creativity Writing Business Headline Hacks

Stop Waiting for Permission to Be Great

It’s scary to make a declaration to yourself about the deepest desires of your heart. It’s even scarier to unabashedly and publicly pursue the deepest desires of your heart. What if you fail? What if you’ll never be “good enough”? What if you disappoint your parents? What if your friends judge you? What if everyone thinks you’re crazy? What if this… what if that…. Maybe your ego kicks in…. “Who do you think you are? Pursuing this gregarious goal? One only the greatest of artists or entrepreneurs should pursue? Are you really willing to call yourself “great…”? What makes you so sure of your greatness?” To pursue what you deem your purpose to be… means you have to be brave enough to put in the effort, even though there’s no proof. The only proof is your heart guiding you there. A sad tendency among the “brave enough to pursue our passions…” is to work our asses off…. And then we wait. We wait for someone else’s words to validate how great we are. For someone to acknowledge the greatness of our creations. For permission to call ourselves great. For permission to continue pursuing our passions. We can end up spending our entire lives waiting for permission to believe that we are great. In the words of the wonderful watercolorist Angela Fehr, “But what if you’re good enough now… what if the only person you really need permission from is yourself?”

https://medium.com/curious/stop-waiting-for-permission-to-be-great-52dd22173eff

['Maddie Mcguire']

2020-12-18 12:42:37.179000+00:00

['Creativity', 'Personal Development', 'Motivation', 'Self Improvement', 'Productivity']

Title Stop Waiting Permission GreatContent It’s scary make declaration deepest desire heart It’s even scarier unabashedly publicly pursue deepest desire heart fail you’ll never “good enough” disappoint parent friend judge everyone think you’re crazy this… that… Maybe ego kick in… “Who think Pursuing gregarious goal One greatest artist entrepreneur pursue really willing call “great…” make sure greatness” pursue deem purpose be… mean brave enough put effort even though there’s proof proof heart guiding sad tendency among “brave enough pursue passions…” work ass off… wait wait someone else’s word validate great someone acknowledge greatness creation permission call great permission continue pursuing passion end spending entire life waiting permission believe great word wonderful watercolorist Angela Fehr “But you’re good enough now… person really need permission yourself”Tags Creativity Personal Development Motivation Self Improvement Productivity

10 UI & UX Lessons from Designing My Own Product

Designers often think that all their ideas must be original, or they’re a fraud. Imagine that you’re looking at another product. You find a color palette that you like, an interaction that feels just right, or a pixel perfect layout for a landing page. You might be tempted to think, “Well, too bad because someone’s already beaten me to it.” That mindset is incredibly flawed and limiting to creativity, though. Occasionally, when I was stuck on a missing piece of the design, I would browse the internet for inspiration. I observed how other companies had designed their onboarding flow or how they managed user profiles. I never copied the entire experience, but every so often I would find myself appreciating little details that I would then include in my designs. My favorite example is the rotating exit effect that we use in our modals. I found a feature like this on a random website and thought it looked unique, so we decided to add it to Confetti. I also did this for our landing page’s button hover effect and the typeface that we used for the site. The truth is, everything is a remix. That doesn’t mean you should be blindly copying other people’s work, but don’t be afraid to find bits and pieces that you appreciate and work them into your own projects: a cocktail, if you will. 7. Wear your hats well

https://uxdesign.cc/10-ui-ux-design-lessons-from-designing-my-own-product-2f8518d5f0a1

['Danny Sapio']

2020-08-16 17:48:42.543000+00:00

['Design', 'Startup', 'Entrepreneurship', 'UI', 'UX']

Title 10 UI UX Lessons Designing ProductContent Designers often think idea must original they’re fraud Imagine you’re looking another product find color palette like interaction feel right pixel perfect layout landing page might tempted think “Well bad someone’s already beaten it” mindset incredibly flawed limiting creativity though Occasionally stuck missing piece design would browse internet inspiration observed company designed onboarding flow managed user profile never copied entire experience every often would find appreciating little detail would include design favorite example rotating exit effect use modal found feature like random website thought looked unique decided add Confetti also landing page’s button hover effect typeface used site truth everything remix doesn’t mean blindly copying people’s work don’t afraid find bit piece appreciate work project cocktail 7 Wear hat wellTags Design Startup Entrepreneurship UI UX

3 trends reshaping the marketing industry

To say things are evolving fast would probably be a cliché. But that is indeed the reality of the situation: The marketing industry must continuously reinvent itself as new technologies, trends, and consumption habits emerge. During the last edition of C2 Montreal, three predominant trends stood out as the ones businesses should start integrating right away. Trend 1: Storytelling is good. Hypertelling is better. Storytelling is the art of telling a story in a manner that captures the attention of the receiver, whether the message is coming from a person or a brand. Hypertelling — as defined by Mike Yapp, founder and director of The Zoo at Google — is an immersive, non-linear experience where users create and determine their story. Transmitters are no longer in total control of the message; they simply supply the context and parameters with which the experience is built. It’s through this experience that brands find their residual benefit. This approach can dizzy brands that are historically used to controlling the minutest details of their messages (just think of the number of approval levels a national or global campaign must overcome). For Yapp, the solution is to redefine the role of the brand: “We can no longer see ourselves as designers or copywriters. We have to consider ourselves inventors.” New technologies, including virtual reality, are opening the door to new common ground where various parts of the equation find themselves. Moving from theory to practice remains a challenge, but certain brands — such as Lockheed Martin — have already put their shoulders to the wheel to create contexts where users can share a virtual experience in person with many other users at once. This video will tell you more: Trend 2: Environmental thinking, version 2.0 Having a green heart is a good thing. As we all witnessed at C2 Montreal this year, the idea of eco-responsibility has taken on a whole new meaning for businesses. According to David Suzuki — host of The Nature of Things and a scientific icon incarnating environmental consciousness in Canada — climate change represents a challenge filled with potential for companies who’ll know how to take them on. In his words: “It’s an exciting opportunity to get this bloody economy right.” Although environmental speeches have often been the prerogative of corporate social consciousness in the business world, Suzuki believes climate change is fertile ground to stimulate commercial creativity. “Americans said at the beginning of the ’60s that they would walk on the moon within 10 years. They had no idea how they would get there, but they did. On the way there, hundreds of technological innovations saw the light of day and are still used today.” This is where the opportunity lies: For brands who choose to take on this type of challenge — as colossal as it may be — the outcome will offer commercialization and brand equity potential that’ll be well worth the investment. Wanna know how much time your company has left to get involved? David Usher — lead singer of the band Moist and noted environmentalist — has developed a simple tool with a powerful message. Countdown2degrees.com outlines the amount of time left before humanity causes irreversible damage to the environment. We’re flirting with the point of no return, but it’s not too late. So what are you waiting for? Trend 3: Doing more with what we already have In marketing terms, we would probably talk about “resource optimization”. In the words of Massimo Bottura — chef and owner at Osteria Francescana, named best restaurant in the world in 2016: “We need to make the most of what we already have”. The Italian chef is the mastermind behind the Milan-based Food for Soul project, where meals are created using leftovers. On top of the obvious community benefits of his initiative, his approach has had a clear commercial and environmental impact. Whether we’re talking about food or human capital, the message is the same: These resources hold enormous potential we’re all missing out on. For a brand, that can mean millions of dollars left on the table. “When we already have” also refers to the local roots of his company. As a business, we sometimes want to do everything ourselves or rush to the other end of the world to find something we consider of the utmost importance. For Mark Brand — social entrepreneur and cofounder of Save on Meats: “There is more genius in the neighbourhood than what you could possibly bring.” Making the most of immediate connections and community relationships is therefore another way to “optimize resources”. Recap Historically confined to the role of broadcasting unidirectional messages, brands and their raison d’être have greatly evolved when observed from a marcom angle. Consumers now expect companies to provide experiences, rather than situations where they’ll simply witness something produced without their input: “We don’t want to know it, we want to feel it.” We also expect brands to be much more than good corporate citizens. We expect them to be agents of transformation, actively involved in improving their community. To find out more about the great ideas exposed during C2 Montreal, download your free copy of The Minutes — a collection of the most transformative quotes and ideas discussed during the event. While you’re at it, you can even reserve your tickets for the 2017 edition. And of course, I’d also be more than happy to answer any of your questions.

https://medium.com/insights-by-sid-lee/3-trends-happening-right-now-that-are-reshaping-the-marketing-industry-as-heard-c2-montreal-17ce5e3c0aa6

['Jf Bouchard']

2016-07-29 14:31:51.437000+00:00

['Content Marketing', 'Marketing', 'Environment', 'Technology', 'Storytelling']

Title 3 trend reshaping marketing industryContent say thing evolving fast would probably cliché indeed reality situation marketing industry must continuously reinvent new technology trend consumption habit emerge last edition C2 Montreal three predominant trend stood one business start integrating right away Trend 1 Storytelling good Hypertelling better Storytelling art telling story manner capture attention receiver whether message coming person brand Hypertelling — defined Mike Yapp founder director Zoo Google — immersive nonlinear experience user create determine story Transmitters longer total control message simply supply context parameter experience built It’s experience brand find residual benefit approach dizzy brand historically used controlling minutest detail message think number approval level national global campaign must overcome Yapp solution redefine role brand “We longer see designer copywriter consider inventors” New technology including virtual reality opening door new common ground various part equation find Moving theory practice remains challenge certain brand — Lockheed Martin — already put shoulder wheel create context user share virtual experience person many user video tell Trend 2 Environmental thinking version 20 green heart good thing witnessed C2 Montreal year idea ecoresponsibility taken whole new meaning business According David Suzuki — host Nature Things scientific icon incarnating environmental consciousness Canada — climate change represents challenge filled potential company who’ll know take word “It’s exciting opportunity get bloody economy right” Although environmental speech often prerogative corporate social consciousness business world Suzuki belief climate change fertile ground stimulate commercial creativity “Americans said beginning ’60s would walk moon within 10 year idea would get way hundred technological innovation saw light day still used today” opportunity lie brand choose take type challenge — colossal may — outcome offer commercialization brand equity potential that’ll well worth investment Wanna know much time company left get involved David Usher — lead singer band Moist noted environmentalist — developed simple tool powerful message Countdown2degreescom outline amount time left humanity cause irreversible damage environment We’re flirting point return it’s late waiting Trend 3 already marketing term would probably talk “resource optimization” word Massimo Bottura — chef owner Osteria Francescana named best restaurant world 2016 “We need make already have” Italian chef mastermind behind Milanbased Food Soul project meal created using leftover top obvious community benefit initiative approach clear commercial environmental impact Whether we’re talking food human capital message resource hold enormous potential we’re missing brand mean million dollar left table “When already have” also refers local root company business sometimes want everything rush end world find something consider utmost importance Mark Brand — social entrepreneur cofounder Save Meats “There genius neighbourhood could possibly bring” Making immediate connection community relationship therefore another way “optimize resources” Recap Historically confined role broadcasting unidirectional message brand raison d’être greatly evolved observed marcom angle Consumers expect company provide experience rather situation they’ll simply witness something produced without input “We don’t want know want feel it” also expect brand much good corporate citizen expect agent transformation actively involved improving community find great idea exposed C2 Montreal download free copy Minutes — collection transformative quote idea discussed event you’re even reserve ticket 2017 edition course I’d also happy answer questionsTags Content Marketing Marketing Environment Technology Storytelling

How I Use Data To Build Better Products

If an organization isn’t using data to develop and grow its products, then its days are probably numbered. But while everyone talks about data, rarely does anyone explain what to do with all of it. So companies wind up skipping a data-driven approach because there isn’t any time. Or they use data incorrectly and get a false sense of potential success. Or they go totally data-driven and leave the human element out. Let’s fix that, because every new product, every new feature, every growth experiment, should be using data to make decisions. Data Science Is Not Rocket Science The science of data is made out to be far more intimidating than it really is. It’s also overhyped as a kind of nerd quest that will make selling tons of product as simple as punching a magic algorithm into a computer. The truth is it’s easier than ever to collect, analyze, and react to data — from sales data to performance data to marketing data. Get Started: It doesn’t matter where you get your data or how you track it I’ve been building products with data since 1999 — before Google Analytics, before Hubspot, before anyone had an API. I’ve gotten it pretty much down to a science at this point, and I can get a decent data analysis out of a rock and some string like MacGyver. Right now, as you’re reading this, I’m using data to build two completely different product lines. One uses a lot of data, the other uses just a little. I’m going to use each of these as examples in the hopes that you can find your happy data place somewhere in the middle. In the first scenario, let’s call it the “Lite” scenario, all I’ve got is a collection of unrelated web pages that show me basic usage stats. But one of those stats is revenue, and when I have revenue, I have the one single truth. I can trace everything else back to dollars. I’ve got no APIs, so what I have to do is check in regularly to get daily, weekly, and monthly stats, plus any reference points I want to track for any experiments I want to run. All of this goes into one massive spreadsheet with a dozen tabs. It’s not automated. At all. But once I have the structure down, all it takes a few minutes to maintain it. Plus it’s fun. I geek on this shit. In the second scenario, the “Heavy” scenario, I’ve got a software platform that cost millions of dollars to build and is constantly being developed, upgraded, and maintained by a team of excellent software engineers. Everything is in the cloud, it’s totally flexible, APIs everywhere, and it even has a replicated read-only database that I can hit with SQL in real time and not screw everything up. In the Heavy scenario, all I need to do is fire up something like TablePlus or SQL Server Management Console and run stored SQL statements to generate reports. Data Day! In both scenarios, I have a weekly Data Day. That’s when I spend an hour or two aggregating all my data and running analysis on every bit of it — which I’ll describe over the rest of the post. In the Lite scenario, I’m logging into various websites and copying the most recent numbers into the spreadsheet. I don’t get revenue until the end of the month, so I’m doing a lot of extrapolating as to what that dollar figure will be so I can grade performance continually in “real time.” Then I have a monthly Revenue Data Day when I get the revenue numbers. In the Heavy scenario, I’m getting revenue in real time, so I get to spend much more time on analysis. Once I’ve collected all my data, my analysis serves to: Catch errors — I’m looking for spikes in the data that suggest glitches in the software, the process, or some external market factor I don’t know about yet. — I’m looking for spikes in the data that suggest glitches in the software, the process, or some external market factor I don’t know about yet. Catch opportunities — I’m looking for patterns that suggest my customers are doing something new and different. — I’m looking for patterns that suggest my customers are doing something new and different. Keep score — I’m comparing incoming data to my previously defined expectations for new products, new features, and any growth experiments that are currently underway. — I’m comparing incoming data to my previously defined expectations for new products, new features, and any growth experiments that are currently underway. Make plans— I’m rewriting goals, dreaming up new ideas for the product, and considering new experiments. Here’s what I’m doing during Data Day analysis: Sales Data: Getting more revenue The first set of data I look at is sales. I total the entire revenue number first to get a sense if this was a good week or a bad week or an inconclusive week. This will color the rest of my analysis, dictating if I’m looking for problems or opportunities or both. If any number is way off, I’ll skip down to the end and do Forensics, then come back. The next thing I want to understand is where those sales came from, so I trace the revenue back as far as I can by using the data to answer these questions: How many customers were in a position to buy, but ultimately decided not to? How many customers were in a position to buy, but didn’t get to the offering? How many customers came into the “store,” but never got into a position to buy? How many customers were made aware of the store, but never entered? Then I take all of the breakdown and use it to confirm or adjust my goals for the month, the quarter, and the year. I get the results of all this analysis to discuss with the executive team. If we need initiatives to adjust our focus, we use this analysis as our guide. Performance Data: Increasing revenue and margin at the same time The next step is to compare productivity against revenue to get performance. I need to confirm where we’re strong, where we’re weak, and that we’re burning efficiently as we grow. These are like long-term growth experiments, except I’m looking at things we’re already doing and customers we already have. I’m looking for patterns in their usage that give me hints as to which features and which customers we should be focusing on. This analysis sets up a lot of the Growth Experiments I’ll be going over next. For example: At Spiffy, my performance data analysis led me to discover that a good number of our customers were declining a suggested and needed upgrade during their service, but then they’d add the same upgrade the next time they booked their service. We were missing some of those upgrades, right? The ones who forgot about it. So that led to an experiment to prompt those customers to add the upgrade when they book their next service so they won’t forget. Growth Experiments: Expanding market share by building a better product The experiment I mentioned just now is one of the most basic I can run. The likelihood is very high that the experiment will succeed, but we’ll test it first anyway because you never know what you’ll find out. On the other end of the spectrum, I’m also in the middle of testing a new product offering with a large corporate partner that has much broader implications and is a lot trickier. More reward, more risk, same analysis. I can use the same set of sales and usage data for most of the growth experiments I want to run. To run these experiments, I narrow down a customer segment, in this case by location. The size of the sample should be small enough to not be painful if we mess up, but large enough to matter. In fact, I’ve already had to add locations because the sample size wasn’t statistically significant. Then I run the experiment. I usually check in on growth experiments daily or even a couple times a day in the beginning, to flesh out facts like my sample size is too small. Then I try to get to success or failure as quickly as possible. Marketing Data: Creating new customers using the same value proposition While all the previous data analysis is about increasing the size of our market, marketing data analysis is about increasing the size of our megaphone to the market. For the Heavy scenario, we’ve got Hubspot and MailChimp and Google Analytics and all the social media accounts and everything is integrated and automated. In the Lite scenario, I’m just grabbing metrics from the ad server and from Google Analytics and throwing them in one of the spreadsheets. Google’s reports leave a lot to be desired, so I do it myself. Marketing data analysis is actually just another review of the sales and performance data, but this time I go all the way back to first interaction, or where the customer first became aware of the product offering. I’m looking at impressions, email opens, click-throughs, and conversions, all compared to ad spend. I’m adding the cost of acquiring the customer to the cost of serving the customer. The main difference with this analysis is that if marketing data is telling me to change something, that usually means changing either the marketing channel or the messaging or both. It’s only in rare cases that marketing data analysis leads to a product change, usually when my customers are confirming a hunch I already had from doing all the prior analysis. With marketing data, I’m also running experiments, but these are growth hacking experiments, not growth experiments. They’re A/B testing offers, discounts, and messaging. They’re varying the channels, the audience, and the spend. But it all eventually ties back to sales and revenue. Forensics: Chasing down problems and issues Forensics is the special projects part of Data Day. When I start to see patterns I like or I don’t like, especially when I don’t like, I pull the corresponding data and comb through it to figure out what to do. This usually means drilling down to and eventually combing through individual records— maybe single transactions, or customers, or product specs, or even code. For example: In the Heavy scenario, we noticed anecdotally that chargebacks were becoming an issue. We didn’t have any idea where the spike came from, so I spent a couple hours at the end of a data day pulling transaction data that correlated to chargeback data and drilling down into the individual transactions themselves. Turns out it was a combination of a single product, a single feature, and a couple customers exploiting a loophole. Rather than spend thousands of dollars on sophisticated software to sniff out bad actors with machine learning, we just closed the loophole. Problem solved. Thanks, Data Day! When I think about saving thousands of dollars with a few hours of data analysis, it almost overshadows all the additional revenue these product changes generate without the days and weeks of guesswork trying to figure out how to grow. Data-driven product development doesn’t have to be scary and it doesn’t have to be all-in. There are a lot of ways that using data to build and grow our product is going to add to the bottom and top line, all without having to hire a data science team.

https://jproco.medium.com/how-i-use-data-to-build-better-products-f5a7bf39198

['Joe Procopio']

2019-07-08 10:42:39.728000+00:00

['Startup', 'Business', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Productivity', 'Product Management']

Title Use Data Build Better ProductsContent organization isn’t using data develop grow product day probably numbered everyone talk data rarely anyone explain company wind skipping datadriven approach isn’t time use data incorrectly get false sense potential success go totally datadriven leave human element Let’s fix every new product every new feature every growth experiment using data make decision Data Science Rocket Science science data made far intimidating really It’s also overhyped kind nerd quest make selling ton product simple punching magic algorithm computer truth it’s easier ever collect analyze react data — sale data performance data marketing data Get Started doesn’t matter get data track I’ve building product data since 1999 — Google Analytics Hubspot anyone API I’ve gotten pretty much science point get decent data analysis rock string like MacGyver Right you’re reading I’m using data build two completely different product line One us lot data us little I’m going use example hope find happy data place somewhere middle first scenario let’s call “Lite” scenario I’ve got collection unrelated web page show basic usage stats one stats revenue revenue one single truth trace everything else back dollar I’ve got APIs check regularly get daily weekly monthly stats plus reference point want track experiment want run go one massive spreadsheet dozen tab It’s automated structure take minute maintain Plus it’s fun geek shit second scenario “Heavy” scenario I’ve got software platform cost million dollar build constantly developed upgraded maintained team excellent software engineer Everything cloud it’s totally flexible APIs everywhere even replicated readonly database hit SQL real time screw everything Heavy scenario need fire something like TablePlus SQL Server Management Console run stored SQL statement generate report Data Day scenario weekly Data Day That’s spend hour two aggregating data running analysis every bit — I’ll describe rest post Lite scenario I’m logging various website copying recent number spreadsheet don’t get revenue end month I’m lot extrapolating dollar figure grade performance continually “real time” monthly Revenue Data Day get revenue number Heavy scenario I’m getting revenue real time get spend much time analysis I’ve collected data analysis serf Catch error — I’m looking spike data suggest glitch software process external market factor don’t know yet — I’m looking spike data suggest glitch software process external market factor don’t know yet Catch opportunity — I’m looking pattern suggest customer something new different — I’m looking pattern suggest customer something new different Keep score — I’m comparing incoming data previously defined expectation new product new feature growth experiment currently underway — I’m comparing incoming data previously defined expectation new product new feature growth experiment currently underway Make plans— I’m rewriting goal dreaming new idea product considering new experiment Here’s I’m Data Day analysis Sales Data Getting revenue first set data look sale total entire revenue number first get sense good week bad week inconclusive week color rest analysis dictating I’m looking problem opportunity number way I’ll skip end Forensics come back next thing want understand sale came trace revenue back far using data answer question many customer position buy ultimately decided many customer position buy didn’t get offering many customer came “store” never got position buy many customer made aware store never entered take breakdown use confirm adjust goal month quarter year get result analysis discus executive team need initiative adjust focus use analysis guide Performance Data Increasing revenue margin time next step compare productivity revenue get performance need confirm we’re strong we’re weak we’re burning efficiently grow like longterm growth experiment except I’m looking thing we’re already customer already I’m looking pattern usage give hint feature customer focusing analysis set lot Growth Experiments I’ll going next example Spiffy performance data analysis led discover good number customer declining suggested needed upgrade service they’d add upgrade next time booked service missing upgrade right one forgot led experiment prompt customer add upgrade book next service won’t forget Growth Experiments Expanding market share building better product experiment mentioned one basic run likelihood high experiment succeed we’ll test first anyway never know you’ll find end spectrum I’m also middle testing new product offering large corporate partner much broader implication lot trickier reward risk analysis use set sale usage data growth experiment want run run experiment narrow customer segment case location size sample small enough painful mess large enough matter fact I’ve already add location sample size wasn’t statistically significant run experiment usually check growth experiment daily even couple time day beginning flesh fact like sample size small try get success failure quickly possible Marketing Data Creating new customer using value proposition previous data analysis increasing size market marketing data analysis increasing size megaphone market Heavy scenario we’ve got Hubspot MailChimp Google Analytics social medium account everything integrated automated Lite scenario I’m grabbing metric ad server Google Analytics throwing one spreadsheet Google’s report leave lot desired Marketing data analysis actually another review sale performance data time go way back first interaction customer first became aware product offering I’m looking impression email open clickthroughs conversion compared ad spend I’m adding cost acquiring customer cost serving customer main difference analysis marketing data telling change something usually mean changing either marketing channel messaging It’s rare case marketing data analysis lead product change usually customer confirming hunch already prior analysis marketing data I’m also running experiment growth hacking experiment growth experiment They’re AB testing offer discount messaging They’re varying channel audience spend eventually tie back sale revenue Forensics Chasing problem issue Forensics special project part Data Day start see pattern like don’t like especially don’t like pull corresponding data comb figure usually mean drilling eventually combing individual records— maybe single transaction customer product spec even code example Heavy scenario noticed anecdotally chargebacks becoming issue didn’t idea spike came spent couple hour end data day pulling transaction data correlated chargeback data drilling individual transaction Turns combination single product single feature couple customer exploiting loophole Rather spend thousand dollar sophisticated software sniff bad actor machine learning closed loophole Problem solved Thanks Data Day think saving thousand dollar hour data analysis almost overshadows additional revenue product change generate without day week guesswork trying figure grow Datadriven product development doesn’t scary doesn’t allin lot way using data build grow product going add bottom top line without hire data science teamTags Startup Business Entrepreneurship Productivity Product Management

Goodbye! (For Now)

Goodbye! (For Now) It’s time to check out, rest up, and prepare for 2021 Rarely in my 30+ years of journalism have I felt a greater need for some time off, and I am really not good at taking it. But after nearly 12 straight months of 24/7 reporting and thinking about the coronavirus and other aspects of the human condition, it has to happen, so I’m taking the next two weeks, full stop — no reporting, no newsletters, no social media. I need to think, and not think, evaluate and reevaluate, and come back fresh. I hope you find some time to get away, too, even if it’s just to escape within your own mind, perhaps in your own home, at least for a stretch. And yes, I wrote about this, for Forge… Me. You. Everyone needs a break right now. Among the 75% of U.S. adults who say they’re burned out at work, 40% blame the pandemic and the sudden disruption of working from home. Meanwhile, we Americans are, compared to other developed countries, terrible at taking time off. When we do vacate, however, we tend to return to work more motivated. In a survey commissioned by the American Psychological Association in 2018, 57% of Americans said they return to work more motivated after a vacation, 66% said they come back with more energy, and 68% report a more positive mood upon getting back at it. There’s a flip side, of course: Most Americans say their organization isn’t supportive about time off, so the whole idea of a vacation proves stressful. But you need time off. You must take it. You will enjoy it. And then you should do it again. Read more why and some how >>> *** I’ve always wondered what skills and traits are needed to be a successful entrepreneur, so I researched and wrote about it for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Successful entrepreneurs possess a diverse range of talents and traits that might seem to put them in a league of their own, but the reality is quite different. Nobody has the full range of abilities to guarantee success in small business, research shows, yet just about everyone has enough of the right entrepreneurial stuff to pursue their small-business dreams. The key is to identify your talents, proactively develop them and surround yourself with a team that possesses the skills you lack. See if you have the right stuff >>> Related: Research debunks the myth of youth having a leg up at starting businesses, and reveals advantages in wisdom, connections and practical experience. Read >>> *** Humans around the globe use their 40-plus facial muscles to express common emotions with the same basic smiles, scowls and other familiar looks, according to new research published in the journal Nature. That doesn’t mean there are no differences, past studies indicate. Read >>> Briefly… New research shows why anyone with high blood pressure — nearly half of U.S. adults — should seek to lower it. High blood pressure, or hypertension, can accelerate the decline in brain function, including memory, concentration and verbal skills. Read >>> Earbuds are on the verge of a major functionality transformation akin to the evolution from phone to smartphone, an expert says. Read >>> *** THE CORONAVIRUS One arguably innocuous annoyance struck me as telling of the countless things that are being disrupted by the pandemic — small pleasures and larger ways of life we take for granted but which will never be the same. I enumerated some of these things in Medium’s Coronavirus Blog. See the list (and feel free to add to it) >>> Related: Chance encounters with friends, casual acquaintances and complete strangers can cultivate creativity, and that’s not happening due to the pandemic, three researchers write in The Conversation. Read >>> From a scientific perspective, there’s no longer any question that face masks help prevent the spread of Covid-19, protecting both the wearer and others. So with optimism rising over vaccines that appear to be highly effective, one big question now is how long we’ll all be bound to cover our faces, especially since new cases and deaths continue to soar. I put the question to some experts, and you might not like the answer, but I bet you’ll be surprised what you learn about the vaccines. Find out >>> Briefly… Covid-19 is five times deadlier than the flu among people hospitalized for either disease, according to a new study that confirms previous research. Read >>> From the archives: I wrote this one ages ago (in July) and it’s still 100% true today. While most of us will still have to wait months to get a Covid vaccine, we can all get a flu shot today and lower the risk and burden for ourselves AND health care workers (!). Read >>> Katherine J. Wu writes for The New York Times about the REALLY IMPORTANT new at-home Covid test: “It’s slightly less accurate than gold standard laboratory tests designed to look for coronavirus genetic material with a technique called polymerase chain reaction, or P.C.R. But in a clinical study of nearly 200 people, Ellume’s product was able to detect 95 percent of the coronavirus infections found by P.C.R., regardless of whether the infected people felt sick.” Read >>> The latest U.S. Covid numbers. WORDS OF WISDOM “The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.” — Isaac Asimov *** See you next year, and may it be just a wee bit better. — Rob

https://medium.com/luminate/goodbye-for-now-219904ccdef5

['Robert Roy Britt']

2020-12-17 12:55:48.901000+00:00

['Mental Health', 'Science', 'Health']

Title Goodbye NowContent Goodbye It’s time check rest prepare 2021 Rarely 30 year journalism felt greater need time really good taking nearly 12 straight month 247 reporting thinking coronavirus aspect human condition happen I’m taking next two week full stop — reporting newsletter social medium need think think evaluate reevaluate come back fresh hope find time get away even it’s escape within mind perhaps home least stretch yes wrote Forge… Everyone need break right Among 75 US adult say they’re burned work 40 blame pandemic sudden disruption working home Meanwhile Americans compared developed country terrible taking time vacate however tend return work motivated survey commissioned American Psychological Association 2018 57 Americans said return work motivated vacation 66 said come back energy 68 report positive mood upon getting back There’s flip side course Americans say organization isn’t supportive time whole idea vacation prof stressful need time must take enjoy Read I’ve always wondered skill trait needed successful entrepreneur researched wrote US Chamber Commerce Successful entrepreneur posse diverse range talent trait might seem put league reality quite different Nobody full range ability guarantee success small business research show yet everyone enough right entrepreneurial stuff pursue smallbusiness dream key identify talent proactively develop surround team posse skill lack See right stuff Related Research debunks myth youth leg starting business reveals advantage wisdom connection practical experience Read Humans around globe use 40plus facial muscle express common emotion basic smile scowl familiar look according new research published journal Nature doesn’t mean difference past study indicate Read Briefly… New research show anyone high blood pressure — nearly half US adult — seek lower High blood pressure hypertension accelerate decline brain function including memory concentration verbal skill Read Earbuds verge major functionality transformation akin evolution phone smartphone expert say Read CORONAVIRUS One arguably innocuous annoyance struck telling countless thing disrupted pandemic — small pleasure larger way life take granted never enumerated thing Medium’s Coronavirus Blog See list feel free add Related Chance encounter friend casual acquaintance complete stranger cultivate creativity that’s happening due pandemic three researcher write Conversation Read scientific perspective there’s longer question face mask help prevent spread Covid19 protecting wearer others optimism rising vaccine appear highly effective one big question long we’ll bound cover face especially since new case death continue soar put question expert might like answer bet you’ll surprised learn vaccine Find Briefly… Covid19 five time deadlier flu among people hospitalized either disease according new study confirms previous research Read archive wrote one age ago July it’s still 100 true today u still wait month get Covid vaccine get flu shot today lower risk burden health care worker Read Katherine J Wu writes New York Times REALLY IMPORTANT new athome Covid test “It’s slightly le accurate gold standard laboratory test designed look coronavirus genetic material technique called polymerase chain reaction PCR clinical study nearly 200 people Ellume’s product able detect 95 percent coronavirus infection found PCR regardless whether infected people felt sick” Read latest US Covid number WORDS WISDOM “The saddest aspect life right science gather knowledge faster society gather wisdom” — Isaac Asimov See next year may wee bit better — RobTags Mental Health Science Health

Gut Microbes and Metabolism: Glucose, Hunger, and the Microbiome

Gut Microbes and Metabolism: Glucose, Hunger, and the Microbiome In mice, gut microbes influence the number of specific neurons that affect glucose control and feeding behavior (Pixabay, geralt) The reach of the microbiome We are all ecosystems. We house numerous creatures on and in our bodies. Among them, veritable communities of micro-organisms. Microbiome is the term that refers to these microbial ecosystems. The most well-known of these microbial communities we host is the gut microbiome. Our gut microbes have made the news often in the past few years. As we learn more about them, we begin to see how they are implicated in many aspects of our daily lives. How we metabolize food, our propensity for certain diseases, our risk for Alzheimer’s, even our personality traits, our gut residents seem to have their say in many of the processes underlying these factors. They also affect our risk for cancer, and they might even improve chemotherapy. Their reach can even span generations since the maternal microbiome can affect brain development in their kids. (Gee, thanks, mom…) Both the number and diversity of gut microbe species seems to be important, with functional diversity apparently being a major factor. That is because many of the effects of gut microbes are mediated through the chemicals they produce (which can be affected by what we eat and how we treat our gut, aka it’s a complex relationship of give and take). The second brain Most of us think of the brain when we hear the word ‘neurons’. No surprise there. Our brains are, after all, the most complicated collection of neurons we know. However, there is another network of neurons in our body that is surprisingly complicated: the enteric nervous system, the mesh of neurons coating our gastrointestinal tract. It is actually called our second brain due to its complexity. Wait a minute… Gut and neurons. Gut and microbes. What about gut microbes and gut neurons? Time for science. (Wikimedia commons, BruceBlausen) In a new study, the researchers first looked at our second brain in more detail. They found that a group of neurons (CART+ neurons) are disproportionally more present in the ileum and colon, the further parts of our intestines. This is also where most of our gut microbiome houses. Coincidence? Nope. The scientist found that the gut microbiome (in mice) controlled the number of these CART+ neurons through the molecules caspase 11 and NLRP6. They checked this by removing the microbiome. Antibiotics → less microbes → less caspase 11 and NLRP6 → less CART+ neurons. Now, what do these CART+ neurons do? Some tests later: Gut CART+ neurons are therefore both sufficient and necessary to modulate blood glucose through glucoregulatory organs…changes in feeding behavior are dependent on iEAN-specific neuronal [refers to the CART+ neurons] stimulation. No CART+ neurons → crappy blood glucose control + more hunger. The researchers conclude: Targeting peripheral-restricted circuits, such as the one uncovered here, could bypass undesirable CNS [central nervous system] effects for the treatment of metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes. So, gut microbes tune the number of neurons in your ‘gut brain’, which affects blood glucose control and feelings of hunger. But, two important caveats! Mice are not human. A mouse metabolism is not a human metabolism. Yes, we too have CART+ neurons, and they are involved in appetite control, but that doesn’t mean the above findings map one to one. This does not alter the laws of thermodynamics. Or, calories in calories out always applies for weight loss. Yes, gut microbes might change the calories in (by making you hungry and eat more, for example), or the calories out (by affecting how much of your food you actually absorb), but to lose weight, calories in has to be less than calories out. Nothing changes that. Listen to both your brains.

https://medium.com/predict/gut-microbes-and-metabolism-glucose-hunger-and-the-microbiome-1c1ee5784ec3

['Gunnar De Winter']

2020-10-21 20:47:41.648000+00:00

['Biology', 'Health', 'Neuroscience', 'Science', 'Food']

Title Gut Microbes Metabolism Glucose Hunger MicrobiomeContent Gut Microbes Metabolism Glucose Hunger Microbiome mouse gut microbe influence number specific neuron affect glucose control feeding behavior Pixabay geralt reach microbiome ecosystem house numerous creature body Among veritable community microorganism Microbiome term refers microbial ecosystem wellknown microbial community host gut microbiome gut microbe made news often past year learn begin see implicated many aspect daily life metabolize food propensity certain disease risk Alzheimer’s even personality trait gut resident seem say many process underlying factor also affect risk cancer might even improve chemotherapy reach even span generation since maternal microbiome affect brain development kid Gee thanks mom… number diversity gut microbe specie seems important functional diversity apparently major factor many effect gut microbe mediated chemical produce affected eat treat gut aka it’s complex relationship give take second brain u think brain hear word ‘neurons’ surprise brain complicated collection neuron know However another network neuron body surprisingly complicated enteric nervous system mesh neuron coating gastrointestinal tract actually called second brain due complexity Wait minute… Gut neuron Gut microbe gut microbe gut neuron Time science Wikimedia common BruceBlausen new study researcher first looked second brain detail found group neuron CART neuron disproportionally present ileum colon part intestine also gut microbiome house Coincidence Nope scientist found gut microbiome mouse controlled number CART neuron molecule caspase 11 NLRP6 checked removing microbiome Antibiotics → le microbe → le caspase 11 NLRP6 → le CART neuron CART neuron test later Gut CART neuron therefore sufficient necessary modulate blood glucose glucoregulatory organs…changes feeding behavior dependent iEANspecific neuronal refers CART neuron stimulation CART neuron → crappy blood glucose control hunger researcher conclude Targeting peripheralrestricted circuit one uncovered could bypass undesirable CNS central nervous system effect treatment metabolic disorder type 2 diabetes gut microbe tune number neuron ‘gut brain’ affect blood glucose control feeling hunger two important caveat Mice human mouse metabolism human metabolism Yes CART neuron involved appetite control doesn’t mean finding map one one alter law thermodynamics calorie calorie always applies weight loss Yes gut microbe might change calorie making hungry eat example calorie affecting much food actually absorb lose weight calorie le calorie Nothing change Listen brainsTags Biology Health Neuroscience Science Food

Covid-19 Interactive Visualization

Visualizing covid-19 data to understand the impact it had on the American population. The novel corona virus has caused more than 200000 deaths worldwide. In this post i’m going to walk you through how to build an interactive dashboard of your own using only python tools and api’s and publish it on a provider like binder or heroku. First off, the raw dataset is available and provided by Johns Hopkins and can be found on their github page. This is focused only on US data but the same can be extended to other countries as well. Get started by making sure you have python, Jupyter notebook installed and ready to go. I’ll be detailing only a few of the operations performed. Go ahead and try all of it by yourself :) or find the entire project on my GitHub. You will need to install the following python files in order to perform analysis and visualize your data. import pandas as pd import matplotlib.pyplot as plt from IPython.display import Markdown, display from datetime import datetime as dt from ipywidgets import interact import chart_studio.plotly as py import plotly.graph_objs as go from plotly.offline import iplot, init_notebook_mode import cufflinks from plotly.subplots import make_subplots cufflinks.go_offline(connected=True) init_notebook_mode(connected=True) import dateutil import plotly.express as px pandas — To read the data and create subsets of data using dataframes. matplotlib — Python’s go to visualization library. datetime — Intuitive library to deal with time series data and works well with dataframes. ipywidgets — Creating widgets in Jupyter to make the dashboard more interactive. plotly/cufflinks — Better and interactive visualizations. Gather the data from the links provided in the git repo. x1 = 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/CSSEGISandData/COVID-19/master/csse_covid_19_data/csse_covid_19_time_series/time_series_covid19_confirmed_US.csv' x2 = 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/CSSEGISandData/COVID-19/master/csse_covid_19_data/csse_covid_19_time_series/time_series_covid19_deaths_US.csv' x3 = 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/abhim-12/Covid-19/master/population.csv' x4 = 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/abhim-12/Covid-19/master/state-codes.csv' Use the pandas read.csv() function to read the data into dataframes: conf = pd.read_csv(x1) death = pd.read_csv(x2) pop = pd.read_csv(x3) # US Population data codes = pd.read_csv(x4) # US State Codes Use the head() function to get an understanding of what the data contains, the columns, data types etc. Perform some data cleaning (like renaming columns, dropping) to make it more coherent and presentable. Also remove any unnecessary columns. del death['Population'] def filt(df): df.drop(columns=['iso3','code3','Admin2','Country_Region'],axis=1,inplace=True) df.rename(columns={'Province_State':'State'},inplace=True) df=df.reset_index() del df['index'] The first dataframe (z2) we create merges the confirmed cases and deaths frames State-wise. Next we create a few columns to infer based on the data the severity of the situation in each state. cols = conf.columns.to_list()[-1] ctemp = conf.groupby('State').sum()[conf.columns[-1]].sort_values(ascending=False).reset_index() dtemp = death.groupby('State').sum()[death.columns[-1]].sort_values(ascending=False).reset_index() ctemp = ctemp[['State',conf.columns[-1]]] dtemp = dtemp[['State',death.columns[-1]]] # State level aggregated data z2 = pd.merge(ctemp,dtemp,on=['State'],how='inner').merge(temp2,on='State',how='left') z2.rename(columns={deaths:'Deaths',confirm:'Cases'},inplace=True) z2['CMR'] = (z2['Deaths']/z2['Population'])*100000 # Crude Mortality Rate per 100000 z2['Infected %'] = (z2['Cases']/z2['Population'])*100 # Percentage of population infected z2['Case Fatality Rate'] = (z2['Deaths']/z2['Cases'])*100 # Case Fatality Rate - Ratio of Deaths out of those infected z2 = z2[['State','Cases','Deaths','Population','Infected %','CMR','Case Fatality Rate']] Crude Mortality, Case Fatality Rate and %Infected are calculated and i chose to highlight the states where CFR was greater than the average. The result looks something like this (Find more about styling dataframes here). Styling the data also helps convey information better, using any method you like. Our first visualization is how the virus has affected the country as a whole, so we do 2 visualizations — 1)A timeline of impact and 2)A choropleth plot def timeline(Condition): tempd = cc.groupby('Date').sum().reset_index() temph = tempd.loc[tempd['PerDay_Confirm']>0].reset_index(drop=True) if Condition=='Deaths': title = 'Timeline of Deaths' color='red' if Condition=='Cases': Condition='Confirm' title = 'Timeline of Cases' color='orange' temph.iplot(x='Date',y=Condition,xTitle='Dates',yTitle='Count',title=title,mode='lines+markers',color=color) interact(timeline, Condition=['Deaths','Cases']) So the function defined above generates a time series plot of the impact of the virus. The iplot package allows for plotting interactive plots combined with jupyter widgets. The function interact takes as parameter - the function name, and a variable Condition which is a list containing ‘Cases’ and ‘Deaths’. The plot generates a drop down list where the user can switch between Cases and Deaths across time. The plotly package makes our plots interactive showing us the numbers at each data point without any additional code. Interactive Time series plot of Impact of Covid-19 Another interesting visualization you can do is to animate the plot showing the effect on each state day by day. def timeline2(Condition): fig = px.choropleth(tempz, locations='Code', color=Condition, hover_name='State', locationmode='USA-states', animation_frame='Date', scope='usa' ) fig.update_layout( title_text = 'Spread of Coronavirus', title_x = 0.5, geo=dict( showframe = False, showcoastlines = True )) fig.show() interact(timeline2,Condition=['Confirm','Deaths']) Another intermediate data frame i created contains a merged version of the deaths and confirmed cases each day in each State (State-Day Level). def transform(df,s): #s is a String with 'Confirm' or 'Deaths' # To dcast the data and get it at a state-date level temp = df.copy(deep=True) temp.drop(columns=['UID','iso2','Lat','Long_','FIPS'],inplace=True) temp = temp.melt(id_vars=['State','Combined_Key'],var_name='Date',value_name=s) # Source data is cumulative, this gets the numbers per day temp2 = temp.groupby(['Combined_Key'])[s].diff().fillna(0).reset_index() p = 'PerDay'+'_'+s temp2.rename(columns={s:p},inplace=True) temp2 = pd.concat([temp,temp2],axis=1) del temp2['index'] temp2 = temp2.sort_values(['Combined_Key','Date',s,p]).reset_index(drop=True) return temp2 The function is called on each individual dataset(conf & death) and the result is merged to create the output as below: Now you can perform numerous visualization on the above data frame. One such visualization i performed was displaying the Cases or Deaths Per Day in a Province in a State. zz['Province'] = [s.split(',')[0] for s in zz['Combined_Key']] province = zz['Province'].unique() # Plots Cases/Deaths for a Province per Day def plots2(State,Province,Condition): a = zz.loc[(zz['Province']==Province) & (zz['State']==State) ] if Condition.startswith('C'): Condition = 'PerDay_Confirm' color = 'orange' if Condition.startswith('D'): Condition = 'PerDay_Deaths' color = 'red' a = a[a[Condition].gt(0)] a = a.sort_values('Date',ascending=True) a.iplot(x='Date',y=Condition,kind='bar',xTitle='Dates',yTitle=Condition.split('_')[1],title=(Condition.split('_')[1] + " in " + Province + ", " + State),color=color) interact(plots2,State=z2['State'].sort_values(),Province = province,Condition=['Cases','Deaths']) You can perform numerous similar plots using the examples i have shown. Moving on to how to create a dashboard out of your notebook. Voila — voila is a python library that works on top of jupyter to transform your notebooks into dashboards. Installing and running voila is fairly straightforward and instructions are provided on the github page. Running voila from cmd : voila \path\to otebook otebook.ipynb — theme=dark Your interactive will now look something like this : Voila dashboard Now that your dashboard is complete time to deploy it. As i said earlier you can use heroku or binder. Both require you to push your data to git (make sure you have git installed). Heroku provides a cli to push your projects. You can find more details here. The voila documentation provides clear steps to deploy projects. And “voila!” you’re done. You have created a dashboard entirely in python without requiring external software and a dashboard that can be shared with your peers, colleagues or others. Add more components use the template for future projects as you see fit.

https://medium.com/analytics-vidhya/covid-19-interactive-visualization-b46966b8b63b

['Abhishek M']

2020-07-15 13:54:20.556000+00:00

['Covid 19', 'Python', 'Visualization', 'Data Science', 'Dashboard']

Title Covid19 Interactive VisualizationContent Visualizing covid19 data understand impact American population novel corona virus caused 200000 death worldwide post i’m going walk build interactive dashboard using python tool api’s publish provider like binder heroku First raw dataset available provided Johns Hopkins found github page focused US data extended country well Get started making sure python Jupyter notebook installed ready go I’ll detailing operation performed Go ahead try find entire project GitHub need install following python file order perform analysis visualize data import panda pd import matplotlibpyplot plt IPythondisplay import Markdown display datetime import datetime dt ipywidgets import interact import chartstudioplotly py import plotlygraphobjs go plotlyoffline import iplot initnotebookmode import cufflink plotlysubplots import makesubplots cufflinksgoofflineconnectedTrue initnotebookmodeconnectedTrue import dateutil import plotlyexpress px panda — read data create subset data using dataframes matplotlib — Python’s go visualization library datetime — Intuitive library deal time series data work well dataframes ipywidgets — Creating widget Jupyter make dashboard interactive plotlycufflinks — Better interactive visualization Gather data link provided git repo x1 httpsrawgithubusercontentcomCSSEGISandDataCOVID19mastercssecovid19datacssecovid19timeseriestimeseriescovid19confirmedUScsv x2 httpsrawgithubusercontentcomCSSEGISandDataCOVID19mastercssecovid19datacssecovid19timeseriestimeseriescovid19deathsUScsv x3 httpsrawgithubusercontentcomabhim12Covid19masterpopulationcsv x4 httpsrawgithubusercontentcomabhim12Covid19masterstatecodescsv Use panda readcsv function read data dataframes conf pdreadcsvx1 death pdreadcsvx2 pop pdreadcsvx3 US Population data code pdreadcsvx4 US State Codes Use head function get understanding data contains column data type etc Perform data cleaning like renaming column dropping make coherent presentable Also remove unnecessary column del deathPopulation def filtdf dfdropcolumnsiso3code3Admin2CountryRegionaxis1inplaceTrue dfrenamecolumnsProvinceStateStateinplaceTrue dfdfresetindex del dfindex first dataframe z2 create merges confirmed case death frame Statewise Next create column infer based data severity situation state col confcolumnstolist1 ctemp confgroupbyStatesumconfcolumns1sortvaluesascendingFalseresetindex dtemp deathgroupbyStatesumdeathcolumns1sortvaluesascendingFalseresetindex ctemp ctempStateconfcolumns1 dtemp dtempStatedeathcolumns1 State level aggregated data z2 pdmergectempdtemponStatehowinnermergetemp2onStatehowleft z2renamecolumnsdeathsDeathsconfirmCasesinplaceTrue z2CMR z2Deathsz2Population100000 Crude Mortality Rate per 100000 z2Infected z2Casesz2Population100 Percentage population infected z2Case Fatality Rate z2Deathsz2Cases100 Case Fatality Rate Ratio Deaths infected z2 z2StateCasesDeathsPopulationInfected CMRCase Fatality Rate Crude Mortality Case Fatality Rate Infected calculated chose highlight state CFR greater average result look something like Find styling dataframes Styling data also help convey information better using method like first visualization virus affected country whole 2 visualization — 1A timeline impact 2A choropleth plot def timelineCondition tempd ccgroupbyDatesumresetindex temph tempdloctempdPerDayConfirm0resetindexdropTrue ConditionDeaths title Timeline Deaths colorred ConditionCases ConditionConfirm title Timeline Cases colororange temphiplotxDateyConditionxTitleDatesyTitleCounttitletitlemodelinesmarkerscolorcolor interacttimeline ConditionDeathsCases function defined generates time series plot impact virus iplot package allows plotting interactive plot combined jupyter widget function interact take parameter function name variable Condition list containing ‘Cases’ ‘Deaths’ plot generates drop list user switch Cases Deaths across time plotly package make plot interactive showing u number data point without additional code Interactive Time series plot Impact Covid19 Another interesting visualization animate plot showing effect state day day def timeline2Condition fig pxchoroplethtempz locationsCode colorCondition hovernameState locationmodeUSAstates animationframeDate scopeusa figupdatelayout titletext Spread Coronavirus titlex 05 geodict showframe False showcoastlines True figshow interacttimeline2ConditionConfirmDeaths Another intermediate data frame created contains merged version death confirmed case day State StateDay Level def transformdfs String Confirm Deaths dcast data get statedate level temp dfcopydeepTrue tempdropcolumnsUIDiso2LatLongFIPSinplaceTrue temp tempmeltidvarsStateCombinedKeyvarnameDatevaluenames Source data cumulative get number per day temp2 tempgroupbyCombinedKeysdifffillna0resetindex p PerDays temp2renamecolumnsspinplaceTrue temp2 pdconcattemptemp2axis1 del temp2index temp2 temp2sortvaluesCombinedKeyDatespresetindexdropTrue return temp2 function called individual datasetconf death result merged create output perform numerous visualization data frame One visualization performed displaying Cases Deaths Per Day Province State zzProvince ssplit0 zzCombinedKey province zzProvinceunique Plots CasesDeaths Province per Day def plots2StateProvinceCondition zzloczzProvinceProvince zzStateState ConditionstartswithC Condition PerDayConfirm color orange ConditionstartswithD Condition PerDayDeaths color red aaConditiongt0 asortvaluesDateascendingTrue aiplotxDateyConditionkindbarxTitleDatesyTitleConditionsplit1titleConditionsplit1 Province Statecolorcolor interactplots2Statez2StatesortvaluesProvince provinceConditionCasesDeaths perform numerous similar plot using example shown Moving create dashboard notebook Voila — voila python library work top jupyter transform notebook dashboard Installing running voila fairly straightforward instruction provided github page Running voila cmd voila pathto otebook otebookipynb — themedark interactive look something like Voila dashboard dashboard complete time deploy said earlier use heroku binder require push data git make sure git installed Heroku provides cli push project find detail voila documentation provides clear step deploy project “voila” you’re done created dashboard entirely python without requiring external software dashboard shared peer colleague others Add component use template future project see fitTags Covid 19 Python Visualization Data Science Dashboard

Testing Machine Learning Models

Model Evaluation in Machine Learning Testing Usually, software testing includes: Unit tests. The program is broken down into blocks, and each element (unit) is tested separately. The program is broken down into blocks, and each element (unit) is tested separately. Regression tests. They cover already tested software to see if it doesn’t suddenly break. They cover already tested software to see if it doesn’t suddenly break. Integration tests. This type of testing observes how multiple components of the program work together. Moreover, there are certain rules that people follow: Don’t merge the code before it passes all the tests; always test newly introduced blocks of code: when fixing bugs, write a test that captures the bug. Machine learning adds more actions to your to-do list. You still need to follow ML’s best practices. Moreover, every ML model needs to not only be tested but evaluated. Your model should generalize well. This is not what we usually understand by testing, but evaluation is needed to make sure that the performance is satisfactory. First of all, you split the database into three non-overlapping sets. You use a training set to train the model. Then, to evaluate the performance of the model, you use two sets of data: Validation set. Having only a training set and a testing set is not enough if you do many rounds of hyperparameter-tuning (which is always). And that can result in overfitting. To avoid that, you can select a small validation data set to evaluate a model. Only after you get maximum accuracy on the validation set do you make the testing set come into the game. Having only a training set and a testing set is not enough if you do many rounds of hyperparameter-tuning (which is always). And that can result in overfitting. To avoid that, you can select a small validation data set to evaluate a model. Only after you get maximum accuracy on the validation set do you make the testing set come into the game. Test set (or holdout set). Your model might fit the training dataset perfectly well. But where are the guarantees that it will do equally well in real life? In order to assure that, you select samples for a testing set from your training set — examples that the machine hasn’t seen before. It is important to remain unbiased during selection and draw samples at random. Also, you should not use the same set many times to avoid training on your test data. Your test set should be large enough to provide statistically meaningful results and be representative of the data set as a whole. But just like test sets, validation sets wear out when used repeatedly. The more times you use the same data to make decisions about hyperparameter settings or other model improvements, the less confident you are that the model will generalize well on new, unseen data. So it is a good idea to collect more data to freshen up the test set and validation set. Cross-validation Cross-validation is a model evaluation technique that can be performed even on a limited dataset. The training set is divided into small subsets, and the model is trained and validated on each of these samples. k-fold cross-validation The most common cross-validation method is called k-fold cross-validation. To use it, you need to divide the dataset into k subsets (also called folds) and use them k times. For example, by breaking the dataset into ten subsets, you will perform a tenfold cross-validation. Each subset must be used as the validation set at least once. This method is useful to test the skill of the machine learning model on unseen data. It is so popular because it is simple to apply, it works well even with relatively small datasets, and the results you get are generally quite accurate. If you want to learn more about how to cross-validate the model, check out a more detailed explanation on Medium. Leave-one-out cross-validation In this method, we train the model on all the data samples in the set except for one data point that is used to test the model. By repeating this process iteratively, each time leaving a different data point as a testing set, you get to test the performance for all the data. The benefit of the method is low bias since all the data points are used. However, it also leads to higher variation in testing because we are testing the model against just one data point each time. Cross-validation provides for more efficient use of the data and helps to better assess the accuracy of the model.

https://medium.com/better-programming/testing-machine-learning-models-434e973aa14d

[]

2020-11-14 15:36:16.285000+00:00

['Machine Learning', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Big Data', 'AI', 'Programming']

Title Testing Machine Learning ModelsContent Model Evaluation Machine Learning Testing Usually software testing includes Unit test program broken block element unit tested separately program broken block element unit tested separately Regression test cover already tested software see doesn’t suddenly break cover already tested software see doesn’t suddenly break Integration test type testing observes multiple component program work together Moreover certain rule people follow Don’t merge code pass test always test newly introduced block code fixing bug write test capture bug Machine learning add action todo list still need follow ML’s best practice Moreover every ML model need tested evaluated model generalize well usually understand testing evaluation needed make sure performance satisfactory First split database three nonoverlapping set use training set train model evaluate performance model use two set data Validation set training set testing set enough many round hyperparametertuning always result overfitting avoid select small validation data set evaluate model get maximum accuracy validation set make testing set come game training set testing set enough many round hyperparametertuning always result overfitting avoid select small validation data set evaluate model get maximum accuracy validation set make testing set come game Test set holdout set model might fit training dataset perfectly well guarantee equally well real life order assure select sample testing set training set — example machine hasn’t seen important remain unbiased selection draw sample random Also use set many time avoid training test data test set large enough provide statistically meaningful result representative data set whole like test set validation set wear used repeatedly time use data make decision hyperparameter setting model improvement le confident model generalize well new unseen data good idea collect data freshen test set validation set Crossvalidation Crossvalidation model evaluation technique performed even limited dataset training set divided small subset model trained validated sample kfold crossvalidation common crossvalidation method called kfold crossvalidation use need divide dataset k subset also called fold use k time example breaking dataset ten subset perform tenfold crossvalidation subset must used validation set least method useful test skill machine learning model unseen data popular simple apply work well even relatively small datasets result get generally quite accurate want learn crossvalidate model check detailed explanation Medium Leaveoneout crossvalidation method train model data sample set except one data point used test model repeating process iteratively time leaving different data point testing set get test performance data benefit method low bias since data point used However also lead higher variation testing testing model one data point time Crossvalidation provides efficient use data help better ass accuracy modelTags Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence Big Data AI Programming

5 Powerful Lessons My Dog Taught Me About Writing

5 Powerful Lessons My Dog Taught Me About Writing Simple ways you can become your readers’ best friend Photo by Frank McKinley As I sat down to write this, my dog sat down in front of me. I rubbed her head. She licked my hand. Then she walked over to the door and turned her head to look at me. “It’s that time, isn’t it?” She wagged her tail and held her ground. Of course, I got off the couch and took her outside to do her business. When we returned, she showered me with affection and lay down for yet another nap. Delilah the four-legged teacher As writers, we’re always looking for illustrations. Delilah knows how to get what she wants. Every. Single. Time. Food. Love. A forever home. Whatever she wants. Would you like to know how she does it? Here are four simple but powerful lessons Delilah taught me about persuasion. The beautiful thing is you can do these things every day, and you don’t have to learn any complicated strategies to practice them. Let’s dive in. Treat your readers like your best friends. Every day when I open the door, Delilah runs to it to greet me. She doesn’t care what kind of day I’ve had. She doesn’t stop to ask me if I’m happy, sad, or tired. She just gives me all the love she has to offer, no questions asked. And if I don’t return her love, she’ll try again tomorrow. How can you show your readers you love them? Write to them like you’re writing a letter. Brew some coffee and have a heart-to-heart conversation. Read it aloud before you publish and make sure it doesn’t sound like a lecture. People read your writing by choice. Delight them and they’ll choose you again and again. Photo by Frank McKinley Get excited about what interests your readers. Delilah gets excited whenever she sees us. I can talk to her about whatever I want and she’ll never judge me. The way to anyone’s heart is to make their interests your own. I learned this from Dale Carnegie three decades ago. Nobody cares what you care about. When you meet someone for the first time, what do you do? You ask them to tell you about themselves. Do that, and people will talk all day — especially if you listen with enthusiasm. Do some research. Get to know people. Listen to what they say. Let them rave, rant, and brag. The time you give them might be the best gift they’ve ever received. And it’ll help you write stuff they’ll love. Pay attention to what your readers are doing. Delilah knows when I open the front door. She sits by the table when we have dinner to see if we’ll share. She follows us around the house to make sure we’re okay. Are you involved in writing groups? Do you have a few close writer friends to encourage and challenge you? Pay attention to what they’re doing. Celebrate their victories. Help spark their creativity when they feel blocked. Share ways they can shine so brightly it turns darkness into light. When you lift others, you lift yourself. Photo by Frank McKinley Assume the best. When Delilah sits down next to me at the table, she expects me to give her something. I usually do. I mean, who can resist that cute expression? And she sits so patiently. She doesn’t stick her nose in my food either. When you write, do you expect your readers to get what you mean? Do you expect you’ll write something great, or at the very least something that’s worth reading? People are busy. You’ve got to wow them to get them to give up a few precious minutes to spend with you — especially if they don’t know you already. So how do you wow them? Do like Delilah. Be audacious. Get in their faces. But don’t be rude about it. Make them smile, laugh, or find you charming. Or as Steve Martin says, “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” If you sit in the next room and wait for someone to notice you, it may not happen. Write everything assuming the best will happen. Show up consistently. Delilah never misses a meal. She also regularly comes to me so I can pet her, walk her, and let her lick my hand. She’s never too busy to love us. How often do you write? I write every day. I may not publish every day, but I do it as frequently as I can. I’m not going to tell you how often is enough. I will say this — publish before your readers forget you. Better still, show up often enough that they miss you when you’re gone. My son and I went on a trip for three days last month. My wife says Delilah looked for us every night. When we returned, what a welcome we got! I’m not sure who missed the other more. When your readers enjoy your company, they’ll follow you anywhere. When you love them, you’ll find time to write no matter how busy you are. Applying the lessons Think about how you can become your reader’s best friend. Here’s a few things you can do now: Be generous. Show your love by sharing something valuable. And do it without expecting anything in return. Expect the best. When you sit down to write, dig deep and share something awesome. You won’t always hit it out of the park, but you’ll definitely take better swings with that attitude. Show up because you love the work, not because it’s an obligation. If it starts feeling like a chore, rekindle the spark that got you writing in the first place. Find some other writers to get excited about. The journey is more fun when you’re not traveling alone. Love your readers and they’ll love you back. Then you can make friends as easily as man’s best friend.

https://frankmckinley.medium.com/5-powerful-lessons-my-dog-taught-me-about-writing-4af1290740d4

['Frank Mckinley']

2020-01-07 02:57:11.862000+00:00

['Marketing', 'Business', 'Creativity', 'Personal Development', 'Writing']

Title 5 Powerful Lessons Dog Taught WritingContent 5 Powerful Lessons Dog Taught Writing Simple way become readers’ best friend Photo Frank McKinley sat write dog sat front rubbed head licked hand walked door turned head look “It’s time isn’t it” wagged tail held ground course got couch took outside business returned showered affection lay yet another nap Delilah fourlegged teacher writer we’re always looking illustration Delilah know get want Every Single Time Food Love forever home Whatever want Would like know four simple powerful lesson Delilah taught persuasion beautiful thing thing every day don’t learn complicated strategy practice Let’s dive Treat reader like best friend Every day open door Delilah run greet doesn’t care kind day I’ve doesn’t stop ask I’m happy sad tired give love offer question asked don’t return love she’ll try tomorrow show reader love Write like you’re writing letter Brew coffee hearttoheart conversation Read aloud publish make sure doesn’t sound like lecture People read writing choice Delight they’ll choose Photo Frank McKinley Get excited interest reader Delilah get excited whenever see u talk whatever want she’ll never judge way anyone’s heart make interest learned Dale Carnegie three decade ago Nobody care care meet someone first time ask tell people talk day — especially listen enthusiasm research Get know people Listen say Let rave rant brag time give might best gift they’ve ever received it’ll help write stuff they’ll love Pay attention reader Delilah know open front door sits table dinner see we’ll share follows u around house make sure we’re okay involved writing group close writer friend encourage challenge Pay attention they’re Celebrate victory Help spark creativity feel blocked Share way shine brightly turn darkness light lift others lift Photo Frank McKinley Assume best Delilah sits next table expects give something usually mean resist cute expression sits patiently doesn’t stick nose food either write expect reader get mean expect you’ll write something great least something that’s worth reading People busy You’ve got wow get give precious minute spend — especially don’t know already wow like Delilah audacious Get face don’t rude Make smile laugh find charming Steve Martin say “Be good can’t ignore you” sit next room wait someone notice may happen Write everything assuming best happen Show consistently Delilah never miss meal also regularly come pet walk let lick hand She’s never busy love u often write write every day may publish every day frequently I’m going tell often enough say — publish reader forget Better still show often enough miss you’re gone son went trip three day last month wife say Delilah looked u every night returned welcome got I’m sure missed reader enjoy company they’ll follow anywhere love you’ll find time write matter busy Applying lesson Think become reader’s best friend Here’s thing generous Show love sharing something valuable without expecting anything return Expect best sit write dig deep share something awesome won’t always hit park you’ll definitely take better swing attitude Show love work it’s obligation start feeling like chore rekindle spark got writing first place Find writer get excited journey fun you’re traveling alone Love reader they’ll love back make friend easily man’s best friendTags Marketing Business Creativity Personal Development Writing

The Placebo Effect is Stronger than We Thought

Photo by Hal Gatewood on Unsplash You probably know what a placebo is. It’s a substance or procedure that should have no physiological effect when administered. It is inert, a sugar pill. You probably also know what the placebo effect is. It is when a therapeutic benefit is obtained, despite the sugar pill having no composition to effect physiological change. But you might not be aware of the fact that someone could be told that they are taking a placebo and still derive benefits. Open-label placebos have been effective in reducing the painful symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome when compared to a control group that received nothing at all. It is a great breakthrough as the painful symptoms of some ailments and the harmful side-effects of certain drugs can be eliminated. And while it isn’t some great panacea for every ailment known to man, it is another highlight of the mind triumphing over matter for the alleviation of symptoms of illness. But there’s even more to the strange wonder of the placebo effect. After open-label placebo experiments took place and the effects were noted, researchers began to question if a detailed explanation of what a placebo was versus a brief explanation of what a placebo was would affect the alleviation of symptoms. It’s strange enough that something that has no inherent ability to change one’s physiological state is able to do so. It’s even stranger when the person knows that what they’re taking is inert. One would think that any effect that would be caused by belief (or ignorance) would be cancelled by education, but it isn’t. Researchers recently studied the effect of open-label placebos on participants who had a detailed education on what a placebo is versus participants who received a short explanation. The results showed that both groups experienced a reduction of pain compared to the control group who received no treatment. The amount of education on placebos had no effect on the amount of pain the participants experienced. While more research should be done, the placebo effect continues to astound. It seems that despite knowing that one is taking a placebo, the psychological effect of knowing what a placebo can do is enough to alleviate pain, no matter how much or how little one knows. Placebos may not be making physiological changes, but its role in unearthing psychological change is something researchers will be paying attention to in the years to come as it dares us to question what else our minds can do for our health and our overall lives.

https://medium.com/swlh/the-placebo-effect-is-stronger-than-we-thought-635e457a1c5e

['Jason Henry']

2020-01-10 18:15:04.980000+00:00

['Research', 'Self', 'Health', 'Science', 'Psychology']

Title Placebo Effect Stronger ThoughtContent Photo Hal Gatewood Unsplash probably know placebo It’s substance procedure physiological effect administered inert sugar pill probably also know placebo effect therapeutic benefit obtained despite sugar pill composition effect physiological change might aware fact someone could told taking placebo still derive benefit Openlabel placebo effective reducing painful symptom irritable bowel syndrome compared control group received nothing great breakthrough painful symptom ailment harmful sideeffects certain drug eliminated isn’t great panacea every ailment known man another highlight mind triumphing matter alleviation symptom illness there’s even strange wonder placebo effect openlabel placebo experiment took place effect noted researcher began question detailed explanation placebo versus brief explanation placebo would affect alleviation symptom It’s strange enough something inherent ability change one’s physiological state able It’s even stranger person know they’re taking inert One would think effect would caused belief ignorance would cancelled education isn’t Researchers recently studied effect openlabel placebo participant detailed education placebo versus participant received short explanation result showed group experienced reduction pain compared control group received treatment amount education placebo effect amount pain participant experienced research done placebo effect continues astound seems despite knowing one taking placebo psychological effect knowing placebo enough alleviate pain matter much little one know Placebos may making physiological change role unearthing psychological change something researcher paying attention year come dare u question else mind health overall livesTags Research Self Health Science Psychology

Writing is Fun, but Editing is Work

Editing is a different beast. If writing and plotting are like playing a song, editing is like tuning a guitar. (Okay, except that you edit after you write, not before. Don’t dig too much into this metaphor.) Except that guitar has 80,000 strings that all need to be perfectly pitched. That’s gonna take a while. Even with a good guide, editing is a bitch. As I’ve said before, I’ve been using Self Editing for Fiction Writers. It is a deceptively slim volume, but it’s packed full of great information and exercises. The little cartoons are funny, too. The book, along with Shaunta’s guidance, gave me a solid place to get started. I already have a pretty good grasp on the first chapter’s material, which is all about exposition versus narrative. Basically, asking whether we’re told about how your story plays out, or if we’re watching it play out in a scene. Good modern novels need a balance of exposition and narrative. So Shaunta guided me into the first step of working on dialogue tags. Basically, I’m searching out every instance of the word “said”, and deciding whether or not it can be replaced with a dialogue tag. This was a good idea. I have bad habit of doing something like this: “Job,” Char said. A small smile crested on her lips. “I haven’t heard that verse in years.” It’s not bad writing (if I dare say so myself), but it can be tightened up. One of Strunk and White’s cardinal laws, after all, is OMIT NEEDLESS WORDS. So, are any of these words needless? We’ve got dialogue, a dialogue tag, an action beat, and more dialogue. Can we combine any of these? Yes. Almost any time you have a tag and a beat together, you can get rid of the tag and work the speaker’s name into the beat. We’ll know who’s talking, and cut down on a few words in the process. Here’s how I revised that. “Job.” A small smile crossed Char’s lips. “I haven’t heard that verse in years.” A little bit more economical. The prose is a little tighter. To go back to the guitar metaphor, the string is a little tighter, a little closer to the perfect pitch. None of the meaning changes. We still know who’s speaking. Win, win, win.

https://zachjpayne.medium.com/writing-is-fun-but-editing-is-work-31893386b139

['Zach J. Payne']

2019-02-12 03:22:32.135000+00:00

['Storytelling', 'Creativity', 'Editing', 'Art', 'Writing']

Title Writing Fun Editing WorkContent Editing different beast writing plotting like playing song editing like tuning guitar Okay except edit write Don’t dig much metaphor Except guitar 80000 string need perfectly pitched That’s gonna take Even good guide editing bitch I’ve said I’ve using Self Editing Fiction Writers deceptively slim volume it’s packed full great information exercise little cartoon funny book along Shaunta’s guidance gave solid place get started already pretty good grasp first chapter’s material exposition versus narrative Basically asking whether we’re told story play we’re watching play scene Good modern novel need balance exposition narrative Shaunta guided first step working dialogue tag Basically I’m searching every instance word “said” deciding whether replaced dialogue tag good idea bad habit something like “Job” Char said small smile crested lip “I haven’t heard verse years” It’s bad writing dare say tightened One Strunk White’s cardinal law OMIT NEEDLESS WORDS word needle We’ve got dialogue dialogue tag action beat dialogue combine Yes Almost time tag beat together get rid tag work speaker’s name beat We’ll know who’s talking cut word process Here’s revised “Job” small smile crossed Char’s lip “I haven’t heard verse years” little bit economical prose little tighter go back guitar metaphor string little tighter little closer perfect pitch None meaning change still know who’s speaking Win win winTags Storytelling Creativity Editing Art Writing

Getting Started With Exploratory Data Analysis

I remember the first time I heard that term. The way it was said, made me understand that I was supposed to have known it. Of course I played along… Yea, sure EDA… no big deal! But it was sure a big deal. I got to understand what it meant though but I was still pretty much in the dark. I had questions; how far to go? How to go? What am I doing? When should I stop? How should I stop? Explore- means to investigate systematically, Analysis-means decomposition into components in order to study. These are pretty much closely related. So it is basically that you’re trying to break down and investigate on Data. But then, lets go formal; According to Wikipedia, exploratory data analysis is an approach to analyzing data sets to summarize their main characteristics, often with visual methods. The processes of Exploratory Data Analysis involves performing an observation check on the datasets to observe anomalies and finding out patterns with the datasets. So back to not being formal again; How far to go?…Answer: All the way if you’ve got the time and luxury of fetching out as much discovery as you can for your project or client How to go?… Answer: Orderly and systematically. What am I doing?… Answer: Looking for clues and patterns in the datasets focused towards solving the problem for which you selected or extracted the data for. When should I stop?… Answer: When you have found patterns that can help you solve your problems or when you can’t find clues or useful patterns anymore. How to end?… Answer: With summaries of your findings clearly stated and of course in an orderly manner. Some EDAs come before other processes such as prediction. So you would want to get all the information you can to help you with your next task, process or decision. Exploratory Data Analysis Processes (EDA) varies according to the datasets being used and the person performing the process although it is expected that certain general observations be made about the same datasets. When performing EDAs, you basically look for any clue (this could be in the structure of the dataset, the information surrounding patterns formed, reasons if there are any or basically anything), pick it up and run with it. Then do a repeat with as much clues as you can get. Remember the “orderly and systematic process”?... That’s why you try to see where that clue leads you too before you pick up another clue to investigate more on. To better explain this processes, I will use the US unemployment Rate datasets from the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Statistics to get you STARTED. Then I would let you continue. This datasets is from the year 1990 to 2016. In order to perform EDA, it is important to have a background knowledge on what the datasets is/will be all about. For example someone who doesn’t understand what Unemployment rate is would simply operate blindly with the datasets. I performed the entire process in Kaggle basically because of the size of the datasets and the availability of an accelerator (GPU) and memory. You should check Kaggle out if you haven’t. It is such a wonderful space for everything datasets to data resources and tools. Understanding the Basic Structure of The Datasets: I needed to have an idea of what the data set looked like so I viewed the first five and last five rows: As soon as I saw the first five row, I had to quickly ask myself if the Year, Month and State had repeated values( that is ‘2015’, ‘February’ and ‘Mississippi’). So I had to quickly check the last 5 rows. And I changed my mind with asking that question when I saw different values. Next, I checked the data types and the shape(number of rows and columns). So I discovered that the Year column contained integers. The Month, State and Country basically object types (string in this case) and the Rate column, float(having decimals). I also discovered that the data shape was quite large(885548 rows and 5 columns), as expected, considering that it is for the United States. Next I checked if this large datasets had missing values. Lucky me, I discovered it didn’t. All rows were present with the appropriate data as a matter of fact. The image below just shows that no row was missing. I then though of viewing some statistical details in the datasets since I had some rows that were made up of numbers. This is what i discovered: I found out that the minimum (smallest) value in the Year column was 1990(ignore the other zeros) and the maximum value was 2016. From this I could tell that the latest year represented was 2016 and the earliest was 1990… just the way I expected. It is important to note that no datasets should be trusted because anything could have happened at some point to the datasets; from the point of collection to the point of download. The table above also shows that the highest unemployment rate was 58.4%, an outlier (a value far off from other values in the same column); pretty high and this definitely makes it an outlier especially when you consider the third quartile; the value (7.7%). But we’d look at it a bit later. More information from the table! It can also be seen that the minimum column was 0.00%; a zero unemployment Rate! Questions are starting to pop up… I mean… because a zero unemployment rate isn’t quite a good thing. How do I know? I researched zero unemployment rate! The mean unemployment rate was recorded as 6.18%. Taking a Closer Look at the Content of the Dataset My attention went to the State Column next. Like, first of all, are all states in the US represented? And if yes, prove it! Show me! Because I can imagine this unemployment rate would vary from state to state and would also come together(in form of mean)to give the general results of unemployment rate for the entire country. My findings? 47 states only… with the absence of Alaska, Florida and Georgia. Why? I’m not sure… I mean because Florida is the 7th most populous state in the US, Georgia the 8th most populous state and Alaska covering the largest area in the US. And all these states have been in existence since 1990. Could it be that these states would have influenced greatly the general unemployment rate for the US? Or the people who gathered the dataset lost some. Or my dataset source isn’t valid. Or any other hypothesis you may have? Let’s move on because we can’t answer these questions yet. Next is understanding how these states are represented by the number of rows they occupy in the entire dataset. Having this in mind; that we have a county column: So, it is clear that they occupy different number of rows. Why would this be so? Remember there is a County column? yep! Different number of counties per state would make the number of rows occupied vary. Don’t forget visuals This first visual above gives an easy view of the number of rows occupied per state. It is such a large graph else the y axes should be a bit more detailed in terms of giving the viewer a great estimate of the number of rows occupied per state. Finding out the number of counties and the names of the counties: 1752 Counties represented and that is alot to display. Another issue is that Counties are not evenly represented. Aha! Something we were suspecting on the States column but couldn’t conclude because of the varying number of Counties. But since, all the months of the year should be the same for all years and the counties should be repeated the same number of times per month for each year and for the same number of years, So we know something is truly wrong with this dataset. And would this mean that the average unemployment rate for the entire country won’t be quite accurate and not well representing of all states and counties? Yes, definitely! Next, picking up on another clue; that large unemployment rate we saw displayed on the statistic summary. Could that have been an error since some outliers are said to be errors? Let’s look at a boxplot for this information: It is seen that the outliers happen to be alot. Outliers are sometimes said to be errors, but from the graph above, I might actually say that it isn’t, because of the number of outliers present. seems to me that alot of counties experienced this high rate of unemployment as well. Just that in relation to the entire dataset, they are few. Below are displays of these high unemployment rate. I’m curious about getting a definite percentage figure of these outliers. They sure don’t make our dataset pretty and they pose alot of confusions about them truly being outliers, But if I can confirm that they aren’t much and aren’t just caused by a big gap in our dataset, then I would gladly move along and pay them no attention. So from information gotten from the boxblot, extracting the number of these outliers and the percentage as well in relation to the entire dataset, and getting the number of rows of unemployment rate greater than 15%; Number of rows with unemployment rate greater than 15% is 13,868 and that is just 1.57% of our entire dataset. That’s it, I’m done with the outlier thing. Oh, one more thing first: A little more detail about the largest Unemployment rate in the entire dataset : The highest unemployment rate recorder is 58.4%. in 1992, San Juan County, Colorado. This value is seriously high and posses lots of questions. Like what actually happened that lead to the high unemployment rate. The only activity around that period that may have caused this is the after effect of the recession that happened for 8 months between July 1990 to March 1991, because there are no histories of natural disasters, pandemic or anything of that nature! I won’t give much details on the other high unemployment rates in this percentage, because I have observed that they are from different years. No particular pattern. I mean, take a look: But then, How about the states, is there any pattern? oops! Sure! 39 states have their unemployment rates in several counties higher than 15%. And 8 states managed to maintain unemployment rates in the different counties, from 1990 to 2016 to be less than 15%. These states are Delaware, Wyoming, Kansas, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Nebraska and Rhode Island. Amazing! So, I’d just move to some other clue. Zero Unemployment Rate: 2 major counties in Texas kept having 0 unemployment rate though a three year span. This makes the Dataset questionable as a lot of people would argue that a zero unemployment rate is practically impossible. But then if data don’t lie, I smell problems forth coming in the following years basically because a zero unemployment rate would mean that the every person in the work force of that county was employed and so it would be difficult to upscale business, get more staff to grow the business and sack people who aren’t performing up to the company’s or organisational standard. But that wasn’t the case in the following years, so I would assume that these rates are errors, They probably weren’t imputed; my thoughts! Observing Grouped Data I cut my trail on individual state and county patterns and wanted to group my dataset and I did per state then per year: The state with the lowest average unemployment rate(through 1990 to 2016) is Nebraska (3.1%) and the state with the highest average unemployment rate is Arizona(9.3%). The year that had the lowest average unemployment rate was 2000 (4.32%). This shows us indeed that the US only started to experience this recession after the year 2000 although other countries started to experience it from the year 2000. The highest unemployment rate was in 2010 (9.19%). I would like to attribute this high unemployment rate to the great recession that took place between December 2007 and June 2009. Most recession cases are seen to have ended with growing unemployment rate lasting for nothing less than a year. So we can go on and on investigating (I would let you do that). Did you pick up any trail to follow? You could investigate more as to how the unemployment rate trended in the state with the highest average unemployment rate or the one with the lowest. You could also investigate the pattern of unemployment rate (from January to December) for each year or months. There are so many patterns that can be found. But don’t forget to visualize. You could check out my notebook for this Unemployment Rate Dataset HERE So yeah, EDA,… maybe not such a big deal!

https://medium.com/swlh/getting-started-with-exploratory-data-analysis-756732a5bf0e

['Gold Ochim']

2020-11-27 00:00:42.541000+00:00

['Exploratory Data Analysis', 'Unemployment Rate', 'Analysis', 'Kaggle', 'Wrangling']

Title Getting Started Exploratory Data AnalysisContent remember first time heard term way said made understand supposed known course played along… Yea sure EDA… big deal sure big deal got understand meant though still pretty much dark question far go go stop stop Explore mean investigate systematically Analysismeans decomposition component order study pretty much closely related basically you’re trying break investigate Data let go formal According Wikipedia exploratory data analysis approach analyzing data set summarize main characteristic often visual method process Exploratory Data Analysis involves performing observation check datasets observe anomaly finding pattern datasets back formal far go…Answer way you’ve got time luxury fetching much discovery project client go… Answer Orderly systematically doing… Answer Looking clue pattern datasets focused towards solving problem selected extracted data stop… Answer found pattern help solve problem can’t find clue useful pattern anymore end… Answer summary finding clearly stated course orderly manner EDAs come process prediction would want get information help next task process decision Exploratory Data Analysis Processes EDA varies according datasets used person performing process although expected certain general observation made datasets performing EDAs basically look clue could structure dataset information surrounding pattern formed reason basically anything pick run repeat much clue get Remember “orderly systematic process” That’s try see clue lead pick another clue investigate better explain process use US unemployment Rate datasets US Department Labor’s Bureau Statistics get STARTED would let continue datasets year 1990 2016 order perform EDA important background knowledge datasets iswill example someone doesn’t understand Unemployment rate would simply operate blindly datasets performed entire process Kaggle basically size datasets availability accelerator GPU memory check Kaggle haven’t wonderful space everything datasets data resource tool Understanding Basic Structure Datasets needed idea data set looked like viewed first five last five row soon saw first five row quickly ask Year Month State repeated value ‘2015’ ‘February’ ‘Mississippi’ quickly check last 5 row changed mind asking question saw different value Next checked data type shapenumber row column discovered Year column contained integer Month State Country basically object type string case Rate column floathaving decimal also discovered data shape quite large885548 row 5 column expected considering United States Next checked large datasets missing value Lucky discovered didn’t row present appropriate data matter fact image show row missing though viewing statistical detail datasets since row made number discovered found minimum smallest value Year column 1990ignore zero maximum value 2016 could tell latest year represented 2016 earliest 1990… way expected important note datasets trusted anything could happened point datasets point collection point download table also show highest unemployment rate 584 outlier value far value column pretty high definitely make outlier especially consider third quartile value 77 we’d look bit later information table also seen minimum column 000 zero unemployment Rate Questions starting pop up… mean… zero unemployment rate isn’t quite good thing know researched zero unemployment rate mean unemployment rate recorded 618 Taking Closer Look Content Dataset attention went State Column next Like first state US represented yes prove Show imagine unemployment rate would vary state state would also come togetherin form meanto give general result unemployment rate entire country finding 47 state only… absence Alaska Florida Georgia I’m sure… mean Florida 7th populous state US Georgia 8th populous state Alaska covering largest area US state existence since 1990 Could state would influenced greatly general unemployment rate US people gathered dataset lost dataset source isn’t valid hypothesis may Let’s move can’t answer question yet Next understanding state represented number row occupy entire dataset mind county column clear occupy different number row would Remember County column yep Different number county per state would make number row occupied vary Don’t forget visuals first visual give easy view number row occupied per state large graph else ax bit detailed term giving viewer great estimate number row occupied per state Finding number county name county 1752 Counties represented alot display Another issue Counties evenly represented Aha Something suspecting States column couldn’t conclude varying number Counties since month year year county repeated number time per month year number year know something truly wrong dataset would mean average unemployment rate entire country won’t quite accurate well representing state county Yes definitely Next picking another clue large unemployment rate saw displayed statistic summary Could error since outlier said error Let’s look boxplot information seen outlier happen alot Outliers sometimes said error graph might actually say isn’t number outlier present seems alot county experienced high rate unemployment well relation entire dataset display high unemployment rate I’m curious getting definite percentage figure outlier sure don’t make dataset pretty pose alot confusion truly outlier confirm aren’t much aren’t caused big gap dataset would gladly move along pay attention information gotten boxblot extracting number outlier percentage well relation entire dataset getting number row unemployment rate greater 15 Number row unemployment rate greater 15 13868 157 entire dataset That’s I’m done outlier thing Oh one thing first little detail largest Unemployment rate entire dataset highest unemployment rate recorder 584 1992 San Juan County Colorado value seriously high posse lot question Like actually happened lead high unemployment rate activity around period may caused effect recession happened 8 month July 1990 March 1991 history natural disaster pandemic anything nature won’t give much detail high unemployment rate percentage observed different year particular pattern mean take look state pattern oops Sure 39 state unemployment rate several county higher 15 8 state managed maintain unemployment rate different county 1990 2016 le 15 state Delaware Wyoming Kansas Connecticut New Hampshire Vermont Nebraska Rhode Island Amazing I’d move clue Zero Unemployment Rate 2 major county Texas kept 0 unemployment rate though three year span make Dataset questionable lot people would argue zero unemployment rate practically impossible data don’t lie smell problem forth coming following year basically zero unemployment rate would mean every person work force county employed would difficult upscale business get staff grow business sack people aren’t performing company’s organisational standard wasn’t case following year would assume rate error probably weren’t imputed thought Observing Grouped Data cut trail individual state county pattern wanted group dataset per state per year state lowest average unemployment ratethrough 1990 2016 Nebraska 31 state highest average unemployment rate Arizona93 year lowest average unemployment rate 2000 432 show u indeed US started experience recession year 2000 although country started experience year 2000 highest unemployment rate 2010 919 would like attribute high unemployment rate great recession took place December 2007 June 2009 recession case seen ended growing unemployment rate lasting nothing le year go investigating would let pick trail follow could investigate unemployment rate trended state highest average unemployment rate one lowest could also investigate pattern unemployment rate January December year month many pattern found don’t forget visualize could check notebook Unemployment Rate Dataset yeah EDA… maybe big dealTags Exploratory Data Analysis Unemployment Rate Analysis Kaggle Wrangling

Loneliness is a Human Paradox

Human animals are gregarious by nature. However, individualism has corrupted our ability to look out for one another. We do not care about others therefore no one cares about us and we become lonely. Although we’re aware that our behavior is against nature, we can’t help but recoil at the mere mention of loneliness, something that is far too close for comfort for an increasing number of us. Although loneliness is a universal predicament, it remains smothered in shame and only talked about in hushed tones if at all. To admit you are lonely is embarrassing as it implies you are bad company. And yet, even the most approachable of people can go through it for various reasons. Sometimes, being lonely is the result of a drastic change of environment, a relationship, or illness. In my case, it’s all three. I immigrated to the US in 2013 and married someone who prefers his own company and whose social circle is actually a dot: me. When depression felled me, I became loneliness not just squared, but cubed. Not that I even lack people skills. A friend once said I’d socialize with a lawnmower and my work has always required going toward others, be it as a journalist or as a tour director. And it’s not that I don’t enjoy my own company either, but from one day to the next it became all I had. This is how I became a so-called “loner”, quite by accident.

https://asingularstory.medium.com/loneliness-is-a-human-paradox-319024073c2d

['A Singular Story']

2020-12-14 12:36:21.232000+00:00

['Self', 'Mental Health', 'Relationships', 'Psychology', 'Society']

Title Loneliness Human ParadoxContent Human animal gregarious nature However individualism corrupted ability look one another care others therefore one care u become lonely Although we’re aware behavior nature can’t help recoil mere mention loneliness something far close comfort increasing number u Although loneliness universal predicament remains smothered shame talked hushed tone admit lonely embarrassing implies bad company yet even approachable people go various reason Sometimes lonely result drastic change environment relationship illness case it’s three immigrated US 2013 married someone prefers company whose social circle actually dot depression felled became loneliness squared cubed even lack people skill friend said I’d socialize lawnmower work always required going toward others journalist tour director it’s don’t enjoy company either one day next became became socalled “loner” quite accidentTags Self Mental Health Relationships Psychology Society

15 Surprising Upwork Hacks That Will Seriously Transform Your Freelancing Game

Upwork gets a bad rap from so-called six-figure freelancer-turned-coaches who’ve made it their mission to advocate against content mills. But actually, the platform is a goldmine for freelancers, especially those at the beginning of their careers. Here’s why: It helps you (literally) start from your scratch — no portfolio, no website, no prior experience needed. It helps you build a portfolio. It helps you figure out your niche. It helps you learn how to deal with clients. It helps you gain confidence so you can go after big shots later in your career. That said, a lot of freelancers fail and give up because they don’t know the right strategies. See, Upwork is a content mill after all. And content mills are saturated with freelancers. It’s like a tank full of fishes competing for space and food. You have to make yourself stand-out. The good news is it’s not that hard to stand-out. You only need a few skills and tactics and in this article, I’ll teach you what they are from my own journey of going from newbie to top-rated.

https://medium.com/better-marketing/15-surprising-upwork-hacks-that-will-seriously-transform-your-freelancing-game-38a845bb6fb0

['Sadia M.']

2020-11-16 19:09:12.278000+00:00

['Marketing', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Careers', 'Creativity', 'Freelancing']

Title 15 Surprising Upwork Hacks Seriously Transform Freelancing GameContent Upwork get bad rap socalled sixfigure freelancerturnedcoaches who’ve made mission advocate content mill actually platform goldmine freelancer especially beginning career Here’s help literally start scratch — portfolio website prior experience needed help build portfolio help figure niche help learn deal client help gain confidence go big shot later career said lot freelancer fail give don’t know right strategy See Upwork content mill content mill saturated freelancer It’s like tank full fish competing space food make standout good news it’s hard standout need skill tactic article I’ll teach journey going newbie topratedTags Marketing Entrepreneurship Careers Creativity Freelancing

11 Book Recommendations from Mark Cuban to Stay at the Top of the Game

11 Book Recommendations from Mark Cuban to Stay at the Top of the Game The books that shaped billionaire’s mind Image by Wikimedia Commons In case you’re looking for books that will help you succeed in business and better understand the world, look no further than the reading list of billionaire Mark Cuban. Mark Cuban, a billionaire technology entrepreneur and investor is a strong reader. Cuban has attributed the first million dollars he made to reading, and he’s said that learning new skills is one of the most important qualities all billionaires share. “Life-long learning is probably the greatest skill,” Cuban says on Arianna Huffington’s The Thrive Global Podcast. He even calls it one of the top three skills billionaires share. If we can imitate his habits and follow his advice, perhaps some of his success will rub off on us. And maybe if we read like him, too. Here are 11 of his top picks for reading material for aspiring as well as current entrepreneurs that Mark Cuban shared on different channels — interviews, podcasts, his social media accounts.

https://medium.com/the-innovation/11-book-recommendations-from-mark-cuban-to-stay-at-the-top-of-the-game-9fe7f7c46294

['Esat Artug']

2020-12-01 22:02:49.179000+00:00

['Books', 'Self Improvement', 'Business', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Startup']

Title 11 Book Recommendations Mark Cuban Stay Top GameContent 11 Book Recommendations Mark Cuban Stay Top Game book shaped billionaire’s mind Image Wikimedia Commons case you’re looking book help succeed business better understand world look reading list billionaire Mark Cuban Mark Cuban billionaire technology entrepreneur investor strong reader Cuban attributed first million dollar made reading he’s said learning new skill one important quality billionaire share “Lifelong learning probably greatest skill” Cuban say Arianna Huffington’s Thrive Global Podcast even call one top three skill billionaire share imitate habit follow advice perhaps success rub u maybe read like 11 top pick reading material aspiring well current entrepreneur Mark Cuban shared different channel — interview podcasts social medium accountsTags Books Self Improvement Business Entrepreneurship Startup

How to Write Prolifically if Your Brain is Sick

Writing is tough enough without adding poor mental health into the mix. Most find it impossible to quiet the anxious thoughts in their heads long enough to focus on writing. What do you do, if all you want to do is write, but your fickle mind won’t let you? I’ve been writing since I could hold a pencil and form a sentence. I’ve also been mentally ill for as long as I’ve been writing. I went through periods of depression where I didn’t create for months. Many times, at the urging of one doctor or another, I’d pick it up again and explore my issues on the page. During my horrible 30’s, I blogged about life with mental illness. I wasn’t a particularly good writer, but my feelings were raw, and I had a readership who identified with me on a deep level. An added benefit was that I was more honest than I could be in regular conversations with people, especially my therapist. She was able to read about what was happening to me and tailor topics for me to address in my sessions. For the past seven years, I have been writing both professionally and personally. But, I wasn’t until I joined Medium in October of 2018 that my writing took off. Not only have I improved as a writer, but I have been impressively prolific. Even though there are periods I can’t manage to write anything, most of the time I spend hours and hours typing into my laptop. I do it every single day. I’ve done all this even though I have a severe mental illness. Photo by Lonely Planet on Unsplash How the hell do you do it? How do I manage to write so much even with hallucinations, racing thoughts, panic attacks, anxiety, and depression? How am I going to push even further and double my output in May? I could talk all day about my process, or about getting “in the flow,” but, for me, getting a lot of writing done boils down to three things: motivation, positive thinking, and stubbornness. Motivation I spend a hell of a lot of time motivating myself to write. If I didn’t do certain things every day, I wouldn’t get up every morning fired up to tell a story. The biggest thing I do to keep myself motivated is to think about writing all the time. While you may say it’s not healthy to obsess, I find if I keep my writing goals in front of me every minute of every day, I am always working hard. Even when I’m not typing into a fresh document, I’m writing. When I’m reading, researching, and brainstorming, I’m still writing. When I’m driving in the car, I’m writing in my head. When I’m posting on social media, I’m documenting conversations to write about later. Even when I’m sleeping, my dreams serve as canvases for me to create new ideas. Yes, I still have a family life. But they know how important it is for me to stay motivated to write. Most of the time, they don’t put pressure on me to do otherwise. They know I need to be reading, promoting on social media, interacting with my fans, and obsessing over my next story. They know that even if they have to ask me something twice because I wasn’t paying attention — I love them and value them. They know how I overthink and ruminate, so they do whatever they can to make sure I am in the right frame of mind to be ready to write as much as I can, whenever I can. I do everything I can to stay motivated. Positive thinking I know, you’ve heard it all before — positive, blah, blah, blah. Don’t get me wrong; I’m no Pollyanna. But I’m always thinking of ways to keep myself in a positive frame of mind. It’s not that I don’t have negative thoughts — I do. But when my mind starts heading down a dark road, I counteract the negative with positive. When I have a negative thought, I think of a positive one. Or two. If I see myself heading down a rabbit hole, I do something to lift myself out. If you looked at my Facebook feed, you would see how I have carefully chosen people to follow so that I always have positive input when things turn negative. I don’t only see positive things on Facebook, but also Twitter, Medium, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. Social media can be a battleground if you let it get that way. A few short months ago, I couldn’t even scroll anymore because there was so much negative shit in post after post. I shut off social media for a few months, and when I was ready to go back, I gave all my accounts an enema. I unfollowed everyone who caused me anxiety. I unliked pages that were feeding garbage into my mind. I cleaned everything away that didn’t make me happy. I am a much more positive person today because of the drastic steps I took to remove the negative from my everyday life. Photo by alexander bracken on Unsplash I am stubborn Above all, I am simply stubborn. If I start to deviate from my goals or the path I need to walk, I force myself back. I’m not easy. Coddling yourself may work for others, but if I want to get anything done, I have to be tough. I chastise myself if I complain too much. If I join a pity-party in progress online, I make myself leave immediately. If I start with negativity or begin to get unmotivated, I steer myself back onto the right road. If going easy on yourself isn’t working, be tough! I didn’t make the drastic changes in my life that I needed until I started being brutal. Be hardcore — but don’t forget to take yourself out for ice cream once in a while. You can do it! You can push yourself to be a great writer. You can be prolific. You can do it even if you have a mental illness. Push yourself to do what you need to do. I told you what works for me, and you are welcome to try what I do. But the bottom line is you need to find what works for YOU! But you will never find what works for you until you stop sitting around feeling sorry for yourself. You will never get anywhere if you aren’t convinced that you can change your life. Stop letting things happen to you and take your life by the neck. Guide it where you want to go and don’t be nice if you don’t have to. Motivate yourself. Think positive. Be stubborn about the things that matter. One day, you will get where you need to be.

https://jasonjamesweiland.medium.com/how-to-write-prolifically-if-your-brain-is-sick-32a8fc102ae1

['Jason Weiland']

2019-08-21 11:02:19.934000+00:00

['Mental Health', 'Social Media', 'Advice', 'Creativity', 'Writing']

Title Write Prolifically Brain SickContent Writing tough enough without adding poor mental health mix find impossible quiet anxious thought head long enough focus writing want write fickle mind won’t let I’ve writing since could hold pencil form sentence I’ve also mentally ill long I’ve writing went period depression didn’t create month Many time urging one doctor another I’d pick explore issue page horrible 30’s blogged life mental illness wasn’t particularly good writer feeling raw readership identified deep level added benefit honest could regular conversation people especially therapist able read happening tailor topic address session past seven year writing professionally personally wasn’t joined Medium October 2018 writing took improved writer impressively prolific Even though period can’t manage write anything time spend hour hour typing laptop every single day I’ve done even though severe mental illness Photo Lonely Planet Unsplash hell manage write much even hallucination racing thought panic attack anxiety depression going push even double output May could talk day process getting “in flow” getting lot writing done boil three thing motivation positive thinking stubbornness Motivation spend hell lot time motivating write didn’t certain thing every day wouldn’t get every morning fired tell story biggest thing keep motivated think writing time may say it’s healthy ob find keep writing goal front every minute every day always working hard Even I’m typing fresh document I’m writing I’m reading researching brainstorming I’m still writing I’m driving car I’m writing head I’m posting social medium I’m documenting conversation write later Even I’m sleeping dream serve canvas create new idea Yes still family life know important stay motivated write time don’t put pressure otherwise know need reading promoting social medium interacting fan obsessing next story know even ask something twice wasn’t paying attention — love value know overthink ruminate whatever make sure right frame mind ready write much whenever everything stay motivated Positive thinking know you’ve heard — positive blah blah blah Don’t get wrong I’m Pollyanna I’m always thinking way keep positive frame mind It’s don’t negative thought — mind start heading dark road counteract negative positive negative thought think positive one two see heading rabbit hole something lift looked Facebook feed would see carefully chosen people follow always positive input thing turn negative don’t see positive thing Facebook also Twitter Medium LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Social medium battleground let get way short month ago couldn’t even scroll anymore much negative shit post post shut social medium month ready go back gave account enema unfollowed everyone caused anxiety unliked page feeding garbage mind cleaned everything away didn’t make happy much positive person today drastic step took remove negative everyday life Photo alexander bracken Unsplash stubborn simply stubborn start deviate goal path need walk force back I’m easy Coddling may work others want get anything done tough chastise complain much join pityparty progress online make leave immediately start negativity begin get unmotivated steer back onto right road going easy isn’t working tough didn’t make drastic change life needed started brutal hardcore — don’t forget take ice cream push great writer prolific even mental illness Push need told work welcome try bottom line need find work never find work stop sitting around feeling sorry never get anywhere aren’t convinced change life Stop letting thing happen take life neck Guide want go don’t nice don’t Motivate Think positive stubborn thing matter One day get need beTags Mental Health Social Media Advice Creativity Writing

The #1 Key to Make More Money in Your Writing Business

Have you ever had an idea for a story that you just couldn’t wait to write? You’re knowledgeable about the subject, and you do a masterful job sharing your enthusiasm with your reader. But it bombs. Nobody reads it, claps for it, or pays you for it. Let me tell you what probably happened. My Personal Failure Years ago, pursuing a lifelong dream, I started a kennel raising top quality German Shepherd dogs. I had terrific dogs with bloodlines back to the breed’s foundations — imported from Germany, Belgium, and Czechoslovakia. The dogs had the best training, conformation, and health. I carefully raised each puppy with the most up-to-date, scientific methods, and socialized them to my exacting standards. On my website, I had their parents’ pedigrees and photos, yet, I was struggling to sell my pups. I’d invested all my money and I was getting desperate. Looking for help, I met a talented marketing expert who asked me this question, “Why should your customer care?” He explained that we all share five core human drives or needs, and these motivate our behavior— including buying a dog. I remember them as A through E: A cquire- we all want material needs and power or status. cquire- we all want material needs and power or status. B elong- humans need to be loved, valued, and understood by others. elong- humans need to be loved, valued, and understood by others. C uriosity- people are curious and enjoy learning. uriosity- people are curious and enjoy learning. D efense- we will protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our property. efense- we will protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our property. Emotion- humans crave experiences that produce pleasure and excitement. This expert suggested that on my updated website, I should explain why my dogs’ genetics would result in a superior puppy, better than the ordinary German Shepherd. He told me to detail how my dog training methods produced puppies they would be proud to own — reliable friends and protectors. I posted copies of their parents’ hip x-rays and explained their diet, carefully formatted diet to prevent health problems. Many photos illustrated the pups’ daily lives — socializing at the airport, playing with kittens and kids, preparing to join the family. They were so cute. Who could resist? Especially with my 100% satisfaction guarantee. Now I had a waiting list of people wanting puppies at three times the price! Customers could imagine how proud they would be to own one of these fantastic dogs and see it fitting into their family. They could picture how comfortable they would be with a magnificent German Shepherd protecting their home. I suspect they even imagined how superior they would feel, knowing they had an expensive dog with ties directly to Germany. It was a lesson I try never to forget. My dogs and their care hadn’t changed. I had just put myself in my customer’s shoes and discovered their needs. We can forget to ask, “Why should my reader care?” Talking to other writers, I realized it’s easy to forget this prime directive, and wonder why no one is reading our work. Each article, essay, or piece we write must fill the reader’s need, not our own. It’s fine to write for yourself, but that is a journal. And few people are paid for sharing their diary entries. Educate, Inspire, Entertain These are the three primary purposes of writing. If a piece does none of these things, it’s unlikely anyone wants to read it. Our writing can educate the reader by inspiring curiosity when we promise to share a tip on improving a skill. The person imagines they can make more money and buy the things they need, hitting the acquire need. When we share a story of personal struggle, perhaps as tragic as a partner’s death, and our inspiring journey learning to love again, it matters. Our reader feels a sense of belonging, knowing we all suffer but there’s still hope. And fiction, humor, and poetry can all entertain and inspire us. At first, looking at your writing this way feels tough. However, it will soon become natural to you. If it bleeds, it leads. You’ve heard that old newspaper saying that means violence and tragedy are always top articles, and perhaps thought, “That is exploitative.” I will not suggest you capitalize on tragedy but rather understand the truth behind that saying. We are interested in the experiences of other people, whether happy or sad. Unless you are an academic, technical, or scientific writer, you need to include human stories in what you write. Writing styles change over time. We are in an era that favors creative nonfiction. This modern form combines elements of storytelling with facts, to educate and inform. Even journalists, who in former times may have been content to answer who, what, when, and where — now delve into the why. Why should the reader care? Check out this theory and see if I’m right. We know we’ve got to hook the reader with an intriguing headline for a relevant topic. Here are some popular stories from today; it’s easy to see how each one resounds with human needs. I Spent 3 Weeks in School, With Kids, Under Covid-19 The private school where I teach followed CDC guidelines to the letter. Let this be a cautionary tale. An Obsessive Misogynist Killed a New Jersey Judge’s Son. He’s Long Targeted Feminists, Too. How many people have to die before we take sexism seriously? How to Make Your First Twenty-Five Dollars as a Writer The key is to think small. Those Are Effective Topics. The first article appeals to our need to defend or protect ourselves by knowing more about COVID-19. The second article promises to inform us about an important news story, satisfying curiosity and suggesting the author understands the pain created by sexism. The third article says it will tell writers how to begin making money, clearly an acquisition. Of course, each article follows up with clear writing, proper formatting, and meeting the reader’s expectations. Keep the principles of meeting basic needs in mind and you’ll be an effective and compelling writer—and more successful.

https://medium.com/ninja-writers/the-1-key-to-make-more-money-in-your-writing-business-6bcdf960b3b

['Cindy Heath']

2020-08-02 17:48:21.990000+00:00

['Storytelling', 'Writing Tips', 'Creativity', 'Success', 'Writing']

Title 1 Key Make Money Writing BusinessContent ever idea story couldn’t wait write You’re knowledgeable subject masterful job sharing enthusiasm reader bomb Nobody read clap pay Let tell probably happened Personal Failure Years ago pursuing lifelong dream started kennel raising top quality German Shepherd dog terrific dog bloodline back breed’s foundation — imported Germany Belgium Czechoslovakia dog best training conformation health carefully raised puppy uptodate scientific method socialized exacting standard website parents’ pedigree photo yet struggling sell pup I’d invested money getting desperate Looking help met talented marketing expert asked question “Why customer care” explained share five core human drive need motivate behavior— including buying dog remember E cquire want material need power status cquire want material need power status B elong human need loved valued understood others elong human need loved valued understood others C uriosity people curious enjoy learning uriosity people curious enjoy learning efense protect loved one property efense protect loved one property Emotion human crave experience produce pleasure excitement expert suggested updated website explain dogs’ genetics would result superior puppy better ordinary German Shepherd told detail dog training method produced puppy would proud — reliable friend protector posted copy parents’ hip xrays explained diet carefully formatted diet prevent health problem Many photo illustrated pups’ daily life — socializing airport playing kitten kid preparing join family cute could resist Especially 100 satisfaction guarantee waiting list people wanting puppy three time price Customers could imagine proud would one fantastic dog see fitting family could picture comfortable would magnificent German Shepherd protecting home suspect even imagined superior would feel knowing expensive dog tie directly Germany lesson try never forget dog care hadn’t changed put customer’s shoe discovered need forget ask “Why reader care” Talking writer realized it’s easy forget prime directive wonder one reading work article essay piece write must fill reader’s need It’s fine write journal people paid sharing diary entry Educate Inspire Entertain three primary purpose writing piece none thing it’s unlikely anyone want read writing educate reader inspiring curiosity promise share tip improving skill person imago make money buy thing need hitting acquire need share story personal struggle perhaps tragic partner’s death inspiring journey learning love matter reader feel sense belonging knowing suffer there’s still hope fiction humor poetry entertain inspire u first looking writing way feel tough However soon become natural bleeds lead You’ve heard old newspaper saying mean violence tragedy always top article perhaps thought “That exploitative” suggest capitalize tragedy rather understand truth behind saying interested experience people whether happy sad Unless academic technical scientific writer need include human story write Writing style change time era favor creative nonfiction modern form combine element storytelling fact educate inform Even journalist former time may content answer — delve reader care Check theory see I’m right know we’ve got hook reader intriguing headline relevant topic popular story today it’s easy see one resounds human need Spent 3 Weeks School Kids Covid19 private school teach followed CDC guideline letter Let cautionary tale Obsessive Misogynist Killed New Jersey Judge’s Son He’s Long Targeted Feminists many people die take sexism seriously Make First TwentyFive Dollars Writer key think small Effective Topics first article appeal need defend protect knowing COVID19 second article promise inform u important news story satisfying curiosity suggesting author understands pain created sexism third article say tell writer begin making money clearly acquisition course article follows clear writing proper formatting meeting reader’s expectation Keep principle meeting basic need mind you’ll effective compelling writer—and successfulTags Storytelling Writing Tips Creativity Success Writing

How to Change Your Mind Over a Glass of Wine

How to Change Your Mind Over a Glass of Wine Becoming an expert in anything, whether it’s wine tasting or mathematics, changes the way you perceive the world. By Ann-Sophie Barwich Expertise is less about knowledge and more about observing things that elude novices. Through training, experts learn to see, taste, smell, and hear things that the rest of us can’t, therefore allowing them to perceive the world differently. This became clear to me after spending a weekend in conversation with an expert winemaker in Napa Valley. Wine tasting is a peculiar profession (and not just because critics spit $50 mouthfuls into a bucket). Sommeliers can sound like they’re speaking in a strange foreign language. Wines are said to possess “roundness, generosity, and depth.” Their aromas are berrylike (strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, whatever berry), further containing hints of tobacco, vanilla, leather, and plum. Other aroma labels don’t sound like they belong in food, like “ pencil shavings,” “ petrol,” and — wait for it — ” cat’s piss.” But all these things cannot possibly be in a glass of wine, can they? The lyrical waxing of wine experts is hard to buy in its sincerity. Even poets like Kingsley Amis mocked their manners: “When I find someone I respect writing about an edgy, nervous wine that dithered in the glass, I cringe. When I hear someone that I don’t respect talk about an austere, unforgiving wine, I turn a bit austere and unforgiving myself … You can call a wine red, and dry, and strong and pleasant. After that, watch out…” Lots of people think of wine tasting as a scam. But wine tasting is a true scientific art — it’s just that words sometimes get in the way of it being taken seriously. Gasoline-smelling wines do not contain petrol per se — we hope — but often share compounds with another substance with a recognizable aroma. The brains of sommeliers learn how to link categories of sensory experience (i.e., “this smells like petrol”) to qualitative categories of specific chemical compounds. Aged Riesling, for example, contains TDN (short for 1,1,6-trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene), a compound with the aroma of petrol. TDN is a result of carotenoids (organic pigments found in many foods, including grapes) breaking down, a process accelerated by higher temperatures. Many odd wine descriptors, including “rubber hose” and — yes — ”cat’s piss,” can be identified as a specific chemical compound by expert noses. In the case of cat’s piss, it’s the compound pyrazine found in Sauvignon Blanc. Wine has several hundred aroma compounds, which is more molecular information than most of our brains have the ability to compute. Sommeliers have learned how to direct their sensory spotlight to identify specific compounds in a complex mixture. They have trained themselves to be extremely good at discriminating and identifying individual aromas and aroma patterns. The best wine experts can identify a vintage down to its specific vineyard and even year with a virtuosity that can occasionally take less than a minute. Acquiring this skillset not only makes sommeliers a knowledgeable (if not sometimes exasperating) dinner-party guest. It actually alters the structure and activity of their brains. Comparing the brain of a mathematician with that of a sommelier, we find remarkable similarities. In both cases, the cellular density of white and gray matter in designated areas increases. Whether it’s sniffing Syrah or performing calculus, the acquisition of expertise makes parts of the brain thicker. In mathematicians, for example, one of the most prominent changes in the density of gray matter is found in the superior frontal gyrus, an area also linked with the coordination of self-awareness and, most intriguing, laughter. In comparison, changes in sommeliers’ brain volume were found in the right insula and entorhinal cortex, areas that are notably involved in memory processing. Such changes in neural density give those areas enhanced cortical connectivity and signaling speed, as the synaptic connections by which neurons communicate become more tightly packed. A consequence of increased neural density is that dedicated specialized areas of the brain better integrate and orchestrate otherwise widespread neural activity. Expertise of any kind results in a more sophisticated communication architecture of the brain. But here’s the paradox. When an expert’s brain grows, they also use less of it. The more proficient you are at wine tasting, the less activity we’ll see in your brain’s fMRI recording, as reported in a scientific study from 2014. If you’re processing more information, though, how are you using your brain less? This observation is less puzzling if you compare your brain to the body of an athlete. You’ll need to put in less overall effort to lift weights if your body is trained to do so routinely. With practice, some brain activities become “automatized” and, according to the neuroscientist Christof Koch, resemble a “ zombie agent” — meaning these processes require less and less conscious effort and attention. So do sommeliers become merely better at memorizing patterns, like in the legendary study of hippocampi in London cab drivers, or do they also get better at the sensory part of smelling itself? The answer is both. Notably, a sommelier’s skill is not exclusively a method of memory ( this is what a Cabernet Sauvignon typically smells like, and that is the aroma profile of a Barolo). Training further enhances their ability to be more receptive to aromas in a mixture: the sensitivity to odors changes with repeated exposure. Whether it’s sniffing Syrah or performing calculus, the acquisition of expertise makes parts of the brain thicker. Yet the real surprise is this: The previously mentioned 2014 fMRI study on expert sommeliers suggests that sensory expertise modifies your experience of reality — it affects not just the ability to identify and recall things on a cognitive level, but also consciousness itself. During tasting, the scientists observed activation in the brain stem of experts but not in novices. This finding (which is still being further explored) implies a difference in how sensory information is integrated into the cortical cognitive activity of experts and novices. Engaging with your perception on an analytical level thus makes a difference in the quality of your experience by fine-tuning your brain to its input (and having it reorganize its neural story to match). Hold that thought: You get more control of the quality and content of your own conscious experience … by thinking while drinking wine. And yet we hesitate to trust sommeliers’ abilities. That’s because of our outmoded views of mind and brain, particularly our understanding of the senses. The philosopher René Descartes, the influential source of so many misled thoughts about the mind, famously claimed that you could not trust your senses. He believed that the existence of illusions proved the unreliability of perception, and that it is impossible to establish a difference in the experience of dreams and reality. Descartes’ skepticism led him as far as to doubt whether our entire experience may just be a hallucination induced by an evil demon. And you can’t trust your senses to reflect reality, neither by referring to what you see and hear or smell, nor by any other empirical observation. (Although demons are said to come with a pungent odor.) For Descartes, the only assurance of our material existence was the use of pure analytic reason — I think, therefore I am. The irrefutable truth from which all other truths must follow. Except Descartes was wrong. Our senses do not “deceive” us. They are built on experience. That experience can vary through our engagement with the world, and therefore different people see, taste, hear, smell, and feel the world differently. There isn’t one shared reality that all conscious beings observe; the wine tastes different to all of us, despite the drop in our glass being from the same bottle. The dress is black and blue. I heard Laurel, not Yanny. This shows how perception is markedly dynamic. That insight amounts to more than saying that you create your own reality. As sensory expertise enrichens the content of conscious awareness, you perceive more of the world, not just differently. The acquisition of expertise broadens your perspective — and not only on the particular thing you specialize in. Acquiring expertise has the hidden benefit of developing a cognitive meta-skill: you learn how to learn. Such a skill provides a scaffold — both sensory and cognitive — to approach learning about other areas you may not be sufficiently familiar with. Knowing one thing well allows you to branch out to other things without getting lost in the process. Knowledge develops with experience, and experience develops with knowledge. Or as Eleanor Roosevelt said: “When you are genuinely interested in one thing, it will always lead to something else.”

https://medium.com/neodotlife/how-to-change-your-mind-over-a-glass-of-wine-6d85a3e19303

[]

2020-11-26 01:38:19.638000+00:00

['Health', 'Neuroscience', 'Wine', 'Self Improvement', 'Science']

Title Change Mind Glass WineContent Change Mind Glass Wine Becoming expert anything whether it’s wine tasting mathematics change way perceive world AnnSophie Barwich Expertise le knowledge observing thing elude novice training expert learn see taste smell hear thing rest u can’t therefore allowing perceive world differently became clear spending weekend conversation expert winemaker Napa Valley Wine tasting peculiar profession critic spit 50 mouthful bucket Sommeliers sound like they’re speaking strange foreign language Wines said posse “roundness generosity depth” aroma berrylike strawberry raspberry blueberry blackberry whatever berry containing hint tobacco vanilla leather plum aroma label don’t sound like belong food like “ pencil shavings” “ petrol” — wait — ” cat’s piss” thing cannot possibly glass wine lyrical waxing wine expert hard buy sincerity Even poet like Kingsley Amis mocked manner “When find someone respect writing edgy nervous wine dithered glass cringe hear someone don’t respect talk austere unforgiving wine turn bit austere unforgiving … call wine red dry strong pleasant watch out…” Lots people think wine tasting scam wine tasting true scientific art — it’s word sometimes get way taken seriously Gasolinesmelling wine contain petrol per se — hope — often share compound another substance recognizable aroma brain sommelier learn link category sensory experience ie “this smell like petrol” qualitative category specific chemical compound Aged Riesling example contains TDN short 116trimethyl12dihydronaphthalene compound aroma petrol TDN result carotenoid organic pigment found many food including grape breaking process accelerated higher temperature Many odd wine descriptor including “rubber hose” — yes — ”cat’s piss” identified specific chemical compound expert nose case cat’s piss it’s compound pyrazine found Sauvignon Blanc Wine several hundred aroma compound molecular information brain ability compute Sommeliers learned direct sensory spotlight identify specific compound complex mixture trained extremely good discriminating identifying individual aroma aroma pattern best wine expert identify vintage specific vineyard even year virtuosity occasionally take le minute Acquiring skillset make sommelier knowledgeable sometimes exasperating dinnerparty guest actually alters structure activity brain Comparing brain mathematician sommelier find remarkable similarity case cellular density white gray matter designated area increase Whether it’s sniffing Syrah performing calculus acquisition expertise make part brain thicker mathematician example one prominent change density gray matter found superior frontal gyrus area also linked coordination selfawareness intriguing laughter comparison change sommeliers’ brain volume found right insula entorhinal cortex area notably involved memory processing change neural density give area enhanced cortical connectivity signaling speed synaptic connection neuron communicate become tightly packed consequence increased neural density dedicated specialized area brain better integrate orchestrate otherwise widespread neural activity Expertise kind result sophisticated communication architecture brain here’s paradox expert’s brain grows also use le proficient wine tasting le activity we’ll see brain’s fMRI recording reported scientific study 2014 you’re processing information though using brain le observation le puzzling compare brain body athlete You’ll need put le overall effort lift weight body trained routinely practice brain activity become “automatized” according neuroscientist Christof Koch resemble “ zombie agent” — meaning process require le le conscious effort attention sommelier become merely better memorizing pattern like legendary study hippocampus London cab driver also get better sensory part smelling answer Notably sommelier’s skill exclusively method memory Cabernet Sauvignon typically smell like aroma profile Barolo Training enhances ability receptive aroma mixture sensitivity odor change repeated exposure Whether it’s sniffing Syrah performing calculus acquisition expertise make part brain thicker Yet real surprise previously mentioned 2014 fMRI study expert sommelier suggests sensory expertise modifies experience reality — affect ability identify recall thing cognitive level also consciousness tasting scientist observed activation brain stem expert novice finding still explored implies difference sensory information integrated cortical cognitive activity expert novice Engaging perception analytical level thus make difference quality experience finetuning brain input reorganize neural story match Hold thought get control quality content conscious experience … thinking drinking wine yet hesitate trust sommeliers’ ability That’s outmoded view mind brain particularly understanding sens philosopher René Descartes influential source many misled thought mind famously claimed could trust sens believed existence illusion proved unreliability perception impossible establish difference experience dream reality Descartes’ skepticism led far doubt whether entire experience may hallucination induced evil demon can’t trust sens reflect reality neither referring see hear smell empirical observation Although demon said come pungent odor Descartes assurance material existence use pure analytic reason — think therefore irrefutable truth truth must follow Except Descartes wrong sens “deceive” u built experience experience vary engagement world therefore different people see taste hear smell feel world differently isn’t one shared reality conscious being observe wine taste different u despite drop glass bottle dress black blue heard Laurel Yanny show perception markedly dynamic insight amount saying create reality sensory expertise enrichens content conscious awareness perceive world differently acquisition expertise broadens perspective — particular thing specialize Acquiring expertise hidden benefit developing cognitive metaskill learn learn skill provides scaffold — sensory cognitive — approach learning area may sufficiently familiar Knowing one thing well allows branch thing without getting lost process Knowledge develops experience experience develops knowledge Eleanor Roosevelt said “When genuinely interested one thing always lead something else”Tags Health Neuroscience Wine Self Improvement Science

The Art of Validating Your Book Idea

Validation can mean a couple of things to writers. It can mean that something has happened to validate the audacity of even calling yourself a writer in the first place. Someone really enjoying your work. Someone paying you for it. Someone publishing it. That’s why even a tiny bit of pay can feel incredible. If someone was willing to pay you anything at all for your work, it means that they liked it. They really like it. And maybe you aren’t wasting your time. Maybe there’s some hope for you. It feels fantastic. And then there’s the idea of validating an idea. When you validate an idea, it isn’t about you as a writer. It’s about figuring out whether or not the project you’re thinking about is something that anyone, at all, wants to read. Some things don’t need much validation. They don’t take too long to write and it’s worth just doing the work and seeing what happens. Blog posts come to mind. Social media posts. But there are things that will take you weeks, months, or even years to finish. Maybe you’re writing a book. Or you have an idea for a course or some service you’d like to offer. Or you want to start a whole blog for a specific niche. Before you invest in something that will eat up so many of your resources (meaning your time, energy, and money), then you might want to take the time to validate the idea with potential readers. Validating a Novel or Other Book Let’s start here, because it can be the most difficult. And because you’re going to maybe want to do this for your Blog-Your-Own-Book idea. If you want to validate a novel there are a few things you can do. Look at the market. Are there already a ton of books out there that are very similar to your idea? Figure out the genre of your novel and Google it. Are agents and editors tired of seeing it? You can still tell your story, but you might need to think about a different angle to come at it with. Are there already a ton of books out there that are very similar to your idea? Figure out the genre of your novel and Google it. Are agents and editors tired of seeing it? You can still tell your story, but you might need to think about a different angle to come at it with. Trends . If you’re chasing a trend and you want to be traditionally published, chances are that you’re too late. On the other hand, if something is hot, then it might be a great idea for self-publishing. For instance, a vampire book is still a hard sell right now to traditional markets, but they sell like hotcakes for self-publishers who get them right. . If you’re chasing a trend and you want to be traditionally published, chances are that you’re too late. On the other hand, if something is hot, then it might be a great idea for self-publishing. For instance, a vampire book is still a hard sell right now to traditional markets, but they sell like hotcakes for self-publishers who get them right. Join a writing group. You’ll be able to work through your idea with experienced readers. Go in willing to take the advice you get and be open minded about it. Your BYOB book probably isn’t a novel (although, it might be. You can write any book at all during this challenge.) Here are some ideas for validating a non-fiction book. Look at the market. You’re going to do this in a different way for this type of book. Go look at the shelf (probably on Amazon or another online seller) and research your topic. What’s missing? Where’s the gap you can fill? You’re going to do this in a different way for this type of book. Go look at the shelf (probably on Amazon or another online seller) and research your topic. What’s missing? Where’s the gap you can fill? Ask. It really is that easy. Go into a space where potential readers are, tell them you’ve got a couple of ideas for a book, and ask them which one appeals the most to them. You might be surprised. It really is that easy. Go into a space where potential readers are, tell them you’ve got a couple of ideas for a book, and ask them which one appeals the most to them. You might be surprised. Check out social media. This is my favorite little validation idea. Go into a Facebook group or other social media outlet where people who are your target market hang out. Search through it for questions. Look for keywords that fit your idea. Are people asking about your topic? Are they confused about any part of it? If they are, your book is likely to fill a need. My BYOB Validation Process Over here, I talked about how to choose which book to write for the BYOB Challenge. I came up with a few ideas for myself. (Molly is my fictional ideal reader.) Screenshot: Author The best way to validate, I decided, was to start a poll in the Ninja Writers Facebook Group. Which book would those people, who are actually my ideal readers, like to have from me. Screenshot: Author If I’d just picked a title and didn’t make an effort at validation, I would have chosen ‘creating a roadmap for your writing goals.’ That was my first choice. It’s the book I’d most like to read. But I’m not my own ideal reader. Not now. Me, 25 years ago? Yes. But not now. I write for newer writers who are just getting started. It is very clear, from this poll, that the folks in the Ninja Writers Facebook group would like a book about creating a writing habit. And now that I think about it, that makes sense. They know they want to be writers. What kind of roadmap do they need? Sit your butt down and write. The end. Right? But actually doing that day after day? That’s really hard when you’re just starting out. That’s why I’m not my own ideal reader. I’ve got 25 years experience sitting my butt down and writing every day. I have my habits set pretty well. But getting to my larger goals? That’s something I think about a lot. I could go out and validate again, maybe in a group of writers who are already published or otherwise have more experience. But I don’t want to. I want to write a book for Ninja Writers. Here’s what you’re going to do. Once you have a topic and you’ve come up with a few ideas for your BYOB book (if you need help, read this), do some validation. Ask the people you know who are your ideal readers. Run your list by some friends. Look on Amazon and see if any of your ideas fill a hole in the market. And be openminded. Remember that writing is a service industry. You aren’t writing your book for yourself. You’re writing it for your readers. There’s a balance, of course, where you’ll find your happy place. That’s where you’re writing what you want to write and what other people want to read.

https://shauntagrimes.medium.com/the-art-of-validating-your-book-idea-f62bf8bfc011

['Shaunta Grimes']

2020-07-07 18:33:14.313000+00:00

['Publishing', 'Productivity', 'Creativity', 'Byob', 'Writing']

Title Art Validating Book IdeaContent Validation mean couple thing writer mean something happened validate audacity even calling writer first place Someone really enjoying work Someone paying Someone publishing That’s even tiny bit pay feel incredible someone willing pay anything work mean liked really like maybe aren’t wasting time Maybe there’s hope feel fantastic there’s idea validating idea validate idea isn’t writer It’s figuring whether project you’re thinking something anyone want read thing don’t need much validation don’t take long write it’s worth work seeing happens Blog post come mind Social medium post thing take week month even year finish Maybe you’re writing book idea course service you’d like offer want start whole blog specific niche invest something eat many resource meaning time energy money might want take time validate idea potential reader Validating Novel Book Let’s start difficult you’re going maybe want BlogYourOwnBook idea want validate novel thing Look market already ton book similar idea Figure genre novel Google agent editor tired seeing still tell story might need think different angle come already ton book similar idea Figure genre novel Google agent editor tired seeing still tell story might need think different angle come Trends you’re chasing trend want traditionally published chance you’re late hand something hot might great idea selfpublishing instance vampire book still hard sell right traditional market sell like hotcake selfpublishers get right you’re chasing trend want traditionally published chance you’re late hand something hot might great idea selfpublishing instance vampire book still hard sell right traditional market sell like hotcake selfpublishers get right Join writing group You’ll able work idea experienced reader Go willing take advice get open minded BYOB book probably isn’t novel although might write book challenge idea validating nonfiction book Look market You’re going different way type book Go look shelf probably Amazon another online seller research topic What’s missing Where’s gap fill You’re going different way type book Go look shelf probably Amazon another online seller research topic What’s missing Where’s gap fill Ask really easy Go space potential reader tell you’ve got couple idea book ask one appeal might surprised really easy Go space potential reader tell you’ve got couple idea book ask one appeal might surprised Check social medium favorite little validation idea Go Facebook group social medium outlet people target market hang Search question Look keywords fit idea people asking topic confused part book likely fill need BYOB Validation Process talked choose book write BYOB Challenge came idea Molly fictional ideal reader Screenshot Author best way validate decided start poll Ninja Writers Facebook Group book would people actually ideal reader like Screenshot Author I’d picked title didn’t make effort validation would chosen ‘creating roadmap writing goals’ first choice It’s book I’d like read I’m ideal reader 25 year ago Yes write newer writer getting started clear poll folk Ninja Writers Facebook group would like book creating writing habit think make sense know want writer kind roadmap need Sit butt write end Right actually day day That’s really hard you’re starting That’s I’m ideal reader I’ve got 25 year experience sitting butt writing every day habit set pretty well getting larger goal That’s something think lot could go validate maybe group writer already published otherwise experience don’t want want write book Ninja Writers Here’s you’re going topic you’ve come idea BYOB book need help read validation Ask people know ideal reader Run list friend Look Amazon see idea fill hole market openminded Remember writing service industry aren’t writing book You’re writing reader There’s balance course you’ll find happy place That’s you’re writing want write people want readTags Publishing Productivity Creativity Byob Writing

The Coronavirus Funeral.

The Coronavirus Funeral. Remembering a Day of Mourning. Photo by Fernando Meloni on Unsplash We cannot hug one another. We wear masks. It is a beautiful day and the cemetery is full…the parking lot reminds me of how the mall parking lots used to look. We are not the only service. I see hearse after hearse. Each one containing a loved one. People on the news talk about allowing the old and sick to die so that the economy can restart. But everyone dies…whether you’re old or sick or not. So what is the idea situation? Let all of us die, and let the economy run on perfect robots, who do not die, do not complain, do not fear? There is the issue of a Zoom call for those who want to attend but cannot, because we’re only allowed 10 people. Who is good enough to be on this call? Who has the right to protest its existence? What would the deceased want? How can we hypothesize that, since the situation is unprecedented? Given the situation, isn’t it important to help the living grieve, even if it’s through a phone? Philosophical questions with no one right answer. It’s hard. But the day, at least the day is beautiful. The prayers are automatic, taught to me in childhood by the same person who is in the coffin.

https://medium.com/are-you-okay/the-coronavirus-funeral-c738874b15b8

['Lisa Martens']

2020-05-01 12:54:53.432000+00:00

['Humanity', 'New York', 'Grief', 'Society', 'Coronavirus']

Title Coronavirus FuneralContent Coronavirus Funeral Remembering Day Mourning Photo Fernando Meloni Unsplash cannot hug one another wear mask beautiful day cemetery full…the parking lot reminds mall parking lot used look service see hearse hearse one containing loved one People news talk allowing old sick die economy restart everyone dies…whether you’re old sick idea situation Let u die let economy run perfect robot die complain fear issue Zoom call want attend cannot we’re allowed 10 people good enough call right protest existence would deceased want hypothesize since situation unprecedented Given situation isn’t important help living grieve even it’s phone Philosophical question one right answer It’s hard day least day beautiful prayer automatic taught childhood person coffinTags Humanity New York Grief Society Coronavirus

My First Product ‘Broke’ Twitter and Then Crashed Hard

My First Product ‘Broke’ Twitter and Then Crashed Hard Celebrities were “harmed” in the making of this story. Background from Ryan Cryar It was late 2009. I was working in a corporate banking job and had just launched my first ever product online as a “side hustle”. It was a “social polling” network called WhatPoll? Basically, a website where you could vote up or down on things in lists about movies, restaurants, historical facts, etc and “debate” the merits with others. The idea was to build up an engaged community and then monetize via advertising and affiliate partners. I had spent the previous year reading a ton of literature about building Internet businesses and companies in general — search engine optimization, landing page optimization, guerilla marketing, “how they got started” stories, etc. Despite that, there wasn’t really a user acquisition or growth plan. And, by that I mean our approach was just to launch and “figure it out”. There was certainly no paid advertising budget, so we’d have to get creative. To give you a feel for the site, below is a homepage screenshot. Image supplied by author. Yes, it was basic and looks very dated today! But, “good enough” to test our hypothesis. Launch day was soon upon us, which basically just involved pushing the website live. Then nothing much happened. *crickets* For a while, the only people visiting the site was myself and other founders. No presence on Google. No traffic deals. No social traffic. No network to tap into. Nothing. So, we started to experiment with ideas and made some adjustments. First up, we introduced polls that were of a more compelling nature to consume — humor and curiosity. The intention being it would make the site more shareable on social media and other websites. So, instead of a generic list like “Best Disney Movie” it would be stuff like “Strange Place Names” or “Coolest Cat With a Hat”. This had little impact in the beginning but later worked to a degree. We’d occasionally get blasts of traffic to polls from social bookmarking sites like Fark or Reddit, and mentions from other media outlets. We quickly grew impatient and wanted to get our product “out there” in a big way. So, other ideas were researched and “brainstormed”. This led to an interest in a relatively new feature Twitter had launched, Apps — integrated through an API. We observed that another polling website was using this functionality to generate traffic to their website. Someone would vote, and it would automatically tweet their choice. So, pretty quickly, we had our own App up and running. Now, folks could sign up to our product with Twitter. Every time they voted it would tweet out their choice to their followers automatically, with a link to the poll on our website. It was engineered in such a way that if people were compelled to vote it would “blow up”. One voter, on average, could spur more than one other person to vote, so the behaviour would grow exponentially. In the first few days nothing much happened. *crickets again* We started “tweet voting” using our own personal Twitter accounts on a range of polls, but this didn’t go anywhere. Not enough followers. Plus, the subject matter just didn’t resonate enough to compel folks to vote at a rate that would “make it go viral”. Some questions were raised. How do we get Twitter “power users” to vote or encourage voting? And, what subject matter would be compelling to their audience? Then, an idea surfaced.

https://medium.com/founders-hustle/my-first-product-broke-twitter-and-then-crashed-hard-c63c33a95fce

['Martin Delaney']

2020-12-17 18:35:07.011000+00:00

['Marketing', 'Startup', 'Business', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Founders']

Title First Product ‘Broke’ Twitter Crashed HardContent First Product ‘Broke’ Twitter Crashed Hard Celebrities “harmed” making story Background Ryan Cryar late 2009 working corporate banking job launched first ever product online “side hustle” “social polling” network called WhatPoll Basically website could vote thing list movie restaurant historical fact etc “debate” merit others idea build engaged community monetize via advertising affiliate partner spent previous year reading ton literature building Internet business company general — search engine optimization landing page optimization guerilla marketing “how got started” story etc Despite wasn’t really user acquisition growth plan mean approach launch “figure out” certainly paid advertising budget we’d get creative give feel site homepage screenshot Image supplied author Yes basic look dated today “good enough” test hypothesis Launch day soon upon u basically involved pushing website live nothing much happened cricket people visiting site founder presence Google traffic deal social traffic network tap Nothing started experiment idea made adjustment First introduced poll compelling nature consume — humor curiosity intention would make site shareable social medium website instead generic list like “Best Disney Movie” would stuff like “Strange Place Names” “Coolest Cat Hat” little impact beginning later worked degree We’d occasionally get blast traffic poll social bookmarking site like Fark Reddit mention medium outlet quickly grew impatient wanted get product “out there” big way idea researched “brainstormed” led interest relatively new feature Twitter launched Apps — integrated API observed another polling website using functionality generate traffic website Someone would vote would automatically tweet choice pretty quickly App running folk could sign product Twitter Every time voted would tweet choice follower automatically link poll website engineered way people compelled vote would “blow up” One voter average could spur one person vote behaviour would grow exponentially first day nothing much happened cricket started “tweet voting” using personal Twitter account range poll didn’t go anywhere enough follower Plus subject matter didn’t resonate enough compel folk vote rate would “make go viral” question raised get Twitter “power users” vote encourage voting subject matter would compelling audience idea surfacedTags Marketing Startup Business Entrepreneurship Founders

AWS Snowball and Snowmobile Tutorial

This article will introduce you to how data migration works on Amazon Web Services Cloud. Following pointers will be covered in this article, Use Case For Data Migration AWS Snowball Steps For Migrating Data To The AWS Cloud Using Snowball Snowball vs Snowmobile So let us get started then, Use Case For Data Migration With the faster penetration of higher internet speeds, satellites, and smartphones the amount of data generated is increasing day by day. For ex., a Satellite Imagery Company might be already storing Petabytes of information about the earth and updating the same on a regular basis. Adding storage capacity on a constant basis would be a huge challenge to them not only in terms of the cost but also in terms of logistics like space, power supply, security, etc. This is where Cloud Providers like AWS will come into the picture. A few other use cases where companies have huge amounts of data is for storing the video libraries, genomic sequences, seismic data. The Satellite Imagery Company and others would like to move their applications and data to the Cloud and let the Cloud Provider take care of the storage aspect like security, backup, additional storage, etc. This way the Satellite Imagery Company might focus on its core business to find more customers, providing more value to the customers, more ways for the customers to interact with them, etc. But, moving Petabytes of data over the internet has its own challenges. According to the AWS documentation here: 100 terabytes of data will take more than 100 days to transfer over a dedicated 100 Mbps connection. Forget about moving Petabytes of data, it will take close to a year. On top of the time required there is an additional cost of network bandwidth and let’s not forget the data snooping when a public internet is used. This is where services like AWS Snowball and AWS Snowmobile come into the picture. Next in this AWS Snowball and Snowmobile Tutorial AWS Snowball The Snowball is a rugged device and is also explosive proof, a tad bigger than the size of a suitcase, and can be checked into a flight also. Another option to speed up the data movement between the Data Center and the AWS Cloud is to use the AWS Direct Connect Service. Using this service, a dedicated line is established between the AWS Cloud and your own Data Center for a stable connection and consistent high bandwidth. Next in this AWS Snowball and Snowmobile Tutorial let us see how data migration works, Steps For Migrating Data To The AWS Cloud Using Snowball Here are the steps at a high level to migrate the data between your own Data Center and the AWS Cloud. Step 1: Request one or more Snowball devices from AWS depending upon the amount of data to be transferred. A Snowball has two versions with 50 and 80 TB storage and can be ordered from AWS via the management console. Step 2: AWS would be shipping the Snowball to the customer. The next step would be to connect the same to the local network and then transfer the data into the Snowball using the Client program provided by AWS. The data gets automatically gets encrypted and stored. Step 3: Once the data has been transferred to the Snowball, it must be couriered to AWS. The Snowball has e-ink to automatically populate the address of the AWS location. The data in the Snowball is encrypted (256-bit encryptions using AWS KMS Keys), so it’s now possible that the Snowball gets tampered with or someone tries to get the data out of it. It’s all protected. Step 4: Once the AWS folks get the Snowball, they connect it to the AWS Cloud, decrypt the data, and move the data to S3. Step 5: Once the data has been moved to S3, the Snowball is wiped out for no one to access it further. Step 6: The last and the final step is for the customer to access the data in S3. From there the data can be moved to EBS, EFS, DynamoDB, and various other AWS Services. The above-mentioned steps are very much like how we transfer the data from one Laptop to another when not connected to a network. We insert the USB Drive to the source Laptop, copy the data to the USB Drive. Remove and insert the USB Drive to the target Laptop and copy the data. While the above-mentioned steps are for moving the data from our own Data Center to the AWS Cloud, it’s also possible to move the data the other way, by following the exact steps in the reverse order. This way there is no locking of the data. Not only Snowball is used to move the data of the existing applications to the AWS Cloud, but can also be used for the Data Center Migration when it makes sense to close an existing Data Center and move everything to the Cloud. This approach makes the transition faster when compared to moving the data over the public internet which is a bit slow. This brings us to the final bit of AWS Snowball and Snowmobile Tutorial, Snowball vs Snowmobile A single Snowball can store up to 80 TB of data out of which only 72 TB is of usable space. Multiple Snowballs can be used in parallel when there is a requirement to move more than 80 TB of data. AWS also provides a Snowmobile where the size of the data stored is much more than what a Snowball can store. A Snowball is a rugged shipping container with a semi-trailer truck. While a single Snowball can store up to 80 TB of data, a single Snowmobile can store 100 PB of data, which is almost 1,250 times the capacity of a single Snowball. AWS recommends using a Snowball when the data to be transferred is less than 10 PB or else to use a Snowmobile. Apart from the default encryption Snowmobile takes a few additional steps like GPS tracking, 24/7 Video Surveillance, optional escort to make the data even more secure. If you wish to check out more articles on the market’s most trending technologies like Artificial Intelligence, DevOps, Ethical Hacking, then you can refer to Edureka’s official site. Do look out for other articles in this series that will explain the various other aspects of AWS.

https://medium.com/edureka/aws-snowball-and-snowmobile-tutorial-f8159ae8294e

[]

2020-12-10 06:01:38.972000+00:00

['Snowball', 'Cloud Computing', 'Amazon', 'AWS']

Title AWS Snowball Snowmobile TutorialContent article introduce data migration work Amazon Web Services Cloud Following pointer covered article Use Case Data Migration AWS Snowball Steps Migrating Data AWS Cloud Using Snowball Snowball v Snowmobile let u get started Use Case Data Migration faster penetration higher internet speed satellite smartphones amount data generated increasing day day ex Satellite Imagery Company might already storing Petabytes information earth updating regular basis Adding storage capacity constant basis would huge challenge term cost also term logistics like space power supply security etc Cloud Providers like AWS come picture use case company huge amount data storing video library genomic sequence seismic data Satellite Imagery Company others would like move application data Cloud let Cloud Provider take care storage aspect like security backup additional storage etc way Satellite Imagery Company might focus core business find customer providing value customer way customer interact etc moving Petabytes data internet challenge According AWS documentation 100 terabyte data take 100 day transfer dedicated 100 Mbps connection Forget moving Petabytes data take close year top time required additional cost network bandwidth let’s forget data snooping public internet used service like AWS Snowball AWS Snowmobile come picture Next AWS Snowball Snowmobile Tutorial AWS Snowball Snowball rugged device also explosive proof tad bigger size suitcase checked flight also Another option speed data movement Data Center AWS Cloud use AWS Direct Connect Service Using service dedicated line established AWS Cloud Data Center stable connection consistent high bandwidth Next AWS Snowball Snowmobile Tutorial let u see data migration work Steps Migrating Data AWS Cloud Using Snowball step high level migrate data Data Center AWS Cloud Step 1 Request one Snowball device AWS depending upon amount data transferred Snowball two version 50 80 TB storage ordered AWS via management console Step 2 AWS would shipping Snowball customer next step would connect local network transfer data Snowball using Client program provided AWS data get automatically get encrypted stored Step 3 data transferred Snowball must couriered AWS Snowball eink automatically populate address AWS location data Snowball encrypted 256bit encryption using AWS KMS Keys it’s possible Snowball get tampered someone try get data It’s protected Step 4 AWS folk get Snowball connect AWS Cloud decrypt data move data S3 Step 5 data moved S3 Snowball wiped one access Step 6 last final step customer access data S3 data moved EBS EFS DynamoDB various AWS Services abovementioned step much like transfer data one Laptop another connected network insert USB Drive source Laptop copy data USB Drive Remove insert USB Drive target Laptop copy data abovementioned step moving data Data Center AWS Cloud it’s also possible move data way following exact step reverse order way locking data Snowball used move data existing application AWS Cloud also used Data Center Migration make sense close existing Data Center move everything Cloud approach make transition faster compared moving data public internet bit slow brings u final bit AWS Snowball Snowmobile Tutorial Snowball v Snowmobile single Snowball store 80 TB data 72 TB usable space Multiple Snowballs used parallel requirement move 80 TB data AWS also provides Snowmobile size data stored much Snowball store Snowball rugged shipping container semitrailer truck single Snowball store 80 TB data single Snowmobile store 100 PB data almost 1250 time capacity single Snowball AWS recommends using Snowball data transferred le 10 PB else use Snowmobile Apart default encryption Snowmobile take additional step like GPS tracking 247 Video Surveillance optional escort make data even secure wish check article market’s trending technology like Artificial Intelligence DevOps Ethical Hacking refer Edureka’s official site look article series explain various aspect AWSTags Snowball Cloud Computing Amazon AWS

The Man Who Lost His Ability To Read Numbers

R.F.S. is a geologist in his 60s who suffered an acute neurological injury in 2010, affecting the parietal lobe of his cerebral cortex. This part of the brain is responsible for visual and spatial awareness. R.F.S. first experienced headaches, amnesia and tremors, but his condition unfortunately deteriorated. In 2011 he lost the ability to read and recognize the digits 2 to 9 though he had no problems with any other stimuli. Fascinatingly, he could discern between the digits 0 and 1. Since 0 and 1 are cognitive concepts conserved across species (bees, mammals, frogs and birds) and similar to shapes in nature, perhaps they are encoded elsewhere in the brain. R.F.S. retained his proficiency in mathematics, still understanding numbers written as words or Roman numerals. He even continued working as a geologist for a few years, using surrogate digits for calculations. In a video, R.F.S. holds a figure eight. He describes the round, curved shape while his fingers move about the edges. This is too strange for words, he exclaimed before laughing nervously. When he turns the figure-eight 90°, he is asked what he sees. It looks like a mask. Turning it back 90° he describes that the object does not look how it feels. This indicated to researchers that R.F.S.’s experiences are limited to numbers. He is still perfectly capable of recognizing shapes but somehow, he cannot perceive these numbers. When presented with pictures of digits with images embedded within them, he could easily read 0 or 1 and correctly identify the embedded image. However, he could neither recognize the digits 2 to 9 or images or objects/faces embedded within them. Interestingly, researchers noticed that higher-level brain processing was occurring, despite this lack of awareness. The authors posit that though his brain discriminates and identifies these digits, he is not consciously aware of them. Damage in one region of the brain involved in spatial processing disrupted specific aspects of awareness. These data support the possibility that extensive visual processing, up to and including activation of identity, can occur without resulting in visual awareness of the stimuli. — Schubert et al., PNAS (2020) These findings contribute to the mystifying literature aimed at describing the neural correlates of consciousness. Despite higher level processes in the brain firing, this study supports the notion that this information is not immediately made conscious. What parts of the brain are important for visual awareness and consciousness? This study suggests a role for the parietal lobe in certain aspects of visual awareness!

https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/the-man-who-lost-his-ability-to-read-numbers-e550a28fdc5e

['Simon Spichak']

2020-09-09 12:55:36.257000+00:00

['Research', 'Education', 'Science', 'Psychology', 'Neuroscience']

Title Man Lost Ability Read NumbersContent RFS geologist 60 suffered acute neurological injury 2010 affecting parietal lobe cerebral cortex part brain responsible visual spatial awareness RFS first experienced headache amnesia tremor condition unfortunately deteriorated 2011 lost ability read recognize digit 2 9 though problem stimulus Fascinatingly could discern digit 0 1 Since 0 1 cognitive concept conserved across specie bee mammal frog bird similar shape nature perhaps encoded elsewhere brain RFS retained proficiency mathematics still understanding number written word Roman numeral even continued working geologist year using surrogate digit calculation video RFS hold figure eight describes round curved shape finger move edge strange word exclaimed laughing nervously turn figureeight 90° asked see look like mask Turning back 90° describes object look feel indicated researcher RFS’s experience limited number still perfectly capable recognizing shape somehow cannot perceive number presented picture digit image embedded within could easily read 0 1 correctly identify embedded image However could neither recognize digit 2 9 image objectsfaces embedded within Interestingly researcher noticed higherlevel brain processing occurring despite lack awareness author posit though brain discriminates identifies digit consciously aware Damage one region brain involved spatial processing disrupted specific aspect awareness data support possibility extensive visual processing including activation identity occur without resulting visual awareness stimulus — Schubert et al PNAS 2020 finding contribute mystifying literature aimed describing neural correlate consciousness Despite higher level process brain firing study support notion information immediately made conscious part brain important visual awareness consciousness study suggests role parietal lobe certain aspect visual awarenessTags Research Education Science Psychology Neuroscience

WIDeText: A Multimodal Deep Learning Framework

Deep learning (DL) is helping us at Airbnb serve our stakeholders better and enhance belonging. For example, we use it for search ranking models, fraud detection models, issue prediction models in customer support, content understanding on listings and many other areas. A broad division within DL are classification tasks, which use a set of features to predict labels or categories within a taxonomy, such as predicting room types from listing images. The complexity of classification problems in the real world is extremely high since there are all sorts of different signals and potentially useful features in production. Data scientists and machine learning engineers always aim for improving model performance (e.g., precision, recall, etc.) as much as possible when building the classification models, by adequately incorporating the rich signals in the problem domain. This has proven to be helpful from literature review across academia and industry. This post will introduce WIDeText, a multimodal deep learning framework built by Airbnb that enables developing and productionizing classification systems at ease, and walk you through an example of using WIDeText to build a state-of-the-art room type classifier. Overview of WIDeText based model architecture having Text, Wide, Image and Dense channels Background of Multimodal Classification Tasks Typically, ML engineers and data scientists start with a simple classification problem — there are core features, such as text or image, and the target is to train a DL model encoding and make predictions of their best category. For example, there are room images on Airbnb listings, and the model wants to predict the room type based on them. Single model design for classification task However, we realized that many other features are also of great value for understanding the room types in the Airbnb listings. For instance, an image caption saying “living space w/ dining area, TV and Electric Fireplace”, which is a text feature, provides strong signals to classify the room as a living room. As we incorporate more features, the model becomes a lot more complicated. First, more types of features and “experts” (encoding or embedding models) in charge of understanding each of them are added to boost its performance. Second, a more sophisticated “decision maker” (classifier) that can summarize all of the voices and make predictions is needed. Here is where engineering overheads become significant. More complicated multimodal model design for classification task For most of the cases, one has to build ad-hoc model architectures and a feature processing pipeline, write a training and evaluating script, and deploy the model into the pipeline or endpoint. In the meantime, great efforts have to be made to keep track of every detail in order to properly review the work, which are shown as steps 3 to 7 in the diagram. This turns out to be a major portion of the machine learning development process. It is neither time efficient nor scalable in the long run. Briefing steps on developing and deploying ML models in Airbnb We propose a unified framework to simplify, expedite, and streamline the development and deployment process for this type of multimodal classification tasks. WIDetext — Multimodal Deep Learning Framework By taking a look at several multimodal classification tasks and the features they used, it’s not hard to identify that the features fall into several common buckets and can be tackled by specific “experts” (model architectures). Image channel Examples: Listing images, amenities images, etc. MobileNet, ResNet, etc. are experts on this. We will cover more details in the section later. Text channel Examples: Image captions, reviews, descriptions, etc. There are many NLP models such as CNN, LSTM, transformers, etc. that are experts on it. Dense channel Examples: Categorical features, numerical features, such as amenity types, image quality scores, location information, etc. GBDT is one of the experts. Wide channel Existing embeddings which are generated by experts somewhere else, and can be directly leveraged by our decision-maker (classifier). Thus, at Airbnb, we developed an in-house PyTorch based multimodal deep learning framework, named WIDeText: Wide, Image, Deep, and Text, to enable developing and productionizing classification systems at ease. The core concept here is model fusion. We can leverage the state-of-the-art model architectures for different types of features and assemble the embeddings to boost the final classifier’s ability. It provides an experience of building deep learning models in the way of building blocks — one can easily plug in / off channels and adjust their architecture per the objective. Let’s take a closer look at how WIDeText gets you covered on: Model prototyping and developing (Configure channels and architecture) Training and deploy (Build pipeline in production) Model Development — Json based model configuration WIDeText supports using JSON alike to configure the models: every channel in the framework is pluggable and configurable in terms of their architecture and training hyper-parameters. Hyper-parameters are required for WIDeText classifiers. Other channels’ can be set up optionally for different user cases. Below snippet shows a dummy example of setting it up for a multimodal classification model. A dummy example of setting up a multimodal classification model using WIDeText To help visualize this WIDeText based model the snippets just built, it includes VGG based image channel CNN based text channel GBDT based dense channel Wide channel MLP based classifier and their training and evaluating hyper-parameters Visualization of the WIDeText based model having Text, Wide, Image and Dense channels Training and Deployment — integrated with Airbnb’s infrastructure The integration with Airbnb’s machine learning infrastructure makes model development and deployment easy. For context, Airbnb’s Bighead Machine Learning Infrastructure provides users with a composable, consistent, versatile interface for the creation of a self-contained model with minimal “glue” code. The Bighead transformer interface (to be noted, this has nothing to do with the other famous transformer architecture in the deep learning domain) provides a way to define stateful or stateless functions that transform a collection of named feature tensors to another collection of named feature tensors. Each transformer can be fitted and configured per your use case. Each transformer can perform a transform given a data source, then later applied on new data for inference. More importantly, a group of transformers can be connected to a directed acyclic graph (DAG) called ML pipeline. We provided a wrapper to make any WIDeText based model a Bighead Transformer. This can be combined with existing preprocessors, transformers, etc. to build and deploy an end-to-end machine learning pipeline together with the WIDeText transformer. For example, in the pipeline shown below, we added several preprocessors for different types of input before feeding them into the WIDeText transformer, which are JPEGResizeDecoder for image data, and one hot encoder, scaler and feature combiner for wide and dense features. An example of the integrated machine learning pipeline having multiple transformers, such as WIDeText transformer, several preprocessors, etc. With this constructed Bighead pipeline, one can use its unified APIs to pour their data in for training and evaluating, and deploy the pipeline to production and expose as an online endpoint. The WIDeText framework has been widely adopted by production teams. Multiple production models have been built and shipped in Airbnb’s products, such as issue prediction in customer support, and experience tagging to better understand experience listings on Airbnb. In the next section, we will describe an example application of WIDeText, Airbnb’s room type classification model. Application on Room Classification As of June 2020, Airbnb has more than 390M active listing photos. As the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words”. Listing photos are key decision factors when guests make reservations, and photo room classification, e.g., bedroom, kitchen, etc., is an important process in providing the best search experience to guests. For example, different room categories are distinguished in the photo gallery for Airbnb Plus listings to provide a better search experience. In Airbnb, we have been using a room classification model based on convolutional neural networks (CNN) on room images. However, as our platform evolves, we come to have a diverse set of features over multiple modalities. These come from different input sources that describe an Airbnb home photo. For example, Figure 1 shows a home visualization typically available on Airbnb. The home photo, the image caption written by the host, and the listing geo-location (city and country) are provided. The multi-modularity leads us to create a joint representation of an image, the text description, and the geo-location category for room classification. An example of home photo with its image caption and home location available from Airbnb. The features selected in room type classifier are: 1) image thumbnail; 2) image caption text displayed on airbnb: “Living Space w/ TV”; 3) image technical features: image size, width, image height, and image quality; 4) computer vision features: amenity detection results (i.e. n_couch = 2, n_tv = 1, n_bed = 0, etc); 5) listing geo-location features: country = ‘US’, and region = ‘north america’; Inspired by these multimodal data sources, we leverage WIDeText to enable developing and productionizing room classification systems at ease. Architecture of WIDeText-based Room Type Classifier Channel choice for room type classification Text Channel The image caption text uploaded by Airbnb hosts is used in the text channel. Room type classification contains an average text length of 4 words, which is relatively short. Since CNN-based text architecture can effectively and efficiently capture local relationships on short phrases, we choose to plug CNN as a plug-in text channel. Text channel allows transfer learning from word vectors pre-trained from a domain-specific larger corpus. All room-related descriptions are served as domain corpus, and multilingual word embedding is pre-trained by first applying the skip-gram model to generate monolingual embedding and then aligning them in a zero-shot learning fashion. We apply multiple filter sizes to capture different region sizes and multiple filters for the same region size to learn complementary features in the same region. 1 — max-pooling is used to extract a scalar from each feature map and then optional dropout followed by a fully connected layer can be used to further shrink the dimension. Dense Channel Categorical features like listing geo-location (i.e., country and region) are essential signals in room type classification. As a concrete example: “house” as a listing type is widespread in suburbs but far less common in cities, so entrance as a room type tends to be very different between these two places. Entrance to Home in suburb (left) vs. city (right) In the dense channel, those categorical features are encoded as a one-hot encoder representation, then further learned from backpropagation through fully connected layers. Numerical features like the image size/width/height and number of detected amenities, including beds/pillows/microwaves/etc., can also help in predicting the room type. Scaled numerical features are served in a dense channel and then used in feed-forward layers along with categorical features. Image Channel We applied multiple models on the test set and compared the performance with a baseline model built on pre-trained mobileNet that only uses image features. It shows that incorporating non-image features using WIDeText significantly improved the overall performance across different room type categories. Finally, we launched a WIDeText model using ResNet 50 due to the trade-off between accuracy and computation time. Table: performance comparison between the baseline model trained by pre-trained MobileNet architecture without using non-image feature and the proposed Room Type classifier trained by WIDeText architecture based on pre-trained MobileNet, fine-tuned ResNet 50 and EfficientNet B4 image channel. Takeaways In this post, we reviewed how we designed a multimodal deep learning framework for quick product development and demonstrated that the models built upon it greatly improved prediction accuracy in the room classification task. Here are a few key take-aways from ML practitioners who have been using the WIDeText framework to train the multimodal classifiers: First, WIDeText Framework helps speed up the model development and deployment process from weeks to days. This end-to-end training and deployment framework empowers modelers to utilize as many raw features as possible, making the model debugging easier. Second, it is common practice to compare each channel's architecture choice separately. We confirmed the effectiveness of doing that in our multi-model frameworks. We started with experimenting different image channel choices for room type classification without changing other channels. As a consequence, we could independently select the optimized archetype for each channel. Third, distillation from GBDT to Neutral Network is recommended for better performance if numerical features play an important role among all features, as it allows missed or unscaled input values. If categorical features are essential, choosing embedding-based dense layers yields better performance. Acknowledgment Thanks to Bo Zeng and Peggy Shao for contributing to the WIDeText framework, adopting it in their work, and providing valuable feedback. We would also like to thank the contributors of open source libraries such as PyTorch and the original inventors of MobileNet, ResNet, and EfficientNet. We benefit tremendously from this friendly open source community. Finally, we appreciate Ari Balogh’s support, and thank Joy Zhang, Hao Wang, and Do-kyum Kim for their kind help in proofreading. Further Reading Bighead: A Framework-Agnostic, End-to-End Machine Learning Platform goes into the details of the Airbnb Machine Learning Infrastructure. DSAA’2019 Categorizing Listing Photos at Airbnb describes deep learning models applied on Airbnb photo categorization We always welcome ideas from our readers. For those interested in contributing to AI/ML work in Airbnb, please check out our open positions.

https://medium.com/airbnb-engineering/widetext-a-multimodal-deep-learning-framework-31ce2565880c

['Wayne Zhang']

2020-12-08 20:59:25.089000+00:00

['AI', 'NLP', 'Computer Vision', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Deep Learning']

Title WIDeText Multimodal Deep Learning FrameworkContent Deep learning DL helping u Airbnb serve stakeholder better enhance belonging example use search ranking model fraud detection model issue prediction model customer support content understanding listing many area broad division within DL classification task use set feature predict label category within taxonomy predicting room type listing image complexity classification problem real world extremely high since sort different signal potentially useful feature production Data scientist machine learning engineer always aim improving model performance eg precision recall etc much possible building classification model adequately incorporating rich signal problem domain proven helpful literature review across academia industry post introduce WIDeText multimodal deep learning framework built Airbnb enables developing productionizing classification system ease walk example using WIDeText build stateoftheart room type classifier Overview WIDeText based model architecture Text Wide Image Dense channel Background Multimodal Classification Tasks Typically ML engineer data scientist start simple classification problem — core feature text image target train DL model encoding make prediction best category example room image Airbnb listing model want predict room type based Single model design classification task However realized many feature also great value understanding room type Airbnb listing instance image caption saying “living space w dining area TV Electric Fireplace” text feature provides strong signal classify room living room incorporate feature model becomes lot complicated First type feature “experts” encoding embedding model charge understanding added boost performance Second sophisticated “decision maker” classifier summarize voice make prediction needed engineering overhead become significant complicated multimodal model design classification task case one build adhoc model architecture feature processing pipeline write training evaluating script deploy model pipeline endpoint meantime great effort made keep track every detail order properly review work shown step 3 7 diagram turn major portion machine learning development process neither time efficient scalable long run Briefing step developing deploying ML model Airbnb propose unified framework simplify expedite streamline development deployment process type multimodal classification task WIDetext — Multimodal Deep Learning Framework taking look several multimodal classification task feature used it’s hard identify feature fall several common bucket tackled specific “experts” model architecture Image channel Examples Listing image amenity image etc MobileNet ResNet etc expert cover detail section later Text channel Examples Image caption review description etc many NLP model CNN LSTM transformer etc expert Dense channel Examples Categorical feature numerical feature amenity type image quality score location information etc GBDT one expert Wide channel Existing embeddings generated expert somewhere else directly leveraged decisionmaker classifier Thus Airbnb developed inhouse PyTorch based multimodal deep learning framework named WIDeText Wide Image Deep Text enable developing productionizing classification system ease core concept model fusion leverage stateoftheart model architecture different type feature assemble embeddings boost final classifier’s ability provides experience building deep learning model way building block — one easily plug channel adjust architecture per objective Let’s take closer look WIDeText get covered Model prototyping developing Configure channel architecture Training deploy Build pipeline production Model Development — Json based model configuration WIDeText support using JSON alike configure model every channel framework pluggable configurable term architecture training hyperparameters Hyperparameters required WIDeText classifier channels’ set optionally different user case snippet show dummy example setting multimodal classification model dummy example setting multimodal classification model using WIDeText help visualize WIDeText based model snippet built includes VGG based image channel CNN based text channel GBDT based dense channel Wide channel MLP based classifier training evaluating hyperparameters Visualization WIDeText based model Text Wide Image Dense channel Training Deployment — integrated Airbnb’s infrastructure integration Airbnb’s machine learning infrastructure make model development deployment easy context Airbnb’s Bighead Machine Learning Infrastructure provides user composable consistent versatile interface creation selfcontained model minimal “glue” code Bighead transformer interface noted nothing famous transformer architecture deep learning domain provides way define stateful stateless function transform collection named feature tensor another collection named feature tensor transformer fitted configured per use case transformer perform transform given data source later applied new data inference importantly group transformer connected directed acyclic graph DAG called ML pipeline provided wrapper make WIDeText based model Bighead Transformer combined existing preprocessors transformer etc build deploy endtoend machine learning pipeline together WIDeText transformer example pipeline shown added several preprocessors different type input feeding WIDeText transformer JPEGResizeDecoder image data one hot encoder scaler feature combiner wide dense feature example integrated machine learning pipeline multiple transformer WIDeText transformer several preprocessors etc constructed Bighead pipeline one use unified APIs pour data training evaluating deploy pipeline production expose online endpoint WIDeText framework widely adopted production team Multiple production model built shipped Airbnb’s product issue prediction customer support experience tagging better understand experience listing Airbnb next section describe example application WIDeText Airbnb’s room type classification model Application Room Classification June 2020 Airbnb 390M active listing photo saying go “a picture worth thousand words” Listing photo key decision factor guest make reservation photo room classification eg bedroom kitchen etc important process providing best search experience guest example different room category distinguished photo gallery Airbnb Plus listing provide better search experience Airbnb using room classification model based convolutional neural network CNN room image However platform evolves come diverse set feature multiple modality come different input source describe Airbnb home photo example Figure 1 show home visualization typically available Airbnb home photo image caption written host listing geolocation city country provided multimodularity lead u create joint representation image text description geolocation category room classification example home photo image caption home location available Airbnb feature selected room type classifier 1 image thumbnail 2 image caption text displayed airbnb “Living Space w TV” 3 image technical feature image size width image height image quality 4 computer vision feature amenity detection result ie ncouch 2 ntv 1 nbed 0 etc 5 listing geolocation feature country ‘US’ region ‘north america’ Inspired multimodal data source leverage WIDeText enable developing productionizing room classification system ease Architecture WIDeTextbased Room Type Classifier Channel choice room type classification Text Channel image caption text uploaded Airbnb host used text channel Room type classification contains average text length 4 word relatively short Since CNNbased text architecture effectively efficiently capture local relationship short phrase choose plug CNN plugin text channel Text channel allows transfer learning word vector pretrained domainspecific larger corpus roomrelated description served domain corpus multilingual word embedding pretrained first applying skipgram model generate monolingual embedding aligning zeroshot learning fashion apply multiple filter size capture different region size multiple filter region size learn complementary feature region 1 — maxpooling used extract scalar feature map optional dropout followed fully connected layer used shrink dimension Dense Channel Categorical feature like listing geolocation ie country region essential signal room type classification concrete example “house” listing type widespread suburb far le common city entrance room type tends different two place Entrance Home suburb left v city right dense channel categorical feature encoded onehot encoder representation learned backpropagation fully connected layer Numerical feature like image sizewidthheight number detected amenity including bedspillowsmicrowavesetc also help predicting room type Scaled numerical feature served dense channel used feedforward layer along categorical feature Image Channel applied multiple model test set compared performance baseline model built pretrained mobileNet us image feature show incorporating nonimage feature using WIDeText significantly improved overall performance across different room type category Finally launched WIDeText model using ResNet 50 due tradeoff accuracy computation time Table performance comparison baseline model trained pretrained MobileNet architecture without using nonimage feature proposed Room Type classifier trained WIDeText architecture based pretrained MobileNet finetuned ResNet 50 EfficientNet B4 image channel Takeaways post reviewed designed multimodal deep learning framework quick product development demonstrated model built upon greatly improved prediction accuracy room classification task key takeaway ML practitioner using WIDeText framework train multimodal classifier First WIDeText Framework help speed model development deployment process week day endtoend training deployment framework empowers modeler utilize many raw feature possible making model debugging easier Second common practice compare channel architecture choice separately confirmed effectiveness multimodel framework started experimenting different image channel choice room type classification without changing channel consequence could independently select optimized archetype channel Third distillation GBDT Neutral Network recommended better performance numerical feature play important role among feature allows missed unscaled input value categorical feature essential choosing embeddingbased dense layer yield better performance Acknowledgment Thanks Bo Zeng Peggy Shao contributing WIDeText framework adopting work providing valuable feedback would also like thank contributor open source library PyTorch original inventor MobileNet ResNet EfficientNet benefit tremendously friendly open source community Finally appreciate Ari Balogh’s support thank Joy Zhang Hao Wang Dokyum Kim kind help proofreading Reading Bighead FrameworkAgnostic EndtoEnd Machine Learning Platform go detail Airbnb Machine Learning Infrastructure DSAA’2019 Categorizing Listing Photos Airbnb describes deep learning model applied Airbnb photo categorization always welcome idea reader interested contributing AIML work Airbnb please check open positionsTags AI NLP Computer Vision Artificial Intelligence Deep Learning

Do you have a Creative Bucket List?

Maybe it’s time to create one. @thejournalgarden unsplash.com I have a flood of creativity these days. I don’t know where to put it all. I haven’t been a true creative for 20 years. Now, I’m pouring buckets. This morning, I read this post by Stefani Vader. She has a great suggestion for making a list of all the creative projects that she would like to pursue. So, I started my list. Last week, my to-do list was completely shoved aside. I was on a writing rampage on Medium. It was driven by sheer force and the creativity that was pouring out of me. As I grow in my creative endeavors, I need to look at my to-do list as opportunities to create. Projects on my to-do list have to be actual line items on my Creative Bucket List. Otherwise, when I go through one of my creative rampages, all my to-dos on my to-do list become lost in my creative process. I know, you are thinking that I’m over managing my creative life. Well, as an analytical person and a creative person, I don’t know how else to manage this “Creative Beast” within myself. I need her to at least acknowledge the fact that being creative is great. But, we also need to channel this creativity into other endeavors such as Marketing, Editing and Communication. This way our work will actually end up in front of our audience. Now, I’m going to give some love to my blog and my social media accounts today.

https://medium.com/jun-wu-blog/do-you-have-a-creative-bucket-list-8a3cfe5a2408

['Jun Wu']

2019-11-07 11:55:05.326000+00:00

['Life Lessons', 'Writing', 'Work', 'Productivity', 'Creativity']

Title Creative Bucket ListContent Maybe it’s time create one thejournalgarden unsplashcom flood creativity day don’t know put haven’t true creative 20 year I’m pouring bucket morning read post Stefani Vader great suggestion making list creative project would like pursue started list Last week todo list completely shoved aside writing rampage Medium driven sheer force creativity pouring grow creative endeavor need look todo list opportunity create Projects todo list actual line item Creative Bucket List Otherwise go one creative rampage todos todo list become lost creative process know thinking I’m managing creative life Well analytical person creative person don’t know else manage “Creative Beast” within need least acknowledge fact creative great also need channel creativity endeavor Marketing Editing Communication way work actually end front audience I’m going give love blog social medium account todayTags Life Lessons Writing Work Productivity Creativity

How Walmart used psychology to become the world’s largest retailer

How Walmart used psychology to become the world’s largest retailer Their approach is more scientific than you might think Photo by Fabio Bracht on Unsplash Founded by Sam Walton in 1962, Walmart is a retail juggernaut. Walmart is the world’s largest company by revenue, with $514.405 billion according to Fortune’s 2019 Global 500 list. The company employs 2.2 million people — that’s more than the population of New Mexico (and 15 other U.S. states). Walmart’s reason to exist is value. Their entire brand hinges on “Everyday Low Prices,” and everything they do must deliver value for customers. That’s a promise Walmart delivers on, with shoppers saving around 15% on a typical cart of groceries. Because of low prices, Walmart’s experience must deliver lots of sales Walmart might have rock bottom prices, but to make those prices deliver profit for the business, they have to get customers in the door and convert them as effectively as possible. As Sam Walton wrote in his autobiography Made in America: “Say I bought an item for 80 cents. I found that by pricing it at $1.00 I could sell three ties more of it than by pricing it at $1.20. I might make only half the profit per item, but because I was selling three times as many, the overall profit was much greater.” So how does Walmart deliver that volume of sales? One way is by applying behavioral science and psychology — consciously or not — to design, frame, and deliver its retail experience. How Walmart applies psychology and behavioral science to its experience There are countless ways Walmart uses psychology and behavioral science to their experience — some purposeful, and some by chance. Here are just a few of the ways Walmart applies these principles: Walmart’s Goal: Disrupt shoppers’ behavioral scripts If we had to think deeply about every moment of our day, we’d quickly get exhausted. To avoid being constantly overwhelmed by information, our brains develop shortcuts. Shortcuts that help us navigate everyday situations, like shopping at a store, are called behavioral scripts. These scripts describe the sequence of things that we expect to happen in any given situation. A behavioral script is a sequence of things we expect to happen in any given situation, based on our routines and habits. We develop these scripts through repetition. And because they’re an order we repeat all the time, we come to expect them. For example, when you eat at a restaurant, you sit down to order, eat your meal, order dessert, then pay and leave. That’s most people’s behavioral script for dining out. But if you walked into a restaurant that asked you to sit down, pay, eat dessert then order appetizers, it would throw you off. You wouldn’t be sure what to do or expect next. The behavioral script for shopping includes walking down big, empty aisles, and browsing products on shelves. But Walmart is a master at disrupting shoppers’ routines. They’ve created an area in their store called Action Alley. It’s a series of pallets with products that sit right in the middle of the aisles. 1. Salience Bias in “Action Alley” Action Alley at Walmart. Source: Walmart.com Action Alley is where the best deals in Walmart live. By sticking them in the middle of an aisle — even though this interrupts customers — Walmart guarantees that people will act on the deals. A less value-driven brand wouldn’t bother to interrupt the flow of their store with such a basic display. You wouldn’t find Action Alley in a Saks Fifth Avenue, for example. Walmart isn’t blind to the disruption that Action Alley causes. In fact, it discontinued the practice in 2009 to free up more aisle space for customers. But the sales impact of removing Action Alley was so significant that it was brought back a year later. The psychology and behavioral science behind Action Alley Why is Action Alley so effective? It’s down to a behavioral science principle called Salience Bias. What is Salience Bias? Salience describes how prominent or emotionally striking something is. If an element seems to jump out from its environment, it’s salient. If it blends into the background and takes a while to find, it’s not. Salience Bias states that the brain prefers to pay attention to salient elements of an experience. Visual salience is relatively easy to measure. Like the example below, heat maps can help us see where customers are looking and what information they’re noticing or missing. When designing a retail experience, on or offline, there’s a lot of truth to the saying, “If they see it, we sell it.” An example of a salience heat map on a store shelf. Source: Google Images Another (extreme) example of salience in action is Walmart’s Pickup Tower, located in the front section of its stores. These towers make the online ordering pickup area so salient that they’re nearly impossible to miss. It’s a great solution for the common issue of customers not knowing where and how to pick up their items. 2. Anchoring Effect in Rollback offers Because Walmart relies on their “Everyday Low Prices” to bring in customers, they don’t have sales. Instead, they have Rollback offers — permanent or temporary reductions in the retail price of an item. As you can see from the sign below, the original price is always shown in the upper right-hand corner. In this case, these green beans were 64 cents and are now rolled back to 50 cents a can. Why does Walmart always feature the previous price near the rollback price? It’s down to a behavioral science principle known as Anchoring. What is Anchoring? The Anchoring Effect states that our decisions are influenced by the first information we see. We anchor to this information without being consciously aware of its effects. A real-life example of Anchoring In 2006, researcher Dan Ariely led an experiment at MIT — it was an auction with a twist. First, he showed students random objects in his class, like a bottle of wine or a textbook. Ariely then asked students to write down a fake price for the item using the last two digits of their Social Security number. For example, if my Social is 123–45–6789, the price of a bottle of wine would be $89. After students wrote down the fake price of each item, they bid on it in an auction. The results? Students who had high Social Security numbers paid up to 346% more than those with low numbers for the same items. Why? Because the first number students saw — even though it was completely unrelated — influenced how much they decided to bid. The higher the Social Security number, the higher the bid. How Walmart applies Anchoring By showing the previous price for each product on their signs, Walmart is anchoring customers to a higher number. The rollback price then looks like an even better deal in comparison to this higher price. The use of anchors in pricing speaks to a fundamental principle: customers don’t know how much an item should cost in isolation. When retailers add context in the form of an anchor, they make the new price seem like a great deal in comparison. Not in comparison to every other can of green beans in America, but rather in contrast to what’s in front of a customer and therefore what they’ll consider. 3. Authority Principle in how Walmart stocks shelves Remember that Walmart’s mission is to offer value, not just low prices. Every year, their suppliers must either deliver the same quality at a lower price or keep the price and increase the item’s quality. Why? Research has found that customers perceive value as price plus quality. If your price is low, but your quality is too low too, customers think your product has low value. But if your price is low and your quality is high, then your product has high value. Customers perceive value as price plus quality. One way that customers perceive quality is by leaning on the reputation of a well-known brand name. As Stephen Quinn, former Chief Marketing Officer at Walmart told the New York Times, “Customers really need the assurance of brands… In the past we were focused on low price. But low price on what?” How Walmart applies the Authority Principle The electronics department at Walmart is an excellent example of using brand names strategically. The company found that they could improve sales, not by just offering the lowest prices, but by combining those prices with the authority of a well-known national brand, like Sony, Samsung, and Magnavox. As we’ve established, value is the combination of price and quality. Low prices are obvious, but Walmart needs to deliver the perception of quality for customers as well. Low price combined with a no-name brand translates to low quality perceptions because brands act as mental shortcuts for product features like quality. As Stephen Quinn put it: “A customer in the electronics department would see shelves of no-name TVs and think, ‘I can see it’s low price, but I will not buy that television.’” Why are brand names so powerful at creating a perception of value? It’s down to a psychological concept known as the Authority Principle. What is the Authority Principle? The Authority Principle states that people are more easily persuaded by authority figures. That could include police, government leaders, professors, and perceived experts. Or, in this case, a well-known brand. For example, when customers see a Samsung television they assume a certain level of quality. A low price combined with a brand name applies the Authority Principle. This combination creates a feeling of value, rather than just low price.

https://medium.com/choice-hacking/how-walmart-used-psychology-to-become-the-worlds-largest-retailer-11e78aedd216

['Jennifer Clinehens']

2020-11-24 17:42:11.367000+00:00

['Marketing', 'Startup', 'Business', 'Psychology', 'UX']

Title Walmart used psychology become world’s largest retailerContent Walmart used psychology become world’s largest retailer approach scientific might think Photo Fabio Bracht Unsplash Founded Sam Walton 1962 Walmart retail juggernaut Walmart world’s largest company revenue 514405 billion according Fortune’s 2019 Global 500 list company employ 22 million people — that’s population New Mexico 15 US state Walmart’s reason exist value entire brand hinge “Everyday Low Prices” everything must deliver value customer That’s promise Walmart delivers shopper saving around 15 typical cart grocery low price Walmart’s experience must deliver lot sale Walmart might rock bottom price make price deliver profit business get customer door convert effectively possible Sam Walton wrote autobiography Made America “Say bought item 80 cent found pricing 100 could sell three tie pricing 120 might make half profit per item selling three time many overall profit much greater” Walmart deliver volume sale One way applying behavioral science psychology — consciously — design frame deliver retail experience Walmart applies psychology behavioral science experience countless way Walmart us psychology behavioral science experience — purposeful chance way Walmart applies principle Walmart’s Goal Disrupt shoppers’ behavioral script think deeply every moment day we’d quickly get exhausted avoid constantly overwhelmed information brain develop shortcut Shortcuts help u navigate everyday situation like shopping store called behavioral script script describe sequence thing expect happen given situation behavioral script sequence thing expect happen given situation based routine habit develop script repetition they’re order repeat time come expect example eat restaurant sit order eat meal order dessert pay leave That’s people’s behavioral script dining walked restaurant asked sit pay eat dessert order appetizer would throw wouldn’t sure expect next behavioral script shopping includes walking big empty aisle browsing product shelf Walmart master disrupting shoppers’ routine They’ve created area store called Action Alley It’s series pallet product sit right middle aisle 1 Salience Bias “Action Alley” Action Alley Walmart Source Walmartcom Action Alley best deal Walmart live sticking middle aisle — even though interrupt customer — Walmart guarantee people act deal le valuedriven brand wouldn’t bother interrupt flow store basic display wouldn’t find Action Alley Saks Fifth Avenue example Walmart isn’t blind disruption Action Alley cause fact discontinued practice 2009 free aisle space customer sale impact removing Action Alley significant brought back year later psychology behavioral science behind Action Alley Action Alley effective It’s behavioral science principle called Salience Bias Salience Bias Salience describes prominent emotionally striking something element seems jump environment it’s salient blend background take find it’s Salience Bias state brain prefers pay attention salient element experience Visual salience relatively easy measure Like example heat map help u see customer looking information they’re noticing missing designing retail experience offline there’s lot truth saying “If see sell it” example salience heat map store shelf Source Google Images Another extreme example salience action Walmart’s Pickup Tower located front section store tower make online ordering pickup area salient they’re nearly impossible miss It’s great solution common issue customer knowing pick item 2 Anchoring Effect Rollback offer Walmart relies “Everyday Low Prices” bring customer don’t sale Instead Rollback offer — permanent temporary reduction retail price item see sign original price always shown upper righthand corner case green bean 64 cent rolled back 50 cent Walmart always feature previous price near rollback price It’s behavioral science principle known Anchoring Anchoring Anchoring Effect state decision influenced first information see anchor information without consciously aware effect reallife example Anchoring 2006 researcher Dan Ariely led experiment MIT — auction twist First showed student random object class like bottle wine textbook Ariely asked student write fake price item using last two digit Social Security number example Social 123–45–6789 price bottle wine would 89 student wrote fake price item bid auction result Students high Social Security number paid 346 low number item first number student saw — even though completely unrelated — influenced much decided bid higher Social Security number higher bid Walmart applies Anchoring showing previous price product sign Walmart anchoring customer higher number rollback price look like even better deal comparison higher price use anchor pricing speaks fundamental principle customer don’t know much item cost isolation retailer add context form anchor make new price seem like great deal comparison comparison every green bean America rather contrast what’s front customer therefore they’ll consider 3 Authority Principle Walmart stock shelf Remember Walmart’s mission offer value low price Every year supplier must either deliver quality lower price keep price increase item’s quality Research found customer perceive value price plus quality price low quality low customer think product low value price low quality high product high value Customers perceive value price plus quality One way customer perceive quality leaning reputation wellknown brand name Stephen Quinn former Chief Marketing Officer Walmart told New York Times “Customers really need assurance brands… past focused low price low price what” Walmart applies Authority Principle electronics department Walmart excellent example using brand name strategically company found could improve sale offering lowest price combining price authority wellknown national brand like Sony Samsung Magnavox we’ve established value combination price quality Low price obvious Walmart need deliver perception quality customer well Low price combined noname brand translates low quality perception brand act mental shortcut product feature like quality Stephen Quinn put “A customer electronics department would see shelf noname TVs think ‘I see it’s low price buy television’” brand name powerful creating perception value It’s psychological concept known Authority Principle Authority Principle Authority Principle state people easily persuaded authority figure could include police government leader professor perceived expert case wellknown brand example customer see Samsung television assume certain level quality low price combined brand name applies Authority Principle combination creates feeling value rather low priceTags Marketing Startup Business Psychology UX

The Evolution of the Business Buzzword, ‘AI’

The term “analytics” became popular due to the 2006/2007 Harvard Business Review article and book by Tom Davenport called “Competing on Analytics.” The content made companies realize they should be doing more to ensure they were making data-driven decisions across their entire enterprise. Davenport made the case that if companies weren’t using data to continually make better decisions, they risked losing out to competitors who did. Business leaders took this message to heart and the term “analytics” took off. For a while, the term “analytics” was co-opted to refer mostly to data reporting (also called Business Intelligence), which greatly diluted its potential value. As important as data reporting is, it can only take you so far — there is much more to using data than just dashboards! As a reaction to this, serious thinkers presented us with the terms: “Descriptive Analytics” (which includes reporting) “Predictive Analytics” (forecasting the future or classifying data) “Prescriptive Analytics” (using data to suggest actions) With these terms, we then had a more sophisticated way to think about obtaining value from data, well beyond reporting and business intelligence systems. Around 2014, the term “machine learning” became a more recognized term in business settings as companies began to realize the value these new, readily available, algorithms could provide. The business community knew that machine learning algorithms could lead to better predictions, or even to predictions in completely new areas. This created a lot of new business value. And yet, the term “machine learning” always referred to the algorithms; it never became an umbrella term. However, back in 2012 and unbeknownst to the business world, the term AI began gaining steam in the research community. That year, there was an important breakthrough in algorithms for image recognition. Part of this was because of improvements in hardware — specifically the use of GPUs for massive parallel computing, but another big driver was advances in deep neural networks (really just advanced machine learning algorithms). In 2012, for the first time, it became clear that these deep neural networks could recognize images better than people could. Researchers and application developers doubled-down on this approach and invested heavily. Historically, people give credit to the 1956 Dartmouth Conference for the original rise of the term AI. The term has come in and out of favor in the intervening decades with a variety of different approaches claiming to be on the verge of AI. In 2012, researchers had a good reason to revive the term AI: the underlying algorithms were neural networks. Neural network algorithms are loosely based on our current understanding of how the brain operates (through a network of neurons). If these algorithms truly do work like the human brain, then the term “AI” is a natural (and fun) way to describe the algorithms. From 2012 onward the research efforts paid off and the advances were impressive: better image and video recognition, realistic autonomous vehicles, great language translation and understanding plus well-publicized victories in board and video games. By 2017, it was clear these advances could dramatically change many industries and alter how a business was run. The term really caught on, and it captured our imaginations. At the same time, more algorithms were placed under the umbrella term “AI” — even if the algorithms didn’t use a neural network. Of course, as the term “AI” became more of an umbrella term in the general business community, the research community found a need to differentiate it from the ongoing goal of building machines that “think” in ways more human-like. Today, the research community sometimes uses the term “artificial general intelligence” (AGI) to describe systems that learn and react just like a human. Think of this as the self-sufficient robots of science fiction. In our view, AGI is still in the very early stages. This leaves the term “AI” (or “narrow AI” in some circles) for the technology that exists today. For example, when an AI algorithm identifies an image as a cat, we don’t expect general intelligence from that algorithm to decide whether to feed or take the cat to the vet. Overall, this wide reaching definition is a good thing. Used in this way, the term AI better reflects how you should be thinking about the various algorithms and new advances that are now being implemented by the world’s leading businesses. In our view, the use of “AI” as an umbrella term keeps things simple by embracing many types of algorithms rather than debating where an algorithm may fit or creating new terms like “advanced analytics” to differentiate it from reporting. We also think “AI” is a great umbrella term because it represents a greater call for action than the term “analytics” did. “Analytics” perpetuated a misinformed view that reports, dashboards, and insights might be enough while “AI” clearly implies that you have to think more carefully about how to change your business, your workflows and the jobs people do. In other words, if you are not reinventing your business with AI, your competitors will be. In the end, the most important realization to be aware of is that the definition of AI that suits your business may be entirely different for others. For example, computer vision may be an essential AI advancement at Google while Amazon’s key AI application could be demand forecasting. Your business might be transformed by a different AI algorithm altogether. The bottom line is that AI is behind many of the most influential transformations in business but exactly how it is applied in each instance is unique. The power behind AI is what you make of it. If you liked this blog post, check out more of our work or follow us on Social Media.

https://medium.com/opex-analytics/the-evolution-of-the-business-buzzword-ai-e25610bb8496

['Opex Analytics']

2020-10-09 16:30:21.515000+00:00

['Machine Learning', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'AI', 'Business Intelligence', 'Deep Learning']

Title Evolution Business Buzzword ‘AI’Content term “analytics” became popular due 20062007 Harvard Business Review article book Tom Davenport called “Competing Analytics” content made company realize ensure making datadriven decision across entire enterprise Davenport made case company weren’t using data continually make better decision risked losing competitor Business leader took message heart term “analytics” took term “analytics” coopted refer mostly data reporting also called Business Intelligence greatly diluted potential value important data reporting take far — much using data dashboard reaction serious thinker presented u term “Descriptive Analytics” includes reporting “Predictive Analytics” forecasting future classifying data “Prescriptive Analytics” using data suggest action term sophisticated way think obtaining value data well beyond reporting business intelligence system Around 2014 term “machine learning” became recognized term business setting company began realize value new readily available algorithm could provide business community knew machine learning algorithm could lead better prediction even prediction completely new area created lot new business value yet term “machine learning” always referred algorithm never became umbrella term However back 2012 unbeknownst business world term AI began gaining steam research community year important breakthrough algorithm image recognition Part improvement hardware — specifically use GPUs massive parallel computing another big driver advance deep neural network really advanced machine learning algorithm 2012 first time became clear deep neural network could recognize image better people could Researchers application developer doubleddown approach invested heavily Historically people give credit 1956 Dartmouth Conference original rise term AI term come favor intervening decade variety different approach claiming verge AI 2012 researcher good reason revive term AI underlying algorithm neural network Neural network algorithm loosely based current understanding brain operates network neuron algorithm truly work like human brain term “AI” natural fun way describe algorithm 2012 onward research effort paid advance impressive better image video recognition realistic autonomous vehicle great language translation understanding plus wellpublicized victory board video game 2017 clear advance could dramatically change many industry alter business run term really caught captured imagination time algorithm placed umbrella term “AI” — even algorithm didn’t use neural network course term “AI” became umbrella term general business community research community found need differentiate ongoing goal building machine “think” way humanlike Today research community sometimes us term “artificial general intelligence” AGI describe system learn react like human Think selfsufficient robot science fiction view AGI still early stage leaf term “AI” “narrow AI” circle technology exists today example AI algorithm identifies image cat don’t expect general intelligence algorithm decide whether feed take cat vet Overall wide reaching definition good thing Used way term AI better reflects thinking various algorithm new advance implemented world’s leading business view use “AI” umbrella term keep thing simple embracing many type algorithm rather debating algorithm may fit creating new term like “advanced analytics” differentiate reporting also think “AI” great umbrella term represents greater call action term “analytics” “Analytics” perpetuated misinformed view report dashboard insight might enough “AI” clearly implies think carefully change business workflow job people word reinventing business AI competitor end important realization aware definition AI suit business may entirely different others example computer vision may essential AI advancement Google Amazon’s key AI application could demand forecasting business might transformed different AI algorithm altogether bottom line AI behind many influential transformation business exactly applied instance unique power behind AI make liked blog post check work follow u Social MediaTags Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence AI Business Intelligence Deep Learning

13 Attributes of the Ultimate Writer (Part 4 of 4)

The Ultimate Writer Series Idea If this is the first article that you’ve read in this series, allow me to give you the scoop on the idea. The Ultimate Writer series was created from a daydream on how I would create the Ultimate Writer based on 13 core writing attributes. I believe that these attributes are the most important to being an excellent writer. You don’t have to be good at every attribute, but excellence in a few of them would do wonders for your writing skills and career. The 13 attributes for the Ultimate Writer are: Soul Creativity Intelligence Voice/Presence Communication/Delivery Vocabulary Sense of Humor Heart/Empathy Work Ethic Stamina Guts Versatility Connecting As you read this list of writer attributes from top-to-bottom, you will notice that I’m covering the all-encompassing eternal aura with all the way down to the Ultimate Writer’s “feet” with Connecting (with your readers by building a community). Today, in Part 4 of this series, I’m focusing on the attributes of Guts, Versatility, and Connecting. Let’s end this fun series on a strong note! Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash Guts When I think about writers having guts, I think about writers who aren’t afraid to cover difficult topics. There’s a certain class that I appreciate when writers cover sensitive topics. I considered all of these things when picking the writer for this attribute. Nikki Brueggeman is my choice for a writer that exemplifies classy courage or Guts. There are some heartbreaking and controversial true stories from history. Nikki is an excellent oral historian who does a good job of writing about the little-known stories behind historical events. Many of Nikki’s stories touch on racial injustice in the United States. I really appreciate her work and all of the research that goes into her stories. A story by Nikki that highlights her guts to cover tough and controversial topics: How Minnesota Reminds The South It Was Bad At Rebellion. It’s a good story about the capturing of the Confederate flag during the U.S. Civil War and how it is still held in Minnesota to this day. The Confederate flag is always a controversial topic, and Minnesota’s holding on to the flag signifies that the Union won and that they won’t allow Confederate sympathizers to gloat over the flag’s return.

https://medium.com/inspirefirst/13-attributes-of-the-ultimate-writer-part-4-of-4-1c01b69960a8

['Chris Craft']

2020-08-26 13:03:26.201000+00:00

['Writing', 'Writing Tips', 'Creativity', 'Inspiration', 'Journalism']

Title 13 Attributes Ultimate Writer Part 4 4Content Ultimate Writer Series Idea first article you’ve read series allow give scoop idea Ultimate Writer series created daydream would create Ultimate Writer based 13 core writing attribute believe attribute important excellent writer don’t good every attribute excellence would wonder writing skill career 13 attribute Ultimate Writer Soul Creativity Intelligence VoicePresence CommunicationDelivery Vocabulary Sense Humor HeartEmpathy Work Ethic Stamina Guts Versatility Connecting read list writer attribute toptobottom notice I’m covering allencompassing eternal aura way Ultimate Writer’s “feet” Connecting reader building community Today Part 4 series I’m focusing attribute Guts Versatility Connecting Let’s end fun series strong note Photo Andrew Neel Unsplash Guts think writer gut think writer aren’t afraid cover difficult topic There’s certain class appreciate writer cover sensitive topic considered thing picking writer attribute Nikki Brueggeman choice writer exemplifies classy courage Guts heartbreaking controversial true story history Nikki excellent oral historian good job writing littleknown story behind historical event Many Nikki’s story touch racial injustice United States really appreciate work research go story story Nikki highlight gut cover tough controversial topic Minnesota Reminds South Bad Rebellion It’s good story capturing Confederate flag US Civil War still held Minnesota day Confederate flag always controversial topic Minnesota’s holding flag signifies Union won’t allow Confederate sympathizer gloat flag’s returnTags Writing Writing Tips Creativity Inspiration Journalism

How To Get The Most Out Of Any Self-Help Book

How To Get The Most Out Of Any Self-Help Book Don’t just read books, devour them. Photo by Tamarcus Brown on Unsplash Do you read books, or do you devour them? Or for lack o better words; how do you read self-help books? The purpose of any self-help book is to fix some problem or to ‘level up’ in some area of personal development. “Reading self-help books but not applying those habits in life is like buying fitness equipment but not using them.” I’ve read over 100 self-help books within the last few years, and within that time, I’ve learned a few tips to make the most out of any good book. Read, re-read — read again. “For best practices, I recommend that you read this through once, and then reread it.” Seem familiar? It’s not uncommon for many authors in the self-help genre to start their book off by recommending to ‘read through’ multiple times. This is so you can absorb the book in one sitting without having to stop to take notes. The second time around you’ll usually want to read chapter by chapter. Take notes and work on ways to implement the author’s ideas into your own life. This is exactly how you should read any great self-help book; you should do more than just read the book — devour it. Yet, I’m gonna suggest you do one more thing — and that’s to read, re-read & read again. The third read-through is very important, and I’ll tell you why. Just recently I picked up The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy. Phenomenal book. In it, he explains the importance of small, consistent actions repeated over time. That’s not the point though. Think about it; you read the book through once, then again — implementing small habits into your own life. By the third read through, you should actually feel like a part of the book. If you don’t really vibe with the book by the third read-through — either it’s not for you, or you might need to take some more notes. Highlight & Sticky Note! I’ve met others who’ll avidly oppose the thought of highlighting in a book. “Why ruin a perfectly good book with your notes? I mean, it’s basically forcing your opinion onto others!” Okay, slow your roll, I mean — it’s my book! It’s not like I’m going to be ‘gifting’ it to somebody down the road. If I do, I’ll just end up buying them a new copy. But I also understand if you’re just against highlighting in your own book. Maybe your opinions will change down the road, and what you previously highlighted won’t ‘vibe’ with you as much later in life. That’s why I also suggest using sticky notes. I do both; highlight and sticky note. If you took a good look at my bookshelf, you’d notice three things. My bookshelf is way too small to be holding that many books. Every single book looks torn to shreds from constant use. Each book is littered with highlights and sticky notes. At some point down the road, I decided to start highlighting and document all of my notes. This ended up saving me so much time, because now whenever I return to a book I can simply glance at the important stuff. 80 percent of all books are just ‘fluff’. Highlight the important stuff and move on! Use A Whiteboard. Above my desk, you’ll notice two separate whiteboards. One is covered with my favorite quotes of the week, and the other is decorated with important notes. Whenever I want to implement a new habit into my life, I first write it on the whiteboard. It’s almost like an affirmation. I’m making it easier to follow through on my commitments by publicly displaying my desired changes in life. Right now, I’ve got nothing but parenting advice spread out all over my whiteboard. It’s ridiculous, but necessary for what’s coming. Decorating my whiteboard with important facts relating to my current circumstance helps mostly be keeping me focused on the task at hand. It’s hard to procrastinate when you stare the task dead on. Join a book club Last but not least — join a book club. Just do it. Even right now during the pandemic, it’s easier than ever to find online book clubs. Find a group of people with common interests to yours and spend at least once a week going over a book of interest. This helps for two reasons Joining a book club will help keep your commitment to finish reading the book. Discussing the book with others will force you to really study and observe its content. Above all else, book clubs are like having an accountability partner. They’ll praise you for any takeaways and will shun you when you don’t remember to read!

https://medium.com/illumination-curated/the-proper-way-to-read-8bf42610435

['Jazz Parks']

2020-10-11 08:28:12.357000+00:00

['Books', 'Self Improvement', 'Inspiration', 'Startup', 'Productivity']

Title Get SelfHelp BookContent Get SelfHelp Book Don’t read book devour Photo Tamarcus Brown Unsplash read book devour lack better word read selfhelp book purpose selfhelp book fix problem ‘level up’ area personal development “Reading selfhelp book applying habit life like buying fitness equipment using them” I’ve read 100 selfhelp book within last year within time I’ve learned tip make good book Read reread — read “For best practice recommend read reread it” Seem familiar It’s uncommon many author selfhelp genre start book recommending ‘read through’ multiple time absorb book one sitting without stop take note second time around you’ll usually want read chapter chapter Take note work way implement author’s idea life exactly read great selfhelp book read book — devour Yet I’m gonna suggest one thing — that’s read reread read third readthrough important I’ll tell recently picked Compound Effect Darren Hardy Phenomenal book explains importance small consistent action repeated time That’s point though Think read book — implementing small habit life third read actually feel like part book don’t really vibe book third readthrough — either it’s might need take note Highlight Sticky Note I’ve met others who’ll avidly oppose thought highlighting book “Why ruin perfectly good book note mean it’s basically forcing opinion onto others” Okay slow roll mean — it’s book It’s like I’m going ‘gifting’ somebody road I’ll end buying new copy also understand you’re highlighting book Maybe opinion change road previously highlighted won’t ‘vibe’ much later life That’s also suggest using sticky note highlight sticky note took good look bookshelf you’d notice three thing bookshelf way small holding many book Every single book look torn shred constant use book littered highlight sticky note point road decided start highlighting document note ended saving much time whenever return book simply glance important stuff 80 percent book ‘fluff’ Highlight important stuff move Use Whiteboard desk you’ll notice two separate whiteboards One covered favorite quote week decorated important note Whenever want implement new habit life first write whiteboard It’s almost like affirmation I’m making easier follow commitment publicly displaying desired change life Right I’ve got nothing parenting advice spread whiteboard It’s ridiculous necessary what’s coming Decorating whiteboard important fact relating current circumstance help mostly keeping focused task hand It’s hard procrastinate stare task dead Join book club Last least — join book club Even right pandemic it’s easier ever find online book club Find group people common interest spend least week going book interest help two reason Joining book club help keep commitment finish reading book Discussing book others force really study observe content else book club like accountability partner They’ll praise takeaway shun don’t remember readTags Books Self Improvement Inspiration Startup Productivity

Cross that Finish Line, No Matter What it Takes

why finishing your work is the most important thing you can do as a writer Photo by Isaac Wendland on Unsplash We all get a little starry-eyed when we think of our favorite works of art. The evocative and tender stroke of a paintbrush. A sentence so gorgeously wrought you find yourself whispering it aloud, just to relish the sound of it on your tongue. Entire universes of the human condition at 24 frames per second. These works of art are masterpieces, in every sense of the word. Despite their inherent beauty, I’m often struck by something beyond the workmanship of such pieces. Beyond the aesthetics, beyond the themes that seem to encompass all of humankind. I get excited about the fact that they ever got finished in the first place. The Road Less Traveled, the Line Rarely Crossed Some writers never get to experience the joy of finishing a piece of work. They sit down to write and end up on Google, combing the web for distraction. They sit down to write and then realize they have another dozen things they should be doing, and immediately get back up again. Oftentimes they don’t sit down at all. They simply dream, and figure that someday they’ll be ready to pen their masterpiece. Someday they’ll find the right words, the right idea, the right way to tell their precious story. We’ve all been “they” at some point. Writing is hard. If you don’t think it is, you might be kidding yourself. It’s not just placing words down on paper. For fiction writers, it’s juggling a million things at once: characterization, the trajectory of the plot, subtext, effective storytelling, gorgeous prose that doesn’t get in the way of itself. Non-fiction is just as fatiguing, when you think of the research involved, the metric tons of notes to look over, and the precision required to tell the truth of the matter in captivating terms. It isn’t easy, friends. But we all do it for a reason, whether that is the joy of writing, the need to tell a certain tale, to be paid for our work, or to simply hold a copy of our own story made flesh and blood, and pat ourselves on the back for a job well done. Is that reason enough? “Why Finish? Why Even Bother?” I know I’ve mumbled those very words, closing my laptop after a particularly frustrating writing session. Sometimes it seems like it’s more trouble than it’s worth. Sometimes it seems like the end will never come into sight, that it will remain a distant point on the horizon: the closer I move, the smaller it gets. It’s a well-crafted illusion, but one that is inherently false. How else could it be that buildings are constructed, soaring to dizzying heights through the air? How else did the Great Wall of China and Hadrian’s Wall come into being? They didn’t just appear, fully-formed. They were laid down, brick by brick, stone by stone. We know this to be true, but aren’t able to see our writing the same way. It’s taxing on the mind rather than the body, and oftentimes simply lifting the “stone,” whether that is a word, a sentence, or a chapter, feels Sisyphean. But that’s all it is. One plus one plus one. Every word you write brings you closer. Every idea you catch elevates your work to new heights. There’s Only One Way to Finish… and that’s to keep pressing on, word after word, line after line until the piece is finished and there is nothing left to say. It may not be a neat finish. It may not be pretty at all — it may be wrapped in a crooked and colorless and poorly-tied ribbon, with an awful cliche plopped on top for good measure. But did you catch what I said? It’s finished. And once it’s finished, you can let yourself relax. The first draft is always the hardest part, because anything is possible, in fact, everything is possible. Once that first draft is down, you can narrow your focus. You can go through, circling words to be substituted, phrases that can be refined. You will see little diamonds glittering in the dust, the debris, the clutter intrinsic to the first draft process. Rather than staring glumly at a blank page, you will watch, amazed, as seemingly disparate parts begin to align, as themes arise from the chaos. As Margaret Atwood so succinctly put it, “A word after a word after a word is power.” Go write that story. Go tell the world what it needs to hear. Everything you dream of is waiting just beyond that finish line, and it’s growing closer and closer every day.

https://medium.com/swlh/cross-that-finish-line-no-matter-what-it-takes-db91ee2d127d

['Dana Marie']

2020-06-06 07:15:31.242000+00:00

['Writing', 'Productivity', 'Writing Tips', 'Creativity', 'Inspiration']

Title Cross Finish Line Matter TakesContent finishing work important thing writer Photo Isaac Wendland Unsplash get little starryeyed think favorite work art evocative tender stroke paintbrush sentence gorgeously wrought find whispering aloud relish sound tongue Entire universe human condition 24 frame per second work art masterpiece every sense word Despite inherent beauty I’m often struck something beyond workmanship piece Beyond aesthetic beyond theme seem encompass humankind get excited fact ever got finished first place Road Less Traveled Line Rarely Crossed writer never get experience joy finishing piece work sit write end Google combing web distraction sit write realize another dozen thing immediately get back Oftentimes don’t sit simply dream figure someday they’ll ready pen masterpiece Someday they’ll find right word right idea right way tell precious story We’ve “they” point Writing hard don’t think might kidding It’s placing word paper fiction writer it’s juggling million thing characterization trajectory plot subtext effective storytelling gorgeous prose doesn’t get way Nonfiction fatiguing think research involved metric ton note look precision required tell truth matter captivating term isn’t easy friend reason whether joy writing need tell certain tale paid work simply hold copy story made flesh blood pat back job well done reason enough “Why Finish Even Bother” know I’ve mumbled word closing laptop particularly frustrating writing session Sometimes seems like it’s trouble it’s worth Sometimes seems like end never come sight remain distant point horizon closer move smaller get It’s wellcrafted illusion one inherently false else could building constructed soaring dizzying height air else Great Wall China Hadrian’s Wall come didn’t appear fullyformed laid brick brick stone stone know true aren’t able see writing way It’s taxing mind rather body oftentimes simply lifting “stone” whether word sentence chapter feel Sisyphean that’s One plus one plus one Every word write brings closer Every idea catch elevates work new height There’s One Way Finish… that’s keep pressing word word line line piece finished nothing left say may neat finish may pretty — may wrapped crooked colorless poorlytied ribbon awful cliche plopped top good measure catch said It’s finished it’s finished let relax first draft always hardest part anything possible fact everything possible first draft narrow focus go circling word substituted phrase refined see little diamond glittering dust debris clutter intrinsic first draft process Rather staring glumly blank page watch amazed seemingly disparate part begin align theme arise chaos Margaret Atwood succinctly put “A word word word power” Go write story Go tell world need hear Everything dream waiting beyond finish line it’s growing closer closer every dayTags Writing Productivity Writing Tips Creativity Inspiration

Laziness Does Not Exist

It’s really helpful to respond to a person’s ineffective behavior with curiosity rather than judgment. I learned this from a friend of mine, the writer and activist Kimberly Longhofer (who publishes under the name Mik Everett). Kim is passionate about the acceptance and accommodation of disabled people and homeless people. Their writing about both subjects is some of the most illuminating, bias-busting work I’ve ever encountered. Part of that is because Kim is brilliant, but it’s also because at various points in their life, Kim has been both disabled and homeless. Kim is the person who taught me that judging a homeless person for wanting to buy alcohol or cigarettes is utter folly. When you’re homeless, the nights are cold, the world is unfriendly, and everything is painfully uncomfortable. Whether you’re sleeping under a bridge, in a tent, or at a shelter, it’s hard to rest easy. You are likely to have injuries or chronic conditions that bother you persistently, and little access to medical care to deal with it. You probably don’t have much healthy food. In that chronically uncomfortable, over-stimulating context, needing a drink or some cigarettes makes fucking sense. As Kim explained to me, if you’re laying out in the freezing cold, drinking some alcohol may be the only way to warm up and get to sleep. If you’re under-nourished, a few smokes may be the only thing that kills the hunger pangs. And if you’re dealing with all this while also fighting an addiction, then yes, sometimes you just need to score whatever will make the withdrawal symptoms go away, so you can survive. Few people who haven’t been homeless think this way. They want to moralize the decisions of poor people, perhaps to comfort themselves about the injustices of the world. For many, it’s easier to think homeless people are, in part, responsible for their suffering than it is to acknowledge the situational factors. And when you don’t fully understand a person’s context — what it feels like to be them every day, all the small annoyances and major traumas that define their life — it’s easy to impose abstract, rigid expectations on a person’s behavior. All homeless people should put down the bottle and get to work. Never mind that most of them have mental health symptoms and physical ailments, and are fighting constantly to be recognized as human. Never mind that they are unable to get a good night’s rest or a nourishing meal for weeks or months on end. Never mind that even in my comfortable, easy life, I can’t go a few days without craving a drink or making an irresponsible purchase. They have to do better. But they’re already doing the best they can. I’ve known homeless people who worked full-time jobs, and who devoted themselves to the care of other people in their communities. A lot of homeless people have to navigate bureaucracies constantly, interfacing with social workers, case workers, police officers, shelter staff, Medicaid staff, and a slew of charities both well-meaning and condescending. It’s a lot of fucking work to be homeless. And when a homeless or poor person runs out of steam and makes a “bad decision,” there’s a damn good reason for it. If a person’s behavior doesn’t make sense to you, it is because you are missing a part of their context. It’s that simple. I’m so grateful to Kim and their writing for making me aware of this fact. No psychology class, at any level, taught me that. But now that it is a lens that I have, I find myself applying it to all kinds of behaviors that are mistaken for signs of moral failure — and I’ve yet to find one that can’t be explained and empathized with.

https://humanparts.medium.com/laziness-does-not-exist-3af27e312d01

['Devon Price']

2020-07-15 16:41:11.242000+00:00

['Mental Health', 'Productivity', 'Psychology', 'Life Lessons', 'Life']

Title Laziness ExistContent It’s really helpful respond person’s ineffective behavior curiosity rather judgment learned friend mine writer activist Kimberly Longhofer publishes name Mik Everett Kim passionate acceptance accommodation disabled people homeless people writing subject illuminating biasbusting work I’ve ever encountered Part Kim brilliant it’s also various point life Kim disabled homeless Kim person taught judging homeless person wanting buy alcohol cigarette utter folly you’re homeless night cold world unfriendly everything painfully uncomfortable Whether you’re sleeping bridge tent shelter it’s hard rest easy likely injury chronic condition bother persistently little access medical care deal probably don’t much healthy food chronically uncomfortable overstimulating context needing drink cigarette make fucking sense Kim explained you’re laying freezing cold drinking alcohol may way warm get sleep you’re undernourished smoke may thing kill hunger pang you’re dealing also fighting addiction yes sometimes need score whatever make withdrawal symptom go away survive people haven’t homeless think way want moralize decision poor people perhaps comfort injustice world many it’s easier think homeless people part responsible suffering acknowledge situational factor don’t fully understand person’s context — feel like every day small annoyance major trauma define life — it’s easy impose abstract rigid expectation person’s behavior homeless people put bottle get work Never mind mental health symptom physical ailment fighting constantly recognized human Never mind unable get good night’s rest nourishing meal week month end Never mind even comfortable easy life can’t go day without craving drink making irresponsible purchase better they’re already best I’ve known homeless people worked fulltime job devoted care people community lot homeless people navigate bureaucracy constantly interfacing social worker case worker police officer shelter staff Medicaid staff slew charity wellmeaning condescending It’s lot fucking work homeless homeless poor person run steam make “bad decision” there’s damn good reason person’s behavior doesn’t make sense missing part context It’s simple I’m grateful Kim writing making aware fact psychology class level taught lens find applying kind behavior mistaken sign moral failure — I’ve yet find one can’t explained empathized withTags Mental Health Productivity Psychology Life Lessons Life

How to recycle all of your Amazon packaging

Amazon has become an increasingly ubiquitous part of our lives, as more and more people receive weekly — and even daily — packages from the company. But as these packages pile up on doorsteps all over the world, a glaring issue has emerged: How do you recycle all those damn mailers? Given the huge variety in packaging, the answer isn’t so clear. Amazon does have guidelines around the topic, but David Pinsky, a senior plastics campaigner at Greenpeace, doesn’t think they’re very useful. “While it is helpful to provide this information, does Amazon actually expect customers to reference this website and follow the steps (sometimes multiple in the case of its Prime Now insulated pouch) to attempt to recycle its packaging?” Pinsky, who works to make large companies reduce their single-plastic use, wrote in an email. Instead, large corporations like Amazon need to take responsibility by getting rid of throwaway packaging and switching to reuse and refill systems, Pinsky explained. Amazon does offer a program called Frustration-Free Packaging, or packaging made up of 100% recyclable materials without any unnecessary shipping boxes. And it’s working, to some extent. Since 2008, Amazon says programs such as FFP have “eliminated more than 665,000 tons of packaging materials — more than 1.18 billion shipping boxes.” What’s more, in 2018, Amazon debuted a fully recyclable paper padded mailer. But these sustainability efforts might not be going far enough. As the Washington Post reported, in an effort to pack more shipments into delivery planes and trucks, Amazon is using more small plastic mailers rather than cardboard boxes. Many of the plastic mailers it uses (like its regular and bubble-lined plastic bags) include plastic film. Amazon notes on its website that some cities have curbside recycling programs, and if your city doesn’t, Amazon provides a website to find a drop-off location (which the website says refers to retail stores, municipal recycling centers, and private recyclers) that will take plastic film. But there aren’t that many cities with curbside recycling programs that accept plastic film, says Darby Hoover, a senior resource specialist who works on plastic waste issues at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), an environmental advocacy organization. When it comes to recycling centers, even if they do accept plastic film, it can be hard, if not impossible, to process, as they often get caught in the center’s machinery, a spokesperson from the recycling, landfill, and compost operator Recology wrote in an email. To avoid this problem, Recology workers try to manually remove loose plastic film before it enters the machinery, but this doesn’t always work. “Amazon packages represent a challenging new packaging trend,” the Recology spokesperson explained. And then there’s the paper address label. If it’s a self-adhesive label, it’s probably not recyclable, Hoover says. “It’s pretty upsetting to see Amazon has gone in this direction by putting more single-use plastics on the market,” Pinsky says. Although online shopping has become the de-facto way of living, it shouldn’t just be the customer’s responsibility to figure out how to recycle. Companies need to step up, too, Hoover says. In the meantime, here’s how you can properly recycle Amazon’s packaging. 1. Paper padded mailer IMAGE: AMAZON Amazon says these paper padded mailers are recyclable, just like cardboard boxes and other paper items. Paper products should be accepted by most curbside recycling programs, says Pinsky similarly. 2. Bubble-lined plastic bag and plastic bag

https://medium.com/mashable/how-to-recycle-all-of-your-amazon-packaging-b07600820c55

[]

2019-11-20 23:01:01.497000+00:00

['Environment', 'Sustainability', 'Amazon', 'How To', 'Wasted']

Title recycle Amazon packagingContent Amazon become increasingly ubiquitous part life people receive weekly — even daily — package company package pile doorstep world glaring issue emerged recycle damn mailer Given huge variety packaging answer isn’t clear Amazon guideline around topic David Pinsky senior plastic campaigner Greenpeace doesn’t think they’re useful “While helpful provide information Amazon actually expect customer reference website follow step sometimes multiple case Prime insulated pouch attempt recycle packaging” Pinsky work make large company reduce singleplastic use wrote email Instead large corporation like Amazon need take responsibility getting rid throwaway packaging switching reuse refill system Pinsky explained Amazon offer program called FrustrationFree Packaging packaging made 100 recyclable material without unnecessary shipping box it’s working extent Since 2008 Amazon say program FFP “eliminated 665000 ton packaging material — 118 billion shipping boxes” What’s 2018 Amazon debuted fully recyclable paper padded mailer sustainability effort might going far enough Washington Post reported effort pack shipment delivery plane truck Amazon using small plastic mailer rather cardboard box Many plastic mailer us like regular bubblelined plastic bag include plastic film Amazon note website city curbside recycling program city doesn’t Amazon provides website find dropoff location website say refers retail store municipal recycling center private recyclers take plastic film aren’t many city curbside recycling program accept plastic film say Darby Hoover senior resource specialist work plastic waste issue Natural Resources Defense Council NRDC environmental advocacy organization come recycling center even accept plastic film hard impossible process often get caught center’s machinery spokesperson recycling landfill compost operator Recology wrote email avoid problem Recology worker try manually remove loose plastic film enters machinery doesn’t always work “Amazon package represent challenging new packaging trend” Recology spokesperson explained there’s paper address label it’s selfadhesive label it’s probably recyclable Hoover say “It’s pretty upsetting see Amazon gone direction putting singleuse plastic market” Pinsky say Although online shopping become defacto way living shouldn’t customer’s responsibility figure recycle Companies need step Hoover say meantime here’s properly recycle Amazon’s packaging 1 Paper padded mailer IMAGE AMAZON Amazon say paper padded mailer recyclable like cardboard box paper item Paper product accepted curbside recycling program say Pinsky similarly 2 Bubblelined plastic bag plastic bagTags Environment Sustainability Amazon Wasted

How My 45 Year Old Diary Started My Writing Career

I had my first diary at age 13. Didn’t all girls? Mine was pink. I loved it so much. I protected it like a momma bear watches over her babies. Touch it and you die. No questions asked. I wrote about boys mostly. Jamie Jones. I’ll never forget him. He was the cutest boy in the neighbourhood. All the girls loved him. Especially me. The only problem with that was all the girls were so much prettier than I was. He would never give me the time of day. Dear Diary. Why won’t he look at me? Why do I have to be this ugly? I hate Jennifer. She’s such a bitch and she’s so phoney. I love him so much and want to marry him. It would be so beautiful. If only I was pretty like all the other girls. I was 13. And my writing career was born. And I had no clue. I wrote all the time from that moment on. Dear Diary…I hate my life. I want to die. I hate boys. And I especially still hate Jennifer. I want her to die. She’s so pretty. As I got older, my diary writing turned into journal writing. Dear God. Dear Universe. Dear Iva. Following that, I poured my heart out. I wrote almost everyday.

https://medium.com/illumination/how-my-45-year-old-diary-started-my-writing-career-88547cbf88b3

['Iva Ursano']

2020-12-15 14:28:59.499000+00:00

['Motivation', 'Writing', 'Freelancers', 'This Happened To Me', 'Entrepreneurship']

Title 45 Year Old Diary Started Writing CareerContent first diary age 13 Didn’t girl Mine pink loved much protected like momma bear watch baby Touch die question asked wrote boy mostly Jamie Jones I’ll never forget cutest boy neighbourhood girl loved Especially problem girl much prettier would never give time day Dear Diary won’t look ugly hate Jennifer She’s bitch she’s phoney love much want marry would beautiful pretty like girl 13 writing career born clue wrote time moment Dear Diary…I hate life want die hate boy especially still hate Jennifer want die She’s pretty got older diary writing turned journal writing Dear God Dear Universe Dear Iva Following poured heart wrote almost everydayTags Motivation Writing Freelancers Happened Entrepreneurship

Short Literary Fiction: Superfood for the Digital Soul

Short Literary Fiction: Superfood for the Digital Soul Why Short Stories? There is a place in this digitally-driven world for literary fiction. The internet has changed the world, including the world of literature. Arguably, people are reading more than ever thanks to the ubiquity of smartphones and social media. But reading more does not necessarily mean people are more literate. Does declaring a difference between the two make me a snob? Perhaps so. But multiple studies connect heightened empathy with reading literary fiction. Specifically, the “act of transportation into the story and identification with the characters can lead to substantive changes in perception and worldview.” In part, this may be because “literary representations of emotion may be ‘purer’ than those encountered in real-life, and thus have the power to enhance individuals affective empathetic responses.”

https://medium.com/swlh/short-literary-fiction-superfood-for-the-digital-soul-2dfe3544c0a9

['Edie Meade']

2020-03-20 01:52:13.339000+00:00

['Writing', 'Mental Health', 'Education', 'Art', 'Psychology']

Title Short Literary Fiction Superfood Digital SoulContent Short Literary Fiction Superfood Digital Soul Short Stories place digitallydriven world literary fiction internet changed world including world literature Arguably people reading ever thanks ubiquity smartphones social medium reading necessarily mean people literate declaring difference two make snob Perhaps multiple study connect heightened empathy reading literary fiction Specifically “act transportation story identification character lead substantive change perception worldview” part may “literary representation emotion may ‘purer’ encountered reallife thus power enhance individual affective empathetic responses”Tags Writing Mental Health Education Art Psychology

Lessons from a $7000 Budget Movie That Made over $2 Million

Anyone Can Be Ok at Anything Rodriguez had to learn a lot of tough skills to make his movie such as editing, sound capture, set design, organising a crew etc. These ain’t skills you learn the usual way by being a good student at school, it’s what you learn by getting down and dirty doing something you really want to do. We all have projects and ideas that we would like to act upon, but the skills gap between whats needed and what we have can be daunting. Do not let it fool you. Let’s think of this mathematically. You, the person reading this, are likely an average human being (but probably above average since you’re reading the The Ascent 😉). So that means you can get up to an average level in 90% of the domains of human achievement, which leads to a lesser-known fact : You can only tell if you’ll be successful at something when you get to being OK at it. There’s a great lesson hidden here: You can’t say ‘I’m not good enough’ until you’re OK enough. This fear that ‘I might not be good enough’ is one I’ve felt and given into far too frequently, and one that’s killed more dreams than any other. But you can only have that fear when you’re at an average level, so get there first, then worry. You will almost never be as good as you want to be on the first attempt at something worthwhile, but thats not the point of first drafts. All you need to be first is OK-ish, only then can you find out if you’ve got what it takes. So, if you have an idea for a business, show, career — get yourself to a point where you’re OK-ish and then get good.

https://medium.com/datadriveninvestor/lessons-from-a-7000-budget-movie-that-made-over-2-million-c2b4a0e98727

['S Pats']

2020-12-06 08:51:33.047000+00:00

['Self Improvement', 'Life Lessons', 'Productivity', 'Startup', 'Entrepreneurship']

Title Lessons 7000 Budget Movie Made 2 MillionContent Anyone Ok Anything Rodriguez learn lot tough skill make movie editing sound capture set design organising crew etc ain’t skill learn usual way good student school it’s learn getting dirty something really want project idea would like act upon skill gap whats needed daunting let fool Let’s think mathematically person reading likely average human probably average since you’re reading Ascent 😉 mean get average level 90 domain human achievement lead lesserknown fact tell you’ll successful something get OK There’s great lesson hidden can’t say ‘I’m good enough’ you’re OK enough fear ‘I might good enough’ one I’ve felt given far frequently one that’s killed dream fear you’re average level get first worry almost never good want first attempt something worthwhile thats point first draft need first OKish find you’ve got take idea business show career — get point you’re OKish get goodTags Self Improvement Life Lessons Productivity Startup Entrepreneurship

‘Gaslighted by the Medical System’: The Covid-19 Patients Left Behind

Even in normal times, persistent mysterious symptoms, combined with an uncertain diagnosis, can be a recipe for stigma — but the pandemic may be worsening this phenomenon. In a study published on July 25 that hasn’t yet been reviewed by other scientists, Natalie Lambert, PhD, an associate research professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine, surveyed more than 1,500 long-haulers who were members of the Facebook group Survivor Corps, now more than 96,000 members strong. She found that although many patients reached out to their primary care physicians for help, some doctors were, in Lambert’s words, “unable or unwilling to help patients manage [their symptoms] due to lack of research.” Another survey conducted by volunteers from the Body Politic Slack group was published without peer review in May. It found that among a sample of 640 suspected Covid-19 patients in which more than three-quarters did not get positive test results, 71.5% felt that medical staff had been either not attentive or only somewhat attentive to their needs. “Respondents who felt unsupported often reported having been dismissed or misdiagnosed by health professionals,” the authors wrote. “They were told to stay home, and sometimes denied resources such as prescriptions and further testing.” “It feels like being gaslighted by a disease — or by the medical system.” In many ways, it is unsurprising that these patients are not getting sufficient care and attention. It’s unclear how to treat some mysterious Covid-19 symptoms, given that the coronavirus is still poorly understood. And as has been covered at length, U.S. doctors are stretched extremely thin right now; they do not have the tools and resources they need to treat their patients or even protect themselves, and they are dealing with death and grief on a daily basis. They are forced to ration care, sacrifice their own needs, and keep up with ever-changing recommendations and rules. Yet the unfair pressures and expectations the pandemic has placed on physicians have real impacts on patients. Many patients feel slighted, as if they weren’t sick enough to warrant attention or help, especially if they didn’t have positive coronavirus test results. These patients are not only suffering but also scared, unsure of how to manage their confusing and debilitating symptoms alone. Becca Blackwood, 34, who lives in Montreal and tested positive for the coronavirus in March, says she hears horror stories from the friends she has made in coronavirus-related Facebook groups, including Survivor Corps. “We talk a lot about how I was ‘lucky’ enough to get a positive test, because at least I can get health care now,” she says. “There are so many people globally that are just not able to access proper treatment; they’re being denied referrals.” And, she says, many of them had the exact same symptoms she did. Patients who do get tested but whose tests come back negative also report being stigmatized. “It feels like being gaslighted by a disease — or by the medical system,” says Jessica Standifird-Rich, 48, who lives in Portland, Oregon. In mid-March, Standifird-Rich, who is at high risk for coronavirus complications because she has Type 2 diabetes, went to her local urgent care with a sore throat, cough, high fever, and shortness of breath. There, a doctor diagnosed her with pneumonia. She was not given a coronavirus test despite asking for one, and her visit summary did not instruct her to quarantine. She finally got a coronavirus test five weeks later, when she was still feeling sick, and it came back negative. She recalls an urgent care clinician telling her that the negative result was definitive. “We have the best tests there are,” she recalls him saying. In fact, many people who actually have the coronavirus get negative test results. In a meta-analysis and systematic review of studies published in May 2020 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that coronavirus PCR tests have the highest chance of working — coming back accurate and positive — three days after a person develops symptoms, but that even on this ideal day, the tests incorrectly come back negative for one out of every five coronavirus-positive patients. On a person’s first day of symptoms, the tests come back negative 38% of the time, on average, and on a person’s 16th day of symptoms, the tests are incorrectly negative 66% of the time. “Those RT-PCR based tests are really the best tool we have,” says Lauren Kucirka, MD, PhD, study author and Johns Hopkins Medicine physician, but they have a “high false negative rate. There’s kind of no getting around that.” That women without positive test results feel dismissed by doctors does not come as a surprise to researchers who study bias in medicine. Decades of evidence show that doctors treat patients differently depending on social characteristics, such as gender and race, as well as medical characteristics, such as whether symptoms can be explained or tied to a particular diagnosis. “All these things are nested in each other that matter for what someone gets diagnosed with, and therefore how they get treated — and it goes way beyond the signs and symptoms of their disease,” says Karen Lutfey Spencer, PhD, a health and behavioral scientist at the University of Colorado Denver who studies medical decision-making. “Who the patient is, who the doctor is, what the setting is that they’re seen in, all matter a lot.” Sexism, for one, is a huge problem. Women have long been treated dismissively by doctors, and their symptoms are more often attributed to psychological causes, such as anxiety and depression. “Women’s complaints get discounted as minor, while men’s complaints get taken quite seriously and sometimes more seriously than they warrant,” says Irena Stepanikova, PhD, a medical sociologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Studies have shown that women in pain have to wait longer than men before they’re given painkillers, and women are more likely than men to be prescribed sedatives — drugs used to treat anxiety — rather than painkillers. Women also must wait longer to be diagnosed with deadly diseases, including cancer and heart disease. One study Spencer co-authored found that women were twice as likely as men to be misdiagnosed with a mental illness when their symptoms were, in fact, caused by heart disease. “Women often get persecuted, particularly when there’s an illness that occurs that doesn’t have a definite cause,” says Leonard Jason, PhD, a psychologist who directs the Center for Community Research at DePaul University. Doctors say, “It’s hysteria, it’s depression — get on with your lives.” Physicians “have to be able to hold the abnormal result in their hands. And if they don’t, they say, ‘Well, all the tests are normal, so nothing’s wrong. Must be in your head.’” Many women interviewed for this piece say doctors told them that their coronavirus symptoms were all in their head. WhiteFeather Hunter, a 47-year-old who lives in Quebec, Canada, never got a positive coronavirus test and says several physicians told her that her symptoms — which included blood clots and pericarditis, an inflammation of the lining of the heart — were caused by anxiety. “The last of the four male doctors who told me it was just anxiety was extremely condescending and exasperated, told me to go off all the medications I was taking, and when I asked for further advice, he said to speak to a psychologist. I felt extremely demoralized, stepped on, and angry, and at a total loss for what to do,” she says. Hunter has reason to believe she could have been exposed: In the months preceding her symptoms, she had been renting a room in a house in Australia, which had a frequent turnover of travelers from around the world. Also, a few days before, her partner had returned to Australia from Cyprus, where he had been visiting an ailing relative. Certainly, some patients without positive coronavirus tests didn’t have the coronavirus. Many viruses can cause fevers and respiratory symptoms. But regardless of the cause, patients’ health issues should be taken seriously. And researchers say they have no doubt that test-related bias exists. If two patients have the same coronavirus symptoms, but one has a positive test result and one doesn’t, “I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that they are going to be treated differently,” Stepanikova says. Benjamin Natelson, MD, a neurologist who runs the Pain and Fatigue Study Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, agrees. Physicians “have to be able to hold the abnormal result in their hands,” he says. “And if they don’t, they say, ‘Well, all the tests are normal, so nothing’s wrong. Must be in your head.’” Since the coronavirus can incite vague, hard-to-measure symptoms, such as fatigue, headache and brain fog, it is the perfect type of ailment to inspire physician disbelief. Some doctors haven’t completely dismissed their patients’ symptoms but attributed them to other, more common ailments — even ailments that don’t make much sense. On April 23, Natalie Nowell, a 34-year-old who lives in Memphis, Tennessee, developed classic coronavirus symptoms: fever, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. She made a telehealth appointment with a doctor in her primary care practice, who suggested she go to the emergency room for a coronavirus test. There, she tested negative. Over the next week, she felt worse and worse. “I truly thought I was going to die in my sleep because of how unable I was to breathe,” she says. Nowell then made another telemedicine appointment with the same physician she’d seen initially, and when she mentioned her negative test result, the doctor suggested she might instead have a urinary tract infection. “It’s bonkers to me, since he specifically asked if I had pain while urinating, and I said, ‘No, no issues at all in that area,’” Nowell recalls. “He then said, ‘Well, let’s just call it a UTI, or maybe a stomach infection, or a sinus infection.’” A few days later, Nowell was able to get another coronavirus test. She tested positive. Since the coronavirus can also incite vague, hard-to-measure (and treat) symptoms, such as fatigue, headache, and brain fog, it is the perfect type of ailment to inspire physician disbelief, especially among women. “If there hasn’t been enough medical research about a disease yet, there are a lot of patient reports that [doctors say] the problem ‘isn’t real,’” Lambert says.

https://elemental.medium.com/gaslighted-by-the-medical-system-the-covid-19-patients-left-behind-3ee0d3419197

['Melinda Wenner Moyer']

2020-09-01 15:59:05.850000+00:00

['Healthcare', 'Health', 'Science', 'Coronavirus', 'Covid 19']

Title ‘Gaslighted Medical System’ Covid19 Patients Left BehindContent Even normal time persistent mysterious symptom combined uncertain diagnosis recipe stigma — pandemic may worsening phenomenon study published July 25 hasn’t yet reviewed scientist Natalie Lambert PhD associate research professor Indiana University School Medicine surveyed 1500 longhaulers member Facebook group Survivor Corps 96000 member strong found although many patient reached primary care physician help doctor Lambert’s word “unable unwilling help patient manage symptom due lack research” Another survey conducted volunteer Body Politic Slack group published without peer review May found among sample 640 suspected Covid19 patient threequarters get positive test result 715 felt medical staff either attentive somewhat attentive need “Respondents felt unsupported often reported dismissed misdiagnosed health professionals” author wrote “They told stay home sometimes denied resource prescription testing” “It feel like gaslighted disease — medical system” many way unsurprising patient getting sufficient care attention It’s unclear treat mysterious Covid19 symptom given coronavirus still poorly understood covered length US doctor stretched extremely thin right tool resource need treat patient even protect dealing death grief daily basis forced ration care sacrifice need keep everchanging recommendation rule Yet unfair pressure expectation pandemic placed physician real impact patient Many patient feel slighted weren’t sick enough warrant attention help especially didn’t positive coronavirus test result patient suffering also scared unsure manage confusing debilitating symptom alone Becca Blackwood 34 life Montreal tested positive coronavirus March say hears horror story friend made coronavirusrelated Facebook group including Survivor Corps “We talk lot ‘lucky’ enough get positive test least get health care now” say “There many people globally able access proper treatment they’re denied referrals” say many exact symptom Patients get tested whose test come back negative also report stigmatized “It feel like gaslighted disease — medical system” say Jessica StandifirdRich 48 life Portland Oregon midMarch StandifirdRich high risk coronavirus complication Type 2 diabetes went local urgent care sore throat cough high fever shortness breath doctor diagnosed pneumonia given coronavirus test despite asking one visit summary instruct quarantine finally got coronavirus test five week later still feeling sick came back negative recall urgent care clinician telling negative result definitive “We best test are” recall saying fact many people actually coronavirus get negative test result metaanalysis systematic review study published May 2020 Annals Internal Medicine researcher Johns Hopkins School Medicine Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School Public Health found coronavirus PCR test highest chance working — coming back accurate positive — three day person develops symptom even ideal day test incorrectly come back negative one every five coronaviruspositive patient person’s first day symptom test come back negative 38 time average person’s 16th day symptom test incorrectly negative 66 time “Those RTPCR based test really best tool have” say Lauren Kucirka MD PhD study author Johns Hopkins Medicine physician “high false negative rate There’s kind getting around that” woman without positive test result feel dismissed doctor come surprise researcher study bias medicine Decades evidence show doctor treat patient differently depending social characteristic gender race well medical characteristic whether symptom explained tied particular diagnosis “All thing nested matter someone get diagnosed therefore get treated — go way beyond sign symptom disease” say Karen Lutfey Spencer PhD health behavioral scientist University Colorado Denver study medical decisionmaking “Who patient doctor setting they’re seen matter lot” Sexism one huge problem Women long treated dismissively doctor symptom often attributed psychological cause anxiety depression “Women’s complaint get discounted minor men’s complaint get taken quite seriously sometimes seriously warrant” say Irena Stepanikova PhD medical sociologist University Alabama Birmingham Studies shown woman pain wait longer men they’re given painkiller woman likely men prescribed sedative — drug used treat anxiety — rather painkiller Women also must wait longer diagnosed deadly disease including cancer heart disease One study Spencer coauthored found woman twice likely men misdiagnosed mental illness symptom fact caused heart disease “Women often get persecuted particularly there’s illness occurs doesn’t definite cause” say Leonard Jason PhD psychologist directs Center Community Research DePaul University Doctors say “It’s hysteria it’s depression — get lives” Physicians “have able hold abnormal result hand don’t say ‘Well test normal nothing’s wrong Must head’” Many woman interviewed piece say doctor told coronavirus symptom head WhiteFeather Hunter 47yearold life Quebec Canada never got positive coronavirus test say several physician told symptom — included blood clot pericarditis inflammation lining heart — caused anxiety “The last four male doctor told anxiety extremely condescending exasperated told go medication taking asked advice said speak psychologist felt extremely demoralized stepped angry total loss do” say Hunter reason believe could exposed month preceding symptom renting room house Australia frequent turnover traveler around world Also day partner returned Australia Cyprus visiting ailing relative Certainly patient without positive coronavirus test didn’t coronavirus Many virus cause fever respiratory symptom regardless cause patients’ health issue taken seriously researcher say doubt testrelated bias exists two patient coronavirus symptom one positive test result one doesn’t “I absolutely doubt mind going treated differently” Stepanikova say Benjamin Natelson MD neurologist run Pain Fatigue Study Center Icahn School Medicine Mount Sinai agrees Physicians “have able hold abnormal result hands” say “And don’t say ‘Well test normal nothing’s wrong Must head’” Since coronavirus incite vague hardtomeasure symptom fatigue headache brain fog perfect type ailment inspire physician disbelief doctor haven’t completely dismissed patients’ symptom attributed common ailment — even ailment don’t make much sense April 23 Natalie Nowell 34yearold life Memphis Tennessee developed classic coronavirus symptom fever shortness breath chest tightness made telehealth appointment doctor primary care practice suggested go emergency room coronavirus test tested negative next week felt worse worse “I truly thought going die sleep unable breathe” say Nowell made another telemedicine appointment physician she’d seen initially mentioned negative test result doctor suggested might instead urinary tract infection “It’s bonkers since specifically asked pain urinating said ‘No issue area’” Nowell recall “He said ‘Well let’s call UTI maybe stomach infection sinus infection’” day later Nowell able get another coronavirus test tested positive Since coronavirus also incite vague hardtomeasure treat symptom fatigue headache brain fog perfect type ailment inspire physician disbelief especially among woman “If hasn’t enough medical research disease yet lot patient report doctor say problem ‘isn’t real’” Lambert saysTags Healthcare Health Science Coronavirus Covid 19

The Logo Comes Last: Developing an Effective Brand Identity

-This article was written by Juan Castillo, Creative Director at Endertech- My design team and I recently had the exciting opportunity to develop the brand identity for a new product from scratch. When our client, Global Electronic Technology, approached us with this project, their new product didn’t even have a name yet. We just knew that it would be a payment processing platform (Think of the services that companies like PayPal, Stripe, or Authorize.net offer merchants and vendors–basically anyone selling stuff). It was up to Endertech to develop the name, slogan, logo, and accompanying style guide. As a designer, I’m always eager to jump straightaway to the visual part of developing a brand identity. While a logo is indeed the linchpin for a brand’s visual identity, often serving as the basis for the color palette, typography, etc., it also encapsulates the brand’s spirit and values. These are things that can’t be defined by the logo; rather, they must be defined first and then inform the design of the logo. To that end, my team and I followed what we felt was a logical, orderly process. First, we defined the brand with written Brand Statements. These statements then facilitated the process of coming up with a suitable name for the product. Together, the brand statements and name in turn informed the design of the logo. Finally, the logo then informed the other visual aspects of the brand identity–the color scheme, the font and typographic rules, and other guidelines. Of course, not every branding project will entail this entire process; however I hope that the case study I outline below can serve as a template. Brand Statements Before even coming up with a name, we wanted to distill the concept, values, and other attributes of the new product into a few concise brand statements. We started the process with a free-form whiteboarding session. My design team and the client’s team wrote down adjectives and phrases that we wanted the product to embody. We started very broadly, coming up with dozens of words, which we then whittled down to what we felt were the most salient attributes of the product. In subsequent sessions, the client went into further detail regarding the product’s functionality, its position within the market, as well as the desired customer impression and experience with the product. We synthesized our learning into three statements: Position, Promise, and Character. For the product’s Position, we focused on its comprehensive feature set and customizability. We realized there is an intrinsic dichotomy in the product between the fact, on the one hand, that it will be used by a wide range of companies in different industries and of different sizes, and on the other hand, that each individual customer will experience the product in a unique way that is tailored specifically for them. One slogan idea to come out of the Position statement was “Made for everyone; made just for you.” For the product’s Promise, we reiterated the product’s flexibility and customizability, while concluding that the product should also be state-of-the-art, secure, and both user- and developer-friendly. Finally, for the product’s Character, we focused less on the hard functionality (facilitating taking payments) and market positioning and more on intangible qualities, like the kind of experience the user should have with the product and the kind of emotions the product should evoke. The client promised the product would offer a polished and seamless user experience. They wanted the product to exude feelings of friendliness, competence, and a forward-thinking attitude. Brand Name With the brand statements in hand, my team and I were ready to delve into the task of actually coming up with a name for the new product. In brief, the product would be a state-of-the-art payment processing platform that offered customizability and flexibility, and whose polished user experience would inspire confidence and exude reliability and security. We once again did research individually and then came together for a group brainstorming session. As with the brand statement exercise, we initially took an “anything goes” approach, throwing out dozens of keywords and concepts we felt reflected the position, promise, and character of the new product. We then took stock of everything we had produced, rejecting what we deemed to be the weakest ideas, and ordering and categorizing the best ideas. We found that all of the names fell on a spectrum, with literal names on one end and figurative, or metaphorical, names on the other, with “transitional” names falling in between. The literal names all had some reference to payment or money in them, for example Payable or EdgePay. For existing examples, we pointed to PayPal and Authorize.net. The transitional names all still made reference to money, payment, or credit cards, but did so in a more oblique manner–for example Silvr, Green, or Plastic. Companies like Stripe (as in the magnetic strip on the back of a credit card) or Square (the shape of its proprietary card reader) go this route. Finally, we offered more abstract names that again made reference to money or monetary transactions, but only in the most roundabout way. For example, Moneda is based on the word many romance languages use for “coin.” Another abstract name we proposed was Vesta, after the Roman goddess of the hearth and agriculture–the bounty of a good harvest being an analog to material wealth. The abstract category was represented by existing companies in BrainTree and Moneris. We offered this range of options to the client because we felt each approach was equally legitimate and viable. We didn’t want to prematurely limit the options when we didn’t know what the client would respond to, or how conservative or adventurous they would be in their preferences. After some deliberation, both among the client’s team, and between their team and ours, EdgePay emerged as the winner. They liked the inclusion of the word “pay” in the name, and liked that “edge” reflected the product’s state-of-the-art and forward-thinking qualities. Logo (and Style Guide) With the brand defined verbally, and the product given an actual name–EdgePay–Endertech’s design team was at long last ready to dive into the visual aspects of the branding. Similarly to the previous phases of this project, my fellow designers and I first cast a wide creative net, quickly sketching out dozens of concepts and exploring many different paths. We knew that many of these paths would turn out to be dead ends, but initially, we didn’t want to reject any idea before giving it full consideration. Even a weak logo could contain one strong aspect that would find its way into a better logo. In successive internal rounds, we gradually winnowed out the concepts we felt were weaker, while incrementally refining the stronger ones. Eventually, we were left with the final ten candidates (with some variations) to propose to the client. We made sure that each logo in the final batch was one we’d be happy with if the client chose to use it. Each logo had its own strengths, and the group overall was varied–as with the name proposals, we wanted to give the client a range of options. During the presentation, we made a case for each logo, pointing out how it embodied the brand values and how it might be expanded into a full suite of visual brand elements. Some logos were more conventional, incorporating classic corporate colors and staid graphics and typography, while some were more avant-garde and adventurous, with more striking graphics and type and color choices. To our surprise–and pleasantly so–the client was rather decisive in picking a winner. They chose the first concept in the presentation outright, requiring no further revisions. The winning logo was on the more conservative end of the spectrum of options, but was nevertheless a strong choice. The final logo features a customized version of the Avenir typeface, a classic geometric sans-serif font. Avenir is part of a style of modern fonts developed in the early 20th century that use the circle as the basic shape underlying their letterforms; unlike other similar fonts such as Futura, Avenir is not slavishly geometric, incorporating “humanist” or organic elements from traditional fonts to improve legibility, such as an “o” that is not perfectly round, or a lowercase “t” with a tail. We tweaked the font slightly to match the slant of the logo’s graphical symbol, a stylized “EP,” and created a custom “y” character that matches the curved tail of the “g.” Avenir also became the primary typeface in our branding guidelines. It is a strong choice owing to its timeless modernity and cleanness; it is neutral but nevertheless friendly, and lends itself to a wide range of applications. Companies as varied as Apple, Best Buy, and Walt Disney theme parks have used them in their corporate identities. Another strength of the logo is that it works both as a full logo with symbol and wordmark, and as a standalone symbol. The symbol is distinctive and memorable. Its simplicity allows it to be rendered at small sizes (for example, on business cards), or blown up to become an abstract graphical element of a design. It is our hope that as EdgePay becomes an established brand, the client will be confident enough to use the symbol exclusively on its own. Finally, the logo incorporates a classic corporate color–navy blue. The specific hue and shade we chose felt stylish and modern, conservative without feeling stuffy or boring. Additionally, navy blue is considered a neutral color, so it can complement brighter, more vibrant and saturated colors–thus EdgePay’s brand identity does not necessarily have to be pigeonholed into the traditional “corporate” look-and-feel. Conclusion When we finally got to the logo design phase near the tail end of this project, we found that the design process was fun, stimulating, and resolved quickly–both the client and our team were happy with the outcome, and there was no hint of contention along the way. All of the iteration happened internally within our team, with no back-and-forth with the client that in my experience can bog down a project and create friction that hinders creativity. However, I believe things would have gone much differently had we jumped the gun and delved straight into the visual aspects without first developing the brand statements and therefore having a strong sense of the values and concepts the brand should express visually. My experience with this project affirmed one of the fundamental principles of design that I have learned–that effective design is 90% ideas, and 10% actual visualization. Of course, a design should be aesthetically pleasing and well-executed; however, a strong concept is crucial to an effective design. What separates design from art is that design is not an end in itself, but rather is a vessel for an idea–whether it’s a sign at an airport that must clearly convey important information to travelers, or a logo such as the one we designed for EdgePay which sells a product by embodying the brand’s values and evoking specific emotions and cultural associations in the consumer. An attractive design with a weak concept behind it is just a pretty picture, but a polished design with a well-considered conceptual basis is more than the sum of its parts.

https://medium.com/endertech-insights/the-logo-comes-last-developing-an-effective-brand-identity-912a4f4543e5

[]

2017-06-02 18:42:47.413000+00:00

['Branding', 'Design', 'Business', 'Startup', 'Marketing']

Title Logo Comes Last Developing Effective Brand IdentityContent article written Juan Castillo Creative Director Endertech design team recently exciting opportunity develop brand identity new product scratch client Global Electronic Technology approached u project new product didn’t even name yet knew would payment processing platform Think service company like PayPal Stripe Authorizenet offer merchant vendors–basically anyone selling stuff Endertech develop name slogan logo accompanying style guide designer I’m always eager jump straightaway visual part developing brand identity logo indeed linchpin brand’s visual identity often serving basis color palette typography etc also encapsulates brand’s spirit value thing can’t defined logo rather must defined first inform design logo end team followed felt logical orderly process First defined brand written Brand Statements statement facilitated process coming suitable name product Together brand statement name turn informed design logo Finally logo informed visual aspect brand identity–the color scheme font typographic rule guideline course every branding project entail entire process however hope case study outline serve template Brand Statements even coming name wanted distill concept value attribute new product concise brand statement started process freeform whiteboarding session design team client’s team wrote adjective phrase wanted product embody started broadly coming dozen word whittled felt salient attribute product subsequent session client went detail regarding product’s functionality position within market well desired customer impression experience product synthesized learning three statement Position Promise Character product’s Position focused comprehensive feature set customizability realized intrinsic dichotomy product fact one hand used wide range company different industry different size hand individual customer experience product unique way tailored specifically One slogan idea come Position statement “Made everyone made you” product’s Promise reiterated product’s flexibility customizability concluding product also stateoftheart secure user developerfriendly Finally product’s Character focused le hard functionality facilitating taking payment market positioning intangible quality like kind experience user product kind emotion product evoke client promised product would offer polished seamless user experience wanted product exude feeling friendliness competence forwardthinking attitude Brand Name brand statement hand team ready delve task actually coming name new product brief product would stateoftheart payment processing platform offered customizability flexibility whose polished user experience would inspire confidence exude reliability security research individually came together group brainstorming session brand statement exercise initially took “anything goes” approach throwing dozen keywords concept felt reflected position promise character new product took stock everything produced rejecting deemed weakest idea ordering categorizing best idea found name fell spectrum literal name one end figurative metaphorical name “transitional” name falling literal name reference payment money example Payable EdgePay existing example pointed PayPal Authorizenet transitional name still made reference money payment credit card oblique manner–for example Silvr Green Plastic Companies like Stripe magnetic strip back credit card Square shape proprietary card reader go route Finally offered abstract name made reference money monetary transaction roundabout way example Moneda based word many romance language use “coin” Another abstract name proposed Vesta Roman goddess hearth agriculture–the bounty good harvest analog material wealth abstract category represented existing company BrainTree Moneris offered range option client felt approach equally legitimate viable didn’t want prematurely limit option didn’t know client would respond conservative adventurous would preference deliberation among client’s team team EdgePay emerged winner liked inclusion word “pay” name liked “edge” reflected product’s stateoftheart forwardthinking quality Logo Style Guide brand defined verbally product given actual name–EdgePay–Endertech’s design team long last ready dive visual aspect branding Similarly previous phase project fellow designer first cast wide creative net quickly sketching dozen concept exploring many different path knew many path would turn dead end initially didn’t want reject idea giving full consideration Even weak logo could contain one strong aspect would find way better logo successive internal round gradually winnowed concept felt weaker incrementally refining stronger one Eventually left final ten candidate variation propose client made sure logo final batch one we’d happy client chose use logo strength group overall varied–as name proposal wanted give client range option presentation made case logo pointing embodied brand value might expanded full suite visual brand element logo conventional incorporating classic corporate color staid graphic typography avantgarde adventurous striking graphic type color choice surprise–and pleasantly so–the client rather decisive picking winner chose first concept presentation outright requiring revision winning logo conservative end spectrum option nevertheless strong choice final logo feature customized version Avenir typeface classic geometric sansserif font Avenir part style modern font developed early 20th century use circle basic shape underlying letterforms unlike similar font Futura Avenir slavishly geometric incorporating “humanist” organic element traditional font improve legibility “o” perfectly round lowercase “t” tail tweaked font slightly match slant logo’s graphical symbol stylized “EP” created custom “y” character match curved tail “g” Avenir also became primary typeface branding guideline strong choice owing timeless modernity cleanness neutral nevertheless friendly lends wide range application Companies varied Apple Best Buy Walt Disney theme park used corporate identity Another strength logo work full logo symbol wordmark standalone symbol symbol distinctive memorable simplicity allows rendered small size example business card blown become abstract graphical element design hope EdgePay becomes established brand client confident enough use symbol exclusively Finally logo incorporates classic corporate color–navy blue specific hue shade chose felt stylish modern conservative without feeling stuffy boring Additionally navy blue considered neutral color complement brighter vibrant saturated colors–thus EdgePay’s brand identity necessarily pigeonholed traditional “corporate” lookandfeel Conclusion finally got logo design phase near tail end project found design process fun stimulating resolved quickly–both client team happy outcome hint contention along way iteration happened internally within team backandforth client experience bog project create friction hinders creativity However believe thing would gone much differently jumped gun delved straight visual aspect without first developing brand statement therefore strong sense value concept brand express visually experience project affirmed one fundamental principle design learned–that effective design 90 idea 10 actual visualization course design aesthetically pleasing wellexecuted however strong concept crucial effective design separate design art design end rather vessel idea–whether it’s sign airport must clearly convey important information traveler logo one designed EdgePay sell product embodying brand’s value evoking specific emotion cultural association consumer attractive design weak concept behind pretty picture polished design wellconsidered conceptual basis sum partsTags Branding Design Business Startup Marketing

Think “Work From Home” Means Working Less? Think Again

Think “Work From Home” Means Working Less? Think Again Those micro-moments of downtime are critical for mental and physical health Monday morning. I sit at the desk in my house, sunlight streaming into my work-from-home space, hoping for a moment’s rest before the onslaught of meetings and requests come in. It’s worse than I thought. In my Outlook calendar, there are actually meetings overlapping each other — you know those side by side meetings. Well, that’s great. I forgot to clone myself this morning. So, I usually just use the “eney meeny miny moe” (yes I did in fact have to Google that spelling) or the rock, paper, scissors approach to pick which to go to. Or maybe it just goes to the person who picked up a coffee for me last time or liked my idea in the last meeting. Unfortunately, working from home means I can’t walk over to said meeting sender’s desk and see how critical I am. It also means that not only are meetings side by side but back to back, meaning there’s no break between meetings. I don’t know about you, but this is a problem for my introverted self. I thrive on downtime — time to process and time to actually use my overly analytical brain. We all used to have downtime when migrating to a different in-person meeting, whether it’s in a different room, building, or a short drive. Now we have no excuse. Maybe if we are lucky we get a bite to eat or find the bathroom (though that’s what the mute button is for, right?). Either way, we are expected to push on. In many of us, this can easily spiral out of control into burn out. I’ve been there, in the burn out spiral — working more to stress less — with little success. Understanding your own cycle and habits, and what helps restore your own personal energy is key to solving this problem. Gerd Altmann on PIxabay Covid-19 Impacts on Work Breaks When the pandemic first started people were confused, work seemed to slow down a bit for some (not me, unfortunately). People were buying out the flour stocks to bake every version of apple pie they could think of. Others started knitting blankets. But that all stopped when people realized one thing. You don’t need to actually walk or drive between meetings anymore. Now, what can we do with all of that free time? Ah, yes, we can actually increase productivity. At least that’s what I imagine hearing if I were the fly on the wall in the Executive Boardroom. I remember sitting in one meeting recently where someone was on my zoom, a webinar, and another zoom call all at once. I was floored. Then I heard this come up again on another meeting. I thought first, well that’s a great solution to not being able to clone yourself. Next, I wondered what happened if they were asked a question at the same time in two different meetings. Intriguing. I suppose they just do what we all do and say there’s a network issue here, be right back. Across the board, I hear from colleague after colleague about these same issues. There’s no downtime or break with these new work-from-home expectations. So what, you ask? Well, there are some clear benefits of workday breaks to productivity, mental health, and well it’s just the law. Importance of Scheduling Downtime During the Day 1. Improves Mental and Physical Health Downtime can improve mental and physical health. One study, for example, found that employees who unplugged and took time off reduced serious health issues like coronary heart disease. Constant sitting puts you at higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, depression, and obesity. 2. Restores Focus and Energy The need to make frequent decisions throughout your day can wear down your willpower and reasoning ability. Even being hyperfocused on a single task can decrease work performance without taking breaks. Stretch yourself just a bit beyond that productivity zone and you might feel unfocused, zoned out or even irritable. What changes? Basically, the human brain just wasn’t built for the extended focus we ask of it these days. Studies show that brief periods of downtime, like afternoon naps, can restore focus and energy. According to the Harvard Business Review, breaks allow us to take a step back and make sure we’re accomplishing the right things in the right way. Deactivating and reactivating your goals allows you to stay focused. 3. Increases Creativity and Systemic Thinking Downtime lets our brains reorganize, revisit moments with more clarity, and troubleshoot problems. Remember as a kid, or if you’re really lucky, as an adult when you would lay in the grass and watch the clouds go by? That’s when our brain has the chance to reorganize. Brain activity actually increases when we daydream. That also might be why many people have their best ideas in the shower. This is when the brain switches from the focusing mode to the diffuse or default mode. Daydreaming lets our brain replay conversations and learn from them. It lets us come up with a solution to failures or challenges we are facing. 4. Reduces the Chance of Burnout Nearly two-thirds of workers in the U.S. feel burned out at some point according to a Gallup survey. When we burn through our internal resources we have to begin grappling for resources that aren’t there — like a car sputtering on its last few drops of gasoline. If you are an employer, letting your employees burnout will not do you any good. And yes, you are letting them burn out because as a good manager you should be learning skills in emotional intelligence, organizational development, and empathy, no matter what field you are in. It’s now well known that employees who burn out are less committed to their place of work, may slip into unsafe practices, and are likely to leave — exposing employers to increased healthcare and productivity costs. The unfortunate part is that once people fall into the burnout spiral they are likely to fall into the spiral again unless they are able to shift their habits. But there are also very real costs to the workplace and spiraling costs to the healthcare system. Stanford researchers found that workplace stress leads to spending of nearly $190 billion — roughly 8% of national healthcare outlays — and nearly 120,000 deaths each year. This includes depression and work-family conflict creating a culture of happiness throughout their lives. According to the Mayo Clinic, burnout can include: Excessive stress Fatigue Insomnia Sadness, anger or irritability Alcohol or substance misuse Heart disease High blood pressure Type 2 diabetes Vulnerability to illnesses How to Schedule Breaks During Work Read that title closely. In the current work-from-home environment, we absolutely need to schedule downtime, instead of assuming it will come along. Because it won’t. And to be frank, no one knows how stressed out you are but you. In fact, one of the key strategies for breaking the burnout cycle is to protect and build your own personal resilience. People who don’t feel burnout are more effective at recovering after work in that they experience very little change in energy when they have control after work. On the other hand, burned-out people are actually more likely to continue to lose energy when they have control over their leisure time. What this means is that people who are burned out continue to lose energy because they are not choosing activities that renew and recharge them. People who already are burned out and disengaged at work tend to need help rediscovering a path to life purpose and their own competence. This is why, as is true for most health issues, prevention is key. The most important consideration when choosing a respite or break activity is to make sure it’s a preferred activity. Having access to activities we enjoy helps with recovery from burn out while activities that seem like chores send us farther down the spiral of burnout. This means that those work mandated wellness activities are likely not helping your burned out employees if it’s not something they truly enjoy. And to be honest, if it's not a preferred activity, you are just sending them further into the burn out spiral by taking time away from them that they do not have. As an introvert I avoid the voluntary “coffee breaks” and wellness breaks like the plague since I need time to recharge on my own. The one thing you can do for us introverts is to create a culture that supports us taking time to ourselves and not having to engage with others. Characteristics of a good break include: Giving employees control over timing, duration, location, and type of break activity. Relaxation to allow for recovery and recharge of resources. Learning something new, not related to work, such as reading or volunteering. Enjoyment, creativity, and finding joy in the activity. Finding a Break That Works for You There are endless opportunities for finding a break that works for you, but it’s up to you to take action, and up to your employer to support you. Employers can do this by adding in physical and scheduling space for breaks that do not have performance goals or any other goals attached to them for that matter. Consider adding self-care to your annual professional development plan. Below are some ideas on what to include. Be more organized and check off all of the small tasks as soon as possible so you don’t have them clogging your neural highway. Break up your time. Use the Pomodoro method by working in short bursts to finish focused tasks. Set a timer to work for 25 minutes, then break for 5 minutes. Not only does it force you to take a break, but you might make decisions faster. If 25 minutes is too short, try 90 minute cycles, known as the ultradian rhythm, used by many professional athletes and musicians. Lastly, you can try somewhere in between these two with the 52–17 method — working 52 minutes and breaking for 17. Daydream. As I wrote earlier, daydreaming allows our brain to troubleshoot. This can be anything that allows your brain to wander, but I highly recommend getting out of enclosed space, as more open-air environments tend to increase creativity. Do anything from people or cloud watching to doodling, to watching bees pollinate flowers. Forest bathing is also becoming a popular way to immerse in nature and disconnect. Read a book, and not a work-related or self-help book, please. People who frequently read fiction are better able to understand other people, empathize with them, and see the world from their perspective. Take a nap. You remember all of those medical drama shows where the resident sleeps in between patients. Naps between 10–30 minutes are best to reduce grogginess. When pilots were given a nap of 30 minutes on long flights, there was a 16 percent improvement in their reaction time. Get active — anything from taking a walk, playing a game or meditating. Exercising or meditating for as little as 10 minutes can improve cognitive function. Doing either outdoors can stimulate the brain and relax. Any way you look at it, we need a break more now than ever. Find out what works for you, test it, then implement it. Doing this on a regular basis can make you happier at work, increase productivity, and prevent nasty health issues in the future. If you find you are not supported by your workplace and have had meaningful conversations with your supervisor and HR, you might need to consider switching jobs.

https://medium.com/invisible-illness/think-work-from-home-means-working-less-think-again-21cae697deab

['Marcus Griswold']

2020-11-29 01:00:23.804000+00:00

['Psychology', 'Productivity', 'Self Improvement', 'Remote Work', 'Mental Health']

Title Think “Work Home” Means Working Less Think AgainContent Think “Work Home” Means Working Less Think micromoments downtime critical mental physical health Monday morning sit desk house sunlight streaming workfromhome space hoping moment’s rest onslaught meeting request come It’s worse thought Outlook calendar actually meeting overlapping — know side side meeting Well that’s great forgot clone morning usually use “eney meeny miny moe” yes fact Google spelling rock paper scissors approach pick go maybe go person picked coffee last time liked idea last meeting Unfortunately working home mean can’t walk said meeting sender’s desk see critical also mean meeting side side back back meaning there’s break meeting don’t know problem introverted self thrive downtime — time process time actually use overly analytical brain used downtime migrating different inperson meeting whether it’s different room building short drive excuse Maybe lucky get bite eat find bathroom though that’s mute button right Either way expected push many u easily spiral control burn I’ve burn spiral — working stress le — little success Understanding cycle habit help restore personal energy key solving problem Gerd Altmann PIxabay Covid19 Impacts Work Breaks pandemic first started people confused work seemed slow bit unfortunately People buying flour stock bake every version apple pie could think Others started knitting blanket stopped people realized one thing don’t need actually walk drive meeting anymore free time Ah yes actually increase productivity least that’s imagine hearing fly wall Executive Boardroom remember sitting one meeting recently someone zoom webinar another zoom call floored heard come another meeting thought first well that’s great solution able clone Next wondered happened asked question time two different meeting Intriguing suppose say there’s network issue right back Across board hear colleague colleague issue There’s downtime break new workfromhome expectation ask Well clear benefit workday break productivity mental health well it’s law Importance Scheduling Downtime Day 1 Improves Mental Physical Health Downtime improve mental physical health One study example found employee unplugged took time reduced serious health issue like coronary heart disease Constant sitting put higher risk heart disease diabetes depression obesity 2 Restores Focus Energy need make frequent decision throughout day wear willpower reasoning ability Even hyperfocused single task decrease work performance without taking break Stretch bit beyond productivity zone might feel unfocused zoned even irritable change Basically human brain wasn’t built extended focus ask day Studies show brief period downtime like afternoon nap restore focus energy According Harvard Business Review break allow u take step back make sure we’re accomplishing right thing right way Deactivating reactivating goal allows stay focused 3 Increases Creativity Systemic Thinking Downtime let brain reorganize revisit moment clarity troubleshoot problem Remember kid you’re really lucky adult would lay grass watch cloud go That’s brain chance reorganize Brain activity actually increase daydream also might many people best idea shower brain switch focusing mode diffuse default mode Daydreaming let brain replay conversation learn let u come solution failure challenge facing 4 Reduces Chance Burnout Nearly twothirds worker US feel burned point according Gallup survey burn internal resource begin grappling resource aren’t — like car sputtering last drop gasoline employer letting employee burnout good yes letting burn good manager learning skill emotional intelligence organizational development empathy matter field It’s well known employee burn le committed place work may slip unsafe practice likely leave — exposing employer increased healthcare productivity cost unfortunate part people fall burnout spiral likely fall spiral unless able shift habit also real cost workplace spiraling cost healthcare system Stanford researcher found workplace stress lead spending nearly 190 billion — roughly 8 national healthcare outlay — nearly 120000 death year includes depression workfamily conflict creating culture happiness throughout life According Mayo Clinic burnout include Excessive stress Fatigue Insomnia Sadness anger irritability Alcohol substance misuse Heart disease High blood pressure Type 2 diabetes Vulnerability illness Schedule Breaks Work Read title closely current workfromhome environment absolutely need schedule downtime instead assuming come along won’t frank one know stressed fact one key strategy breaking burnout cycle protect build personal resilience People don’t feel burnout effective recovering work experience little change energy control work hand burnedout people actually likely continue lose energy control leisure time mean people burned continue lose energy choosing activity renew recharge People already burned disengaged work tend need help rediscovering path life purpose competence true health issue prevention key important consideration choosing respite break activity make sure it’s preferred activity access activity enjoy help recovery burn activity seem like chore send u farther spiral burnout mean work mandated wellness activity likely helping burned employee it’s something truly enjoy honest preferred activity sending burn spiral taking time away introvert avoid voluntary “coffee breaks” wellness break like plague since need time recharge one thing u introvert create culture support u taking time engage others Characteristics good break include Giving employee control timing duration location type break activity Relaxation allow recovery recharge resource Learning something new related work reading volunteering Enjoyment creativity finding joy activity Finding Break Works endless opportunity finding break work it’s take action employer support Employers adding physical scheduling space break performance goal goal attached matter Consider adding selfcare annual professional development plan idea include organized check small task soon possible don’t clogging neural highway Break time Use Pomodoro method working short burst finish focused task Set timer work 25 minute break 5 minute force take break might make decision faster 25 minute short try 90 minute cycle known ultradian rhythm used many professional athlete musician Lastly try somewhere two 52–17 method — working 52 minute breaking 17 Daydream wrote earlier daydreaming allows brain troubleshoot anything allows brain wander highly recommend getting enclosed space openair environment tend increase creativity anything people cloud watching doodling watching bee pollinate flower Forest bathing also becoming popular way immerse nature disconnect Read book workrelated selfhelp book please People frequently read fiction better able understand people empathize see world perspective Take nap remember medical drama show resident sleep patient Naps 10–30 minute best reduce grogginess pilot given nap 30 minute long flight 16 percent improvement reaction time Get active — anything taking walk playing game meditating Exercising meditating little 10 minute improve cognitive function either outdoors stimulate brain relax way look need break ever Find work test implement regular basis make happier work increase productivity prevent nasty health issue future find supported workplace meaningful conversation supervisor HR might need consider switching jobsTags Psychology Productivity Self Improvement Remote Work Mental Health

Masks, Protection, and Our National Character

Masks, Protection, and Our National Character Public health is inherently unselfish; why aren’t we? A man wearing a cutout mask gathered with hundreds of others at a “Hazardous Liberty! Defend the Constitution!” rally to protest the stay-at-home order on April 19, 2020, in Olympia, Washington. Photo: Karen Ducey/Stringer/Getty Images Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed its guidance around mask-wearing to say that masks protect the wearer as well as others around them, presumably to encourage mask-wearing. This is notable for what it says about our national character. For context: Fabric masks are not N95s, which we know offer substantial protection to the wearer. Cloth or surgical masks provide some limited protection against larger droplets, and as Dr. Saskia Popescu points out, this is variable. Most of the data for this protection is from health care settings, which can be very different from using them in the real world. The primary function of wearing cloth and surgical masks is source control, and the primary benefit they offer is to others. It says a lot about our priorities that the CDC has to issue guidance appealing directly to an individual’s self-interest to overcome the resistance to employing easy-to-implement, safe public health measures. To me, this also says a lot about how deeply divided we are as a nation. If we can’t convince millions of Americans that they should wear masks for the benefit of others rather than to benefit themselves, it suggests that we no longer value being one nation, indivisible. I think of myself as a patriot, and of course I deeply value freedom, including individual freedom. But I also value my community and my people as a nation. We can only fight this pandemic by unifying as a nation and by caring about others. It says a lot about our priorities that the CDC has to issue guidance appealing directly to an individual’s self-interest to overcome the resistance to employing easy-to-implement, safe public health measures. I was on the fence about masks early in the pandemic (as critics love to point out), but the data persuaded me that they are an important tool for reducing community transmission. So I have been wearing masks in public for months now because it’s not about me. Public health is inherently unselfish, so I’m saddened and disappointed that the greater good isn’t sufficiently motivating to get everyone on board and we have to put critical guidance into a selfish context. We all need to do our part. At the end of the day, I hope this encourages people to wear masks. I just wish we didn’t have to encourage people to care for their communities by appealing to individual interests. This is pulled and lightly edited from my November 11 Twitter thread.

https://elemental.medium.com/masks-protection-and-our-national-character-b90275ec01d3

['Angie Rasmussen']

2020-11-16 17:44:43.503000+00:00

['Covid 19', 'Health', 'Public Health', 'Science', 'Coronavirus']

Title Masks Protection National CharacterContent Masks Protection National Character Public health inherently unselfish aren’t man wearing cutout mask gathered hundred others “Hazardous Liberty Defend Constitution” rally protest stayathome order April 19 2020 Olympia Washington Photo Karen DuceyStringerGetty Images Last week Centers Disease Control Prevention changed guidance around maskwearing say mask protect wearer well others around presumably encourage maskwearing notable say national character context Fabric mask N95s know offer substantial protection wearer Cloth surgical mask provide limited protection larger droplet Dr Saskia Popescu point variable data protection health care setting different using real world primary function wearing cloth surgical mask source control primary benefit offer others say lot priority CDC issue guidance appealing directly individual’s selfinterest overcome resistance employing easytoimplement safe public health measure also say lot deeply divided nation can’t convince million Americans wear mask benefit others rather benefit suggests longer value one nation indivisible think patriot course deeply value freedom including individual freedom also value community people nation fight pandemic unifying nation caring others say lot priority CDC issue guidance appealing directly individual’s selfinterest overcome resistance employing easytoimplement safe public health measure fence mask early pandemic critic love point data persuaded important tool reducing community transmission wearing mask public month it’s Public health inherently unselfish I’m saddened disappointed greater good isn’t sufficiently motivating get everyone board put critical guidance selfish context need part end day hope encourages people wear mask wish didn’t encourage people care community appealing individual interest pulled lightly edited November 11 Twitter threadTags Covid 19 Health Public Health Science Coronavirus

How To Become A Top Earner On Medium

I’ve been writing pretty consistently on Medium (around 3,000 words per day) for the past few months, with stories hosted in over a dozen publications. Over time I’m beginning to learn what it takes to make a decent income on Medium, and I want to share what I’ve learned so far. Some writers earn an incredible amount of money on this platform. In April 2020, one writer brought in over $28,000 in a single month! Even with jaw-dropping statistics like that, it’s important to understand that less than 6% of writers on Medium have earned more than $100 in a single month. What Are You Expecting To Get Out Of Medium? In all honesty, I don’t believe there’s a huge difference between making $100 and $1,000 on Medium. The only thing that matters is your level of commitment and time spent on the platform, so ask yourself what you expect to get from Medium? A livable side-income? Professional writer status? Or maybe you’re here to write and connect with other like-minded individuals? In the end, all of the above’s possible if you commit to making it happen. In my first month, I made a measly $6, yet I made 3x that the following month and 10x the month after that. Years from now, I’ll make 1000x that. Patience, consistency, and a commitment to improving as a writer — these are the qualities of Medium’s top earners. But what can you do right now to start making a decent income and build authority on the platform? Build A Following The most profitable writers on Medium have large followings, which means consistent views — it only makes sense. Yet, to build a following of that caliber takes time, which is why your sole focus, in the beginning, should be to pitch to big publications. Over 90% of my income on Medium comes from stories that have been hosted by some major publications. In fact, few of my articles have made over $20, yet all of them were hosted with medium-to-large-sized publications. How To Become A Master Salesman /Featured on The Post-Grad Survival Guide I Published 150 Stories On Medium — Here’s What I Learned/ Published with The Startup The two examples above represent stories that have been published with large publications. Not only have these stories brought in a decent payout, but they also helped me gain an extra hundred followers within a matter of days once published. Most of my engaged readers found my work on a publication that they followed already, so exposing your work to various publications is key to building a diverse and engaged audience. Focus On Writing Engaging Content Besides submitting to large publications, writing engaging content should be the key focus for any aspiring writer on Medium. Yet, unless you’re some (Hemingway or Shakespeare), nobody expects you to write top-notch content every time. However, there are a few things you can do to ensure that the work you do put out there gets — at least to some level of degree — engagement from your readers. Write 2–3 Articles A Day, But Don’t Post Them All As I said, unless you were born with some unnatural god-given writing ability, we don’t expect you to produce top quality content every time. Still, you can help ensure that (most) of your content that hits Medium’s paywall provides ample levels of engagement. I write 2–3 articles a day, but I rarely publish more than once a day. I only write as much as I do to improve my writing abilities. After writing my articles for the day, I’ll pick the best one and edit it for an hour or two before submitting it to a publication of my choice. I spent a few days editing my best-performing articles. In a way, editing can be just as (if not more) important than the writing itself. Use Grammarly I contribute a large portion of my success on Medium to Grammarly, a service used to check — and correct (if necessary) — your grammar. I can’t even begin to express the importance of using Grammarly. In the beginning, it showed me exactly why I needed it. My first month’s report using Grammarly. This month’s report using Grammarly. As you can see, not only did my grammar improve (drastically), but my overall writing production improved as well. Using Grammarly encouraged me to write more by sending me weekly updates, shedding light on my improvements, and encouraging me to write more. So unless you happen to have a master's in grammar tucked under your belt, I recommend you start using Grammarly. Give Your Headlines A Boost I had no idea how important a quality headline was when I first started on Medium. Then, I started to see it everywhere. Every successful writer on Medium will tell you the importance of a quality headline. Not too long ago, click-bait seemed to be the key to a successful headline. Now, however, Medium has made changes, discouraging all kinds of click-baited headlines. So instead of click-bait, focus on writing headlines that intrigue the reader and pique their interest. How To Achieve Results Using This One Weird Trick suddenly becomes 8 Effective Tips To Increase Productivity And Achieve Your Goals. Give the reader a glimpse of what to expect before reading your story. Utilize the subtitle to expand on your headline if necessary. Generally speaking, your second headline will always be better than the first. So before submitting your story, ask yourself, could it be better? Try using Coschedule. Before you publish your next story, copy the headline and place it into Coschedule’s headline analyzer. Coschedule does a brilliant job at breaking down your headline, providing a score of 1 to 100. They monitor your use of common, uncommon, powerful, and emotional words to draw the reader in. As a rule of thumb, I generally won’t publish a story unless I score above a 70. Ever get a full 100 score on Coschedule? Let me know in the comments! Engage With Other Writers My most engaged readers happen to be the people who I follow and engage with as well. To grow an engaged audience, focus on reading and mingling with other active writers on Medium. In the beginning, those first few followers will be the difference between making it or breaking it as a top earner on Medium. Engage with others, and in return, they’ll provide feedback on your work, share your stories, overall contributing towards your success as a professional writer.

https://medium.com/illumination/how-to-become-a-top-earner-on-medium-95cabc9859b1

['Jazz Parks']

2020-12-17 09:17:06.243000+00:00

['Writing', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Startup', 'Finance', 'Inspiration']

Title Become Top Earner MediumContent I’ve writing pretty consistently Medium around 3000 word per day past month story hosted dozen publication time I’m beginning learn take make decent income Medium want share I’ve learned far writer earn incredible amount money platform April 2020 one writer brought 28000 single month Even jawdropping statistic like it’s important understand le 6 writer Medium earned 100 single month Expecting Get Medium honesty don’t believe there’s huge difference making 100 1000 Medium thing matter level commitment time spent platform ask expect get Medium livable sideincome Professional writer status maybe you’re write connect likeminded individual end above’s possible commit making happen first month made measly 6 yet made 3x following month 10x month Years I’ll make 1000x Patience consistency commitment improving writer — quality Medium’s top earner right start making decent income build authority platform Build Following profitable writer Medium large following mean consistent view — make sense Yet build following caliber take time sole focus beginning pitch big publication 90 income Medium come story hosted major publication fact article made 20 yet hosted mediumtolargesized publication Become Master Salesman Featured PostGrad Survival Guide Published 150 Stories Medium — Here’s Learned Published Startup two example represent story published large publication story brought decent payout also helped gain extra hundred follower within matter day published engaged reader found work publication followed already exposing work various publication key building diverse engaged audience Focus Writing Engaging Content Besides submitting large publication writing engaging content key focus aspiring writer Medium Yet unless you’re Hemingway Shakespeare nobody expects write topnotch content every time However thing ensure work put get — least level degree — engagement reader Write 2–3 Articles Day Don’t Post said unless born unnatural godgiven writing ability don’t expect produce top quality content every time Still help ensure content hit Medium’s paywall provides ample level engagement write 2–3 article day rarely publish day write much improve writing ability writing article day I’ll pick best one edit hour two submitting publication choice spent day editing bestperforming article way editing important writing Use Grammarly contribute large portion success Medium Grammarly service used check — correct necessary — grammar can’t even begin express importance using Grammarly beginning showed exactly needed first month’s report using Grammarly month’s report using Grammarly see grammar improve drastically overall writing production improved well Using Grammarly encouraged write sending weekly update shedding light improvement encouraging write unless happen master grammar tucked belt recommend start using Grammarly Give Headlines Boost idea important quality headline first started Medium started see everywhere Every successful writer Medium tell importance quality headline long ago clickbait seemed key successful headline however Medium made change discouraging kind clickbaited headline instead clickbait focus writing headline intrigue reader pique interest Achieve Results Using One Weird Trick suddenly becomes 8 Effective Tips Increase Productivity Achieve Goals Give reader glimpse expect reading story Utilize subtitle expand headline necessary Generally speaking second headline always better first submitting story ask could better Try using Coschedule publish next story copy headline place Coschedule’s headline analyzer Coschedule brilliant job breaking headline providing score 1 100 monitor use common uncommon powerful emotional word draw reader rule thumb generally won’t publish story unless score 70 Ever get full 100 score Coschedule Let know comment Engage Writers engaged reader happen people follow engage well grow engaged audience focus reading mingling active writer Medium beginning first follower difference making breaking top earner Medium Engage others return they’ll provide feedback work share story overall contributing towards success professional writerTags Writing Entrepreneurship Startup Finance Inspiration

How Startups Fill Leadership Gaps With Expert Resources

The hardest role to fill in any company is leadership. Say what you will about logic-defying compensation packages and golden parachutes for C-level executives, because I’ll nod my head right along with you. The hard truth is that experienced leadership is always the difference between success and failure. Always. But how in God’s name do you get that level of talent at that level of leadership when you’re a resource-and-cash-strapped startup? And how do you avoid the hucksters, blowhards, and dinosaurs? We can get just about any part of our business built for a fraction of what it used to cost. The barrier-to-entry for making, distributing, marketing, and transacting has been greatly reduced in the wake of a massive populist technology shift brought about by the Internet, mobility, and automation. You and I, we can afford to start a business that can compete with any incumbent. Until we get to leadership. It’s impossible to automate experience, and there is no substitute for it if you want to take your company past a pedestrian level of success. Luckily, the access and affordability of experienced startup leadership is changing too. And that change can’t some soon enough. What Is a Fractional Startup CXO? Would you rather hire 40 hours a week worth of recent college graduate or 10 hours a week from a seasoned veteran? Now, there’s nothing wrong with the former. I do it and do it often. It’s a great way to get potential on board that can benefit my company for years. But if I’m early in the life of the company and I have leadership gaps that I can’t fill, it’s the latter. Every time. Unfortunately, a lot of startups make the same mistake when it comes to hiring a fractional leadership resource. They’ll hire 10 hours a week from an experienced CEO, another 10 from an experienced CFO, and another 10 from a pick-two of any of the other executive functions. It equals one expensive full-time-equivalent to cover all the C-Level functions of the company. This never works. What will happen is the original startup management team will fall back into a secondary role for these functions and leave the heavy lifting and decision-making to the pros. But no one, no matter how experienced, can run a company function at 10 hours a week. Founders do this because they’re plucking these resources from a field pool of executives who have held a singular position for a long, long time. At first blush, this strategy makes all the sense in the world, but you can’t run a startup like you run a mid-level or large corporate business. Invariably, that 10 hours a week will get swallowed up by bullshit, usually brought on by the expert resources themselves when they realize and run away from the fact that sometimes being a startup CEO means being on the phone with an irate customer for hours at a time. No. You need a single, experienced CXO, and you need them for a couple hours a week, tops. The CXO Role is Changing, So Change With It So what’s the right way to fill this leadership gap? Well, that’s all going to depend on your company’s individual and unique needs, budget, and comfort level — the last one probably being the most critical. The CXO role is going through an evolutionary process due to a number of factors that have changed as startups themselves have evolved over the last decade. If you know those factors, you can really open up your pool of candidates, find the exact right person, and establish the exact right relationship between your company and the CXO. Here are just a few of those evolutionary factors: Factor #1: The pool of available CXOs is expanding rapidly. Thanks to the proliferation of startups that have been able to push themselves quite a long way before exiting or failing, there are a number of talented, experienced people out there who have been through the ringer more than once. These are the multi-faceted experts who can speak to company growth from tech, product, finance, operations, sales — they’ve done it all. Startups have long since realized that they don’t need a former CEO/founder with a single nine-figure-plus exit, they need a hands-on leader who has several stories under the experience belt — good, bad, and middling. Factor #2: The roles are changing too. Startups are also more than willing to throw out the corporate governance model until they need it, so they’ve started fitting leadership into the right place at the right time. If that time passes, they rethink it and change the role. A mentor one day might become a consultant the next, on their way to being an advisor or a board member. If any of that happens at all. The concept of fractional resourcing has led to a reduced emphasis on fitting the role to the person. Figure out what your company needs, then find the person to fill those needs. Factor #3: The gig economy has changed the relationship dynamic. The old way of bringing on fractional leadership used to be a long, drawn-out process that took months to establish and resulted in an expensive and often ill-fitting relationship. This also attracted the wrong kinds of leaders into those roles — for example, retirement-ready executives trying to keep themselves busy. Concepts of the gig economy have begun to take hold at the leadership level. Pay these people, pay them now, pay them month-to-month for as long as the relationship works, then change the relationship over time as the company evolves. If you’ve hired the right resource, they’ll be able to change with you. Watch Out for the Bullshit Factor I was on a conference call with a major startup bank talking about this very subject when they asked me what the top drawback of bringing on fractional leadership was. I paused. Then I said, “The people most willing to do fractional leadership are usually the most incompetent at it.” Luckily, they laughed. But it’s no joke. There are plenty of organizations, programs, and individuals out there who are looking to take advantage of a desperate startup team. And there are others who are just ill-equipped to mold their experience and knowledge into something that’s about helping the startup, not just adding an entry to their LinkedIn profile. Here are some signs to watch out for: You should be reaching out to them, not the other way around. There are certain occasions, mostly around intellectual curiosity, that will lead an expert to contact a startup and offer to help. But those scenarios are few and far between, and when they do happen, the expert will come to the table loaded with familiarity about your company after having done the research. Because they’re interested. Don’t fall for pretty programs or surefire methods. Proper help and advice is organic, individualized, and unique. If I had a guaranteed method for making a company successful, I wouldn’t be helping you, I’d just keep cranking out successful companies. Get a taste of what you need before you bring them on board. Here’s a dirty little secret. Anyone who’s worth their experience should be able to impress you or give you something unique to think about within the first few rounds of communication. Don’t hire them until they do that. But also, I’m looking at you — investors, incubators, banks, and support organizations. These folks are in the perfect position to not only vet and verify fractional leadership, but it should be part of any program or investment aimed at early stage startups, if just for the added chances the startup will succeed. Some of these entities offer a fractional leadership type program for “free,” so to speak, but both sides just end up getting what they pay for. It’s only common sense for that model to change as well. Hey! If you found this post actionable or insightful, please consider signing up for my weekly newsletter at joeprocopio.com so you don’t miss any new posts. It’s short and to the point.

https://jproco.medium.com/how-startups-fill-leadership-gaps-with-expert-resources-7af031ae84ac

['Joe Procopio']

2019-12-14 19:44:39.453000+00:00

['Leadership', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Business', 'Startup', 'Productivity']

Title Startups Fill Leadership Gaps Expert ResourcesContent hardest role fill company leadership Say logicdefying compensation package golden parachute Clevel executive I’ll nod head right along hard truth experienced leadership always difference success failure Always God’s name get level talent level leadership you’re resourceandcashstrapped startup avoid huckster blowhard dinosaur get part business built fraction used cost barriertoentry making distributing marketing transacting greatly reduced wake massive populist technology shift brought Internet mobility automation afford start business compete incumbent get leadership It’s impossible automate experience substitute want take company past pedestrian level success Luckily access affordability experienced startup leadership changing change can’t soon enough Fractional Startup CXO Would rather hire 40 hour week worth recent college graduate 10 hour week seasoned veteran there’s nothing wrong former often It’s great way get potential board benefit company year I’m early life company leadership gap can’t fill it’s latter Every time Unfortunately lot startup make mistake come hiring fractional leadership resource They’ll hire 10 hour week experienced CEO another 10 experienced CFO another 10 picktwo executive function equal one expensive fulltimeequivalent cover CLevel function company never work happen original startup management team fall back secondary role function leave heavy lifting decisionmaking pro one matter experienced run company function 10 hour week Founders they’re plucking resource field pool executive held singular position long long time first blush strategy make sense world can’t run startup like run midlevel large corporate business Invariably 10 hour week get swallowed bullshit usually brought expert resource realize run away fact sometimes startup CEO mean phone irate customer hour time need single experienced CXO need couple hour week top CXO Role Changing Change what’s right way fill leadership gap Well that’s going depend company’s individual unique need budget comfort level — last one probably critical CXO role going evolutionary process due number factor changed startup evolved last decade know factor really open pool candidate find exact right person establish exact right relationship company CXO evolutionary factor Factor 1 pool available CXOs expanding rapidly Thanks proliferation startup able push quite long way exiting failing number talented experienced people ringer multifaceted expert speak company growth tech product finance operation sale — they’ve done Startups long since realized don’t need former CEOfounder single ninefigureplus exit need handson leader several story experience belt — good bad middling Factor 2 role changing Startups also willing throw corporate governance model need they’ve started fitting leadership right place right time time pass rethink change role mentor one day might become consultant next way advisor board member happens concept fractional resourcing led reduced emphasis fitting role person Figure company need find person fill need Factor 3 gig economy changed relationship dynamic old way bringing fractional leadership used long drawnout process took month establish resulted expensive often illfitting relationship also attracted wrong kind leader role — example retirementready executive trying keep busy Concepts gig economy begun take hold leadership level Pay people pay pay monthtomonth long relationship work change relationship time company evolves you’ve hired right resource they’ll able change Watch Bullshit Factor conference call major startup bank talking subject asked top drawback bringing fractional leadership paused said “The people willing fractional leadership usually incompetent it” Luckily laughed it’s joke plenty organization program individual looking take advantage desperate startup team others illequipped mold experience knowledge something that’s helping startup adding entry LinkedIn profile sign watch reaching way around certain occasion mostly around intellectual curiosity lead expert contact startup offer help scenario far happen expert come table loaded familiarity company done research they’re interested Don’t fall pretty program surefire method Proper help advice organic individualized unique guaranteed method making company successful wouldn’t helping I’d keep cranking successful company Get taste need bring board Here’s dirty little secret Anyone who’s worth experience able impress give something unique think within first round communication Don’t hire also I’m looking — investor incubator bank support organization folk perfect position vet verify fractional leadership part program investment aimed early stage startup added chance startup succeed entity offer fractional leadership type program “free” speak side end getting pay It’s common sense model change well Hey found post actionable insightful please consider signing weekly newsletter joeprocopiocom don’t miss new post It’s short pointTags Leadership Entrepreneurship Business Startup Productivity

The Failure that Led to Sigmund Freud’s Success

The Failure that Led to Sigmund Freud’s Success Why Even a Dead Page can have Purpose In 1895, Sigmund Freud started Project for a Scientific Psychology, a monograph where he tried to explain all neuroses under a single framework. The ambition and expectation of the task brought trouble of equal magnitude. In Creating Minds, Howard Gardner writes that Freud “reveals his own despair at the magnitude of the task, the meager tools at his disposal, and the seemingly contradictory mission of laying bare what the psychic censors have withheld from introspection or consciousness.” And yet, as Gardner highlights, Freud’s breakthrough work The Interpretation of Dreams can be seen as the successor to Project for a Scientific Psychology. The editorial note in Project for a Scientific Psychology agrees, “The immediate continuation of the ‘Project’ among Freud’s published writings is to be found in The Interpretation of Dreams.” It was only after Freud finished Project for a Scientific Psychology, that he felt the doubts of it, “I no longer understand the state of mind in which I concocted the psychology,” he writes in a letter. He didn’t end up publishing Project, and it wouldn’t see the light of day until a decade after he passed away. New creative work can always be built at the tail end of a creative failure. In Freud’s case, The Interpretation of Dreams wasn’t an immediate success either; only years after publishing did it cement itself as something that would change the fields of social science and establish the domain of psychology. There are lots of reasons for us to do things that won’t work out well, especially because there’s a possibility that they lead to something that will. It’s possible, of course, that Freud could have come up with Interpretation without Project. But in practice, and in actuality, he made a monograph he couldn’t bring himself to publish, before he made the one that would cement his legacy. Writers sit on both sides of this, and I’m sure people in creative work of all sorts do as well. Mark Manson doesn’t force his writing when he knows it’s not good; why waste the time re-writing? But Danielle Steele advocates writing dead pages, knowing she’ll have something to work with after and that re-writing is easier than getting blocked. Not every piece of work is meant to see the light of day; but maybe that wasn’t its purpose. The decision is yours to make.

https://herbertlui.medium.com/the-failure-that-led-to-sigmund-freuds-success-6bf82c58a297

['Herbert Lui']

2020-05-01 15:33:19.276000+00:00

['Creative', 'Motivation', 'Failure', 'Psychology', 'Creativity']

Title Failure Led Sigmund Freud’s SuccessContent Failure Led Sigmund Freud’s Success Even Dead Page Purpose 1895 Sigmund Freud started Project Scientific Psychology monograph tried explain neurosis single framework ambition expectation task brought trouble equal magnitude Creating Minds Howard Gardner writes Freud “reveals despair magnitude task meager tool disposal seemingly contradictory mission laying bare psychic censor withheld introspection consciousness” yet Gardner highlight Freud’s breakthrough work Interpretation Dreams seen successor Project Scientific Psychology editorial note Project Scientific Psychology agrees “The immediate continuation ‘Project’ among Freud’s published writing found Interpretation Dreams” Freud finished Project Scientific Psychology felt doubt “I longer understand state mind concocted psychology” writes letter didn’t end publishing Project wouldn’t see light day decade passed away New creative work always built tail end creative failure Freud’s case Interpretation Dreams wasn’t immediate success either year publishing cement something would change field social science establish domain psychology lot reason u thing won’t work well especially there’s possibility lead something It’s possible course Freud could come Interpretation without Project practice actuality made monograph couldn’t bring publish made one would cement legacy Writers sit side I’m sure people creative work sort well Mark Manson doesn’t force writing know it’s good waste time rewriting Danielle Steele advocate writing dead page knowing she’ll something work rewriting easier getting blocked every piece work meant see light day maybe wasn’t purpose decision makeTags Creative Motivation Failure Psychology Creativity

Why is storytelling so important to the world? It’s our TRUTH.

“Tell me a story!” Something we have all said or heard in our lives. Stories bring us together around the campfire. We can escape into the rich and inviting worlds of our favorite authors, in a thrilling tale of adventure like Indian Jones movie, or like my grandmother escape into fantasy world of a soap opera. A story is a narrative that can relay lessons and warnings. A method in which we can portray dreams of what the future may hold, or allow introspection on what has occurred in the past. Through stories, we can scare children straight with tales of monsters. Stories give them heroes in which they can aspire, having adventurous journeys in distant lands. Children need these heroes, for heroes are a positive influence on their lives. A template from which they can learn to grow and develop. Stories also teach them to use their imaginations. The lessons are important to the development of children. Stories offer archetypes as role models for us to emulate and they also show the dark side of humanity for us to abandon. I am embracing my journey to become a writer because I want to hone my words into well crafted stories. Hopefully they will resonate with my readers. I am a storyteller at heart. I feel it is my purpose, my destiny if you will. It is important for me to show truths in my stories. I write for myself and through these truths I connect with my characters and the story I am trying to create, if I do not connect, how can I expect anyone else? Larry Kim recently wrote in a piece: “Become an expert storyteller. People love a good story and great stories come from sophisticated storytellers. Storytelling is an art form that requires understanding of language and pacing. Master it and people will flock to you.” Why is this so important to me? Why do I desire to spin a tale? Am I fulfilling my own fantasy of writing for myself? I think it is much greater. Like Plato, I believe art is a purity of truth and maybe my total devotion to it will restore my wings. Creativity makes me feel alive. It makes me feel like I am doing what I am supposed to be doing. (Unlike how accounting makes me feel, like something boring, going nowhere, and everyday is exactly the same) I feel the stories inside me come from somewhere else. Something bigger is guiding me to write. It is important because without stories being written there would be no divine intervention. The lessons needed would not be relayed without writers having the courage their truths. We as writers are always evolving and striving to improve. It is our duty to keep finding new ways to drive home the important truths and the lessons they teach. It is our duty observe and divulge. Stories give us a point of reference. They show us the good and the bad in a person or in a situation. They allow us to relate and learn from the trials and tribulations of the characters we come to love. In order for a connection to be made with any character, the character must ring true. Without this truth, we cannot learn empathy. I cry at commercials sometimes. How is that possible you ask? There was something connecting me with a 30 second spot and its characters. It played at my heart strings or made me think of something that happened in my past. Because of its truthfulness, I could not help but relate. I could not help being empathetic. Stories must strike a nerve. Stories have to be able to reflect reality in order for a connection to be ever be made. This reflection of the world sheds light on own reality and allows our minds to open up and reach for something bigger and better. Stories teach us about hope. They remind us how valuable and intrinsically meaningful our lives really are, even when at times we don’t feel they are. Stories have the power to save us. They can show us that life can be too beautiful to give up. They can pull us out of the dark. They can make us feel we are not alone in the world. They can make us feel that there is someone else in the world that understands what we are going through. Stories show us the importance of our lives and of humanity as a whole. If something is important, it needs to be told. What is in our minds bursting to come out, has to be brought to a pure state, free from outside influence. As storytellers we have a duty to dig deep in order for the truth to shine bright. Without this depth the importance of the message will be lost. Stephen King once said in an interview: “Stories are found things, like fossils in the ground. Stories are relics, part of an undiscovered pre-existing world.” Stories have the power to change our lives. And as a storyteller that is my ultimate purpose. I want my stories to bring people together. I am like a character in a story, I must live my truth. I can’t turn back when I run into conflict or self-doubt. If I do I will be turning my back on my yearning. I will be giving up my life.

https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/the-truth-of-stories-why-do-we-tell-tales-f262f84650d8

['Adele Walsh']

2016-10-26 15:06:17.649000+00:00

['Storytelling', 'Insight', 'Writing', 'Creativity', 'Purpose']

Title storytelling important world It’s TRUTHContent “Tell story” Something said heard life Stories bring u together around campfire escape rich inviting world favorite author thrilling tale adventure like Indian Jones movie like grandmother escape fantasy world soap opera story narrative relay lesson warning method portray dream future may hold allow introspection occurred past story scare child straight tale monster Stories give hero aspire adventurous journey distant land Children need hero hero positive influence life template learn grow develop Stories also teach use imagination lesson important development child Stories offer archetype role model u emulate also show dark side humanity u abandon embracing journey become writer want hone word well crafted story Hopefully resonate reader storyteller heart feel purpose destiny important show truth story write truth connect character story trying create connect expect anyone else Larry Kim recently wrote piece “Become expert storyteller People love good story great story come sophisticated storyteller Storytelling art form requires understanding language pacing Master people flock you” important desire spin tale fulfilling fantasy writing think much greater Like Plato believe art purity truth maybe total devotion restore wing Creativity make feel alive make feel like supposed Unlike accounting make feel like something boring going nowhere everyday exactly feel story inside come somewhere else Something bigger guiding write important without story written would divine intervention lesson needed would relayed without writer courage truth writer always evolving striving improve duty keep finding new way drive home important truth lesson teach duty observe divulge Stories give u point reference show u good bad person situation allow u relate learn trial tribulation character come love order connection made character character must ring true Without truth cannot learn empathy cry commercial sometimes possible ask something connecting 30 second spot character played heart string made think something happened past truthfulness could help relate could help empathetic Stories must strike nerve Stories able reflect reality order connection ever made reflection world shed light reality allows mind open reach something bigger better Stories teach u hope remind u valuable intrinsically meaningful life really even time don’t feel Stories power save u show u life beautiful give pull u dark make u feel alone world make u feel someone else world understands going Stories show u importance life humanity whole something important need told mind bursting come brought pure state free outside influence storyteller duty dig deep order truth shine bright Without depth importance message lost Stephen King said interview “Stories found thing like fossil ground Stories relic part undiscovered preexisting world” Stories power change life storyteller ultimate purpose want story bring people together like character story must live truth can’t turn back run conflict selfdoubt turning back yearning giving lifeTags Storytelling Insight Writing Creativity Purpose

You.i Engine One Performance: Manipulating the Scene Tree

The Scene Tree All JSX Components written in a React Native application are ultimately translated to platform level nodes understood by the underlying rendering engine. The representation of these nodes can be described as a Scene Tree. It contains the relationships and contextual information needed by the engine to render the application. This article will describe how to minimize the changes on the scene tree, which may be expensive in certain situations on low end devices, in order to provide the best user experience possible while managing memory constraints. Creation and Destruction on a whim A common pattern when building an application in either ReactJS or React Native is the use of Conditional Rendering to quickly change the stateful representation of a screen. This allows for a render pass to completely change what is on screen with the change of a single state. Set and Reset of Image via Conditional Rendering In this example, the <Image /> is being destroyed or created on each pass depending on the state of the showImage variable. When a change like this occurs, the Scene Tree requires an update to redraw itself with the absence or inclusion of this node. Changing Visual state without Creation or Destruction Each component in JSX has a Shadow View that links it to a platform node that represents it at the engine rendering level. This node is what is represented in the Scene Tree. In the case of an <Image /> node, for the You.i Engine One platform, it is a CYIImageView . If we reach into the platform with a Native Module, we can manipulate this counterpart view in the scene tree and cause a change in behaviour without requiring the creation or destruction of an element. (In this example I will also set opacity on the node to show a visual differentiation). Replacing the conditional rendering logic with some that relies on working with references to items are created once, we can utilize the Native modules and achieve the same result with less cost. While this is possible with iOS and Android Native Modules on Facebook React Native, the important distinction is that the Native Module to manipulate the CYIImageView is effective on every single platform supported by You.i Engine One. Set and Reset Image (and opacity) via manipulation of Engine Scene Tree Node This example demonstrates a small sample of what can be achieved with this approach. Effectively, all functionality of the underlying node is made available to you when you access the counterpart engine node. While this example demonstrates managing the state of an image, and resetting it to the initial state of the node, it’s possible to use this to unlock functionality beyond the capabilities of Facebook React Native. Performance & Memory Management for Low End Devices While the above is a simple isolated example, where this can come in handy is when you have a design that calls for a very large number of assets to be displayed in a list, each having an image attached to them. For an application that has 25 lanes with 30 assets each, this can quickly overwhelm a low end device. There are multiple approaches using core Facebook React Native to manage the display of these images and prevent images not on screen from attempting to download, but they typically rely on the notion that if you don’t want it to be present then conditionally make it go away. windowSize The most notable is windowSize on a virtualized list. This is an indicator of the streaming range of a list, how many list items (in number of screens) to keep created at any given time to enhance the user experience as they scroll through. Lowering the windowSize property can provide the benefits of (1) lower memory consumption, especially if images are involved, and (2) quicker load times as there are less nodes to create. The issue with windowSize is that it works in absolutes — the list item is not created, and then it is, and then it isn’t. If you set your windowSize to be too small, the user may have a poor experience as the quickly scrolling through items can result in momentary blank spaces as items load in taking the user away from their immersive experience. onViewableItemsChanged By tracking the indices that are visible at any given moment, it is possible to set the state of individual list items informing them if they are in the viewable range or not. This is configurable with viewabilityConfig but can also be controlled manually in the onViewableItemsChanged callback if you prefer. A wrapper class can provide this added contextual information to the renderItem method for use in the list. With the wrapper class, the list items when rendering will be aware of it they are in the visible range as renderItem props can be destructured as ( {item, index, show}) and the item act accordingly. To best utilize this, a Placeholder component that represents the List Item in both its visual and non-visual state is a good way to manage the items load on performance and memory. Assume each item has a payload of: { image: "<image_url>", background: "<background_color>" } A Placeholder component can be constructed such that we always use the background color regardless if the item is visible, and then only show the image if it is visible using the Native Module calls we defined above. We can effectively build out the image when it’s not visible, and then manipulate the node to display or reset when appropriate. A slight delay has been added to the image load to simulate poor network conditions where a solution like this can shine. Image nodes being set at the scene tree level without creation or destruction of components All list items are created, but only images are loaded when they are visible. In this extreme example, images are also reset (and unloaded from the GPU) when they go out of visible range minimizing memory used by the application while still providing a great user experience. note: For the best experience while minimizing memory footprint, you will want to adjust the visible items so that items do load off screen, perhaps two screens worth, in order to make the transitions seamless for the user Using the After Effects Workflow While the above was all done using pure JSX and core Facebook React Native Components, everything works in an identical fashion when using You.i Engine React Native Components (such as ListRef , ViewRef , ImageRef ) and referencing components from the After Effects Workflow. While the Components may differ, the underlying Scene Tree node will be the same. Class that represents interacting with AE Workflow Component As an added benefit when using the Workflow, calling reset not only unloads the image from the GPU but also resets the state of the CYIImageView and all associated helper timelines. After Effects Composition to represent List Item This means if you employ an ImageSet timeline on your node, the next time the uri is set on that image the timeline will once again play. This means you can once again put the power of design and managing state into the hands of the designer.

https://johnwcassidy.medium.com/you-i-engine-one-performance-manipulating-the-scene-tree-e6721eeb50d9

['John Cassidy']

2020-03-16 17:47:58.260000+00:00

['Mobile App Development', 'JavaScript', 'React', 'Development', 'React Native']

Title Youi Engine One Performance Manipulating Scene TreeContent Scene Tree JSX Components written React Native application ultimately translated platform level node understood underlying rendering engine representation node described Scene Tree contains relationship contextual information needed engine render application article describe minimize change scene tree may expensive certain situation low end device order provide best user experience possible managing memory constraint Creation Destruction whim common pattern building application either ReactJS React Native use Conditional Rendering quickly change stateful representation screen allows render pas completely change screen change single state Set Reset Image via Conditional Rendering example Image destroyed created pas depending state showImage variable change like occurs Scene Tree requires update redraw absence inclusion node Changing Visual state without Creation Destruction component JSX Shadow View link platform node represents engine rendering level node represented Scene Tree case Image node Youi Engine One platform CYIImageView reach platform Native Module manipulate counterpart view scene tree cause change behaviour without requiring creation destruction element example also set opacity node show visual differentiation Replacing conditional rendering logic relies working reference item created utilize Native module achieve result le cost possible iOS Android Native Modules Facebook React Native important distinction Native Module manipulate CYIImageView effective every single platform supported Youi Engine One Set Reset Image opacity via manipulation Engine Scene Tree Node example demonstrates small sample achieved approach Effectively functionality underlying node made available access counterpart engine node example demonstrates managing state image resetting initial state node it’s possible use unlock functionality beyond capability Facebook React Native Performance Memory Management Low End Devices simple isolated example come handy design call large number asset displayed list image attached application 25 lane 30 asset quickly overwhelm low end device multiple approach using core Facebook React Native manage display image prevent image screen attempting download typically rely notion don’t want present conditionally make go away windowSize notable windowSize virtualized list indicator streaming range list many list item number screen keep created given time enhance user experience scroll Lowering windowSize property provide benefit 1 lower memory consumption especially image involved 2 quicker load time le node create issue windowSize work absolute — list item created isn’t set windowSize small user may poor experience quickly scrolling item result momentary blank space item load taking user away immersive experience onViewableItemsChanged tracking index visible given moment possible set state individual list item informing viewable range configurable viewabilityConfig also controlled manually onViewableItemsChanged callback prefer wrapper class provide added contextual information renderItem method use list wrapper class list item rendering aware visible range renderItem prop destructured item index show item act accordingly best utilize Placeholder component represents List Item visual nonvisual state good way manage item load performance memory Assume item payload image imageurl background backgroundcolor Placeholder component constructed always use background color regardless item visible show image visible using Native Module call defined effectively build image it’s visible manipulate node display reset appropriate slight delay added image load simulate poor network condition solution like shine Image node set scene tree level without creation destruction component list item created image loaded visible extreme example image also reset unloaded GPU go visible range minimizing memory used application still providing great user experience note best experience minimizing memory footprint want adjust visible item item load screen perhaps two screen worth order make transition seamless user Using Effects Workflow done using pure JSX core Facebook React Native Components everything work identical fashion using Youi Engine React Native Components ListRef ViewRef ImageRef referencing component Effects Workflow Components may differ underlying Scene Tree node Class represents interacting AE Workflow Component added benefit using Workflow calling reset unloads image GPU also reset state CYIImageView associated helper timeline Effects Composition represent List Item mean employ ImageSet timeline node next time uri set image timeline play mean put power design managing state hand designerTags Mobile App Development JavaScript React Development React Native

Viewing the E.Coli imbalance dataset in 3D with Python

Viewing the E.Coli imbalance dataset in 3D with Python Tracyrenee Follow Dec 16 · 4 min read The E.Coli imbalance dataset is a very good dataset to experiment on because two of its classes only have two occurences in and one class has only five occurrences. Some individuals suggest removing those classes from the dataset to obtain a better accuracy, but I personally would like to find an algorithm that will pick up all of the classes. One way to better understand how the labels in the dataset inter-relate with the independent variables associated with them is to view their visual representations. In a recent post I presented the target variables in a two dimensional plot and the link for that post can be found here:- A look at the E.Coli dataset using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) | by Tracyrenee | AI In Plain English | Dec, 2020 | Medium In this post I intend to present the targets in a three dimensional, or 3D, graph to illustrate the way this variable fits into the memory locations in the computer’s memory. The e.coli dataset describes the problem of classifying E.coli proteins using their amino acid sequences in their cell localization sites. That is, predicting how a protein will bind to a cell based on the chemical composition of the protein before it is folded. The e.coli dataset is credited to Kenta Nakai and was developed into its current form by Paul Horton and Kenta Nakai in their 1996 paper titled “A Probabilistic Classification System For Predicting The Cellular Localization Sites Of Proteins.” In it, they achieved a classification accuracy of 81%. The dataset is comprised of 335 examples of E.coli proteins and each example is described using seven input variables calculated from the proteins’ amino acid sequence. In order to plot a 3D grappd of the targets, I created a program in Google Colab, which is an online Jupyter Notebook that can be accessed from any computer that has the internet connected to it. I loaded some of the Python libraries, which are pre-installed in Google Colab, and then loaded and read the e.coli dataset. The column titles are not present in this dataset, so I had to define the column titles, otherwise one of the rows in the dataset would show up as a title:- I then checked for any null values and in this dataset there were none that needed to be imputed. I then counted how many occurrences were present in each example of the target, which revealed a very large class imbalance:- I defined the X variable, which is the dataset’s independent values, and scaled it using the StandardScaler() function in sklearn’s library. I then calculated X’s mean value and standard deviation. I defined the variable feat_cols, which is made up of the scaled columns in the X dataset. I then created a dataset, normalised, which will be used in the program:- I then entered the block of code to create the 3D representation of the e.coli dataset. In order to accomplish this I had to use sklearn’s LabelEncoder() to convert the target to numeric values, which is what the model wants to see:- Once the code was entered, which is a modification of the code that is presented in the sklearn website, I ran the program and was presented with a 3D view of how the target variable examples appear in the computer memory:- The code for this program can be found in its entirety in my personal GitHub account, the link being found here:- Misc-Predictions/E_Coli_PCA.ipynb at main · TracyRenee61/Misc-Predictions (github.com)

https://medium.com/python-in-plain-english/viewing-the-e-coli-imbalance-dataset-in-3d-ed59597eefc4

[]

2020-12-16 09:15:36.316000+00:00

['Machine Learning', 'Python', 'Matplotlib', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Data Science']

Title Viewing EColi imbalance dataset 3D PythonContent Viewing EColi imbalance dataset 3D Python Tracyrenee Follow Dec 16 · 4 min read EColi imbalance dataset good dataset experiment two class two occurences one class five occurrence individual suggest removing class dataset obtain better accuracy personally would like find algorithm pick class One way better understand label dataset interrelate independent variable associated view visual representation recent post presented target variable two dimensional plot link post found look EColi dataset using Principal Component Analysis PCA Tracyrenee AI Plain English Dec 2020 Medium post intend present target three dimensional 3D graph illustrate way variable fit memory location computer’s memory ecoli dataset describes problem classifying Ecoli protein using amino acid sequence cell localization site predicting protein bind cell based chemical composition protein folded ecoli dataset credited Kenta Nakai developed current form Paul Horton Kenta Nakai 1996 paper titled “A Probabilistic Classification System Predicting Cellular Localization Sites Proteins” achieved classification accuracy 81 dataset comprised 335 example Ecoli protein example described using seven input variable calculated proteins’ amino acid sequence order plot 3D grappd target created program Google Colab online Jupyter Notebook accessed computer internet connected loaded Python library preinstalled Google Colab loaded read ecoli dataset column title present dataset define column title otherwise one row dataset would show title checked null value dataset none needed imputed counted many occurrence present example target revealed large class imbalance defined X variable dataset’s independent value scaled using StandardScaler function sklearn’s library calculated X’s mean value standard deviation defined variable featcols made scaled column X dataset created dataset normalised used program entered block code create 3D representation ecoli dataset order accomplish use sklearn’s LabelEncoder convert target numeric value model want see code entered modification code presented sklearn website ran program presented 3D view target variable example appear computer memory code program found entirety personal GitHub account link found MiscPredictionsEColiPCAipynb main · TracyRenee61MiscPredictions githubcomTags Machine Learning Python Matplotlib Artificial Intelligence Data Science

The Two Things You Need to Build an Email List

A couple of days ago, I wrote about why writers need email lists. I hope I convinced you. If I have, your next question might be — fine, I’m in, but how exactly do I do this? The most basic way to keep an email list is to literally write down people’s email addresses. Keep a notebook. When you want to write an email, type in all those email addresses and press send. The problem with that method is that it’s not very efficient. For one thing — you’d have to type in all those emails. For another, most email providers (like Gmail or Yahoo) have limits to how many emails you can send and receive in a day. So — let’s assume that beyond your mom and your best friend, you’re going to want a more efficient way to manage your email list. You’ll need an email server and a way to let people sign up to your list. I’m going to walk you through this like you’re five years old, because I wish someone had when I was first starting. I’m also going to share with you the services I use and the system that works for me. There are others. I hope that you’ll at least take enough from this post that you’ll be able to be more confident if you decide to Google around and find other ways to get the same thing done. I’m not a very techie person. I take the analog option whenever possible. If I can do this, so can you, I promise. You need an email server. An email server is a provider that manages your email list. At it’s most basic, an email server holds your email list and allows you to send emails to it. You can think of it like an electronic secretary. When you put your email in a form so that your favorite restaurant or store can send you a coupon — you’re adding your info to their email server. A good server lets you do things like sort your list based on which form they used to join — so that you can know, for instance, that this group of subscribers wanted more information on a specific part of your business. I’ve used ConvertKit as my email server for three years and I love them. It costs $29 a month up to your first 1000 subscribers. They have something called a Creator Pass that lets you pay $199 for a year or up to 100 subscribers, or $299 for a year or up to 1000 subscribers and gives you access to some courses to teach you about building and using an email list. Before ConvertKit I used Mail Chimp — which is free up to your first 2000 subscribers. Lots of people use Mail Chimp when they’re starting, because it’s free. It’s a decent option, although it’s no where near as easy or fun to use as ConvertKit. If you can afford to start out on a good service, I highly recommend it. For me, it was the best money I’ve ever spent on my writing business. I’ve never used any other servers, so I can’t speak to them, but there are a lot out there. You’ll need a way for readers to subscribe. Your server should allow you to make a form that you can add to your website or direct people to. ConvertKit does and it’s very easy. Mail Chimp does too, but it’s less simple. I always had to look up Youtube videos every time I wanted to do it. (But the videos are there — so if you need free, that’s an option.) If you’re writing on Medium, you’ll want a way to put your form in your posts. The absolute easiest way I know to do that is with Upscribe, which is a service that lets you build a Medium-friendly form (also super easy) that connects to your email server. It costs $9 per month. Upscribe connects with your email server — so when someone uses their form to join your list, they’re automatically added to your server. They give you a URL that you paste into your Medium post, hit return, and the form populates. When I paste this URL into this post and hit return: https://upscri.be/848309/ I get the form below. And if you put your email address into it, my email server will automatically add you to my list and send you the promised secret weapon. You can also hyperlink text, so that when a reader clicks it, they are sent to your form. For instance, if you click here, you’ll be taken to the same form as above. (You can hyperlink text with your email servers forms as well.) Bonus: You need some subscribers. My next post in this series will have some more specific ideas for how to start to build your list. For now, if you’re writing on Medium or somewhere else, start adding an invitation to join your email list to the bottom of posts. If you look at the bottom of this post, at my bio, you’ll see a hyperlinked invitation to take a look at my secret weapon. If you click it, you’ll get the same form as I posted above. I get 20 to 30 email subscribers per day via that line in my Medium bio. There are more effective ways, which we’ll talk about soon, but a simple “Let’s stay in touch” will start your list growing. Your homework.

https://medium.com/the-write-brain/the-two-things-you-need-to-build-an-email-list-301f7a4bd4cc

['Shaunta Grimes']

2019-04-05 06:04:03.969000+00:00

['Marketing', 'Business', 'Startup', 'Email', 'Writing']

Title Two Things Need Build Email ListContent couple day ago wrote writer need email list hope convinced next question might — fine I’m exactly basic way keep email list literally write people’s email address Keep notebook want write email type email address press send problem method it’s efficient one thing — you’d type email another email provider like Gmail Yahoo limit many email send receive day — let’s assume beyond mom best friend you’re going want efficient way manage email list You’ll need email server way let people sign list I’m going walk like you’re five year old wish someone first starting I’m also going share service use system work others hope you’ll least take enough post you’ll able confident decide Google around find way get thing done I’m techie person take analog option whenever possible promise need email server email server provider manages email list it’s basic email server hold email list allows send email think like electronic secretary put email form favorite restaurant store send coupon — you’re adding info email server good server let thing like sort list based form used join — know instance group subscriber wanted information specific part business I’ve used ConvertKit email server three year love cost 29 month first 1000 subscriber something called Creator Pass let pay 199 year 100 subscriber 299 year 1000 subscriber give access course teach building using email list ConvertKit used Mail Chimp — free first 2000 subscriber Lots people use Mail Chimp they’re starting it’s free It’s decent option although it’s near easy fun use ConvertKit afford start good service highly recommend best money I’ve ever spent writing business I’ve never used server can’t speak lot You’ll need way reader subscribe server allow make form add website direct people ConvertKit it’s easy Mail Chimp it’s le simple always look Youtube video every time wanted video — need free that’s option you’re writing Medium you’ll want way put form post absolute easiest way know Upscribe service let build Mediumfriendly form also super easy connects email server cost 9 per month Upscribe connects email server — someone us form join list they’re automatically added server give URL paste Medium post hit return form populates paste URL post hit return httpsupscribe848309 get form put email address email server automatically add list send promised secret weapon also hyperlink text reader click sent form instance click you’ll taken form hyperlink text email server form well Bonus need subscriber next post series specific idea start build list you’re writing Medium somewhere else start adding invitation join email list bottom post look bottom post bio you’ll see hyperlinked invitation take look secret weapon click you’ll get form posted get 20 30 email subscriber per day via line Medium bio effective way we’ll talk soon simple “Let’s stay touch” start list growing homeworkTags Marketing Business Startup Email Writing

People first: Valentin Grigoryevskiy (AIFORSE Community)

What is the most complex technical task you have ever solved? There are different Criteria of Complexity for Tasks we need to solve from day to day. A task may be Complex by tough Timelines, by Communication Issues within the Team or with a Customer, by Lack of Resources and finally, by it’s Nature. I experienced all the mentioned Cases, but sure, when I’m thinking of really Complex ones, the last Category comes to my Mind first. For me as for a Software Engineer, the most complex and at the same time the most interesting Tasks were related to Coordination of Functionality of different directly and indirectly related Modules of Enterprise-Level Software, which altogether should work as a Single Solution and cover End-to-End Scenarios.

https://medium.com/ai-for-software-engineering/people-first-valentin-grigoryevskiy-aiforse-community-ab0f4465271d

['Aiforse Community']

2017-11-06 09:25:40.390000+00:00

['People', 'Software Engineering', 'Software Development', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Machine Learning']

Title People first Valentin Grigoryevskiy AIFORSE CommunityContent complex technical task ever solved different Criteria Complexity Tasks need solve day day task may Complex tough Timelines Communication Issues within Team Customer Lack Resources finally it’s Nature experienced mentioned Cases sure I’m thinking really Complex one last Category come Mind first Software Engineer complex time interesting Tasks related Coordination Functionality different directly indirectly related Modules EnterpriseLevel Software altogether work Single Solution cover EndtoEnd ScenariosTags People Software Engineering Software Development Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning

How the CRISPR- technology can help set up a faster and cheaper COVID-19 testing strategy

The year 2020 witnessed a pandemic, crashing economies, depressing lockdowns, loss in all forms and figures, hospitals and healthcare centers stacked with the diseased and their helpless loved ones, unsung heroes working relentlessly in the depths of such facilities, and widespread chaos. We were hit by an enemy we weren’t prepared for. Now, everyone knows how that played out. It’s hard not to miss the jostling streets, the jammed high roads, grabbing a quick bite in a restaurant, or even the Monday morning dread of rushing to work. While some are trying to cope up with the disease itself, the rest try to acknowledge the mental and economical damage unearthed by this pandemic. In summation, everyone seems to be going through a tough time. The best of times only took a year to culminate into the worst of times. However, when the world was toiling away into the abyss of uncertainties, Science was the only guy holding the cards. This might be a sorry state, but the progress made by the researchers is unparalleled. Just when we all thought that there’s no more going around this impending disease, Research revealed another trick up its sleeve. Can CRISPR-technology diagnose COVID-19? There was a time when CRISPR technology was a fancy term only known to the Biotechnologists, Biologists, and a few Biology enthusiasts. The fancy gene-editing technology rose to fame during 2013 and has ever since been on a journey uphill. Over time there came about designer babies, transparent squids, and whatnot. CRISPR now has become a household name. Who knew CRISPR could do more than that? You ask What? Well, before jumping on to the answer, it is important to speculate on the relationship between CRISPR technology and COVID-19. Coronaviruses or CoVs are not new to the game. They have been cohabiting with our kind for a long time now. The newly mutated strain SARS-CoV-2 is the one with enhanced pathogenic powers and spells trouble. This new strain was detected in the first place by nucleic-acid based tests (metagenomic next-generation sequencing or mNGS) that suggested a 79% difference from the six members of the existing SARS-CoV family. Besides, a CRISPR based assay namely, the GeneXpert assay was suggested only last year to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis with enhanced sensitivity. This indicated the potential of the CRISPR/Cas complex in assay development for other pathogenic diseases as well. Furthermore, in a recent study, CRISPR technology happened to show the potential for in vitro diagnosis of COVID-19 with 100% accuracy. On the contrary, the best part of this discovery remains the estimated manufacturing cost of 70 cents. What does that mean? As of now, over five million individuals have been identified with SARS-CoV-2 infection. It means that COVID-19 tests can be made available to a larger mass of people, especially in the developing and under-developed countries. This comes as a milestone for places where healthcare comes at a great cost and the citizens have been failing till now to get themselves tested. Besides, as the world grows desperate to get back on its feet and run into the dear dear arms of a normal life, the demand for rapid, sensitive, and inexpensive diagnostics has increased. COVID-19 testing In the past few months, countless debates have been aired and promoted concerning the efficiency of COVID-19 testing. However, the lack of 100% accuracy had always left a window open for doubt and speculation. Currently, metagenomics next-generation sequencing and reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) are commonly being used to diagnose COVID-19. While sequencing is costly and time-consuming, RT-PCR requires specialized equipment (thermocycler) which is difficult to use. Therefore, the deficiency of precision and a higher time consumption lands us in a weak spot. “A tool kit of rapid diagnostics faster than typical RT-PCR is in great demand to circumvent the bottlenecks in assay turn-around time and reagent supply for COVID-19 testing,” the researchers write. “To address the expanding clinical needs, we developed CRISPR-COVID, a rapid assay for SARS-CoV-2 detection based on Cas13a.” Into the Experiment Chambers Scientists used genome sequencing to determine two unique regions of Sars-Cov-2 that sets it apart from other pathogens including other coronaviruses. Therefore, having two such targets coupled with the sensitivity of CRISPR/Cas13a, the situation turned out to be advantageous. They were now finally able to develop an assay combining the two to create an isothermal-based assay that eliminated the need for sophisticated analytical instruments. Hard to believe, but the study progresses to show a single-copy sensitivity of the assay. When examined against human cells infected with a variety of pathogens as interference samples, the newly developed assay did not have one false positive on record. The study has been published in Plos Pathogens. Trust comes with Evidence When talking about scientific discovery, it is difficult to obliterate the technical aspects. And when talking about COVID-9, the evidence is the Holy Grail. The scientists used 114 RNA samples to conduct the diagnosis among which 61 were suspected COVID-19 cases (52 confirmed, 9 ruled-out by mNGS), 17 SARS-CoV-2-/hCoV+ cases, and 36 samples were of healthy individuals. CRISPR-COVID (as the researchers named the assay) demonstrated a sensitivity of 100% by detecting all 52 COVID-19 cases. No false positives were found in all 62 negative cases, including the hCoV-infected samples. On the contrary, PCR methods showed 90% accuracy on records. Besides, it took 1.5 hours for a complete run. mNGS on the other hand took 20 hours to generate any results. In comparison to these data, CRISPR-COVID took 40 minutes in total to give the result. Precisely, the reaction turn-around time (TAT) of the CRISPR-COVID assay was much lower than that of the other molecular biology-based methods. “The current discovery of the collateral activity of certain Cas family members, provides a great opportunity to take advantage of both the sensitivity of an isothermal assay and the specificity of the CRISPR system, suggesting CRISPR-COVID as a competitive alternative not only technologically but also financially.” When it comes to healthcare, it is better to be safe than sorry. Besides, studies like these call for much more research and experimentation to ascertain that the medical advances being made are for the people, and of the people. However, this recent discovery can evolve to be a successful endeavor only if more diagnostic studies show equally accurate results. It has the potential of not only becoming an excellent diagnosis strategy but also an economical one. Needless to say that this pandemic is a medical challenge coupled with a financial one, and we need to use the resources at our disposal to the best of our abilities to make the most out of the situation.

https://medium.com/the-innovation/how-the-crispr-technology-can-help-set-up-a-faster-and-cheaper-covid-19-testing-strategy-987bc504afb0

['Trisha Bose']

2020-09-13 09:15:01.368000+00:00

['Research', 'Biotechnology', 'Health', 'Covid 19', 'Science']

Title CRISPR technology help set faster cheaper COVID19 testing strategyContent year 2020 witnessed pandemic crashing economy depressing lockdown loss form figure hospital healthcare center stacked diseased helpless loved one unsung hero working relentlessly depth facility widespread chaos hit enemy weren’t prepared everyone know played It’s hard miss jostling street jammed high road grabbing quick bite restaurant even Monday morning dread rushing work trying cope disease rest try acknowledge mental economical damage unearthed pandemic summation everyone seems going tough time best time took year culminate worst time However world toiling away abyss uncertainty Science guy holding card might sorry state progress made researcher unparalleled thought there’s going around impending disease Research revealed another trick sleeve CRISPRtechnology diagnose COVID19 time CRISPR technology fancy term known Biotechnologists Biologists Biology enthusiast fancy geneediting technology rose fame 2013 ever since journey uphill time came designer baby transparent squid whatnot CRISPR become household name knew CRISPR could ask Well jumping answer important speculate relationship CRISPR technology COVID19 Coronaviruses CoVs new game cohabiting kind long time newly mutated strain SARSCoV2 one enhanced pathogenic power spell trouble new strain detected first place nucleicacid based test metagenomic nextgeneration sequencing mNGS suggested 79 difference six member existing SARSCoV family Besides CRISPR based assay namely GeneXpert assay suggested last year detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis enhanced sensitivity indicated potential CRISPRCas complex assay development pathogenic disease well Furthermore recent study CRISPR technology happened show potential vitro diagnosis COVID19 100 accuracy contrary best part discovery remains estimated manufacturing cost 70 cent mean five million individual identified SARSCoV2 infection mean COVID19 test made available larger mass people especially developing underdeveloped country come milestone place healthcare come great cost citizen failing till get tested Besides world grows desperate get back foot run dear dear arm normal life demand rapid sensitive inexpensive diagnostics increased COVID19 testing past month countless debate aired promoted concerning efficiency COVID19 testing However lack 100 accuracy always left window open doubt speculation Currently metagenomics nextgeneration sequencing reverse transcription PCR RTPCR commonly used diagnose COVID19 sequencing costly timeconsuming RTPCR requires specialized equipment thermocycler difficult use Therefore deficiency precision higher time consumption land u weak spot “A tool kit rapid diagnostics faster typical RTPCR great demand circumvent bottleneck assay turnaround time reagent supply COVID19 testing” researcher write “To address expanding clinical need developed CRISPRCOVID rapid assay SARSCoV2 detection based Cas13a” Experiment Chambers Scientists used genome sequencing determine two unique region SarsCov2 set apart pathogen including coronaviruses Therefore two target coupled sensitivity CRISPRCas13a situation turned advantageous finally able develop assay combining two create isothermalbased assay eliminated need sophisticated analytical instrument Hard believe study progress show singlecopy sensitivity assay examined human cell infected variety pathogen interference sample newly developed assay one false positive record study published Plos Pathogens Trust come Evidence talking scientific discovery difficult obliterate technical aspect talking COVID9 evidence Holy Grail scientist used 114 RNA sample conduct diagnosis among 61 suspected COVID19 case 52 confirmed 9 ruledout mNGS 17 SARSCoV2hCoV case 36 sample healthy individual CRISPRCOVID researcher named assay demonstrated sensitivity 100 detecting 52 COVID19 case false positive found 62 negative case including hCoVinfected sample contrary PCR method showed 90 accuracy record Besides took 15 hour complete run mNGS hand took 20 hour generate result comparison data CRISPRCOVID took 40 minute total give result Precisely reaction turnaround time TAT CRISPRCOVID assay much lower molecular biologybased method “The current discovery collateral activity certain Cas family member provides great opportunity take advantage sensitivity isothermal assay specificity CRISPR system suggesting CRISPRCOVID competitive alternative technologically also financially” come healthcare better safe sorry Besides study like call much research experimentation ascertain medical advance made people people However recent discovery evolve successful endeavor diagnostic study show equally accurate result potential becoming excellent diagnosis strategy also economical one Needless say pandemic medical challenge coupled financial one need use resource disposal best ability make situationTags Research Biotechnology Health Covid 19 Science

How to Recover After a Failed Startup

Just as with any human relationship that comes to an abrupt end (or not so abrupt at times) certain events in our lives will require us to take a step back, heal our wounds, take some time and recover before we venture out again into the unknown. Typically, when startup founders make the tough decision to not continue forward with their business, it’s because resources have been depleted and there is no clear sign of progress ahead. It’s a tough call to make, but an important one as going too long and too far without proper supplies typically does not boast well for anyone in the group. In 2019, after 3 long years of engineering, planning and trial and error, my startup came to a sudden end. It didn’t hit a wall, there was just no more road left to walk on. Our financial resources were running low and, more importantly, my financial resources were non-existent. And the rest of the team was also having to make unwanted adjustments as we headed towards uncharted waters. There is a fair amount of damage that comes with starting up your own company. Families can become fractured, friendships can end, finances can become depleted, careers suddenly halt and then once the roller coaster is over, you have to find your way back to normal life somehow. At least, whatever the current definition of normal is. Sometimes normal at 35 years of age is different than normal at 30. It’s been over a year now since I handed over the keys to the office and things aren’t quite back to normal just yet, but they are getting better slowly and surely. Here’s what I’m doing currently to heal up and come back stronger for the potential next phase. Because it’s never quite “over” per say. It’s just “not right now”. Don’t join another startup Startup life can be addicting to some. The daily unknowns mixed in with engineering, networking and getting to role-play this character that we call an entrepreneur. It’s funner than most 9 to 5’s, that is for sure. You can imagine that after 3 years of doing it daily, I didn’t really know how to do anything else. All I wanted to do was to get to work on my next big idea. To put together another team and to take everything that I had just learned and not repeat mistakes. So I did. I joined online co-founder communities and answered requests for tech leads and engineers. And within a few months, there I was at another pitch meeting as CTO of a game advertisement startup. And it was just as exciting as the first time around. We worked out of coffee shops and managed remote teams through Zoom. The typical startup workload was back. The only difference was that I was pretty much broke at this point. And I had no office. And my energy levels were almost non-existent. I was running on sheer willpower and cheap coffee it seemed. To make matters worse, this new startup only had 2 members (myself included) and no budget. Needless to say, it didn’t take too long before the CEO decided that it wasn’t worth his time before he scrapped the project. I jumped around a few startups after this and everyone pretty much suffered from the same fate. They did not have enough financial resources to last more than 2–3 months. Some companies didn’t even have an actual product. They only had very nice looking slides and presentations. In which case my role would be to build them their dream product. At this point, I decided to change course and to really recover, financially and mentally and to leave the startup world behind, even if just temporarily. I dove into my part-time teaching job more and I started to spend more time on my coding blog (www.thatsoftwaredude.com). And slowly but surely, I eventually felt like I was able to breathe again. I still had my startup experience and knowledge. That didn’t magically vanish into the ether like I once feared. I still take on monthly meetings and consult with early stage startups when possible. But this time around, I’m more patient with the process and I realize that everything has its season. Learning to slow down again is the biggest challenge I have found so far. Talking about it And I don’t meant to a therapist, unless you feel like that’s a route you need. Definitely not against that. But really I mean to anyone that’s willing to lend you their ear. We are all allowed to vent in this life and in doing so we might learn a thing or two about ourselves. The truth is, you might not want to relive through the process of what you just went through. I know I didn’t. I left in the past and let bygones be bygones. There is no point in blaming anyone at this point I thought. But unless you confront what went wrong and what went right, you won’t learn anything from it. And you can only really do that by talking about it. The more I opened up about the experience, mainly with family during morning coffee trips, the more appreciation I felt for the entire process. Stories that had become common to me, like flying across the country for startup competitions or driving for 10 hours for a 5 minute investor meeting sounded crazy to others. “Why would anyone do that?” Why indeed. Well, because you have commitments and you should stay true to your word and not break them. That’s the response that inevitably comes out when asked, but that I never give myself the credit of thinking when alone. And it’s not until someone asks you “What do you think could have gone better?”, that you really get to dive in and reflect on what you learned. Because there’s alot there to unpack. There’s also alot of information there that can help somebody else going through the same process. And it would be a shame to keep it bottled in thinking that it is wasted experience. Since that time, I have been able to guide several younger entrepreneurs through their own startup journeys and that has definitely been one of the more rewarding outcomes of this process. So share the stories however you can. Share it in writing (like I am here), or by talking to those willing to lend an ear or to someone that could use the words to keep them going on their journey. Plan ahead I started this list by stating that you should not join another startup after your first one has closed its doors. And I stick by it. Recover the wallet and recover the life around it. But, if you are a true startup entrepreneur with big ideas and big dreams, then it would be a shame for you to become disheartened and to stop here at this juncture. Startup people are a rare breed despite what TV shows portray. Not many people would be willing to forego the safety and comfort of a standard lifestyle for a potentially chaotic and unknown venture. So plan for your next business venture and plan it well. Don’t worry so much about timelines and legal docs and buying domains. Not just yet. But sketch out your idea. Write out your potential business plan. And come back to it whenever you have free time. Slowly but surely, as your finances recover and you start to remember what it’s like to not be stressed daily, you will gain that confidence again and this time around you will be much more resilient and your chance of success will be that much more increased compared to the first time around. There was a time after my startup that I believed that maybe this lifestyle wasn’t for me. That I should put those things aside and to focus my energy elsewhere. But just as quickly as that thought enters my mindscape, it is countered by that amazing idea that I sketched out years ago in an old notebook. And every time I look at that sketch, I smile and think to myself “I need to build this”. Because as I said, it’s never quite “over”.

https://medium.com/swlh/how-to-recover-after-a-failed-startup-7fabfc4fad8c

['Walter Guevara']

2020-12-15 01:58:50.621000+00:00

['Business', 'Productivity', 'Life Lessons', 'Motivation', 'Startup']

Title Recover Failed StartupContent human relationship come abrupt end abrupt time certain event life require u take step back heal wound take time recover venture unknown Typically startup founder make tough decision continue forward business it’s resource depleted clear sign progress ahead It’s tough call make important one going long far without proper supply typically boast well anyone group 2019 3 long year engineering planning trial error startup came sudden end didn’t hit wall road left walk financial resource running low importantly financial resource nonexistent rest team also make unwanted adjustment headed towards uncharted water fair amount damage come starting company Families become fractured friendship end finance become depleted career suddenly halt roller coaster find way back normal life somehow least whatever current definition normal Sometimes normal 35 year age different normal 30 It’s year since handed key office thing aren’t quite back normal yet getting better slowly surely Here’s I’m currently heal come back stronger potential next phase it’s never quite “over” per say It’s “not right now” Don’t join another startup Startup life addicting daily unknown mixed engineering networking getting roleplay character call entrepreneur It’s funner 9 5’s sure imagine 3 year daily didn’t really know anything else wanted get work next big idea put together another team take everything learned repeat mistake joined online cofounder community answered request tech lead engineer within month another pitch meeting CTO game advertisement startup exciting first time around worked coffee shop managed remote team Zoom typical startup workload back difference pretty much broke point office energy level almost nonexistent running sheer willpower cheap coffee seemed make matter worse new startup 2 member included budget Needless say didn’t take long CEO decided wasn’t worth time scrapped project jumped around startup everyone pretty much suffered fate enough financial resource last 2–3 month company didn’t even actual product nice looking slide presentation case role would build dream product point decided change course really recover financially mentally leave startup world behind even temporarily dove parttime teaching job started spend time coding blog wwwthatsoftwaredudecom slowly surely eventually felt like able breathe still startup experience knowledge didn’t magically vanish ether like feared still take monthly meeting consult early stage startup possible time around I’m patient process realize everything season Learning slow biggest challenge found far Talking don’t meant therapist unless feel like that’s route need Definitely really mean anyone that’s willing lend ear allowed vent life might learn thing two truth might want relive process went know didn’t left past let bygone bygone point blaming anyone point thought unless confront went wrong went right won’t learn anything really talking opened experience mainly family morning coffee trip appreciation felt entire process Stories become common like flying across country startup competition driving 10 hour 5 minute investor meeting sounded crazy others “Why would anyone that” indeed Well commitment stay true word break That’s response inevitably come asked never give credit thinking alone it’s someone asks “What think could gone better” really get dive reflect learned there’s alot unpack There’s also alot information help somebody else going process would shame keep bottled thinking wasted experience Since time able guide several younger entrepreneur startup journey definitely one rewarding outcome process share story however Share writing like talking willing lend ear someone could use word keep going journey Plan ahead started list stating join another startup first one closed door stick Recover wallet recover life around true startup entrepreneur big idea big dream would shame become disheartened stop juncture Startup people rare breed despite TV show portray many people would willing forego safety comfort standard lifestyle potentially chaotic unknown venture plan next business venture plan well Don’t worry much timeline legal doc buying domain yet sketch idea Write potential business plan come back whenever free time Slowly surely finance recover start remember it’s like stressed daily gain confidence time around much resilient chance success much increased compared first time around time startup believed maybe lifestyle wasn’t put thing aside focus energy elsewhere quickly thought enters mindscape countered amazing idea sketched year ago old notebook every time look sketch smile think “I need build this” said it’s never quite “over”Tags Business Productivity Life Lessons Motivation Startup

20 Facts About COVID-19

In the last 12 months, fact checking has gone from a fun pastime where you get to make fun of Big Walnut to something of a life-and-death scenario where the myths that are promulgating online can have serious consequences for people’s longevity. Instead of impacting which berry you favor at the supermarket checkout, the scientific myths of 2020 might define how your government chooses to respond to a global pandemic. It’s a bit less fun than it was last year to check facts, is what I’m saying. Ah, the halcyon days of yesteryear, when I could check facts about hair dye instead of COVID-19. Source: Me And somehow, some of the biggest myths about COVID-19 are still spreading. Given the global situation, I thought I’d round off the year by looking at some facts that are well-demonstrated about COVID-19, with references. Enjoy. FACT 1: COVID-19 IFR IS HIGH The death rate of COVID-19 varies substantially by age. I and my colleagues demonstrated this in a paper aggregating antibody studies from across the world. We also showed that, even for relatively young people, COVID-19 is pretty dangerous — at the age of 35, about 1 in 2,700 people who get COVID-19 will die of the disease. The IFR of COVID-19, by age. Source: Us FACT 2: COVID-19 IS MORE LETHAL THAN INFLUENZA Another fact that we have known for some time is that COVID-19 is far more dangerous than influenza. For younger people, particularly age 5–20, the two diseases are comparable (we don’t have good data on <5yo for COVID-19 so it’s hard to compare), but for anyone older than this COVID-19 is far worse. A great graphic showing the difference in IFR between influenza and COVID-19 by Marc Bevand on twitter. FACT 3: PCR TESTING FOR COVID-19 HAS A VERY LOW RATE OF FALSE POSITIVES Yes, it’s true, false positives are incredibly rare when it comes to PCR testing for COVID-19. They definitely happen, but unless you have fewer than 1 case per million people in the country it’s almost certain that true positives are vastly more common than false ones. For some context, the Australian state of NSW has an outbreak happening right now. We ran 138,966 tests and found 94 positives from 16/12–23/12. If every one of those positives was a false positive (which is...unlikely), the false positive rate would be 0.068%, or 1 per 1,500 tests run. Yes, the ‘casedemic’ is a myth. Sorry. FACT 4: MOST DEATHS ATTRIBUTED TO COVID-19 WERE CAUSED BY COVID-19 (AT LEAST IN THE U.S. AND MOST DEVELOPED NATIONS) This is something of a complex fact, because it is important to say that every country is different, and so it’s entirely possible that in some places COVID-19 deaths are wildly misclassified. That being said, there is abundant evidence from the U.S. and elsewhere in the developed world that this is largely a non-issue. If anything, the opposite — i.e. not counting all deaths caused by COVID-19 as COVID-19 deaths — is a bigger problem. FACT 5: COVID-19 IS A REAL DISEASE CAUSED BY SARS-COV-2 Weird that this actually needs to be said, but there are conspiracists out there who still spread the lie that COVID-19 is a hoax. It isn’t. FACT 6: EVIDENCE PUBLISHED THUS FAR SHOWS NO INCREASE IN SUICIDES ASSOCIATED WITH LOCKDOWNS This is another complex point, but basically people were sure that lockdowns would cause enormous surges in the suicide rate. Thus far, from evidence around the world, we have not seen such increases. There are definitely issues with mental health associated with lockdowns, and it’s likely that the pandemic itself will have an impact on suicides, but so far the published data do not show increases in suicide numbers associated with lockdowns. This is, as they say, good news. Source: Pexels FACT 7: THE IMPACT OF GOVERNMENT RESTRICTIONS ON COVID-19 IS COMPLEX This should come as no surprise to anyone, but the impact of implementing restrictions (such as lockdowns) to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is not a simple calculation. As the International Monetary Fund has shown, in some cases there may be a net benefit from lockdowns. In some cases there may be a net detriment. It is complex, and very hard to pin down to a definite good/bad, no matter how much people may want it to be simple. FACT 8: COVID-19 CAN BE SPREAD ASYMPTOMATICALLY Of those who are infected with SARS-CoV-2, best evidence indicates that about 20% will be fully asymptomatic during their entire disease. These people can probably spread the virus, but to what extent we aren’t entirely sure. However, there is also evidence that the peak of infectiousness (when someone is most likely to pass on the disease) is right around the time that they start experiencing symptoms. What this means is that someone who is currently asymptomatic may still be very infectious, especially if they go on to develop symptoms later. This is why isolating positive cases of COVID-19 is so important! FACT 9: PRE-EXISTING IMMUNITY BECAUSE OF T-CELLS IS NOT A THING A very popular myth that consistently gets brought up by denialists is that we are all immune to COVID-19 already because some people’s t-cells react to the disease without them being infected. Rather than explain why this is flawed, I’d recommend you read this thread by Professor Crotty, the immunologist who made the initial findings about t-cells that got everyone excited in the first place. FACT 10: MOST PLACES IN THE WORLD ARE STILL WELL BELOW HERD IMMUNITY THRESHOLDS This fact is, sadly, becoming somewhat less true as time goes on, but even with the massive outbreaks in the United States and Europe, the number of infections is still well below the 60–70% — or even a lower threshold of 40–50% — that we would need for the pandemic to substantially falter. While estimates vary, it is likely that even in the US less than 20% of the population had been infected by December despite record hospitalization and death numbers. FACT 11: COVID-19 IS PROBABLY LESS LETHAL NOW THAN IN MARCH 2020 BUT IT IS VERY HARD TO KNOW HOW MUCH Is COVID-19 less likely to kill you now than when the disease first emerged? Almost certainly. We have better treatments, better understanding of the disease, a vaccine, etc. How much less lethal is it? That is an incredibly hard question to answer. FACT 12: THE CYCLE THRESHOLD OF PCR TESTS IS LARGELY NOT AN ISSUE FOR FALSE POSITIVES Earlier this year, everyone became overnight epidemiologists. With the advent of the latest conspiracy theory — that all COVID-19 PCR positives are false positives — everyone became overnight virologists instead. Here is an excellent piece by Professor Ian Mackay of the University of Queensland on why you shouldn’t worry about cycle threshold (CT) values and PCR tests for COVID-19: FACT 13: YOU CANNOT COMPARE GOVERNMENT ACTION ON COVID-19 TO “LIFE AS USUAL” This is something of an obvious fact, but again a point that is often made by denialists. If we took no action on COVID-19, apparently, life would be back to normal. This is obviously untrue, because having an out-of-control epidemic raging through your population and filling up ICU beds also has consequences for the economy, as the IMF report referenced above shows. FACT 14: LOCKDOWNS REDUCE CASE NUMBERS. GOVERNMENT ACTION CAN KEEP CASE NUMBERS LOW LONG-TERM One of the startling things about the global pandemic, as an Australian, has been watching people across the world declare that it is totally impossible to control the virus and we should all stop trying. There are numerous examples from our region of globe — Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand — as well as Australia itself where the wave of the pandemic has been reduced to a slow trickle. Last week the Australian state of New South Wales was the subject of enormous national outcry because we had a day with 30 new cases, although this outbreak appears (fingers crossed) to now have been controlled. Whether this means that lockdowns/restrictions “work” or not depends entirely on your definition of “work”, but it is absolutely clear that it is possible to control the virus even long-term through such restrictions. The excess mortality for Taiwan vs the United States tells a story all on its own. Source: Our World In Data FACT 15: COVID-19 WAS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE UNITED STATES TOWARDS THE END OF 2020 A new scientific paper was recently published looking at public statistics on mortality in the U.S. during 2020. The daily deaths attributable to COVID-19 were the highest of any cause for several months of the year, and overall it was the third leading cause of death behind heart attacks and cancer. Moreover, even though COVID-19 was only officially the cause of death for 40% of the excess deaths in young people during 2020, it is likely that this is due to undercounting and that COVID-19 was the primary cause of excess fatalities even in younger age groups. FACT 16: THE LONG-TERM CHRONIC IMPACT OF COVID-19 IS UNKNOWN, BUT NON-TRIVIAL It is, at this moment, very hard to put a number on the total long-term impact that COVID-19 has on people who survive the disease. That being said, there are indications that the number of people impacted in this way — by LongCOVID and other issues — is non-trivial, and may represent a substantial portion of the people that recover from COVID-19. FACT 17: NEW ZEALAND RECORDED FEWER ALL-CAUSE DEATHS IN 2020 THAN IN PREVIOUS YEARS Another point against the “lockdowns kill millions” argument is that New Zealand, with arguably the toughest COVID-19 restrictions in the world, recorded fewer all-cause — or “excess” — deaths in 2020 than ever before. Indeed, during the New Zealand lockdown there appears to have been a substantial reduction in the all-cause death rate, which would be impossible if the lockdown was causing untold tragedy. FACT 18: THE AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY FOR AN 80 YEAR OLD IS ~9 YEARS Because people still go on about the absolutely ridiculous idea that old people are all on death’s door, here are the facts from the United Kingdom. At age 80 you would expect to live an average of another 9 years (8 for men, 10 for women). If someone dies at the age of 80 due to COVID-19, it has cut their life short by almost a decade, on average. FACT 19: COVID-19 REINFECTIONS OCCUR This is, again, not a contentious point. We always suspected that reinfections would happen — they do for all other coronaviruses — the question is how often and how long on average until it starts to happen. Thankfully, every indication at this point is that reinfections are relatively rare, which is great news for vaccines which will probably provide quite long-lasting protection. FACT 20: THERE ARE STILL MANY UNKNOWNS Pictured: What we know about COVID-19, to a great extent. Source: Pexels Ultimately, this article is not about giving you absolute answers to everything, because that’s impossible. People who express total certainty tend to be wrong a lot, because we really don’t know that much about COVID-19 even now. The science done this year has been absolutely incredible, true, but despite this there are questions about everything from school transmission to the precise infection-fatality rate for each place in the world. The reality is that we may never have perfect answers to all questions, but we do know some things and I’ve tried to sum them up here for you. There are many trade-offs when it comes to COVID-19. It’s important to recognize that none of these facts makes lockdowns a given, nor even supports government restrictions per se. In some cases, it’s almost certain that a lockdown will be a terrible path to take. The point here is that every way forward has consequences, some good and some bad. It may not be easy to make decisions about COVID-19, but if we do not at least use facts to inform our choices we will end up much worse off overall. If you enjoyed, follow me on Medium, Twitter or Facebook!

https://gidmk.medium.com/20-facts-about-covid-19-1afbb026bc98

['Gideon M-K', 'Health Nerd']

2020-12-22 23:15:20.034000+00:00

['Facts', 'Health', 'Covid 19', 'Coronavirus', 'Science']

Title 20 Facts COVID19Content last 12 month fact checking gone fun pastime get make fun Big Walnut something lifeanddeath scenario myth promulgating online serious consequence people’s longevity Instead impacting berry favor supermarket checkout scientific myth 2020 might define government chooses respond global pandemic It’s bit le fun last year check fact I’m saying Ah halcyon day yesteryear could check fact hair dye instead COVID19 Source somehow biggest myth COVID19 still spreading Given global situation thought I’d round year looking fact welldemonstrated COVID19 reference Enjoy FACT 1 COVID19 IFR HIGH death rate COVID19 varies substantially age colleague demonstrated paper aggregating antibody study across world also showed even relatively young people COVID19 pretty dangerous — age 35 1 2700 people get COVID19 die disease IFR COVID19 age Source Us FACT 2 COVID19 LETHAL INFLUENZA Another fact known time COVID19 far dangerous influenza younger people particularly age 5–20 two disease comparable don’t good data 5yo COVID19 it’s hard compare anyone older COVID19 far worse great graphic showing difference IFR influenza COVID19 Marc Bevand twitter FACT 3 PCR TESTING COVID19 LOW RATE FALSE POSITIVES Yes it’s true false positive incredibly rare come PCR testing COVID19 definitely happen unless fewer 1 case per million people country it’s almost certain true positive vastly common false one context Australian state NSW outbreak happening right ran 138966 test found 94 positive 1612–2312 every one positive false positive isunlikely false positive rate would 0068 1 per 1500 test run Yes ‘casedemic’ myth Sorry FACT 4 DEATHS ATTRIBUTED COVID19 CAUSED COVID19 LEAST US DEVELOPED NATIONS something complex fact important say every country different it’s entirely possible place COVID19 death wildly misclassified said abundant evidence US elsewhere developed world largely nonissue anything opposite — ie counting death caused COVID19 COVID19 death — bigger problem FACT 5 COVID19 REAL DISEASE CAUSED SARSCOV2 Weird actually need said conspiracists still spread lie COVID19 hoax isn’t FACT 6 EVIDENCE PUBLISHED THUS FAR SHOWS INCREASE SUICIDES ASSOCIATED LOCKDOWNS another complex point basically people sure lockdown would cause enormous surge suicide rate Thus far evidence around world seen increase definitely issue mental health associated lockdown it’s likely pandemic impact suicide far published data show increase suicide number associated lockdown say good news Source Pexels FACT 7 IMPACT GOVERNMENT RESTRICTIONS COVID19 COMPLEX come surprise anyone impact implementing restriction lockdown prevent spread COVID19 simple calculation International Monetary Fund shown case may net benefit lockdown case may net detriment complex hard pin definite goodbad matter much people may want simple FACT 8 COVID19 SPREAD ASYMPTOMATICALLY infected SARSCoV2 best evidence indicates 20 fully asymptomatic entire disease people probably spread virus extent aren’t entirely sure However also evidence peak infectiousness someone likely pas disease right around time start experiencing symptom mean someone currently asymptomatic may still infectious especially go develop symptom later isolating positive case COVID19 important FACT 9 PREEXISTING IMMUNITY TCELLS THING popular myth consistently get brought denialists immune COVID19 already people’s tcells react disease without infected Rather explain flawed I’d recommend read thread Professor Crotty immunologist made initial finding tcells got everyone excited first place FACT 10 PLACES WORLD STILL WELL HERD IMMUNITY THRESHOLDS fact sadly becoming somewhat le true time go even massive outbreak United States Europe number infection still well 60–70 — even lower threshold 40–50 — would need pandemic substantially falter estimate vary likely even US le 20 population infected December despite record hospitalization death number FACT 11 COVID19 PROBABLY LESS LETHAL MARCH 2020 HARD KNOW MUCH COVID19 le likely kill disease first emerged Almost certainly better treatment better understanding disease vaccine etc much le lethal incredibly hard question answer FACT 12 CYCLE THRESHOLD PCR TESTS LARGELY ISSUE FALSE POSITIVES Earlier year everyone became overnight epidemiologist advent latest conspiracy theory — COVID19 PCR positive false positive — everyone became overnight virologist instead excellent piece Professor Ian Mackay University Queensland shouldn’t worry cycle threshold CT value PCR test COVID19 FACT 13 CANNOT COMPARE GOVERNMENT ACTION COVID19 “LIFE USUAL” something obvious fact point often made denialists took action COVID19 apparently life would back normal obviously untrue outofcontrol epidemic raging population filling ICU bed also consequence economy IMF report referenced show FACT 14 LOCKDOWNS REDUCE CASE NUMBERS GOVERNMENT ACTION KEEP CASE NUMBERS LOW LONGTERM One startling thing global pandemic Australian watching people across world declare totally impossible control virus stop trying numerous example region globe — Vietnam Taiwan Thailand — well Australia wave pandemic reduced slow trickle Last week Australian state New South Wales subject enormous national outcry day 30 new case although outbreak appears finger crossed controlled Whether mean lockdownsrestrictions “work” depends entirely definition “work” absolutely clear possible control virus even longterm restriction excess mortality Taiwan v United States tell story Source World Data FACT 15 COVID19 LEADING CAUSE DEATH UNITED STATES TOWARDS END 2020 new scientific paper recently published looking public statistic mortality US 2020 daily death attributable COVID19 highest cause several month year overall third leading cause death behind heart attack cancer Moreover even though COVID19 officially cause death 40 excess death young people 2020 likely due undercounting COVID19 primary cause excess fatality even younger age group FACT 16 LONGTERM CHRONIC IMPACT COVID19 UNKNOWN NONTRIVIAL moment hard put number total longterm impact COVID19 people survive disease said indication number people impacted way — LongCOVID issue — nontrivial may represent substantial portion people recover COVID19 FACT 17 NEW ZEALAND RECORDED FEWER ALLCAUSE DEATHS 2020 PREVIOUS YEARS Another point “lockdowns kill millions” argument New Zealand arguably toughest COVID19 restriction world recorded fewer allcause — “excess” — death 2020 ever Indeed New Zealand lockdown appears substantial reduction allcause death rate would impossible lockdown causing untold tragedy FACT 18 AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY 80 YEAR OLD 9 YEARS people still go absolutely ridiculous idea old people death’s door fact United Kingdom age 80 would expect live average another 9 year 8 men 10 woman someone dy age 80 due COVID19 cut life short almost decade average FACT 19 COVID19 REINFECTIONS OCCUR contentious point always suspected reinfections would happen — coronaviruses — question often long average start happen Thankfully every indication point reinfections relatively rare great news vaccine probably provide quite longlasting protection FACT 20 STILL MANY UNKNOWNS Pictured know COVID19 great extent Source Pexels Ultimately article giving absolute answer everything that’s impossible People express total certainty tend wrong lot really don’t know much COVID19 even science done year absolutely incredible true despite question everything school transmission precise infectionfatality rate place world reality may never perfect answer question know thing I’ve tried sum many tradeoff come COVID19 It’s important recognize none fact make lockdown given even support government restriction per se case it’s almost certain lockdown terrible path take point every way forward consequence good bad may easy make decision COVID19 least use fact inform choice end much worse overall enjoyed follow Medium Twitter FacebookTags Facts Health Covid 19 Coronavirus Science

Growing a Growth Team

What is a growth team? Growth can mean a lot of different things at different organizations. At Wish, growth is a mission-based, multi-functional team. It’s a collaboration of marketing, creative, engineering, analytics, and product professionals to create a dynamic team that excels at efficiency and innovation. Together we optimize our over 400 million users’ experiences from the first time they see Wish online, to the point that they love it so much that they start referring friends to download the app! The team is extremely data-driven and works on each feature based on user actions. Here at Wish we think, what better indication of what to tackle than how customers are actually using the app? Because of the nature of data-driven decision making, the team is very flat in organization and everyone is encouraged to own and add new channels / features to engage users. And with users across 78 different countries and over 1 million products sold per day, there are a lot of opportunities for engagement. The growth team works cross-functionally across international markets to ensure that users are being taken care of throughout the user lifecycle. To do this, the team is comprised of several different channels that each have a core function in maximizing our users’ experience. They are: User Communications — Naturally, email and push notifications are huge components of any e-commerce company’s success. If you are a Wish user, you’ve definitely been touched by one of the 200+ million emails, sms or push we send every day via our personalized campaign system backed by machine learning and growth analytics. Wish is always adding new channels to streamline communications for our users, and we pride ourselves on being early movers and adopters for new product offerings. Keep an eye out for our new channels that are in the works! SEO — Our engineers work to ensure that the best Wish information is easily available to users (or soon-to-be users!) who are searching for information about us on the web. — Our engineers work to ensure that the best Wish information is easily available to users (or soon-to-be users!) who are searching for information about us on the web. ASO — Our app store pages are optimized to showcase the overall app experience and unique product features in each locale. Most of our users sign up via the app, so it’s important that we make a great first impression when they’re deciding whether or not to download the Wish app. — Our app store pages are optimized to showcase the overall app experience and unique product features in each locale. Most of our users sign up via the app, so it’s important that we make a great first impression when they’re deciding whether or not to download the Wish app. International Growth — Wish is available in 78 countries, and our regional growth leaders help to propagate our app in their respective markets. We aim on making Wish the #1 shopping app for all types of users across the world. Our team members come from a variety of backgrounds, such as math, statistics, fine arts, and MBAs, given the cross-functional nature of growth. Whatever your background is, if you’re interested in re-defining the shopping experience on mobile, don’t hesitate to reach out. We are currently hiring for our growth team! Please visit wish.com/careers and click on the “Growth” button to view available positions. Come be part of a fast-growing company!

https://medium.com/wish-engineering/growing-a-growth-team-88a8bf852bac

['Jonathan Collins']

2018-07-17 17:42:07.467000+00:00

['Growth', 'Engineering', 'Design', 'Startup']

Title Growing Growth TeamContent growth team Growth mean lot different thing different organization Wish growth missionbased multifunctional team It’s collaboration marketing creative engineering analytics product professional create dynamic team excels efficiency innovation Together optimize 400 million users’ experience first time see Wish online point love much start referring friend download app team extremely datadriven work feature based user action Wish think better indication tackle customer actually using app nature datadriven decision making team flat organization everyone encouraged add new channel feature engage user user across 78 different country 1 million product sold per day lot opportunity engagement growth team work crossfunctionally across international market ensure user taken care throughout user lifecycle team comprised several different channel core function maximizing users’ experience User Communications — Naturally email push notification huge component ecommerce company’s success Wish user you’ve definitely touched one 200 million email sm push send every day via personalized campaign system backed machine learning growth analytics Wish always adding new channel streamline communication user pride early mover adopter new product offering Keep eye new channel work SEO — engineer work ensure best Wish information easily available user soontobe user searching information u web — engineer work ensure best Wish information easily available user soontobe user searching information u web ASO — app store page optimized showcase overall app experience unique product feature locale user sign via app it’s important make great first impression they’re deciding whether download Wish app — app store page optimized showcase overall app experience unique product feature locale user sign via app it’s important make great first impression they’re deciding whether download Wish app International Growth — Wish available 78 country regional growth leader help propagate app respective market aim making Wish 1 shopping app type user across world team member come variety background math statistic fine art MBAs given crossfunctional nature growth Whatever background you’re interested redefining shopping experience mobile don’t hesitate reach currently hiring growth team Please visit wishcomcareers click “Growth” button view available position Come part fastgrowing companyTags Growth Engineering Design Startup

5 Lessons I Learned From My Neuroscience Degree

5 Lessons I Learned From My Neuroscience Degree A call to celebrate with reflection in the absence of convocation. I just graduated with a degree in Neuroscience without a plan to go to med school or grad school. “Then what do you want to do with that?” People would always ask. “Learn about the brain.” That was my answer every time. To me, a degree was always a gem of knowledge before it was a stepping stone. I hope my fellow graduating class of 2020 feel that way about their degrees too — we need to, now more than ever. With jobs and internships blasted to smithereens, convocations cancelled, and glamorous grad trips put on hold, graduation must take on a new meaning. It must be a reflection on the gems of knowledge we gained from our degrees: the lessons learned that will forever change the way we look at, live in, and leave the world. Here are 5 lessons I learned from my Neuroscience degree. Lesson 1 — Let Your Parents Take Pictures: Episodic Memory is the First to Go I used to get annoyed when my mom wanted to take a selfie with us. I don’t any more. “Why now?” we’d all ask as she whipped out her phone. “To remember this!” she’d say. As I studied aging and memory, I began to realize how good of a reason that really was. Generally, most of us can achieve “healthy aging” by learning new skills, being creative, and thinking and working in different ways. We can sail into the sunset of life with relative sharpness of mind, and even memory. For example, we won’t forget how to drive a car or brush our teeth because our procedural, or “muscle”, memory remains in good shape. Semantic memory — memory for facts — doesn’t suffer much either, and can even get better as we age (think about your last game of trivia with mom and dad). One type of memory, however, is not immune to aging: episodic memory. Episodic memory, or memory for personal experiences, is shown to decline in accuracy as we get older. So, while my mom may be able to mince garlic, drive to Costco, and name the singer of Suspicious Minds with ease, she may not always remember what she ordered on the second time we went to that Ramen place in Palo Alto, and who was there. But a cue, like a picture, can be the magic wand for recalling the night a few siblings and I slurped away with her just down the street from Stanford. Lesson 1. Be patient with your parents when they can’t remember the little things, and support their requested selfies so they can. Lesson 2 — Play Cards With Everyone : Remembering What Makes Us, Us If you were observing the beginning of a card game, you wouldn’t judge the players by their starting hands. We’ve all been dealt a hand of cards. This hand isn’t chosen and doesn’t change. This hand is unique to us and has certain strengths and weaknesses. This hand is our genes. Understanding the relationship between genes and behavior has changed the way I interact with others. Looking back at the times I discriminated against people because of their behavior, I could very well have been doing so because of their genes. I have been guilty of judging card players by their starting hands. “Why is she overreacting?” I’d ask. “I wish he wasn’t so impulsive,” I’d think. I later learned in Behavioral Neuroscience that slow stress recovery and impulsivity are sometimes results of specific gene variants — a specific card in one’s hand. I learned that one fourth of the population holds the slow-acting variant of COMT, which is an enzyme that aids in stress recovery. It turned out all the “over-reactors” I was so quick to label were just working with a unique card in their hand. Then I learned that a certain variant of the DRD4 gene, held by around 20% of the population, is implicated in addiction, impulsivity, higher risk-taking and even schizophrenia. Come to think about it, all those people I thought were “impulsive adrenaline junkies” had been dealt a joker at the beginning of the game. Other behaviors can hardly be traced back to a single gene, but follow the “common variant” model. Autism follows this model, wherein a certain “recipe” of common gene variants may be the culprit. Individuals with autism might have a 5 of diamonds, an 8 of spades, and a jack of hearts — common cards all of us hold. But that specific combination may be just the one to produce the set of behaviors we’ve come to define as “autism.” While I never dared call an autistic person weird, I was no stranger to passing that judgment on “normal” people I found socially clumsy. Understanding the neurobiology of autism (or lack thereof) called for a shift in paradigm: “autism” is a set of traits, just like any other set of traits produced by any given hand of common cards. If every single person could have their genotype mapped and behavior closely observed, we would find more correlations between certain behavior sets and gene variant combinations. Then everyone would have a “disorder.” So if today I run into someone I’m tempted to call weird, annoying, or anything else, I can remember that these traits are the results of unique card combinations, a lot like the ones in my own hand. Now, you’d might as well rescind my degree if I were claiming we were all puppets of our DNA. If there is any certainty in neuroscience, it’s that our brains are plastic: we can change the way experiences and genes have programmed us to think and behave (more on that in Lesson #4). A DRD4 holder can learn to tame his impulsivity. Someone with the slower COMT variant can work to reframe her stressors. And those who behave a little differently in social situations can find confidence and connection in society. Nevertheless, everyone has to start — and end — with the genes they’ve been dealt, and only time, experience, and patience can help us fulfill the potential therein. Lesson 2. Never judge a player by their starting hand and play fairly with everyone — we’re all learning to play our cards right. Lesson 3 — The Best Way to Do Dishes : Letting Dish Soap Do Its Job. Photo by Odua Images Imagine you had to learn how to wash dishes all over again, but this time only through observation. You’d soon find there are different styles. You may enjoy the efficiency of the filler-uppers, who turn their sink into a soapy swimming hole for the evening. The brute-forcers might excite you as they pour soap straight onto the dish and scrub frantically under a running faucet. But understanding the chemistry may call you down a different path. Soap cleans dishes — I didn’t need a chemistry class to tell me that. What I did need it to tell me was how. Water — a polar molecule — and grease — a nonpolar molecule — don’t mix. This is where dish soap comes in. Soap is an amphipathic molecule: it’s both polar and nonpolar. It can grab the grease and hold on with its nonpolar tail as its polar head follows water down the drain. Understanding this, we can see how soap can’t possibly do its thing when violently swished around in a pool or under a waterfall. It needs to do its job in steps: 1) bind to the grease, 2) get washed down the drain. Lesson 3: The best way to wash dishes is a quick rinse to remove the leftover food scraps followed by a soapy scrub sans water, and then a thorough rinse under the faucet. “Wash, rinse, repeat,” simple. But for me, it’s now a simplicity that isn’t blind. For me, the magic of dish soap is, as Oliver Wendell Holmes said, a “simplicity that lies on the other side of complexity.” Lesson 4 — Why “It’s Not Good For Man to Be Alone”: On Potentiation and Proximity. Photo by ZoomSpectrum “Marketing degrees are useless.” “He’s just following the crowd.” “She’s just doing that because…” “Musical Dance Theatre majors are wasting their time.” Left alone, I would think thoughts like these. Left alone for longer, I would start to believe them. This is the dark side of potentiation, or how thoughts become “ingrained” in our brains. Understanding potentiation helped me break unhealthy trains of thought, and build healthier ones. To understand potentiation, however, you’ll need a crash course in neuroanatomy. A rake is a great model for a neuron. The teeth of the rake represent the dendrites, the receiving end of a neuron. These dendrite “teeth” converge onto the head of the rake, which represents the cell body, a control center that processes input from the dendrites. From the head protrudes the long rake handle representing the axon, or “giving” end of the neuron. If the cell body “decides” to send a message to the next cell, it shoots an electrical impulse — an action potential — down the axon. The axon then communicates to the dendrite of the next cell. If you string a bunch of rakes together end-to-end, with the handle of one rake feeding into one of the teeth of the next, you have a neural pathway. The first time I thought, “marketing degrees are useless,” an entire neural pathway fired. Zooming into the connections, or synapses, between neurons in the pathway, we can begin to understand how our thoughts become potentiated. Take the first neuron in the pathway: when an action potential shot down its axon and reached the end, it released chemicals — neurotransmitters — that travelled across the synapse toward the dendrite of the second neuron. When the dendrite received the neurotransmitter, it sent input to its cell body, much like one of the skinny teeth of a rake feeds into the head. As I kept thinking, “marketing degrees are useless,” the cell body continued to receive input from this dendrite and charge began to build up. When the amount of charge reached a threshold, the cell body shot an action potential down its axon to communicate to the next cell, but this had repercussions. An action potential did not only shoot forward, down the axon rake handle, but also backwards, throughout the dendrite teeth in the form of a backpropagating action potential. So long as I kept thinking “marketing degrees are useless” without interruption, one of these teeth was still busy receiving input from the first neuron. When the action potential of the first neuron met the backpropagating action potential of the second at their synapse, potentiation ensued: the connection between the first and second neuron was strengthened. The first now released neurotransmitter with every thought, the second neuron was more sensitive to that neurotransmitter, and as a result, it became a lot easier for me to think that marketing degrees were useless. Until of course, I talked to a marketing student, and learned a new idea that would prove valuable at work. I thought my neighbor was just following the crowd until I talked to him on the way to church and learned his genuine motivations. I was sure why my friend was acting irritated until she told me otherwise. I was so convinced that Musical Dance Theatre majors were wasting their time until I interviewed one. It turns out, Musical Dance Theatre majors spend multiple days understanding the inner world of character they dance, sing, and act on behalf of. They do what I hadn’t done: get proximate to those who so desperately need their understanding. Students of the Bible agree that when the Creator stated, “It’s not good for man to be alone,” he was hinting at a partner. But there’s another reason it’s not good for man to be alone: Partners and everyone else were meant to be loved, and when we are left alone to think about them, our thinking is flawed. When we are left alone for longer, we begin to believe ourselves. Lesson 4: It’s not good for man to be alone because thoughts potentiate, so get proximate to others. Proximity will shatter your belief about someone and give you a chance to build something beautiful in its place. Lesson 5 — Mercy Softens, Trust Ennobles. A few weeks into my last semester, I made a realization. In response to it, I wrote the following email to my professor and meant it: Hi Dr. ______, I made a mistake: I did not check the exam availability days. I assumed it ran for 4 days and thought I could still take it today. May I still take the exam, not for credit, but just as a benchmark for myself? I know you don’t allow exams to be taken home, so I can take it during a TA office hour or one of yours? Let me know what you advise. thank you, Isaac Wu He said yes. The morning of the exam, I was upset. My roommates had done something I couldn’t let go of. As I walked with my professor of Advanced Neuroscience to the empty computer lab, my mind hardened with grudges. As we neared the entrance, he spoke up and told me the test I was about to take was actually going to be for credit and that there were no penalties. Every thought was silenced — something had changed inside. I felt the muscles in my face relax. I let go of the roommate thing. I was softened. He was letting me off the hook when he had every reason not to, and it stopped me cold. At that point, the points were immaterial: My accumulated GPA was high and essentially set in stone and I’d already had a job lined up. Nevertheless, his mercy had softened me. I was getting my things settled when he spoke up again, saying that he needed to go teach another class, and I should slide my test under his door when I was finished. He then said, “I know there are so many ways you can cheat, and I know you won’t use them. Do great.” He slipped out the door and I was alone in the large computer lab. I completed my midterm in silence, with a pencil and nothing else. I did my absolute best — his trust had ennobled me. I grabbed my phone and took the above picture. I wanted to remember this moment forever. I didn’t need the picture. I would continue to put forth incredible effort in that class to learn everything I possibly could, to perform as well as I could, and to do it all with the utmost honesty. A few months later, I only needed a fifteen out of one hundred on my quarantined, un-proctored final to pass the class. With the COVID-converted grading system, anything above a C would be a “Pass” that wouldn’t affect my GPA. Still, I studied as if every future neurosurgery patient or grad school application depended on it, though I knew I’d never have either of the two. He didn’t have to let me take the test for credit but he did. He could’ve gotten someone to proctor but he didn’t. Lesson 5: Mercy softens, trust ennobles. Congrats, Grad. These gems won’t lose their shine. Because there are more selfies to be taken …more card games to be played, …more house chores to be enriched by a scientific lens, …proximities to be enjoyed, …mercy and trust to be given. We are all graduating with something: a Neuroscience Degree at BYU, a marketing degree somewhere else (and a useful one at that!), more time at home with family. Whatever we emerge with during this world-wide pandemic is a graduation, a step toward a life more insightful and moral. Write down the lessons learned — these are the things worth celebrating. Congrats, Grad. Your Fellow Graduate

https://medium.com/the-spike/5-lessons-i-learned-from-my-neuroscience-degree-3e35a9461a7d

['Isaac Wu']

2020-06-11 19:01:01.804000+00:00

['Neuroscience', 'Education', 'Psychology', 'Science', 'Life Lessons']

Title 5 Lessons Learned Neuroscience DegreeContent 5 Lessons Learned Neuroscience Degree call celebrate reflection absence convocation graduated degree Neuroscience without plan go med school grad school “Then want that” People would always ask “Learn brain” answer every time degree always gem knowledge stepping stone hope fellow graduating class 2020 feel way degree — need ever job internship blasted smithereens convocation cancelled glamorous grad trip put hold graduation must take new meaning must reflection gem knowledge gained degree lesson learned forever change way look live leave world 5 lesson learned Neuroscience degree Lesson 1 — Let Parents Take Pictures Episodic Memory First Go used get annoyed mom wanted take selfie u don’t “Why now” we’d ask whipped phone “To remember this” she’d say studied aging memory began realize good reason really Generally u achieve “healthy aging” learning new skill creative thinking working different way sail sunset life relative sharpness mind even memory example won’t forget drive car brush teeth procedural “muscle” memory remains good shape Semantic memory — memory fact — doesn’t suffer much either even get better age think last game trivia mom dad One type memory however immune aging episodic memory Episodic memory memory personal experience shown decline accuracy get older mom may able mince garlic drive Costco name singer Suspicious Minds ease may always remember ordered second time went Ramen place Palo Alto cue like picture magic wand recalling night sibling slurped away street Stanford Lesson 1 patient parent can’t remember little thing support requested selfies Lesson 2 — Play Cards Everyone Remembering Makes Us Us observing beginning card game wouldn’t judge player starting hand We’ve dealt hand card hand isn’t chosen doesn’t change hand unique u certain strength weakness hand gene Understanding relationship gene behavior changed way interact others Looking back time discriminated people behavior could well gene guilty judging card player starting hand “Why overreacting” I’d ask “I wish wasn’t impulsive” I’d think later learned Behavioral Neuroscience slow stress recovery impulsivity sometimes result specific gene variant — specific card one’s hand learned one fourth population hold slowacting variant COMT enzyme aid stress recovery turned “overreactors” quick label working unique card hand learned certain variant DRD4 gene held around 20 population implicated addiction impulsivity higher risktaking even schizophrenia Come think people thought “impulsive adrenaline junkies” dealt joker beginning game behavior hardly traced back single gene follow “common variant” model Autism follows model wherein certain “recipe” common gene variant may culprit Individuals autism might 5 diamond 8 spade jack heart — common card u hold specific combination may one produce set behavior we’ve come define “autism” never dared call autistic person weird stranger passing judgment “normal” people found socially clumsy Understanding neurobiology autism lack thereof called shift paradigm “autism” set trait like set trait produced given hand common card every single person could genotype mapped behavior closely observed would find correlation certain behavior set gene variant combination everyone would “disorder” today run someone I’m tempted call weird annoying anything else remember trait result unique card combination lot like one hand you’d might well rescind degree claiming puppet DNA certainty neuroscience it’s brain plastic change way experience gene programmed u think behave Lesson 4 DRD4 holder learn tame impulsivity Someone slower COMT variant work reframe stressor behave little differently social situation find confidence connection society Nevertheless everyone start — end — gene they’ve dealt time experience patience help u fulfill potential therein Lesson 2 Never judge player starting hand play fairly everyone — we’re learning play card right Lesson 3 — Best Way Dishes Letting Dish Soap Job Photo Odua Images Imagine learn wash dish time observation You’d soon find different style may enjoy efficiency filleruppers turn sink soapy swimming hole evening bruteforcers might excite pour soap straight onto dish scrub frantically running faucet understanding chemistry may call different path Soap clean dish — didn’t need chemistry class tell need tell Water — polar molecule — grease — nonpolar molecule — don’t mix dish soap come Soap amphipathic molecule it’s polar nonpolar grab grease hold nonpolar tail polar head follows water drain Understanding see soap can’t possibly thing violently swished around pool waterfall need job step 1 bind grease 2 get washed drain Lesson 3 best way wash dish quick rinse remove leftover food scrap followed soapy scrub sans water thorough rinse faucet “Wash rinse repeat” simple it’s simplicity isn’t blind magic dish soap Oliver Wendell Holmes said “simplicity lie side complexity” Lesson 4 — “It’s Good Man Alone” Potentiation Proximity Photo ZoomSpectrum “Marketing degree useless” “He’s following crowd” “She’s because…” “Musical Dance Theatre major wasting time” Left alone would think thought like Left alone longer would start believe dark side potentiation thought become “ingrained” brain Understanding potentiation helped break unhealthy train thought build healthier one understand potentiation however you’ll need crash course neuroanatomy rake great model neuron teeth rake represent dendrite receiving end neuron dendrite “teeth” converge onto head rake represents cell body control center process input dendrite head protrudes long rake handle representing axon “giving” end neuron cell body “decides” send message next cell shoot electrical impulse — action potential — axon axon communicates dendrite next cell string bunch rake together endtoend handle one rake feeding one teeth next neural pathway first time thought “marketing degree useless” entire neural pathway fired Zooming connection synapsis neuron pathway begin understand thought become potentiated Take first neuron pathway action potential shot axon reached end released chemical — neurotransmitter — travelled across synapse toward dendrite second neuron dendrite received neurotransmitter sent input cell body much like one skinny teeth rake feed head kept thinking “marketing degree useless” cell body continued receive input dendrite charge began build amount charge reached threshold cell body shot action potential axon communicate next cell repercussion action potential shoot forward axon rake handle also backwards throughout dendrite teeth form backpropagating action potential long kept thinking “marketing degree useless” without interruption one teeth still busy receiving input first neuron action potential first neuron met backpropagating action potential second synapse potentiation ensued connection first second neuron strengthened first released neurotransmitter every thought second neuron sensitive neurotransmitter result became lot easier think marketing degree useless course talked marketing student learned new idea would prove valuable work thought neighbor following crowd talked way church learned genuine motivation sure friend acting irritated told otherwise convinced Musical Dance Theatre major wasting time interviewed one turn Musical Dance Theatre major spend multiple day understanding inner world character dance sing act behalf hadn’t done get proximate desperately need understanding Students Bible agree Creator stated “It’s good man alone” hinting partner there’s another reason it’s good man alone Partners everyone else meant loved left alone think thinking flawed left alone longer begin believe Lesson 4 It’s good man alone thought potentiate get proximate others Proximity shatter belief someone give chance build something beautiful place Lesson 5 — Mercy Softens Trust Ennobles week last semester made realization response wrote following email professor meant Hi Dr made mistake check exam availability day assumed ran 4 day thought could still take today May still take exam credit benchmark know don’t allow exam taken home take TA office hour one Let know advise thank Isaac Wu said yes morning exam upset roommate done something couldn’t let go walked professor Advanced Neuroscience empty computer lab mind hardened grudge neared entrance spoke told test take actually going credit penalty Every thought silenced — something changed inside felt muscle face relax let go roommate thing softened letting hook every reason stopped cold point point immaterial accumulated GPA high essentially set stone I’d already job lined Nevertheless mercy softened getting thing settled spoke saying needed go teach another class slide test door finished said “I know many way cheat know won’t use great” slipped door alone large computer lab completed midterm silence pencil nothing else absolute best — trust ennobled grabbed phone took picture wanted remember moment forever didn’t need picture would continue put forth incredible effort class learn everything possibly could perform well could utmost honesty month later needed fifteen one hundred quarantined unproctored final pas class COVIDconverted grading system anything C would “Pass” wouldn’t affect GPA Still studied every future neurosurgery patient grad school application depended though knew I’d never either two didn’t let take test credit could’ve gotten someone proctor didn’t Lesson 5 Mercy softens trust ennobles Congrats Grad gem won’t lose shine selfies taken …more card game played …more house chore enriched scientific lens …proximities enjoyed …mercy trust given graduating something Neuroscience Degree BYU marketing degree somewhere else useful one time home family Whatever emerge worldwide pandemic graduation step toward life insightful moral Write lesson learned — thing worth celebrating Congrats Grad Fellow GraduateTags Neuroscience Education Psychology Science Life Lessons

Good Writers May Not Be Able to Read Minds, But We Can Make You Believe We Can.

Character building in stories is such a fun challenge. One of my favourite ,weird past times, is people watching to help build character’s backgrounds, stories and descriptions. It is a fascinating hobby, and although it may make me look like a creeper, I do it anyhow. Just For Fun Let’s go sit at a mall together. You see a lady, middle aged, with an expensive handbag draped across her shoulder. She is wearing high end, name brand leggings, knee high leather boots and a mid length faux leather jacket. Her blond hair is piled up high, in a messy bun, and her face is free of make up. She is a natural beauty, who probably looks younger than she is. She walks into an expensive dress shop that is advertising an “Up to 50% off” sale and spots a red, sparkly dress on the first rack she sees. You watch her intently, as she glances around the store at the other racks, and walls, to see what else she likes. Before she pulls the dress off of the rack, she scans the price tag hanging from the neckline. She bites her bottom lip, and looks around again. She is looking to see what the sale price of the dress would be, she might be looking for duplicate dresses in her size, or she may be waiting to ask if she can try it on. By biting her lip, you sense hesitancy. Maybe she has spent her budget on her handbag, or name brand pants. She might be considering if the dress is worth paying more interest on her credit card, OR she may be contemplating what her man will think of the dress if she buys it. Another thought is, maybe, her biting lip is an indication that she is wondering if the dress is appropriate attire for a planned function, and she is hoping for the opinion of the store’s floor staff. Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash These are the Moments Writers Can Enjoy and Fly With It may just be a “typical” scene at the mall, but how much fun do writers have with situations like these? We have the ability to write her story. We can WRITE what she is thinking, even if we are way off track. All it takes is ONE situation to begin a story-it may be fictional, or poetic, or even an article such as this one. But, it’s ONE situation we observe, that gets our creative juices flowing. Consider all of the other moments in your day. The people you see, the happenings around you, or the conversations you have. Aren’t we fortunate to be able to lock into those, to help us do what we love? Moments are like props for painting artists, or scenes for photographers. They are ALL around us. When we have a writer’s mind, literally ANYTHING can spark a story. ANYTHING can become the topic, the theme, the character, the plot, or the imagery, if we write vividly and honestly enough. We have the power to WRITE the mind of someone else, whether it’s true or not. Of course, if it’s not, it’s fiction, but if it is accurate, it becomes an article or even an interview. We are very lucky to have this passion. Photo by Timon Studler on Unsplash Back to the Mall You see a middle aged, well dressed, balding man. He is carrying some pink shopping bags and looking around the hallway, trying to spot someone, or something. You see him hone his eyes on a bench in the middle of the walkway, where there are two other men sitting. They all have shopping bags from Women’s fashion stores either on their arms, or on the floor in front of them, as they perch on the bench. One man is scrolling through his phone, another is looking at his watch, and the third approaches the bench, causing the one on his phone to distractedly move over, to give room to the new bencher. As soon as the third man sits down, the three of them give each other a “knowing” look of understanding. They exchange a few words, and laugh in unison. You KNOW what the topic of conversation is, and you jot the scene down in your phone, or notepad for a story to write later. Another great opportunity for a story line and character building! You can add descriptions of the men, the bags they are “in charge of”, the reason why they are all penalized to the bench, and a dialogue of their banter. What fun! Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash Creativity Now, take those characters, and build, build, build. The lady could be out buying a dress to wear for the man she is having an affair with. Biting her lip, she looks around to make sure no one is witnessing her planned purchase. She is thinking about their secret rendezvous and wants to look smoking hot for him. They may be planning to meet in his cabin by the lake, and he will surprize her with flowers and promises to leave his wife. She’s too smart for him, however, and knows he is lying, yet again. They have a glass of wine, and one last sexual escapade. He gets up, and goes into the bathroom to wash her off his body. As he emerges from the bathroom, she shoots him in the chest, with a handgun she had in her expensive handbag, before burying him in his own back yard. She is relieved to have this pain in the ass out of her life. Paranoid that her husband has followed her to the cabin, or has tracked her phone ,she deletes her GPS tracker, and as she drives home, she throws her precious iPhone out the window. A few miles down the highway, she tosses the gun out of her window too. She goes home, after stopping at a gas station to change back into her leggings and sweater. She leaves the blood-spattered, dirty, red dress in the garbage can in the public washroom. She casually strolls inside her house and tells her husband that someone stole her phone out of her purse at the mall. She puts on a charade about how angry she is and tells him that she was at the mall all day long, trying to find something special to wear for their date this weekend. She sobs that she couldn’t find anything she liked, and asks him for his advice on a red sparkly dress that she shows him online. Moments later she sneaks into her bedroom and notices a smear of dirt from the ground she dug up, in her mirrored reflection, and hastily wipes it off with her sleeve. She grins to herself before returning to the kitchen to pour her husband a glass of Chardonnay. And, JUST LIKE THAT. A moment can give you a story. Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash That’s Why There is No Such Thing as Writer’s Block. If you can imagine, you can write. If you can see opportunities is simple moments, YOU CAN WRITE. It may not always be a masterpiece, but it’s a piece. And, that piece will help you to reconnect with your creative self again. Every morning, sometimes as I workout, or have a shower, I ask myself, “What should I write about today?” Most days, I have one or two ideas, but throughout the day, I find more, and more. I just watch for stories to happen around me, the same as a photographer looks for cool things to take images of, and manipulate. Sometimes the topics come so fast and furious, I have to jot them in my notes on my phone, on a paper, or sit down and write a story about it-immediately. Even if you write the vision down one day, and don’t get to it for a few days, it’s okay. The story can change. The perspective can change- even the characters can change. It’s a fascinating craft we have, and the way we can use the art of language and words, is literally an open book. We have the ability to make anyone think how we want them to. We can make any moment inspire us and we can use anyone or anything as our provocation to love our craft. I encourage you to use my scene of the three men with shopping bags, and BUILD that story. I would love to read what can be developed. Don’t forget to “read” their minds and write what they are thinking. It’s a challenge I think you will find intriguing. Let’s have some fun. This story is published in The Startup, Medium’s largest entrepreneurship publication followed by +417,678 people. Subscribe to receive our top stories here.

https://medium.com/swlh/good-writers-may-not-be-able-to-read-minds-but-we-can-make-you-believe-we-can-604f64a9b098

['Kristina H']

2019-01-29 13:30:31.908000+00:00

['Creativity', 'Short Story', 'Storytelling', 'Writer', 'Writing']

Title Good Writers May Able Read Minds Make Believe CanContent Character building story fun challenge One favourite weird past time people watching help build character’s background story description fascinating hobby although may make look like creeper anyhow Fun Let’s go sit mall together see lady middle aged expensive handbag draped across shoulder wearing high end name brand legging knee high leather boot mid length faux leather jacket blond hair piled high messy bun face free make natural beauty probably look younger walk expensive dress shop advertising “Up 50 off” sale spot red sparkly dress first rack see watch intently glance around store rack wall see else like pull dress rack scan price tag hanging neckline bite bottom lip look around looking see sale price dress would might looking duplicate dress size may waiting ask try biting lip sense hesitancy Maybe spent budget handbag name brand pant might considering dress worth paying interest credit card may contemplating man think dress buy Another thought maybe biting lip indication wondering dress appropriate attire planned function hoping opinion store’s floor staff Photo freestocksorg Unsplash Moments Writers Enjoy Fly may “typical” scene mall much fun writer situation like ability write story WRITE thinking even way track take ONE situation begin storyit may fictional poetic even article one it’s ONE situation observe get creative juice flowing Consider moment day people see happening around conversation Aren’t fortunate able lock help u love Moments like prop painting artist scene photographer around u writer’s mind literally ANYTHING spark story ANYTHING become topic theme character plot imagery write vividly honestly enough power WRITE mind someone else whether it’s true course it’s it’s fiction accurate becomes article even interview lucky passion Photo Timon Studler Unsplash Back Mall see middle aged well dressed balding man carrying pink shopping bag looking around hallway trying spot someone something see hone eye bench middle walkway two men sitting shopping bag Women’s fashion store either arm floor front perch bench One man scrolling phone another looking watch third approach bench causing one phone distractedly move give room new bencher soon third man sits three give “knowing” look understanding exchange word laugh unison KNOW topic conversation jot scene phone notepad story write later Another great opportunity story line character building add description men bag “in charge of” reason penalized bench dialogue banter fun Photo NeONBRAND Unsplash Creativity take character build build build lady could buying dress wear man affair Biting lip look around make sure one witnessing planned purchase thinking secret rendezvous want look smoking hot may planning meet cabin lake surprize flower promise leave wife She’s smart however know lying yet glass wine one last sexual escapade get go bathroom wash body emerges bathroom shoot chest handgun expensive handbag burying back yard relieved pain as life Paranoid husband followed cabin tracked phone deletes GPS tracker drive home throw precious iPhone window mile highway toss gun window go home stopping gas station change back legging sweater leaf bloodspattered dirty red dress garbage public washroom casually stroll inside house tell husband someone stole phone purse mall put charade angry tell mall day long trying find something special wear date weekend sob couldn’t find anything liked asks advice red sparkly dress show online Moments later sneak bedroom notice smear dirt ground dug mirrored reflection hastily wipe sleeve grin returning kitchen pour husband glass Chardonnay LIKE moment give story Photo Steve Johnson Unsplash That’s Thing Writer’s Block imagine write see opportunity simple moment WRITE may always masterpiece it’s piece piece help reconnect creative self Every morning sometimes workout shower ask “What write today” day one two idea throughout day find watch story happen around photographer look cool thing take image manipulate Sometimes topic come fast furious jot note phone paper sit write story itimmediately Even write vision one day don’t get day it’s okay story change perspective change even character change It’s fascinating craft way use art language word literally open book ability make anyone think want make moment inspire u use anyone anything provocation love craft encourage use scene three men shopping bag BUILD story would love read developed Don’t forget “read” mind write thinking It’s challenge think find intriguing Let’s fun story published Startup Medium’s largest entrepreneurship publication followed 417678 people Subscribe receive top story hereTags Creativity Short Story Storytelling Writer Writing

Why Creative Blocks Happen

In The Dynamics of Creation, psychoanalyst and psychologist Anthony Storr attempts to understand what motivates people to dedicate themselves to creative work. Considering that creativity is a difficult endeavour and often carries few rewards, it has to be about more than fame or money. Storr believed that for some people, creativity could substitute for unmet needs in the real world. Individuals who fail to find satisfaction in relationships and the like turn more to their internal worlds. Writing, music, painting, and other forms of art can be a way of communicating with others on your own terms. It can feel safer than doing so through conversation because the whole situation is under your control. You don’t need to fear other people tricking you into revealing more than you wish. For those who struggle to maintain a solid sense of self, creativity can be a means of self-assertion. It’s a way of expressing your thoughts and emotions with minimal pressure to confirm. Some creative people gain self-esteem from their work, as opposed to their concrete selves. Equally, making stuff is a form of escapism. It takes you out of yourself for a while. Storr goes on to write that some people put more of themselves into their creative efforts than they do into their social lives. Those who feel unable to reveal their true selves to others in relationships can end up feeling their art is the sole real expression of their identity. Storr writes: ‘Great artists are seldom great talkers; and when they are, like Oscar Wilde, one has the impression that they would have produced more work of lasting value had they talked less. This needful secrecy, however, means that creative people very often reveal less of themselves in company than ordinary people, and thus may not experience the reinforcement of the sense of identity which comes from a true exchange of one’s ‘real self’ with the real selves of others.’ Taken too far, you end up hyper-sensitive about your art because any criticism of it is an attack on your fundamental self. Taken even further, making anything becomes impossible. Finishing a project and risking exposure is too dangerous. Caring too much about your art can prevent you from actually making anything. Conversely, creating in order to attain necessary doses of self-esteem can make you too eager to release your work as often as possible, to make it visible to as many people as possible, to get as much of what’s in your mind out as you can. Needing that reassurance is a barrier to spending a long time working on a bigger, more complex, or more developed thing.

https://medium.com/swlh/why-creative-blocks-happen-580315369a8

['Rosie L']

2020-08-01 16:20:46.361000+00:00

['Creativity', 'Self Improvement', 'Productivity', 'Life Lessons', 'Writing']

Title Creative Blocks HappenContent Dynamics Creation psychoanalyst psychologist Anthony Storr attempt understand motivates people dedicate creative work Considering creativity difficult endeavour often carry reward fame money Storr believed people creativity could substitute unmet need real world Individuals fail find satisfaction relationship like turn internal world Writing music painting form art way communicating others term feel safer conversation whole situation control don’t need fear people tricking revealing wish struggle maintain solid sense self creativity mean selfassertion It’s way expressing thought emotion minimal pressure confirm creative people gain selfesteem work opposed concrete self Equally making stuff form escapism take Storr go write people put creative effort social life feel unable reveal true self others relationship end feeling art sole real expression identity Storr writes ‘Great artist seldom great talker like Oscar Wilde one impression would produced work lasting value talked le needful secrecy however mean creative people often reveal le company ordinary people thus may experience reinforcement sense identity come true exchange one’s ‘real self’ real self others’ Taken far end hypersensitive art criticism attack fundamental self Taken even making anything becomes impossible Finishing project risking exposure dangerous Caring much art prevent actually making anything Conversely creating order attain necessary dos selfesteem make eager release work often possible make visible many people possible get much what’s mind Needing reassurance barrier spending long time working bigger complex developed thingTags Creativity Self Improvement Productivity Life Lessons Writing

Why I Quit My Full-Time Writing Job over a Viral Tweet

Photo by Ioana Cristiana on Unsplash TL;DR: I quit my relatively cushy, full-time reporter job at the New York Post after one of my tweets went very viral with no backup plan and no real professional prospects. But the full-length version of how I came to that decision is something slightly more complicated. Something much more quintessentially, perhaps tiresomely, millennial. I should probably start by saying that I did actually enjoy my time working at the Post. My boss took a chance on me in a senior position, I learned how to be a real reporter for the first time in my career, and I was often given a lot of leeway to write some very weird pieces of content. One of my more inspired galleries. That being said, however, writing for the fashion section of the Post was like working in a shiny pink, liberal bubble. No real oversight from upper management, no enormous traffic expectations, and the veneer of “women’s writing” as protection from some of the more aggressively conservative op-eds and stories the paper is known for publishing. At first, I just tried not to read them. A job is a job, after all. But that type of content is built to poke and prod at you. Its only goal is to get under your skin, to provoke, to stoke the flames while playing the victim. Still, I held my tongue. Until one day I didn’t. New York Post The story that finally broke the camel’s back wasn’t even one of the more particularly insidious examples. I never dreamt a half-baked piece on millennials killing the power lunch would be the professional hill I would choose to die on, until one night in late October I found myself typing up a heated response to my employer’s tweet on that very subject. I paused before pressing send and asked myself, “Is this really what you want to say?” Yes. “Do you stand by it?” Hell yes. “What’s the worst that could happen?” They fire me, I guess. My poor impulse control on full display. So, as roughly 93,000 of you now know, I took that chance and the tweet spiraled exponentially out of my control. Unsurprisingly, the next day I was called into HR and given a choice: delete the tweet and be put on probation or leave it and they’d have to pursue more serious consequences, which given the tone of our conversation, to my mind, could only mean unemployment. When I told them I needed to sleep on it, they said if I needed to sleep on it I clearly didn’t understand the seriousness of the situation. But I think the situation was actually more serious for me than they understood. This wasn’t just about my stupid tweet or a lazy take about millennials murdering something completely out of their control. It had come to symbolize something far beyond me being a dumbass online. It was the first time, in a long time, I’d written something in my real voice from my real point of view. It was like everything I’d been holding back for so long had come tumbling out and the response was overwhelming. Hundreds of people commented with their own bad lunch break stories and shared frustration with the blame our generation gets for the collapse of everything around us when we’re really just trying to get the boot off our necks. A reply to my tweet. For the first time, I felt like an integral part of a much larger cultural conversation. I felt like I had allowed this small geyser of communal rage to be released. I remembered why I even wanted to write to begin with. The most popular reply to my tweet. So I left the tweet up. Then three days passed and nothing happened. Meanwhile, the tweet just got bigger and bigger. The following week I met with HR again and was told that I somehow still had a job. But mentally, I had already been fired. I had spent the past week crying and asking every person I knew for guidance before ultimately steeling myself for the worst. Except the worst never came. That should be the end of the story. Just learn your lesson and get back to work. But for me it was like the lights had suddenly been turned on and I could finally see my career for what it really is. I’ve spent my entire professional life diligently working my way up the fashion writing ladder, doing whatever was asked of me, telling the stories everybody else wanted told. I woke up at 5 A.M. every day for two years to be the first person to cover Kim Kardashian’s nude selfies. I worked until midnight on weekends so readers would know where they could buy Beyoncé’s clutch. I became an SEO master to make sure as many eyes as possible would land on my expertly crafted descriptions of celebrity hair changes, wardrobe malfunctions, and women over 50 in bikinis. One of my signature stories. What I didn’t do during all that time is write very much of anything that I‘m really proud of. I sacrificed a lot of myself in the name of experience, money and a moderately more impressive resume. Not to say there’s anything wrong with that, especially when you’re young and just want someone to take a chance on paying you to do what you love. But eventually, all that clickbait wears thin and you get hungry for something more. It took doing something a little reckless for me to finally realize I was actually starving. So I quit. I don’t expect a lot of sympathy for this decision. I don’t even particularly expect anyone to give a shit. This is a story of immense privilege, after all. I’m well aware of the privilege of even having a job to quit in a year when 7,800 media people lost theirs not by choice. To say nothing of the inherent privilege that comes with being a white, cis, hetero, able-bodied, childless woman from a family that would love nothing more than for me to be forced to move back home to New Hampshire full time. The decision I made makes no real logical, financial, or professional sense. But then again, neither does the decision to even be a writer in the first place. Too many of us are hired for our voices and then paid to edit them out again. Hired to produce an endless stream of titillating, yet anodyne, content designed to appeal to the widest possible audience. There are no guarantees in what we do. The entire industry is just making it up as they go along while acting like we’re marching towards some digital manifest destiny. But the truth of this medium is that it’s eternally inchoate. As millennials, we know we’re going to get blamed for however this big media experiment turns out anyway, so why don’t we at least start playing by our own rules?

https://medium.com/blankpage/why-i-quit-my-full-time-writing-job-over-a-viral-tweet-934657ddafca

['Emily Kirkpatrick']

2020-12-21 15:55:24.437000+00:00

['Journalism', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Jobs', 'Freelancing', 'Writing']

Title Quit FullTime Writing Job Viral TweetContent Photo Ioana Cristiana Unsplash TLDR quit relatively cushy fulltime reporter job New York Post one tweet went viral backup plan real professional prospect fulllength version came decision something slightly complicated Something much quintessentially perhaps tiresomely millennial probably start saying actually enjoy time working Post bos took chance senior position learned real reporter first time career often given lot leeway write weird piece content One inspired gallery said however writing fashion section Post like working shiny pink liberal bubble real oversight upper management enormous traffic expectation veneer “women’s writing” protection aggressively conservative opeds story paper known publishing first tried read job job type content built poke prod goal get skin provoke stoke flame playing victim Still held tongue one day didn’t New York Post story finally broke camel’s back wasn’t even one particularly insidious example never dreamt halfbaked piece millennials killing power lunch would professional hill would choose die one night late October found typing heated response employer’s tweet subject paused pressing send asked “Is really want say” Yes “Do stand it” Hell yes “What’s worst could happen” fire guess poor impulse control full display roughly 93000 know took chance tweet spiraled exponentially control Unsurprisingly next day called HR given choice delete tweet put probation leave they’d pursue serious consequence given tone conversation mind could mean unemployment told needed sleep said needed sleep clearly didn’t understand seriousness situation think situation actually serious understood wasn’t stupid tweet lazy take millennials murdering something completely control come symbolize something far beyond dumbass online first time long time I’d written something real voice real point view like everything I’d holding back long come tumbling response overwhelming Hundreds people commented bad lunch break story shared frustration blame generation get collapse everything around u we’re really trying get boot neck reply tweet first time felt like integral part much larger cultural conversation felt like allowed small geyser communal rage released remembered even wanted write begin popular reply tweet left tweet three day passed nothing happened Meanwhile tweet got bigger bigger following week met HR told somehow still job mentally already fired spent past week cry asking every person knew guidance ultimately steeling worst Except worst never came end story learn lesson get back work like light suddenly turned could finally see career really I’ve spent entire professional life diligently working way fashion writing ladder whatever asked telling story everybody else wanted told woke 5 every day two year first person cover Kim Kardashian’s nude selfies worked midnight weekend reader would know could buy Beyoncé’s clutch became SEO master make sure many eye possible would land expertly crafted description celebrity hair change wardrobe malfunction woman 50 bikini One signature story didn’t time write much anything I‘m really proud sacrificed lot name experience money moderately impressive resume say there’s anything wrong especially you’re young want someone take chance paying love eventually clickbait wear thin get hungry something took something little reckless finally realize actually starving quit don’t expect lot sympathy decision don’t even particularly expect anyone give shit story immense privilege I’m well aware privilege even job quit year 7800 medium people lost choice say nothing inherent privilege come white ci hetero ablebodied childless woman family would love nothing forced move back home New Hampshire full time decision made make real logical financial professional sense neither decision even writer first place many u hired voice paid edit Hired produce endless stream titillating yet anodyne content designed appeal widest possible audience guarantee entire industry making go along acting like we’re marching towards digital manifest destiny truth medium it’s eternally inchoate millennials know we’re going get blamed however big medium experiment turn anyway don’t least start playing rulesTags Journalism Entrepreneurship Jobs Freelancing Writing

Darkness in America: How to start healing from toxic masculinity

Photo Credit: Unsplash Have you felt repressed? Have you felt ashamed of yourself, of your sexuality, afraid of being too loud? Have you felt embarrassed by your emotions, believing you are too sensitive or dramatic? You are not alone. “Men who do not turn to face their own pain are too often prone to inflict it on others.” Both men and women have many shadows, pain that has been shoved away. Every year, over 10 million Americans are victims of psychological and physical abuse from people they love and trust the most. I want to share my trauma with you. I want to share how I have learned to feel safe and whole. 14 years old, Courtesy of the author, Allison Crady At 14 years old, I was bright, curious, and energized by the world around me. As my healthy adult self, I would tell young Allison, “You are beautiful and full of light. I will give you the unconditional love you need. The people around you are in pain, and it’s not your fault.” Religion, especially men in religion, traumatized me. Religious teachers taught me that as a woman, I am meant to be quiet, submissive, and “sexually pure.” If I fail to mute myself and save my sexuality for marriage, then I am evil. I am not evil; I am courageous and powerful, and that scares them. We need to integrate our shadows Our American culture has become increasingly masculine and toxic. We are taught to be productive above all else, how to do more with our time. We are not taught how to be more authentic, to embrace gratitude, joy, and being. We need more nurturing, acceptance, curiosity, empathy, and kindness of the feminine consciousness to heal. We need to explore and integrate our shadows, to stop passing judgment on ourselves and each other. We are human beings, not super-humans or machines. We do not have to pretend to be perfect. We can find safe spaces to explore the darkness. When we integrate our shadows, we stop feeling repressed. We stop accepting the expectations and “truths” that have been given to us. Feeling, exploring, and healing our shadows make us more balanced humans. “Survivors of abuse show us the strength of their personal spirit every time they smile.” 21 years old, Courtesy of the author, Allison Crady I was not taught to create physical or emotional boundaries, to keep my heart safe. I had been criticized for dressing immodestly and “being a distraction,” and I felt rebellious. I have been sexually abused by men multiple times, and I felt guilty. It must have been my fault. I never shared my story, and I internalized that guilt. For years I have struggled with owning my voice, expressing my needs, and embracing my sexuality without feeling ashamed or embarrassed. I never deserved that treatment. I definitely did not “earn” abuse through my wardrobe. I felt so small and ashamed. We need to nurture ourselves Our culture’s Capitalistic messages convince us that we need more to feel happy and complete, i.e. more things, fame, money. Our souls have become under-nourished, and we feel disconnected, disenchanted, and competitive. Patriarchy has led to so much pain in our country. Women have been told to be more like men to become leaders when actually the average woman has more natural and effective leadership skills, i.e. humility, empathy, inspiration. Men often become leaders with overconfidence and narcissistic behaviors, leading to poor leadership and toxic work environments. We need to nurture ourselves with our creativity, playfulness, openness, curiosity, kindness, and intuition. We need more collaboration, empathy, psychological safety, and compassion in our personal and professional lives, starting with ourselves. We need to cultivate strong internal relationships. We need to honor our feelings Photo Credit: Unsplash Our bodies and emotions are incredibly wise. Studies have shown that our bodies pick up on the relationship and environmental issues long before our minds do. We are not thinking machines; we are feeling beings who think. The more we honor our emotions, the less burned out, depressed, anxious, stuck, and out of shape, we’ll be. Awareness and kindness towards our emotions is a superpower. We need to reconnect with our divine feminine energy to bring balance to our hyper-masculine selves and our hyper-masculine culture. Instead of trying to fit in, let’s tune in to our own frequencies and surround ourselves with people who resonate, people who want the best for us and who nurture our growth. Sometimes, We need to walk away Our work and relationship environments have a strong impact on our wellbeing. If you find yourself in environments that do not nurture your wellbeing and encourage your growth, then it’s probably time to walk away. Feeling unworthy and unsupported makes walking away really difficult for most people. Find communities who can relate, find the right therapist, find the people who give you unconditional love, and make yourself one of them. Instead of traveling outward, try exploring inward to learn about yourself, who you want to be. 26 years old, Courtesy of the author, Allison Crady Writing this article has been very emotionally challenging for me. I started with the idea a few months ago, and I never thought I would feel comfortable or confident enough to share my experiences and feelings on this dark topic. But I know that getting out of the “nice and pretty,” people pleaser box means ruffling feathers and sharing hard stories. I believe being creative heals ourselves and each other. I hope my story helps at least one person to know that they are not alone and that they deserve better unconditional love. You are loved and lovable.

https://allisoncrady.medium.com/darkness-in-america-how-to-start-healing-from-toxic-masculinity-f1aa59dc5b00

['Allison Crady']

2020-12-11 18:52:23.519000+00:00

['Creativity', 'Mental Health', 'Feminism', 'Psychology', 'Abuse']

Title Darkness America start healing toxic masculinityContent Photo Credit Unsplash felt repressed felt ashamed sexuality afraid loud felt embarrassed emotion believing sensitive dramatic alone “Men turn face pain often prone inflict others” men woman many shadow pain shoved away Every year 10 million Americans victim psychological physical abuse people love trust want share trauma want share learned feel safe whole 14 year old Courtesy author Allison Crady 14 year old bright curious energized world around healthy adult self would tell young Allison “You beautiful full light give unconditional love need people around pain it’s fault” Religion especially men religion traumatized Religious teacher taught woman meant quiet submissive “sexually pure” fail mute save sexuality marriage evil evil courageous powerful scare need integrate shadow American culture become increasingly masculine toxic taught productive else time taught authentic embrace gratitude joy need nurturing acceptance curiosity empathy kindness feminine consciousness heal need explore integrate shadow stop passing judgment human being superhumans machine pretend perfect find safe space explore darkness integrate shadow stop feeling repressed stop accepting expectation “truths” given u Feeling exploring healing shadow make u balanced human “Survivors abuse show u strength personal spirit every time smile” 21 year old Courtesy author Allison Crady taught create physical emotional boundary keep heart safe criticized dressing immodestly “being distraction” felt rebellious sexually abused men multiple time felt guilty must fault never shared story internalized guilt year struggled owning voice expressing need embracing sexuality without feeling ashamed embarrassed never deserved treatment definitely “earn” abuse wardrobe felt small ashamed need nurture culture’s Capitalistic message convince u need feel happy complete ie thing fame money soul become undernourished feel disconnected disenchanted competitive Patriarchy led much pain country Women told like men become leader actually average woman natural effective leadership skill ie humility empathy inspiration Men often become leader overconfidence narcissistic behavior leading poor leadership toxic work environment need nurture creativity playfulness openness curiosity kindness intuition need collaboration empathy psychological safety compassion personal professional life starting need cultivate strong internal relationship need honor feeling Photo Credit Unsplash body emotion incredibly wise Studies shown body pick relationship environmental issue long mind thinking machine feeling being think honor emotion le burned depressed anxious stuck shape we’ll Awareness kindness towards emotion superpower need reconnect divine feminine energy bring balance hypermasculine self hypermasculine culture Instead trying fit let’s tune frequency surround people resonate people want best u nurture growth Sometimes need walk away work relationship environment strong impact wellbeing find environment nurture wellbeing encourage growth it’s probably time walk away Feeling unworthy unsupported make walking away really difficult people Find community relate find right therapist find people give unconditional love make one Instead traveling outward try exploring inward learn want 26 year old Courtesy author Allison Crady Writing article emotionally challenging started idea month ago never thought would feel comfortable confident enough share experience feeling dark topic know getting “nice pretty” people pleaser box mean ruffling feather sharing hard story believe creative heals hope story help least one person know alone deserve better unconditional love loved lovableTags Creativity Mental Health Feminism Psychology Abuse

Episode 1: “The Evolution” — Java JIT Hotspot & C2 Compilers (Building “Super Optimum Java MicroServices Architecture" Series)"

Episode 1: “The Evolution” Java JIT Hotspot & C2 compilers With Java, we achieved the “write-once-run-anywhere” dream, in the early 90s. The approach was very simple. The Java programs are compiled to “byte-code” Interesting fact: byte-code is called byte-code, as each instruction in byte-code is of byte length, so that it can be loaded into the CPU cache, and in fact there were also java CPUs built!!! didn’t take-off We have JVM implementations, for each supported operating system. The respective JVM will “interpret” the byte-code to machine instruction (using something like a map). Obviously, this is slow, as the interpreter goes one statement at a time!!! To speed up this, it makes sense to identify the code, that is run more commonly, and compile them ahead of time, and cache it 🤔. That is exactly, what later versions of JVMs started doing. A performance counter was introduced, that counted the number of times a particular method/snippets of code is executed. Once a method/code snippet is used to a particular number of times (threshold), then that particular code snippet, is compiled, optimised & cached, by “C1 compiler”. Next time, that code snippet is called, it directly executes the compiled machine instructions from the cache, rather than going through the interpreter. This brought in the first level of optimisation. While the code is getting executed, the JVM will perform runtime code profiling, and come up with code paths and hotspots. It then runs the “C2 compiler”, to further optimize the hot code paths…and hence the name “Hotspot” C1 is faster, and good for short-running applications, while C2 is slower and heavy, but is ideal for long-running processes like daemons, servers etc, the code performs better over the time. In Java 6, we have an option to use either C1 or C2 methods (with a command-line argument -client (for C1), -server (for C2)), in Java 7, we could use both, and from Java 8 onwards it became default behavior. The below diagram illustrates the flow… Here are some of the code optimization, that the JVM compiler Removing null checks (for the variable that are never null) Inlining smaller, most called methods (small methods) reducing the method calls Optimizing the loops, by combining, unrolling & inversions Removing the code that is never called (Dead code) and many more… Whatever said and done, JIT (Just-In-time compilation) is slow, as there is a lot of work that the JVM has to do in the runtime. Ahead-of-Time compilation option was introduced since Java 9, where u can generate the final machine code, directly using jaotc This code is compiled to a target architecture, so it is not portable…in X86, we can have both Java bytecode and AOT compiled code, working together. The bytecode will go through the approach, that I explained previously (C1, C2) while the AOT compiled code directly goes and sits in the code cache, reducing the load on JVM. Typically the most frequently used libraries can be AOT compiled, for faster responses. This is the story of Java VM…and pretty much every language has a similar story, where it goes thru the similar inception and over a period of time, the compiler/VM gets optimised to run faster In the next episode, we will look at how GraalVM, takes this further, by reducing the footprint, optimising the execution and bring in support for polyglot/multi language interoperability. The Holy Grail You can read the blog here Episode 2: GraalVM — “The Holy Grail” 👋 Join FAUN today and receive similar stories each week in your inbox! ️ Get your weekly dose of the must-read tech stories, news, and tutorials. Follow us on Twitter 🐦 and Facebook 👥 and Instagram 📷 and join our Facebook and Linkedin Groups 💬

https://medium.com/faun/episode-1-the-evolution-java-jit-hotspot-c2-compilers-building-super-optimum-containers-f0db19e6f19a

['A B Vijay Kumar']

2020-09-25 20:08:06.153000+00:00

['Microservices', 'Java', 'Graalvm', 'Containers', 'Kubernetes']

Title Episode 1 “The Evolution” — Java JIT Hotspot C2 Compilers Building “Super Optimum Java MicroServices Architecture SeriesContent Episode 1 “The Evolution” Java JIT Hotspot C2 compiler Java achieved “writeoncerunanywhere” dream early 90 approach simple Java program compiled “bytecode” Interesting fact bytecode called bytecode instruction bytecode byte length loaded CPU cache fact also java CPUs built didn’t takeoff JVM implementation supported operating system respective JVM “interpret” bytecode machine instruction using something like map Obviously slow interpreter go one statement time speed make sense identify code run commonly compile ahead time cache 🤔 exactly later version JVMs started performance counter introduced counted number time particular methodsnippets code executed methodcode snippet used particular number time threshold particular code snippet compiled optimised cached “C1 compiler” Next time code snippet called directly executes compiled machine instruction cache rather going interpreter brought first level optimisation code getting executed JVM perform runtime code profiling come code path hotspot run “C2 compiler” optimize hot code paths…and hence name “Hotspot” C1 faster good shortrunning application C2 slower heavy ideal longrunning process like daemon server etc code performs better time Java 6 option use either C1 C2 method commandline argument client C1 server C2 Java 7 could use Java 8 onwards became default behavior diagram illustrates flow… code optimization JVM compiler Removing null check variable never null Inlining smaller called method small method reducing method call Optimizing loop combining unrolling inversion Removing code never called Dead code many more… Whatever said done JIT JustIntime compilation slow lot work JVM runtime AheadofTime compilation option introduced since Java 9 u generate final machine code directly using jaotc code compiled target architecture portable…in X86 Java bytecode AOT compiled code working together bytecode go approach explained previously C1 C2 AOT compiled code directly go sits code cache reducing load JVM Typically frequently used library AOT compiled faster response story Java VM…and pretty much every language similar story go thru similar inception period time compilerVM get optimised run faster next episode look GraalVM take reducing footprint optimising execution bring support polyglotmulti language interoperability Holy Grail read blog Episode 2 GraalVM — “The Holy Grail” 👋 Join FAUN today receive similar story week inbox ️ Get weekly dose mustread tech story news tutorial Follow u Twitter 🐦 Facebook 👥 Instagram 📷 join Facebook Linkedin Groups 💬Tags Microservices Java Graalvm Containers Kubernetes

5 Helpful Resources That Will Transform the Way You Write

There are a number of online classes, articles, and books to read on writing, which is why it can be difficult to figure out where to begin. You want to improve your writing skills, but you feel intimidated by the amount of information there is, so you do what all sane humans do: you avoid it. To make it easier for you, I’ve compiled a list of five resources for writers of all levels who want to grow and tell better stories. There’s nothing on this list that I haven’t taken or read myself. These resources are actually the ones that were most helpful to me — even to this day. I’ve no doubt you’ll learn a thing (or thirty) from them yourself.

https://medium.com/the-brave-writer/5-helpful-resources-that-will-transform-the-way-you-write-61654336a680

['Itxy Lopez']

2020-12-26 13:02:14.428000+00:00

['Creativity', 'Writing Tips', '5 Tips', 'Books', 'Writing']

Title 5 Helpful Resources Transform Way WriteContent number online class article book read writing difficult figure begin want improve writing skill feel intimidated amount information sane human avoid make easier I’ve compiled list five resource writer level want grow tell better story There’s nothing list haven’t taken read resource actually one helpful — even day I’ve doubt you’ll learn thing thirty yourselfTags Creativity Writing Tips 5 Tips Books Writing

Launch of Google Stadia: What it is & Why It’s A Mess

Launch of Google Stadia: What it is & Why It’s A Mess The Future Of Gaming Is Here Apparently The gaming industry has grown tremendously over the last few years, with games such as League of Legends, Dota 2 and more garnering millions of players around the world. What’s even more amazing is the technology that is growing with it. As the world is moving into a cloud-first model, gaming is joining such movement. One of these services is Google Stadia. Ok, so what is it firstly? You’ve heard of Netflix, right? Instead of streaming TV shows, however, you’re streaming games that you can play yourself. But how does that work? Google Stadia is basically a cloud gaming service where you use your own screen but with Google’s own server handling the rest. This means all the processing power that is needed is all taken care of and realistically, all you need is a stable internet connection. This means you don’t need a high specs computer with the latest graphics cards and software to play high-end games at the best quality. This type of ‘new gaming platform’ hasn’t been kept in the dark. Late last year, Google offered a closed beta test for “Project Stream” and at the GDC 2019, where they revealed full playable demos on the show floor. With much hype around the launch, people were super excited about this launch as it could revolutionize how gaming is played out. But why was it a mess? With its launch on November 19th, there was a lot of anticipation. There were many that were definitely impressed with the technology and it did work…sort of. Unfortunately, there were equally many who were disappointed with the initial platform with many citing quality issues, lackluster game selection and a range of other technical capabilities that were missing. To boot, their pricing model was all over the place. Today, Stadia is a $130 one-time purchase, plus $10 a month (after a three-month trial), plus $20 to $60 per premium game. Many believe that this pricing model is not competitive and have concerns about how Google Stadia is being priced. Biggest Problem: Quality Issues With the launch, Google initially promised 4K quality games at 60FPS. Sounding too good to be true maybe the actual statement here. On release, big titles like Destiny 2 and Red Dead Redemption 2 had a lackluster performance with game developer Bungie confirming this directly. Even ironically, Google Stadia posted a tweet promising 4K quality at 60FPS for RDD2 but they have since deleted the tweet. Many went online to vent their frustrations with one user comparing the quality to the Xbox One X console. Source: @Nitomatta The unfortunate mess was they promised games at a certain quality. If Google had simply stated that this was an initial pilot with lower quality games to start, there might have been less backlash. Unfortunately, Google is receiving major criticism for not meeting certain statements that they have since deleted. Lack of Games And Much More With an initial library of only 12 games, (since then they have added 10 more titles) it feels almost unambitious that Google would not load more onto their platform. If you think about other cloud streaming platforms out there, having a wide selection of content to view and play would be valuable, especially for those paying for the hardware and a monthly subscription. Here’s an additional list of things that Google previously showed off or have hinted that aren’t in the original release. Connect wireless headphones with the Stadia controller Fully wireless gameplay with the Stadia controller on PC and phone Any original first-party games from Google’s own studios (Yes their own studio) Stream Connect, State Share, and Crowd Play Most of Google Assistant’s functionality This list is just a part of what’s not currently available and there is more that isn’t mentioned. There is also limited smartphone capability, one of the selling points of being able to game through a cloud service like Google Stadia. Tough Competition Coming In This mess, unfortunately, comes with more problems. Google is not the only one investing money into this part of the industry, with big companies like Microsoft and Amazon also looking into this space. Microsoft especially has had a footprint in the gaming industry with Xbox since the 2000s. Their own platform called ‘XCloud’ is already getting good reviews within its private beta. One of the most important parts of their platform is it’s focusing on the developer. Developers and publishers don’t have to do anything to get their games onto Microsoft’s new platform. Just a simple agreement is all they need. The most important part of it all, Xbox has already thousands of games ready to go live from their history (including exclusive titles). To add, their pricing model is much more straightforward and quite competitive, with an estimate of $10 — $15 monthly costing. It’s obvious to see that Microsoft already has quite an advantage of Google Stadia with its slicker pricing + content. As long as they nail quality and features, it looks quite promising. Can Google Compete then? Well, of course, it is Google after all. Right now, they have first mover’s advantage (among the tech giants) in a soon to be crowded marketplace. It’s an unfortunate mess currently but Google Stadia has its positives. Firstly, it does actually work albeit with its hiccups. Most importantly, it is compatible with most displays and controllers which does show promise moving forward. It’s only a matter of time before others start moving into a public release so Google will need to move quickly to address its issues.

https://medium.com/swlh/launch-of-google-stadia-why-its-a-mess-66457cc7748

['Richard Liu']

2020-11-09 12:39:43.343000+00:00

['Gaming', 'Startup', 'Google', 'Future', 'Tech']

Title Launch Google Stadia It’s MessContent Launch Google Stadia It’s Mess Future Gaming Apparently gaming industry grown tremendously last year game League Legends Dota 2 garnering million player around world What’s even amazing technology growing world moving cloudfirst model gaming joining movement One service Google Stadia Ok firstly You’ve heard Netflix right Instead streaming TV show however you’re streaming game play work Google Stadia basically cloud gaming service use screen Google’s server handling rest mean processing power needed taken care realistically need stable internet connection mean don’t need high spec computer latest graphic card software play highend game best quality type ‘new gaming platform’ hasn’t kept dark Late last year Google offered closed beta test “Project Stream” GDC 2019 revealed full playable demo show floor much hype around launch people super excited launch could revolutionize gaming played mess launch November 19th lot anticipation many definitely impressed technology work…sort Unfortunately equally many disappointed initial platform many citing quality issue lackluster game selection range technical capability missing boot pricing model place Today Stadia 130 onetime purchase plus 10 month threemonth trial plus 20 60 per premium game Many believe pricing model competitive concern Google Stadia priced Biggest Problem Quality Issues launch Google initially promised 4K quality game 60FPS Sounding good true maybe actual statement release big title like Destiny 2 Red Dead Redemption 2 lackluster performance game developer Bungie confirming directly Even ironically Google Stadia posted tweet promising 4K quality 60FPS RDD2 since deleted tweet Many went online vent frustration one user comparing quality Xbox One X console Source Nitomatta unfortunate mess promised game certain quality Google simply stated initial pilot lower quality game start might le backlash Unfortunately Google receiving major criticism meeting certain statement since deleted Lack Games Much initial library 12 game since added 10 title feel almost unambitious Google would load onto platform think cloud streaming platform wide selection content view play would valuable especially paying hardware monthly subscription Here’s additional list thing Google previously showed hinted aren’t original release Connect wireless headphone Stadia controller Fully wireless gameplay Stadia controller PC phone original firstparty game Google’s studio Yes studio Stream Connect State Share Crowd Play Google Assistant’s functionality list part what’s currently available isn’t mentioned also limited smartphone capability one selling point able game cloud service like Google Stadia Tough Competition Coming mess unfortunately come problem Google one investing money part industry big company like Microsoft Amazon also looking space Microsoft especially footprint gaming industry Xbox since 2000s platform called ‘XCloud’ already getting good review within private beta One important part platform it’s focusing developer Developers publisher don’t anything get game onto Microsoft’s new platform simple agreement need important part Xbox already thousand game ready go live history including exclusive title add pricing model much straightforward quite competitive estimate 10 — 15 monthly costing It’s obvious see Microsoft already quite advantage Google Stadia slicker pricing content long nail quality feature look quite promising Google Compete Well course Google Right first mover’s advantage among tech giant soon crowded marketplace It’s unfortunate mess currently Google Stadia positive Firstly actually work albeit hiccup importantly compatible display controller show promise moving forward It’s matter time others start moving public release Google need move quickly address issuesTags Gaming Startup Google Future Tech

I’ll fall in love with your beautiful health story

I’ll fall in love with your beautiful health story I can’t help it, I fall in love every time. As I get started up with Pictal Health, I’ve been working with patients 1-on-1 to help gather, distill, and visualize their health stories. This process involves talking together, prioritizing what’s important, and creating some kind of visual to help patients communicate with their care team — usually a visual timeline, and sometimes other types of visuals. My goal right now is to learn from these interactions and iterate toward a viable business model. As I sit at my computer deeply focused on creating a timeline for someone, it inevitably happens: I sit back, look at the colors and shapes that are emerging, and get that warm, falling feeling. Partly because my friends at Make New helped me pick a set of complimentary colors that work well together on these timelines, but the love is really about what the shape and texture of the visual tells me about each person’s story. Below are some de-identified examples, with all words replaced with lines. I often see overlapping periods where many symptoms are co-occurring; this usually represents a hard time in the person’s life. Or as one of my clients put it, their ‘dark period.’ (Which is interesting, because the overlapping colors create darkness.) It also reminds me of a mountain range. What looks like a hazy setting sun in the below graph represents a scary hospitalization. Large yellow circles, which I’ve been using to indicate life events and stress levels, might mean death, divorce, or stressful jobs. They also look like warm suns. Thin spiky needles can show severe flare-ups that happen intermittently. The contrast between visual representation and content is striking: beauty vs. fear, elegance vs. chaos and stress, hope and relief alongside tragedy. I think this is why I love it. Each little shape and slope is brimming with emotion.

https://medium.com/pictal-health/ill-fall-in-love-with-your-beautiful-health-story-4893b3ca69b2

['Katie Mccurdy']

2018-08-03 12:05:15.132000+00:00

['Design', 'Health', 'Storytelling', 'Healthcare', 'Data Visualization']

Title I’ll fall love beautiful health storyContent I’ll fall love beautiful health story can’t help fall love every time get started Pictal Health I’ve working patient 1on1 help gather distill visualize health story process involves talking together prioritizing what’s important creating kind visual help patient communicate care team — usually visual timeline sometimes type visuals goal right learn interaction iterate toward viable business model sit computer deeply focused creating timeline someone inevitably happens sit back look color shape emerging get warm falling feeling Partly friend Make New helped pick set complimentary color work well together timeline love really shape texture visual tell person’s story deidentified example word replaced line often see overlapping period many symptom cooccurring usually represents hard time person’s life one client put ‘dark period’ interesting overlapping color create darkness also reminds mountain range look like hazy setting sun graph represents scary hospitalization Large yellow circle I’ve using indicate life event stress level might mean death divorce stressful job also look like warm sun Thin spiky needle show severe flareups happen intermittently contrast visual representation content striking beauty v fear elegance v chaos stress hope relief alongside tragedy think love little shape slope brimming emotionTags Design Health Storytelling Healthcare Data Visualization

What We Can Learn About Emotional Payoff From My Octopus Teacher

What We Can Learn About Emotional Payoff From My Octopus Teacher TLDR: This post does not have one single thing about politics in it. Photo by Serena Repice Lentini on Unsplash Spoiler Alert: You can tell by the title and the genre what this Nextflix documentary, My Octopus Teacher, is going to be about, so there is no real spoiling it. It’s sort of like saying you’re going to spoil an episode of The Blue Planet by saying that you will see some crazy animal behaviour. It doesn’t really spoil the experience — because the camera work is so extraordinary and the whole spirit of the thing is so amazing and you see the crazy animal behavior and think, Right… I expected that. That being said, what I am going to say in this post might stick in your head in a negative way while you are watching My Octopus Teacher in the way reading a critical review of a movie before you see it might stick in your head in a negative way, and if that’s going to bug you, consider this a spoiler alert. Another Preface About This Post (Because Why NOT Have Two): This blog post is part of a challenge that Dan Blank and I gave ourselves. It arose one day during our weekly mastermind chat. Dan said, “I’m going to watch The Octopus Teacher again because I have to write about it — and I have to do it before Jennie Nash does.” I’d heard about the Netflix documentary from some friends, who said it was extraordinary, but that was my only knowledge of it. “What?!” I said. “Why?” He began to answer, something about how I would surely write something about — and then I said, “STOP! Don’t say anything else!” And we devised the challenge: to each watch this film and write something about it we would find meaningful for our followers with no conversation or communication about what we were each doing. Challenge is my word that I put on the endeavor — and the reason I chose it is because the challenge any of us have is to write what we see and think and feel and believe, and to know in our bones that no one else in the world could possibly write the same thing, because we each see and think and feel and believe such very different things. I feel 100% certain that what I am about to write here is nothing like what Dan is going to write. And odds are good that it is nothing like what he thought I was going to write, either. You can read his post on The Octopus Teacher HERE. My Octopus Teacher is, first and foremost, a gorgeously filmed nature documentary. It immerses you in the wild ocean world of the kelp forests off Cape Storm, also known as the Cape of Good Hope, in South Africa. There is mind-blowing underwater camera work and a haunting musical track and moving time-lapse photography and the kind of once-in-a-blue-moon shots that make you scratch your head and think, “How did they CAPTURE that?” This all is to be expected from the medium — it’s nature photography by a guy who has been doing it professionally all his life — but it’s still dazzling. The story is about Craig Foster’s unusual and unlikely relationship with an octopus, whom he visits every day for nearly a year. It’s a gripping tale about the power of observation, the nature of trust, the vulnerability of being both predator and prey, and the fact that the strange creatures who inhabit the earth are far more like us than they are different. Foster used a simple structure to contain his tale: the commitment he made to spend time with the octopus every single day. Many excellent and powerful stories have been told using this kind of construction — someone who vows to make every recipe in The Art of French Cooking (Julie and Julia) or someone who attempts to live for a year exactly the way Jesus lived (My Jesus Year) or someone who wants to see how their relationship is impacted if they have sex every single day (Sex Every Day). It’s a human imposing some kind of time stamp on an idea or a topic that doesn’t naturally lend itself to being contained by time. It’s a process of immersive storytelling and it tends to amplify fascinating things about the individual storyteller, the idea or topic, and humans in general. Had Foster left it at that — had he focused on just that story (the daily visit to the octopus, how it is that a human can befriend an octopus, what you can learn by knowing an octopus) in just that structure — it would have been a very different, and in my mind, a more resonant story. But he didn’t leave it at that. He put another framework around his relationship with the octopus that was a completely different kind of narrative: the story of his own healing. And he doesn’t make good on the promise of that story. He cracks open the door and never opens it to let us in. At the end, I was left with more questions than answers — and not the kind of questions (questions about life and death and pain and recovery and resilience and perhaps redemption) you want at the end of this kind of story. I felt as if I’d been led on; I felt cheated. Cheated, Jennie? By a Beautiful Documentary? Really? Yes! Here’s why — and here’s why it’s so important for writers to give us the emotional payoff they promise (which means they need to both make the promise and then close the loop). The opening of this film paints the picture of a man who is in a great deal of emotional pain. Unable to work, unable to connect with his family — it’s clear there is some kind of deep inner turmoil. It’s just not entirely clear what the turmoil is — depression, anxiety, emotional burnout, exhaustion, overwork, all of the above? He never lets us see or feel or experience or know the specific pain he is in. He recalls working to film the master trackers in the Kalahari desert (in the film, The Great Dance) and speaks about being in awe of how close they are to nature; he realizes that in order to heal, he needs to experience that level of closeness. But then he leaps right to this solution — which is to go to the ocean where he grew up and immerse himself in it. He references his wife and son in this opening frame — we see them in fuzzy camera footage — and although he doesn’t say it, we get the sense that he has to leave them in order to heal. He never tells us what they think of his leaving or if they worried or objected or threw a coffee pot at him. He just goes off to the cold waters of the kelp forest where he meets the octopus. We watch as the relationship with the octopus unfolds, thinking we are going to get the explanation of his pain so that we can more fully experience his healing we know is coming; the movie is, after all, called My Octopus Teacher. Twice we almost get the story — when he first picks up the camera and starts to film, it feels like a kind of thawing, and we expect him to let us into the pain at that point, to explain it or describe it or wrestle with it in some way, but he doesn’t; again, we get to see the solution — which, for him, is to create, to go back to the work he loves that he had to leave — but we don’t get to see the problem that solution is meant to address. The second time we almost get the story of his pain is when the shark tears the limb off the octopus (so dramatic! How was he THERE for that scene??) and the arm re-grows. Foster talks about the remarkable ability of the octopus to heal and the remarkable ability of himself to heal, too. I was thinking, Yes! The ability to heal is remarkable! Nature is so amazingly resilient! The octopus heals and we can heal too! But heal from what, Craig Foster?? How much more resonant it would be if we knew! If we had been able to experience whatever darkness Foster felt that drove him to the sea. The End Must be Earned The final betrayal for me was at the end, when Foster’s teenage boy enters the story. The boy swims with his dad. Shares this beautiful moment with his dad. Seems to commune with his dad and with the ocean his dad loves. So when did the boy come to the little house by the sea where Foster lived when he met the octopus? How long was he there? Was he angry at his dad, at first? Confused by his dad’s pain? Brooding? Mad? Refusing to swim? Totally forgiving at every turn?? We don’t know. At one point, Foster says that he was telling his boy about the octopus all along, and was able to introduce them to each other. When was that? What was the boy’s response? Foster states that his relationship of trust with the octopus helped him build his relationship with humans. That is a powerful message but that is the moment I felt cheated. You can’t give me the emotional ending if you didn’t give me the pain at the beginning, if you didn’t earn it. If the healing was about his relationships, what was the nature of those relationships? Was the son there the whole time? Was the wife? Is the wife the mother of this son? If not, where is she? And what happened to their relationship? She is nowhere to be seen at the end — no mention of her, no reference of her — so we can guess. And indeed a quick Google search tells me that Foster is divorced from his child’s mother. The point here is that if you don’t give your reader (or viewer) the story, they will make one up. Telling a story is like leaving breadcrumbs in the woods, revealing the path, showing us the way, taking us where you want us to go. Not enough breadcrumbs, and we’re off following some other trail. The Lesson the Octopus Taught The measure of a movie, for me, is often if I wake up after watching and keep thinking about it, keep pondering it. In this case, I did that. The octopus part of the story is an amazing story. I had so many of the GOOD kinds of story questions — questions about octopus and the kelp forest and how long Foster could stay underwater, and who filmed him, and how he got that insane shot of the shark. Foster said that the octopus taught him “that we are inseparable from nature.” I love that message — it would have been the perfect point to a story about his relationship with the octopus, and perhaps a perfect explanation of how to heal from deep pain: to reconnect with nature, to immerse ourselves in the wildness of the environment around us. But it is not the same lesson he learned about reconnecting with his son, whom he said at the start he didn’t know how to parent. Foster did not give us that lesson. His decision to share it and then hold it back from us caused a rift between the viewer and the creator. In the final credits of the film, you see that Tom Foster — the teenage son — did the aerial photography and also wrote music for the film. So there was definitely something big going on between father and son that we were not allowed to see. And you may be thinking, “He can protect his son! He doesn’t have to bring his son into it!” But he DID bring his son into it. He SAID that at the start — I couldn’t be a good father to my son. And he BROUGHT the kid back at the end of the story, but only to say, “He’s a great swimmer and loves these waters, too.” He doesn’t say anything like, “I learned what love is,” or “I learned the incredible power of forgiveness,” or “I learned how fragile our time on earth is and how we have to work to maintain our relationships.” He chose to put the son into his story, but didn’t let us experience that story. Storytelling is a powerful contract between the creator and the reader/viewer. When you tell a story, you make a promise. It’s your job to see that promise through — to give us what you said you would. Either be willing to go all the way, or tell a different story where you can do that.

https://medium.com/no-blank-pages/what-we-can-learn-about-emotional-payoff-from-my-octopus-teacher-4aaca6d0a740

['Jennie Nash']

2020-11-05 20:51:24.705000+00:00

['Storytelling', 'Books And Authors', 'Books', 'Writing', 'Documentary']

Title Learn Emotional Payoff Octopus TeacherContent Learn Emotional Payoff Octopus Teacher TLDR post one single thing politics Photo Serena Repice Lentini Unsplash Spoiler Alert tell title genre Nextflix documentary Octopus Teacher going real spoiling It’s sort like saying you’re going spoil episode Blue Planet saying see crazy animal behaviour doesn’t really spoil experience — camera work extraordinary whole spirit thing amazing see crazy animal behavior think Right… expected said going say post might stick head negative way watching Octopus Teacher way reading critical review movie see might stick head negative way that’s going bug consider spoiler alert Another Preface Post Two blog post part challenge Dan Blank gave arose one day weekly mastermind chat Dan said “I’m going watch Octopus Teacher write — Jennie Nash does” I’d heard Netflix documentary friend said extraordinary knowledge “What” said “Why” began answer something would surely write something — said “STOP Don’t say anything else” devised challenge watch film write something would find meaningful follower conversation communication Challenge word put endeavor — reason chose challenge u write see think feel believe know bone one else world could possibly write thing see think feel believe different thing feel 100 certain write nothing like Dan going write odds good nothing like thought going write either read post Octopus Teacher Octopus Teacher first foremost gorgeously filmed nature documentary immerses wild ocean world kelp forest Cape Storm also known Cape Good Hope South Africa mindblowing underwater camera work haunting musical track moving timelapse photography kind onceinabluemoon shot make scratch head think “How CAPTURE that” expected medium — it’s nature photography guy professionally life — it’s still dazzling story Craig Foster’s unusual unlikely relationship octopus visit every day nearly year It’s gripping tale power observation nature trust vulnerability predator prey fact strange creature inhabit earth far like u different Foster used simple structure contain tale commitment made spend time octopus every single day Many excellent powerful story told using kind construction — someone vow make every recipe Art French Cooking Julie Julia someone attempt live year exactly way Jesus lived Jesus Year someone want see relationship impacted sex every single day Sex Every Day It’s human imposing kind time stamp idea topic doesn’t naturally lend contained time It’s process immersive storytelling tends amplify fascinating thing individual storyteller idea topic human general Foster left — focused story daily visit octopus human befriend octopus learn knowing octopus structure — would different mind resonant story didn’t leave put another framework around relationship octopus completely different kind narrative story healing doesn’t make good promise story crack open door never open let u end left question answer — kind question question life death pain recovery resilience perhaps redemption want end kind story felt I’d led felt cheated Cheated Jennie Beautiful Documentary Really Yes Here’s — here’s it’s important writer give u emotional payoff promise mean need make promise close loop opening film paint picture man great deal emotional pain Unable work unable connect family — it’s clear kind deep inner turmoil It’s entirely clear turmoil — depression anxiety emotional burnout exhaustion overwork never let u see feel experience know specific pain recall working film master tracker Kalahari desert film Great Dance speaks awe close nature realizes order heal need experience level closeness leap right solution — go ocean grew immerse reference wife son opening frame — see fuzzy camera footage — although doesn’t say get sense leave order heal never tell u think leaving worried objected threw coffee pot go cold water kelp forest meet octopus watch relationship octopus unfolds thinking going get explanation pain fully experience healing know coming movie called Octopus Teacher Twice almost get story — first pick camera start film feel like kind thawing expect let u pain point explain describe wrestle way doesn’t get see solution — create go back work love leave — don’t get see problem solution meant address second time almost get story pain shark tear limb octopus dramatic scene arm regrows Foster talk remarkable ability octopus heal remarkable ability heal thinking Yes ability heal remarkable Nature amazingly resilient octopus heals heal heal Craig Foster much resonant would knew able experience whatever darkness Foster felt drove sea End Must Earned final betrayal end Foster’s teenage boy enters story boy swim dad Shares beautiful moment dad Seems commune dad ocean dad love boy come little house sea Foster lived met octopus long angry dad first Confused dad’s pain Brooding Mad Refusing swim Totally forgiving every turn don’t know one point Foster say telling boy octopus along able introduce boy’s response Foster state relationship trust octopus helped build relationship human powerful message moment felt cheated can’t give emotional ending didn’t give pain beginning didn’t earn healing relationship nature relationship son whole time wife wife mother son happened relationship nowhere seen end — mention reference — guess indeed quick Google search tell Foster divorced child’s mother point don’t give reader viewer story make one Telling story like leaving breadcrumb wood revealing path showing u way taking u want u go enough breadcrumb we’re following trail Lesson Octopus Taught measure movie often wake watching keep thinking keep pondering case octopus part story amazing story many GOOD kind story question — question octopus kelp forest long Foster could stay underwater filmed got insane shot shark Foster said octopus taught “that inseparable nature” love message — would perfect point story relationship octopus perhaps perfect explanation heal deep pain reconnect nature immerse wildness environment around u lesson learned reconnecting son said start didn’t know parent Foster give u lesson decision share hold back u caused rift viewer creator final credit film see Tom Foster — teenage son — aerial photography also wrote music film definitely something big going father son allowed see may thinking “He protect son doesn’t bring son it” bring son SAID start — couldn’t good father son BROUGHT kid back end story say “He’s great swimmer love water too” doesn’t say anything like “I learned love is” “I learned incredible power forgiveness” “I learned fragile time earth work maintain relationships” chose put son story didn’t let u experience story Storytelling powerful contract creator readerviewer tell story make promise It’s job see promise — give u said would Either willing go way tell different story thatTags Storytelling Books Authors Books Writing Documentary

How to Overcome Perfectionism and Just Write the Thing

My friend Juneta is an artist writer. In fact, when I think about artist writers, I always think about Juneta. An artist writer is someone who: Is a perfectionist. Has lots of ideas, but tends to want struggle shifting between them, so usually works on one thing at a time. Writes for their muse. Really wants readers to appreciate the artistry of what they’ve done. Has a hard time moving on if what they’ve done so far doesn’t feel perfect enough. Sometimes feels like they can’t do something, even though they totally can, because they want to do everything really well. They often work more slowly than other writers, but generally wind up with a really beautiful draft. Every type of writer (there are five, btw) has their own kryptonite they have to overcome. For artists, it’s that perfectionism. Everything that trips them up stems from that. Their muse often won’t let them move past something that isn’t perfect. They write more slowly than they’d like to, because they are striving for perfection. It’s sometimes impossible for them to even consider writing something that isn’t perfect, so they often suffer from Blank-Page-Syndrome. Artist writers need systems for overcoming that perfectionism — or at least working with it. Here are my ideas. Create a Zero Draft I’m really excited about this strategy, because it’s new to me. A zero draft is basically the draft before your first draft. Sometimes it’s called a fast or dirty draft. Basically, you just sit down and tell yourself the story. Because this draft doesn’t ‘count,’ writing it may help you to bypass your perfectionism. Once you’ve got your zero draft written, you’ll have something to perfect rather than trying to create perfection from scratch. My favorite way to zero draft is to write it like a giant synopsis. Maybe one page per anticipated 10,000 words of finished draft. So, for an 80,000 word novel a zero draft might be 8 or 10 pages long. I write it in third person, present tense, and literally just tell myself the story. Write Tomorrow’s First Line Today One of the best ways to avoid the blank-page syndrome that can arise when you’re gripped by perfectionism is to know what you’re going to write before you sit down to work. I have a long-standing habit of making a note of what I plan to write tomorrow when I’m done writing today. Just a quick note about the next scene. You can take this further by also writing the first line of that scene. When you’re done writing today, you’ll be warmed up and on a roll. Coming up with one more line won’t be difficult. Your muse is already engaged. Writing that first line can be a reminder of what you meant to do next. Practice Shitty Writing You’re allowed to write poorly. I know. It’s hard to wrap your head around. Especially if you’re a perfectionist artist writer. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve talked to an artist writer who tells me that they can’t write any faster or even at all, because they’re all up in their head about making what they produce just right. One strategy for overcoming (or at least learning to work with) perfectionism is to actually practice shitty writing. You need to override your instinct to give up when what you produce doesn’t meet your creative standards. Repeat after me: your first draft can stink. It’s okay. It will all be okay. Once you have that crap first draft written, you’ll have something to work with and perfect. Think about it this way: the least perfect thing for a writer is an unfinished draft. You must finish your first draft if you want to be a successful writer. Make Sure You Really Understand Your Goals What is it you really want out of being a writer? Do you want to earn your living at it? If you do, that’s awesome. But maybe you don’t. Maybe you want writing to be your art and you’re okay with supporting it with some other kind of work. Do you want to be a blogger/novelist/poet/whatever? Maybe. But maybe not. You don’t ever have to write anything you don’t want to. I promise. Artist writers often struggle with the volume of writing that’s required for being a full-time writer. The idea of producing work just for pay can also be difficult. You can, of course, overcome that. Separate the work you do for money from the work you do for art. Set deadlines for yourself and just power through. But also? It’s okay to decide that you’re an artist and that you want to keep your writing about art. It’s okay to never want to write to market or blog or freelance or whatever it is that you think you have to do because it’s what working writers do. Cage Your Inner Editor My inner editor is named Blythe. She’s kind of a bitch. She has a habit of undermining my self-confidence, reminding me that I’m not good enough. Blythe actually wants to protect me. Writing is hard and when she ‘helpfully’ points out that I don’t know what I’m doing and I’m probably going to fail anyway — she’s just truthtelling to give me a way out. Right? I mean, surely my brain isn’t actually beating me up for fun. I have to override Blythe to keep my sanity and ever get anything done. And if you’re an artist, you really need to do the same with your inner editor. I keep Blythe in a bird cage. It’s pretty. Very ornate, Victorian, gilded. And it’s covered with velvet. The dark keeps the bitch quiet. I let her out when I need her — when I actually have something to edit. Remember That This is Supposed to be Fun Writing is the best work in the world. I really believe that. It’s awesome, because it’s big fun. Creating stories is magical. Perfectionism is the killer of fun. It turns everything into a drudgery, sometimes. There’s a time and place for it. When you’re finishing up your final draft? Let that inner editor go wild. But until then, remember that it’s okay to have fun. It’s okay to let go of the idea of being perfect.

https://medium.com/the-write-brain/how-to-overcome-perfectionism-and-just-write-the-thing-a45636570643

['Shaunta Grimes']

2020-10-07 15:18:24.206000+00:00

['Creativity', 'Blogging', 'Perfectionism', 'Productivity', 'Writing']

Title Overcome Perfectionism Write ThingContent friend Juneta artist writer fact think artist writer always think Juneta artist writer someone perfectionist lot idea tends want struggle shifting usually work one thing time Writes muse Really want reader appreciate artistry they’ve done hard time moving they’ve done far doesn’t feel perfect enough Sometimes feel like can’t something even though totally want everything really well often work slowly writer generally wind really beautiful draft Every type writer five btw kryptonite overcome artist it’s perfectionism Everything trip stem muse often won’t let move past something isn’t perfect write slowly they’d like striving perfection It’s sometimes impossible even consider writing something isn’t perfect often suffer BlankPageSyndrome Artist writer need system overcoming perfectionism — least working idea Create Zero Draft I’m really excited strategy it’s new zero draft basically draft first draft Sometimes it’s called fast dirty draft Basically sit tell story draft doesn’t ‘count’ writing may help bypass perfectionism you’ve got zero draft written you’ll something perfect rather trying create perfection scratch favorite way zero draft write like giant synopsis Maybe one page per anticipated 10000 word finished draft 80000 word novel zero draft might 8 10 page long write third person present tense literally tell story Write Tomorrow’s First Line Today One best way avoid blankpage syndrome arise you’re gripped perfectionism know you’re going write sit work longstanding habit making note plan write tomorrow I’m done writing today quick note next scene take also writing first line scene you’re done writing today you’ll warmed roll Coming one line won’t difficult muse already engaged Writing first line reminder meant next Practice Shitty Writing You’re allowed write poorly know It’s hard wrap head around Especially you’re perfectionist artist writer can’t tell many time I’ve talked artist writer tell can’t write faster even they’re head making produce right One strategy overcoming least learning work perfectionism actually practice shitty writing need override instinct give produce doesn’t meet creative standard Repeat first draft stink It’s okay okay crap first draft written you’ll something work perfect Think way least perfect thing writer unfinished draft must finish first draft want successful writer Make Sure Really Understand Goals really want writer want earn living that’s awesome maybe don’t Maybe want writing art you’re okay supporting kind work want bloggernovelistpoetwhatever Maybe maybe don’t ever write anything don’t want promise Artist writer often struggle volume writing that’s required fulltime writer idea producing work pay also difficult course overcome Separate work money work art Set deadline power also It’s okay decide you’re artist want keep writing art It’s okay never want write market blog freelance whatever think it’s working writer Cage Inner Editor inner editor named Blythe She’s kind bitch habit undermining selfconfidence reminding I’m good enough Blythe actually want protect Writing hard ‘helpfully’ point don’t know I’m I’m probably going fail anyway — she’s truthtelling give way Right mean surely brain isn’t actually beating fun override Blythe keep sanity ever get anything done you’re artist really need inner editor keep Blythe bird cage It’s pretty ornate Victorian gilded it’s covered velvet dark keep bitch quiet let need — actually something edit Remember Supposed Fun Writing best work world really believe It’s awesome it’s big fun Creating story magical Perfectionism killer fun turn everything drudgery sometimes There’s time place you’re finishing final draft Let inner editor go wild remember it’s okay fun It’s okay let go idea perfectTags Creativity Blogging Perfectionism Productivity Writing

Which Doctor Can Help My Colon? One Cuts Butts and One Deals With Guts

Which Doctor Can Help My Colon? One Cuts Butts and One Deals With Guts The difference between a gastroenterologist and a colorectal surgeon Tools of the Colorectal trade. copyright Carmen Fong 2020 This is one of the most common questions I am not asked, as the majority of my patients believe we are one and the same. While we treat a lot of the same diseases and some of our procedural skills overlap, there is one major difference. Colorectal surgeons do surgery and gastroenterologists don’t. To date, I have not seen much online about this, likely because people don’t know to ask. Training When we graduate from medical school, we have to decide on a path. The algorithm divides into medicine and surgery. Wait, you ask, isn’t it all medicine? You graduate from medical school, not surgery school. Yes, it’s all under the big umbrella of Medicine, but we have to choose our specialties, so the two branches are medicine (Internal Medicine) and Surgery. There are a ton of other specialties that are categories of their own, but generally, you have to decide whether you want to operate on people or not. Just Google ‘medicine specialty decision tree’ and you will see algorithms people have made up over the years for how to decide what to do with your life, like this classic one from BMJ, “Physician, Know Thyself”. Some are more humorous than others. The split between medicine and surgery. copyright Carmen Fong 2020 Gastroenterology Gastroenterology (abbrev. GI), is a subspecialty of Internal Medicine, another 3 years of training on top of 3 years of residency training. Since they are a branch of medicine, they do not do surgery — that is, ‘large’ operations that generally involve cutting open the belly and general anesthesia. Part of the confusion stems from the fact that gastroenterologists perform a lot of procedures — generally, smaller things that can be done in the office or in an outpatient setting. Most notably, these involve scopes- colonoscopy (for the colon/large bowel), or esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), which is an upper GI endoscopy for the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. This is sometimes is just called ‘endoscopy’ even though endoscopy actually refers to anything involving a scope. Because GI is a medical subspecialty, they have the knowledge to treat a lot of diseases with medication. While some surgeons will do that, they generally leave medical management to the GI docs. Colorectal surgery Colorectal surgery is a subspecialty of General Surgery. This requires another one year on top of five years of surgical training. We are trained to diagnose all diseases, but especially diseases that may eventually require surgery. We consider the abdomen our domain because once you have seen the inside of the abdomen during surgery, you have a much better correlation between things that happen on the outside and things that happen on the inside. Surgical emergencies generally include bleeding, perforation of the colon, or obstruction of the colon (usually by tumor or infection), or ischemic colon which is colon devoid of functional blood supply. Sometimes, these issues are diagnosed by GI, and then a surgeon is consulted. Most often, surgeons are involved from the beginning. Similarities GI and Colorectal surgeons have overlapping areas of disease pathologies that we treat. The list is quite extensive and encompasses both benign and malignant colon, anal and rectal diseases (and some small intestine as well). These problems include colon or rectal cancer, diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis, hemorrhoids, chronic constipation, fecal incontinence, and sometimes small bowel tumors or benign idiopathic abdominal or pelvic pain. Both GI and Colorectal surgeons do colonoscopies, though I will be the first to admit that, in their training, GI physicians perform many more colonoscopes than we do in our surgery training. While we may do 1000 surgeries and 300 scopes, GI does 1000 scopes. This makes for a natural divide, one that I am happy to facilitate: GI is much better at routine, screening colonoscopies. I will also do screening colonoscopies, generally for patients who specifically ask me to because I am their surgeon, but I try not to step on the toes of the lovely GI docs who refer cancer patients to me. What I will do are diagnostic colonoscopies — that is, patients who are already known to have a tumor in order to determine the location and mark it before surgery. I also perform colonoscopies on patients whom I’ve operated on, and I have first-hand knowledge that their colon anatomy has deviated from normal. GI physicians will also do smaller, in-office procedures such as banding hemorrhoids, which colorectal surgeons do as well. But here we start to delve into our differences. Differences GI can also subspecialize into upper GI, which is the first part of the digestive tract including the esophagus, stomach, and the liver (hepatologists treat diseases of the liver and bile duct, such as Hepatitis C). Some GI do upper GI procedures via endoscopy, such as clearing out gallstones from the biliary tract (ERCP). Colorectal surgery deals with the hindgut, that is, the last part of the digestive tract, including small bowel, colon, rectum, and anus. (Some of us are also board-certified general surgeons and can operate on the upper digestive tract, such as stomach, gallbladder, liver.) copyright Carmen Fong 2020 Colorectal surgeons spend a lot of time learning about anal and pelvic anatomy. This sets us apart from any other specialty. This allows us to be specialists in anal fistulas, fissures, anal warts, anal cancer — all of which may require small surgeries or pathologies of the rectum such as fecal incontinence and rectal prolapse. Gastroenterologists tend not to do anorectal procedures, aside from hemorrhoid banding. What we learn in training are the eight other ways to surgically treat hemorrhoids (some are better than others), which I will not go into here, but include excision, laser, injection, stapling, and a ‘minimally-invasive’ approach that I do call transanal hemorrhoidal dearterialization. Gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons have a lot of overlap in terms of the diseases we treat and the procedures we do, in fact, we work very closely most of the time and even have joint conferences on complicated patients. The main difference is that while gastroenterologists will treat conditions medically, only colorectal surgeons can treat them surgically. In general, if you are seeing a doctor and not quite sure the scope of their practice (no pun intended), just ask! We are always happy to elucidate.

https://medium.com/beingwell/which-doctor-can-help-my-colon-one-cuts-butts-and-one-deals-with-guts-332fd9ac510c

['Carmen Fong']

2020-05-27 19:20:12.170000+00:00

['Health', 'Surgery', 'Wellness', 'Science', 'Medicine']

Title Doctor Help Colon One Cuts Butts One Deals GutsContent Doctor Help Colon One Cuts Butts One Deals Guts difference gastroenterologist colorectal surgeon Tools Colorectal trade copyright Carmen Fong 2020 one common question asked majority patient believe one treat lot disease procedural skill overlap one major difference Colorectal surgeon surgery gastroenterologist don’t date seen much online likely people don’t know ask Training graduate medical school decide path algorithm divide medicine surgery Wait ask isn’t medicine graduate medical school surgery school Yes it’s big umbrella Medicine choose specialty two branch medicine Internal Medicine Surgery ton specialty category generally decide whether want operate people Google ‘medicine specialty decision tree’ see algorithm people made year decide life like classic one BMJ “Physician Know Thyself” humorous others split medicine surgery copyright Carmen Fong 2020 Gastroenterology Gastroenterology abbrev GI subspecialty Internal Medicine another 3 year training top 3 year residency training Since branch medicine surgery — ‘large’ operation generally involve cutting open belly general anesthesia Part confusion stem fact gastroenterologist perform lot procedure — generally smaller thing done office outpatient setting notably involve scope colonoscopy colonlarge bowel esophagogastroduodenoscopy EGD upper GI endoscopy esophagus stomach duodenum sometimes called ‘endoscopy’ even though endoscopy actually refers anything involving scope GI medical subspecialty knowledge treat lot disease medication surgeon generally leave medical management GI doc Colorectal surgery Colorectal surgery subspecialty General Surgery requires another one year top five year surgical training trained diagnose disease especially disease may eventually require surgery consider abdomen domain seen inside abdomen surgery much better correlation thing happen outside thing happen inside Surgical emergency generally include bleeding perforation colon obstruction colon usually tumor infection ischemic colon colon devoid functional blood supply Sometimes issue diagnosed GI surgeon consulted often surgeon involved beginning Similarities GI Colorectal surgeon overlapping area disease pathology treat list quite extensive encompasses benign malignant colon anal rectal disease small intestine well problem include colon rectal cancer diverticulitis inflammatory bowel disease Crohn’s ulcerative colitis hemorrhoid chronic constipation fecal incontinence sometimes small bowel tumor benign idiopathic abdominal pelvic pain GI Colorectal surgeon colonoscopy though first admit training GI physician perform many colonoscope surgery training may 1000 surgery 300 scope GI 1000 scope make natural divide one happy facilitate GI much better routine screening colonoscopy also screening colonoscopy generally patient specifically ask surgeon try step toe lovely GI doc refer cancer patient diagnostic colonoscopy — patient already known tumor order determine location mark surgery also perform colonoscopy patient I’ve operated firsthand knowledge colon anatomy deviated normal GI physician also smaller inoffice procedure banding hemorrhoid colorectal surgeon well start delve difference Differences GI also subspecialize upper GI first part digestive tract including esophagus stomach liver hepatologists treat disease liver bile duct Hepatitis C GI upper GI procedure via endoscopy clearing gallstone biliary tract ERCP Colorectal surgery deal hindgut last part digestive tract including small bowel colon rectum anus u also boardcertified general surgeon operate upper digestive tract stomach gallbladder liver copyright Carmen Fong 2020 Colorectal surgeon spend lot time learning anal pelvic anatomy set u apart specialty allows u specialist anal fistula fissure anal wart anal cancer — may require small surgery pathology rectum fecal incontinence rectal prolapse Gastroenterologists tend anorectal procedure aside hemorrhoid banding learn training eight way surgically treat hemorrhoid better others go include excision laser injection stapling ‘minimallyinvasive’ approach call transanal hemorrhoidal dearterialization Gastroenterologists colorectal surgeon lot overlap term disease treat procedure fact work closely time even joint conference complicated patient main difference gastroenterologist treat condition medically colorectal surgeon treat surgically general seeing doctor quite sure scope practice pun intended ask always happy elucidateTags Health Surgery Wellness Science Medicine

Reinforcement learning with Skinner

Reinforcement learning with Skinner A friendly introduction to the problem of reinforcement learning with examples from neuroscience Reinforcement learning has entered the spotlight recently with accomplishments such as AlphaGo, and is supposedly one of our best shots at Artificial General Intelligence — or at least more general intelligence. In this post, I will trace some of its history back to the study of operant conditioning by Skinner. The real question is not whether machines think but whether men do — B. F. Skinner B. F. Skinner working with an Operant Conditioning Chamber of his creation. Image taken from Here. Skinner wanted to understand how animals develop adaptive behavior, what were the rules underlying learning. Many other scientists were interested in conditioning around that time, such as Ivan Pavlov — famous for showing that after pairing a bell with a beef, dogs salivated to the sound of the bell. The main difference between Skinner and his counterparts was his thoroughness in making very controlled experiments. Skinner developed a chamber — now called operant conditioning chamber, or just Skinner Box — in which the animals, typically rats and pigeon, could be isolated from external sound, smell and light, and stimulated precisely for each experiment. Marvin Minsky jokingly compares Skinner’s meticulousness with Pavlov’s experiments in a lab full of caged dogs, far off in terms of care and control. Rat inside a conditioning chamber. There are two lights that can be used to stimulate the animal, and two levers the animal can use to respond. The sucrose solution is controlled by an automated system. Image taken from Malkki et al. 2010 Reward and repeat The animals would receive a specific stimulus such as a light, sound, or smell, and the information from the stimulus could be used to gain some food or water (a reinforcer). But the rat needed to execute some specific action to be rewarded with the reinforcer, choosing correctly between the small set of possible actions to be undertaken. There could be a discriminatory task where a single light would go on, and if the light was green the animal would be rewarded for pressing the lever right below. On the other hand, if the light was red the animal would be rewarded for pressing the contralateral lever. T-Maze for an operant conditioning task. Image from Smith, Kyle S., and Ann M. Graybiel, 2013 After some trial and error, the animals started behaving in such a way to increase their rate of reward, as if understanding the rules guiding their rewarding, as if understanding that red means “the other lever”. Moreover, if the animals were rewarded at a higher rate, they (generally) learned faster. A large number of controlled spaces have been created inspired by the Skinner box. Take or example the T-Maze show here, with a starting location and a decision point. Depending on the sound played (the tone cue), either the left or right arm would contain its respective reinforcer. The animal eventually learns to go to the right arm depending on the sound, increasing its rate of reward. Responses that produce a satisfying effect in a particular situation become more likely to occur again in that situation, and responses that produce a discomforting effect become less likely to occur again in that situation — Thorndike’s Law of Effect The study of operant conditioning is still very active, with a lot of branches in development such as on the dynamics of habituation, e.g. how much training it takes for a behavior to lose flexibility — becoming resistant to devaluation — and what are the underlying processes involved. Without getting too much involved with the possible algorithms our brains use, this post focuses more on delineating the problem. Of special interest to those studying artificial intelligence are sequential tasks, in which many actions need to be taken before rewards are attained. Sequential tasks A great example of a sequential task is a maze. There are many others, in which the contingencies at each step depend on previous ones. But in the labyrinth, the sequential aspect is spatially distributed, so it is as clear as it could be. Imagine the animal runs exploring the maze until it finds the reward (and is removed from the maze to start again). Following strictly the law of effect, the animals would try and repeat the same quasi-random jug around the maze until they found the reward again the same way, but this is clearly inefficient. In fact, it is clear from experiments that animals get more efficient with training, up to the trial when they go directly to the reward without making any “mistakes”. The problem that animals contend with is the Credit Assignment problem, viz how to reinforce those actions that truly help to bring about the reward without reinforcing those actions that just happened to be enacted close to the reward? In fact, there are many registered cases of pigeons and cats making repeated and completely unnecessary actions before pressing levers (e.g. Guthrie 1946), cases where the credit assignment was evidently not optimal. The problem is a big one, and each advancement in this direction is a potential huge improvement for reinforcement learning systems of our creation. To be clear, this is not a marginal problem: it is the central complication tackled by Reinforcement Learning. In this setting actions are distant from rewards, and the “perfect response” may not even be well defined. Compare this with supervised learning — where the “correct” response is specified and shown at each step. The additional difficulty is exactly what makes Reinforcement Learning so broad, and our proposedly best shot at Artificial General Intelligence. Reinforcement Learning Formalism — A sketch RL resembles the skinner box. An Agent has access to one state from a specified set of States (in the previous example this could be a specific left green light on) and may choose some Action (pressing the left lever, right lever, not pressing, …). Then, after acting in the environment the Agent receives a Reward (e.g. food, nothing, …) and perceives itself in a new State. Learning is: increasing the rate of rewards Image from Sutton & Barto, 2018 To increase the number of rewards during a task, the agent must have an account of “which is the best action at each state”. This originates an optimal policy — a program to decide actions — , that reaches the maximum expected rate of reward. The existence of an optimal policy is mathematically well-defined when either one of the two following criteria is met: The task is finite, or Rewards later in the future are less valuable than rewards closer to the present (there is a discount rate). In the case of operant conditioning, the tasks are obviously finite, but this does not imply a lack of discounting. In fact, there is a very contemporary discussion around delay discounting and its implications for human living, for example, its relationship with drug abuse (Bickel and Marsch, 2001). On the other hand, for artificial agents training to perform a continuous task (like playing Minecraft, which is not finite), it is important to have a small discount factor, to ensure that there exists an optimal policy for the agent to learn. Using the algorithm Ok, so we could not end a Reinforcement Learning introduction without a little snooping into the equations that make it possible in computers. I will bypass the formalism, giving instead a small and intuitive derivation of an algorithm that can be used to find the optimal policy. I do this to illustrate how fast we can go from the theory to an algorithm. Before going into the image, we need only build a small intuition on values for actions: The best action is the one that maximizes the future expected reward. If we know the future expected reward for taking each action, then we can always choose the best action. If we can always know the best action, then we have reached the optimal policy. The idea here is then to find this Value function that outputs the expected return value of taking an action in a state. You will see that we start with the definition of the value function in (1), and end up with the algorithm in (5). SARSA algorithms with some simplifications. The last equation can be used on-line in a loop of interaction with the environment. Here the discount rate is set to 1, and the Q-function is called V for simplicity. With this algorithm, it is possible to iteratively learn by interacting with the environment. In each step, the agent observes its state s and takes an action a, updating its Values according to the received reward and to the next state-action pair. Remember the maze problem? Because it has a discrete and finite set of states (decision points, the bifurcations) and actions (e.g. go left, go right), we can solve it using a Q-table like the one below. Using this Q-table, the agent will take the left in the third bifurcation, since the value of action 1 is the highest. The table will be updated at each step, eventually converging to an optimal policy. Here I show a very simple agent that learns how to hold a pole using this algorithm! You can see that it needs a lot of repetitions to perform acceptably, but this is because there are a lot of improvements that can be made for this setting. Truncated Q-Table for the discretized CartPole. With a not-so-fine discretization of 20 bins for each dimension, there is a humongous total of 20⁴ = 160.000 states. In these cases, function approximators are the way to go. Because the states are continuous, we could improve a lot over the discretization, using instead a continuous function approximator such as a neural network! Nevertheless, the formulation of the problem is still the same, and introducing the problem was the central aim of this blog post. Conclusion This post was a very short bridging introduction to reinforcement learning and operant conditioning and I intend to write follow-ups going deeper into the theory and math underlying both, showing increasingly better and more complex algorithms and relate them to neuroscience. I hope to get you as interested in Reinforcement Learning as I am! I believe (as a lot of people do) that neuroscience has a lot to offer the field of Artificial Intelligence, especially with high-level insights. Please comment and give feedback, and thank you for reading! Further reading This post by neptune.ai has a lot of interesting resources to dive deeper into the field of reinforcement learning, from tutorials to full courses. If you want to learn more about neuroscience, try The Spike here on medium. References Bickel, W. K., & Marsch, L. A. (2001). Toward a behavioral economic understanding of drug dependence: delay discounting processes. Addiction, 96(1), 73–86. Dam, G., Kording, K., & Wei, K. (2013). Credit assignment during movement reinforcement learning. PLoS One, 8(2), e55352. Guthrie, E. R., & Horton, G. P. (1946). Cats in a puzzle box. Malkki, H. A., Donga, L. A., De Groot, S. E., Battaglia, F. P., & Pennartz, C. M. (2010). Appetitive operant conditioning in mice: heritability and dissociability of training stages. Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience, 4, 171 Smith, K. S., & Graybiel, A. M. (2013). A dual operator view of habitual behavior reflecting cortical and striatal dynamics. Neuron, 79(2), 361–374. Sutton, R. S., & Barto, A. G. (2018). Reinforcement learning: An introduction. MIT press.

https://medium.com/analytics-vidhya/reinforcement-learning-with-skinner-deacef0a281a

['Estevão Uyrá Pardillos Vieira']

2020-12-02 18:55:53.751000+00:00

['Machine Learning', 'Neuroscience', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Psychology', 'Reinforcement Learning']

Title Reinforcement learning SkinnerContent Reinforcement learning Skinner friendly introduction problem reinforcement learning example neuroscience Reinforcement learning entered spotlight recently accomplishment AlphaGo supposedly one best shot Artificial General Intelligence — least general intelligence post trace history back study operant conditioning Skinner real question whether machine think whether men — B F Skinner B F Skinner working Operant Conditioning Chamber creation Image taken Skinner wanted understand animal develop adaptive behavior rule underlying learning Many scientist interested conditioning around time Ivan Pavlov — famous showing pairing bell beef dog salivated sound bell main difference Skinner counterpart thoroughness making controlled experiment Skinner developed chamber — called operant conditioning chamber Skinner Box — animal typically rat pigeon could isolated external sound smell light stimulated precisely experiment Marvin Minsky jokingly compare Skinner’s meticulousness Pavlov’s experiment lab full caged dog far term care control Rat inside conditioning chamber two light used stimulate animal two lever animal use respond sucrose solution controlled automated system Image taken Malkki et al 2010 Reward repeat animal would receive specific stimulus light sound smell information stimulus could used gain food water reinforcer rat needed execute specific action rewarded reinforcer choosing correctly small set possible action undertaken could discriminatory task single light would go light green animal would rewarded pressing lever right hand light red animal would rewarded pressing contralateral lever TMaze operant conditioning task Image Smith Kyle Ann Graybiel 2013 trial error animal started behaving way increase rate reward understanding rule guiding rewarding understanding red mean “the lever” Moreover animal rewarded higher rate generally learned faster large number controlled space created inspired Skinner box Take example TMaze show starting location decision point Depending sound played tone cue either left right arm would contain respective reinforcer animal eventually learns go right arm depending sound increasing rate reward Responses produce satisfying effect particular situation become likely occur situation response produce discomforting effect become le likely occur situation — Thorndike’s Law Effect study operant conditioning still active lot branch development dynamic habituation eg much training take behavior lose flexibility — becoming resistant devaluation — underlying process involved Without getting much involved possible algorithm brain use post focus delineating problem special interest studying artificial intelligence sequential task many action need taken reward attained Sequential task great example sequential task maze many others contingency step depend previous one labyrinth sequential aspect spatially distributed clear could Imagine animal run exploring maze find reward removed maze start Following strictly law effect animal would try repeat quasirandom jug around maze found reward way clearly inefficient fact clear experiment animal get efficient training trial go directly reward without making “mistakes” problem animal contend Credit Assignment problem viz reinforce action truly help bring reward without reinforcing action happened enacted close reward fact many registered case pigeon cat making repeated completely unnecessary action pressing lever eg Guthrie 1946 case credit assignment evidently optimal problem big one advancement direction potential huge improvement reinforcement learning system creation clear marginal problem central complication tackled Reinforcement Learning setting action distant reward “perfect response” may even well defined Compare supervised learning — “correct” response specified shown step additional difficulty exactly make Reinforcement Learning broad proposedly best shot Artificial General Intelligence Reinforcement Learning Formalism — sketch RL resembles skinner box Agent access one state specified set States previous example could specific left green light may choose Action pressing left lever right lever pressing … acting environment Agent receives Reward eg food nothing … perceives new State Learning increasing rate reward Image Sutton Barto 2018 increase number reward task agent must account “which best action state” originates optimal policy — program decide action — reach maximum expected rate reward existence optimal policy mathematically welldefined either one two following criterion met task finite Rewards later future le valuable reward closer present discount rate case operant conditioning task obviously finite imply lack discounting fact contemporary discussion around delay discounting implication human living example relationship drug abuse Bickel Marsch 2001 hand artificial agent training perform continuous task like playing Minecraft finite important small discount factor ensure exists optimal policy agent learn Using algorithm Ok could end Reinforcement Learning introduction without little snooping equation make possible computer bypass formalism giving instead small intuitive derivation algorithm used find optimal policy illustrate fast go theory algorithm going image need build small intuition value action best action one maximizes future expected reward know future expected reward taking action always choose best action always know best action reached optimal policy idea find Value function output expected return value taking action state see start definition value function 1 end algorithm 5 SARSA algorithm simplification last equation used online loop interaction environment discount rate set 1 Qfunction called V simplicity algorithm possible iteratively learn interacting environment step agent observes state take action updating Values according received reward next stateaction pair Remember maze problem discrete finite set state decision point bifurcation action eg go left go right solve using Qtable like one Using Qtable agent take left third bifurcation since value action 1 highest table updated step eventually converging optimal policy show simple agent learns hold pole using algorithm see need lot repetition perform acceptably lot improvement made setting Truncated QTable discretized CartPole notsofine discretization 20 bin dimension humongous total 20⁴ 160000 state case function approximators way go state continuous could improve lot discretization using instead continuous function approximator neural network Nevertheless formulation problem still introducing problem central aim blog post Conclusion post short bridging introduction reinforcement learning operant conditioning intend write followup going deeper theory math underlying showing increasingly better complex algorithm relate neuroscience hope get interested Reinforcement Learning believe lot people neuroscience lot offer field Artificial Intelligence especially highlevel insight Please comment give feedback thank reading reading post neptuneai lot interesting resource dive deeper field reinforcement learning tutorial full course want learn neuroscience try Spike medium References Bickel W K Marsch L 2001 Toward behavioral economic understanding drug dependence delay discounting process Addiction 961 73–86 Dam G Kording K Wei K 2013 Credit assignment movement reinforcement learning PLoS One 82 e55352 Guthrie E R Horton G P 1946 Cats puzzle box Malkki H Donga L De Groot E Battaglia F P Pennartz C 2010 Appetitive operant conditioning mouse heritability dissociability training stage Frontiers behavioral neuroscience 4 171 Smith K Graybiel 2013 dual operator view habitual behavior reflecting cortical striatal dynamic Neuron 792 361–374 Sutton R Barto G 2018 Reinforcement learning introduction MIT pressTags Machine Learning Neuroscience Artificial Intelligence Psychology Reinforcement Learning

The Red Menace is real

No this is not a piece about the rise and fall of communism, political ideology, or propaganda. It’s about the current state of digital advertising. “T he Red Menace is real!” — read posters from the cold war. Why? Because politicians throughout history know this truth: if there’s one thing that can bring down a large, established system — say a nation — it’s an idea. An idea spread widely, believed deeply, and acted upon can be the iceberg to a Titanic. What does that have to do with the digital advertising landscape? Here’s my thesis: I submit to you that Netflix is the biggest threat to the current digital advertising landscape, which is dominated by Facebook, Google, Amazon, and programmatic vendors. You might think I say that because Netflix has a paid subscription, ads-free business model. As a services it steals valuable minutes of consumer attention away from Facebook, YouTube and other services that rely on advertising. That’s true! But that’s not why I think Netflix is threatening digital advertising. Or a least that’s not the most important reason why. The bigger reason is that Netflix has created a specific market for an idea that fundamentally threatens how the ad industry works. Stay with me here — I’ll explain. Going back to the party like it’s 1999 I grew up in the 90s. Back then, I’d plant myself in front of the TV every Saturday morning to watch my favourite show, a countdown of “best ads of the world.” Typically, this was a mix of clever beer ads, suggestive condom commercials (I grew up in Europe), and witty learn-a-foreign-language pitches. Interrupted, of course, by mediocre TV advertising. I loved every minute. It was like watching back-to-back skits. Except that each skit was the same length: 30 seconds. All that’s changed of course. Not so much in television; commercials are mostly made in 30-second blocks. I mean media, particularly advertising, and how we consume it. Or at least how marketers are told people consume media. My thumb is hurting from watching videos! We’re told the masses consume media with our thumbs. We’re told attention spans have shrunk so dramatically that only “thumb-stopping content” will break through into the consumer’s cerebrum, interrupting the robotic scrolling of our mobile feed. Now, if it’s true that attention spans have plummeted … who benefits? Sidenote: I’m not a conspiracy theory type of person, but stay with me. To understand that, we have to sidetrack into how media has evolved in the past few decades. Specifically, how it democratized: Let’s look at TV. As you know, when satellite and cable TV disrupted the norms in the 80s and 90s, the number of channels exploded. It became easier for smaller broadcasters to distribute local content (not too dissimilar to what happened to Print far earlier in the century as printing presses became more cost-effective). Next, the internet rocket-charged this democratization trend, particularly for micro-creators. Suddenly, everybody was posting daily content, flooding screens worldwide with images, videos, and options. With that, the pendulum swung in favour of those who provide a podium to the micro-creators. The so-called gateways of the internet — e.g. Google and Facebook, and the platforms that they own, YouTube and Instagram — to name only two. … Creating the opportunity for the data-driven marketer As data piled up and technology evolved, data-driven marketing gained traction. Marketers began experimenting with different versions of ads to different targets in real-time, learning how to incrementally improve images and copy to optimize. And it worked. It still does. So we kept feeding the beast with more content from more sources, supported by more advertising, from more marketers. Advertising accounted for 86% of Google’s revenue and 98% for Facebook’s revenue in 2017, Statistica tells us. The more we produced, the more data-points we provided that enabled more advertising (feeling like a hamster yet?). According to Recode, 2017 was the year where digital advertising ($209B) surpassed TV ($178B). Marketers go where the consumers are. Online marketers, always looking to find the newest thing and optimize, began introducing things like 6-second ads — in-part spearheaded by YouTube — requiring less attention span than ever before. But wait — what about binge-ing? How often do you binge-watch on Netflix? I did that last weekend, when the family was stuck sick at home. Hey … what happened to that 6-second attention span? And a few months ago, when I asked a videographer: “What’s the ideal length of a video?,” he laughed and replied: “Somewhere between 6 seconds and 9 hours, depending if you ask YouTube or Netflix.” Amid my infinite Instagram and Facebook feeds, all the articles and the tweets … I still manage to watch a movie, read a book or binge on Netflix every once in a while. Most people I know do too. My wife just finished her fifth audiobook on audible this week; she got a badge (I get notified on my device). Yet, she hates sitting through that pesky YouTube ad for 30 seconds before her video and can hardly wait for the 5-second countdown to end. Hmmm … what does that tell you? I recently saw a presentation by a digital advertising provider that described the consumer as “Curious, Demanding, and Impatient”. And I thought: “Sounds like they’re describing a 6 year old.” Yet I’ve seen six-year-olds get pretty lost in play, for a long time, when it’s a toy they love. Enter the Red Menace Perhaps you see now where I’m going with this? Just the same way the “shrinking attention span” idea as gave rise to digital ads slowly starting in the early 2000s, the binge-watching paradigm is threatening that ecosystem. And no other service in the past few years has done more to propel that idea into cultural mainstream than Netflix. Here’s the reality. It is true that we are expressing more impatience. But it’s because we can. One of the biggest reasons ads are shorter is because we never liked those boring old 30-second ads, and we sure would have clicked-out if we could have, back in the day. If we’d really reduced our attention spans to 10 or 5 seconds or less … then there would be no rise of long-form content like Podcasts, and Audiobooks. All hope is not lost Smart marketers know that there is a better way. They always have. Remember the BMW commercial featuring Madonna and Clive Owen, directed by Guy Ritchie (2002)? Or the H&M Holiday Advert with Adrien Brody (2016)? For a more recent example, search for “Koho Dream Thief” to see a 10-minute ad that’s brilliantly produced. I think you’ll enjoy every minute. Smart marketers have never been concerned with the length and size of an ad. They care about emotive value of the story behind it. Then why the endless flak about shorter attention span? The short-attention-span narrative feeds a specific purpose. Namely, to feed the advertising engine of the micro-creator economy. To be clear, I’m not suggesting that some tech executive in a boardroom concocted a devious PR plot to sell a story and thus more advertising. Rather, this is a natural consequence of the new media economy. A circular relationship, arguably unavoidable. However that idea is being prominently challenged with podcasts, binge-watching services, audiobooks, and yes… long-format brand storytelling. And Netflix is leading the charge. At the end of the day, people do not hate ads because they are too long. They hate bloated, lazy, poorly-targeted ads. Ads for everyone, ad that don’t meet what they are interested in. Ads that don’t tell a story. Ads that are an interruption, a nuisance. Even more, they hate bad advertising. They always have. They always will. And now on the internet they have a way to avoid those. I’m not saying that digital advertising is going to go end today. Media doesn’t perish that easily. But the landscape is slowly shifting. Are you prepared?

https://medium.com/empathyinc/the-red-menace-is-real-855b389c27b5

['Mo Dezyanian']

2018-12-11 14:28:15.731000+00:00

['Marketing', 'Facebook', 'Netflix', 'Google', 'Advertising']

Title Red Menace realContent piece rise fall communism political ideology propaganda It’s current state digital advertising “T Red Menace real” — read poster cold war politician throughout history know truth there’s one thing bring large established system — say nation — it’s idea idea spread widely believed deeply acted upon iceberg Titanic digital advertising landscape Here’s thesis submit Netflix biggest threat current digital advertising landscape dominated Facebook Google Amazon programmatic vendor might think say Netflix paid subscription adsfree business model service steal valuable minute consumer attention away Facebook YouTube service rely advertising That’s true that’s think Netflix threatening digital advertising least that’s important reason bigger reason Netflix created specific market idea fundamentally threatens ad industry work Stay — I’ll explain Going back party like it’s 1999 grew 90 Back I’d plant front TV every Saturday morning watch favourite show countdown “best ad world” Typically mix clever beer ad suggestive condom commercial grew Europe witty learnaforeignlanguage pitch Interrupted course mediocre TV advertising loved every minute like watching backtoback skit Except skit length 30 second that’s changed course much television commercial mostly made 30second block mean medium particularly advertising consume least marketer told people consume medium thumb hurting watching video We’re told mass consume medium thumb We’re told attention span shrunk dramatically “thumbstopping content” break consumer’s cerebrum interrupting robotic scrolling mobile feed it’s true attention span plummeted … benefit Sidenote I’m conspiracy theory type person stay understand sidetrack medium evolved past decade Specifically democratized Let’s look TV know satellite cable TV disrupted norm 80 90 number channel exploded became easier smaller broadcaster distribute local content dissimilar happened Print far earlier century printing press became costeffective Next internet rocketcharged democratization trend particularly microcreators Suddenly everybody posting daily content flooding screen worldwide image video option pendulum swung favour provide podium microcreators socalled gateway internet — eg Google Facebook platform YouTube Instagram — name two … Creating opportunity datadriven marketer data piled technology evolved datadriven marketing gained traction Marketers began experimenting different version ad different target realtime learning incrementally improve image copy optimize worked still kept feeding beast content source supported advertising marketer Advertising accounted 86 Google’s revenue 98 Facebook’s revenue 2017 Statistica tell u produced datapoints provided enabled advertising feeling like hamster yet According Recode 2017 year digital advertising 209B surpassed TV 178B Marketers go consumer Online marketer always looking find newest thing optimize began introducing thing like 6second ad — inpart spearheaded YouTube — requiring le attention span ever wait — bingeing often bingewatch Netflix last weekend family stuck sick home Hey … happened 6second attention span month ago asked videographer “What’s ideal length video” laughed replied “Somewhere 6 second 9 hour depending ask YouTube Netflix” Amid infinite Instagram Facebook feed article tweet … still manage watch movie read book binge Netflix every people know wife finished fifth audiobook audible week got badge get notified device Yet hate sitting pesky YouTube ad 30 second video hardly wait 5second countdown end Hmmm … tell recently saw presentation digital advertising provider described consumer “Curious Demanding Impatient” thought “Sounds like they’re describing 6 year old” Yet I’ve seen sixyearolds get pretty lost play long time it’s toy love Enter Red Menace Perhaps see I’m going way “shrinking attention span” idea gave rise digital ad slowly starting early 2000s bingewatching paradigm threatening ecosystem service past year done propel idea cultural mainstream Netflix Here’s reality true expressing impatience it’s One biggest reason ad shorter never liked boring old 30second ad sure would clickedout could back day we’d really reduced attention span 10 5 second le … would rise longform content like Podcasts Audiobooks hope lost Smart marketer know better way always Remember BMW commercial featuring Madonna Clive Owen directed Guy Ritchie 2002 HM Holiday Advert Adrien Brody 2016 recent example search “Koho Dream Thief” see 10minute ad that’s brilliantly produced think you’ll enjoy every minute Smart marketer never concerned length size ad care emotive value story behind endless flak shorter attention span shortattentionspan narrative feed specific purpose Namely feed advertising engine microcreator economy clear I’m suggesting tech executive boardroom concocted devious PR plot sell story thus advertising Rather natural consequence new medium economy circular relationship arguably unavoidable However idea prominently challenged podcasts bingewatching service audiobooks yes… longformat brand storytelling Netflix leading charge end day people hate ad long hate bloated lazy poorlytargeted ad Ads everyone ad don’t meet interested Ads don’t tell story Ads interruption nuisance Even hate bad advertising always always internet way avoid I’m saying digital advertising going go end today Media doesn’t perish easily landscape slowly shifting preparedTags Marketing Facebook Netflix Google Advertising

Catching Up With Giovanni Magni of Accurat Design Studio

SK: You’ve told me before that a data viz is only as good as the questions that are being asked. Can you explain why you think that is? And what questions are you interested in right now? What questions aren’t being asked? G: Data visualisation should solve problems: We are not artists, we are designers. Don’t get me wrong, this does not mean that we don’t need art in projects. Accurat’s work has clearly shown the importance of aesthetics in data visualisation. What I’m saying is that clients and people have problems, and they come to us for solutions. Problems might be clear, specific, and business oriented (“We want to make more money with our platform”) or experimental and ethical (“Let’s find a new way to convey this message”), but we have to focus on finding the solutions that help solve the problem. The questions that aren’t being asked are: What was the context? What was the goal? I see a lot of people debating on how charts might or might not respect all the statistical rules of charts and interpretability of visual models, while really few understand that every single rule—even the strongest ones— could be shaped and adapted if it will make the project more effective. It is the same with complexity, but that’s another story. SK: How can data viz practitioners become better at asking questions? G: We should take as much as we can from positive design critique. One of the things that we are trying to do in Accurat is foster self-critique and take internal moments when our work could be discussed and our choices doubted. Thanks to the work and approach of Amin Al Hazwani, our director of design operations, we are working on making this possible. It takes time to point out the multiple possible solutions for a problem, to discuss them, to understand the context and the designer’s choices. Hopefully this will make the team more oriented to self-critique and our projects will keep on getting better and better. SK: There aren’t many data viz studios in the world, and I think Accurat one of the largest ones. How does Accurat’s structure of designers and developers work? What does that collaboration look like? Are there unique outcomes from that setup? G: When I started working at Accurat there was only one developer, but right now there are more developers than designers. I think it’s the normal evolution of things since we mainly work with digital products and applications. Even when we create something different (such as exhibitions), due to the nature of our work we always have a more technical side in all of the projects where we need the support of coders. We try to work together from the beginning; it’s not always simple but it’s important, and it even happens that great ideas also come from developers. Recently a thing happened that made me glad of our process. We were working on a project with basic chart models (bar charts, line charts, etc.) and within a discussion about a specific task the developers explained to the designers the best logic given their experience with similar projects and due to typical chart behaviour. The roles were reversed and that was brilliant! We have been able to create a data visualisation culture on the whole team, and I’m super proud of this.

https://medium.com/nightingale/catching-up-with-giovanni-magni-of-accurat-design-studio-a6de81073342

['Sarah Kay Miller']

2020-05-13 13:16:00.856000+00:00

['Creativity', 'Design', 'Dataviz', 'Data Science', 'Data Visualization']

Title Catching Giovanni Magni Accurat Design StudioContent SK You’ve told data viz good question asked explain think question interested right question aren’t asked G Data visualisation solve problem artist designer Don’t get wrong mean don’t need art project Accurat’s work clearly shown importance aesthetic data visualisation I’m saying client people problem come u solution Problems might clear specific business oriented “We want make money platform” experimental ethical “Let’s find new way convey message” focus finding solution help solve problem question aren’t asked context goal see lot people debating chart might might respect statistical rule chart interpretability visual model really understand every single rule—even strongest ones— could shaped adapted make project effective complexity that’s another story SK data viz practitioner become better asking question G take much positive design critique One thing trying Accurat foster selfcritique take internal moment work could discussed choice doubted Thanks work approach Amin Al Hazwani director design operation working making possible take time point multiple possible solution problem discus understand context designer’s choice Hopefully make team oriented selfcritique project keep getting better better SK aren’t many data viz studio world think Accurat one largest one Accurat’s structure designer developer work collaboration look like unique outcome setup G started working Accurat one developer right developer designer think it’s normal evolution thing since mainly work digital product application Even create something different exhibition due nature work always technical side project need support coder try work together beginning it’s always simple it’s important even happens great idea also come developer Recently thing happened made glad process working project basic chart model bar chart line chart etc within discussion specific task developer explained designer best logic given experience similar project due typical chart behaviour role reversed brilliant able create data visualisation culture whole team I’m super proud thisTags Creativity Design Dataviz Data Science Data Visualization

Building Your Home Raspberry PI Kubernetes Cluster

Are there any Kubernetes fans here? I’m running it in production both at work and for my private projects for quite a while now, but sometimes I need a place to quickly develop and test new features without incurring additional costs or simply — run my home entertainment, backups, file sharing and kettle. Few more nodes on the way, cluster is almost ready. Hardware used ( Black Friday prices 🥳 ) Why Raspberry Pi? TL;DR: Cost vs processing power. 4 node cluster provides 4 x ( 1.5Ghz, 4 core ARM cpu and 4 GB of RAM ) — that’s 16 1.5 Ghz cores and 16 GB of RAM available. I’ve done the math and the overall cost of the cluster is still cheaper than similar processing power / nodes cloud offering. Say no more… Memory card preparation Start with downloading the operating system, which will do the heavy lifting. I spend most of my days working with docker and Kubernetes, any one of my hobbies is slimming down the docker images to the absolute minimum — most of that achieved thanks to the Alpine Linux — therefore I’ll base my cluster on this exact distribution. Head to Alpine Linux Downloads section and pick the AARCH64 version for your Raspberry Pi 4 Model B. In the meanwhile — let’s prepare the memory card starting with formatting it with FAT32 filesystem. I’m OSX person in so using the following command to obtain the disk identifier for your memory card diskutil list Follow it with to format whole memory card — I called my memory card RPI sudo diskutil eraseDisk FAT32 RPI MBRFormat /dev/diskX Unpack downloaded package with Alpine linux onto the memory card sudo tar xf alpine-rpi-3.12.1-aarch64.tar.gz -C /Volumes/RPI Base system configuration Congratulations, you are one step closer to the world of kubernetes in your own living room. Slide memory card into your Raspberry Pi, monitor ( or TV ), together with keyboard and switch the power on. After system boots up and asks you for login — use root as both username and password. Execute following command to initiate the setup process. setup-alpine I’m running my cluster at home, and because I’m running short on available router ports I decided to use WiFi network. There’s not too much of a difference in options you’ll pick — choose wisely though. After you’ll be done with setup — there’s few more things which you should do. Alpine by default runs from the RAM, but we’d like our changes to persist on the disk and between potential restarts. apk update apk add cfdisk e2fsprogs # Install disk tools cfdisk /dev/mmcblk0 # Run cfdisk on your memory card In this step you need to: Resize the FAT32 partition to reasonable minimum — I gave it 1GB in my case. Use all remaining free space to create new bootable partition. Don’t forget to write the changes you just made. Helpful tutorial: How to use cfdisk. There’s few more commands you need to execute now to complete the whole process. mkfs.ext4 /dev/mmcblk0p2 # Format newly created partition as EXT4 mount /dev/mmcblk0p2 /mnt # Mount it setup-disk -m sys /mnt # Install system files mount -o remount,rw /media/mmcblk0p1 # Remount old partition in RW # Let's do some housekeeping rm -f /media/mmcblk0p1/boot/* cd /mnt rm boot/boot mv boot/* /media/mmcblk0p1/boot/ rm -Rf boot mkdir media/mmcblk0p1 ln -s media/mmcblk0p1/boot boot Update /etc/fstab records echo "/dev/mmcblk0p1 /media/mmcblk0p1 vfat defaults 0 0" >> etc/fstab sed -i '/cdrom/d' etc/fstab sed -i '/floppy/d' etc/fstab cd /media/mmcblk0p1 Last touches after system restart — keep in mind that without appropriate cgroups enabled the kubeadm step will fail. # Enable edge repository for Alpine sed -i '/edge/s/^#//' /mnt/etc/apk/repositories # Force use of new partition as the root one sed -i 's/^/root=\/dev\/mmcblk0p2 /' /media/mmcblk0p1/cmdline.txt # Make sure that appropriate cgroups are enabled echo "cgroup_enable=cpuset cgroup_enable=memory cgroup_memory=1" >> /media/mmcblk0p1/cmdline.txt sed -i ':a;N;$!ba;s/ / /g' /media/mmcblk0p1/cmdline.txt rc-update add wpa_supplicant boot # Make sure your wifi will come back up after restart Finally, really important thing after all those steps above — backup the changes you just made and reboot the system lbu_commit -d reboot Rest of the system configuration I’ve mentioned that I intend to use this kubernetes cluster in home environment — before you’ll ask — it will work in the office network as well, although — there’s few extra touches we should add Announce hostname in local network — avahi daemon Why this step? It’s much easier to ssh pi0.local than trying to find the correct IP address. It will also make your connectivity and clustering configuration much easier afterwards, especially when you can’t count on static IPs. apk add dbus avahi rc-update add dbus boot # avahi won't start without dbus rc-update add avahi-daemon boot Allow ssh access as root Edit /etc/ssh/sshd_config file — add following line to it to enable access to ssh as a root. PermitRootLogin yes Install docker, kubernetes and rest of remaining packages you will need later apk update apk add kubernetes docker cni-plugins kubelet kubeadm rc-update add docker default rc-update add kubelet default Little helper says: You can save your efforts At this stage you should have everything ready for your journey. I used this opportunity to switch off my Raspberry Pi, take the memory card back to my laptop and create an image of the card so I can restore it on the remaining three cards and save time. Remember to change the /etc/hostname content for every newly re-created machine to avoid conflicts. I’ve picked pi0, pi1, pi2 to make it easier to remember ( and use in my local ssh config ) although there’s no limitation. Create your kubernetes master service docker start kubeadm config images pull # Get the necessary images kubeadm init --pod-network-cidr=10.244.0.0/16 If you see any cgroups related errors which stop the initialisation process — you’ve missed one of the steps before, otherwise you should see message starting with `Your Kubernetes control-plane has initialised successfully!`. SAVE the command from the output ( the one starting with kubeadm join ) in safe place. You will need it to allow remaining nodes join your cluster. Run the following commands to store credentials in your home directory mkdir -p $HOME/.kube sudo cp -i /etc/kubernetes/admin.conf $HOME/.kube/config sudo chown $(id -u):$(id -g) $HOME/.kube/config How to access the node? I’ve copied content of $HOME/.kube/config from the node onto my local machine, changing few default values to avoid potential clashes. Thanks to this I can use tools like kubectl or k9s from my laptop and make sure I’ll always reach the right server. Master is running, what’s else to do? Networking between the pods — without it your node will remain tainted and in NotReady state forever. You can’t deploy anything on master node by default and node shows as tainted but don’t worry — we can change it with this command kubectl taint nodes --all node-role.kubernetes.io/master- Dashboard. Have you ever met anyone saying “I don’t like dashboards”? Kubernetes have their own, quite universal dashboard which can give you a great overview of your cluster ( and anything within ). # Add kubernetes-dashboard repository helm repo add kubernetes-dashboard https://kubernetes.github.io/dashboard/ # Deploy a Helm Release named "kubernetes-dashboard" using the kubernetes-dashboard chart helm install kubernetes-dashboard kubernetes-dashboard/kubernetes-dashboard --set protocolHttp=true,ingress.enabled=true,rbac.create=true,serviceAccount.create=true,service.externalPort=9090,networkPolicy.enabled=true,podLabels.app=dashboard As you’ve noticed I have added quite a few extras to the helm chart settings but there’s a reason for that. Your dashboard will be up and running but.. It won’t show anything. Missing permissions. kubectl create clusterrolebinding kubernetes-dashboard --clusterrole=cluster-admin --serviceaccount=default:kubernetes-dashboard Okay. We are almost there. We have master node, we have dashboard but we can’t access it at the moment. We could potentially use the nodePort to expose dashboard, but it’s not the way we roll — to do it the kubernetes way we need a loadBalancer. Node runs in our local network so we can’t count on any goodies provided by AWS or GoogleCloud but fear not — there’s way to deal with it. Load balancing in home network Follow installation steps on MetalLLB till end of Installation By Manifest. ifconfig wlan0 promisc # Set PROMISC mode for WiFi - for ARP Command above have its effect as long as you keep the Pi running. To avoid creation of the startup scripts I decided to edit /etc/network/if-up.d/dad to set the promisc mode on when interface comes up. Create following manifest as my-dashboard.yaml apiVersion: v1 kind: ConfigMap metadata: namespace: metallb-system name: config data: config: | address-pools: - name: default protocol: layer2 addresses: - 192.168.50.200-192.168.50.250 --- apiVersion: v1 kind: Service metadata: name: k8s-dashboard annotations: metallb.universe.tf/address-pool: default spec: ports: - port: 80 targetPort: 9090 selector: app: dashboard type: LoadBalancer Don’t forget to change addresses section to correspond with your local network settings. kubectl apply -f my-dashboard.yaml kubectl get svc k8s-dashboard From now on your dashboard can be accessed at ( in my case ) http://192.168.50.200/ Raspberry Pi powered k8s cluster. Article powered by the Saturday struggle, RedBull and love for experiments. Cluster PODS overview provided by K9S Adding additional nodes As we DRY ( Don’t Repeat Yourself ) KISS ( Keep It Stupid Simple ) — scroll up to the beginning of article and follow all the steps until “Create your kubernetes master” on newly created nodes, then execute following ( remember to replace ip address with your master node IP — or it’s hostname ( pi0.local, thanks to avahi daemon ) service docker start kubeadm config images pull kubeadm join 192.168.50.132:6443 --token dugwjt.0k3n \--discovery-token-ca-cert-hash sha256:55cfadHelloSuperSecretHashbf4970f49dcadf533f86e3dba Tip: If you forgot to copy kubeadm command during master node creation, I got your back — following command on the master node will print it out for you again

https://medium.com/swlh/building-your-home-raspberry-pi-kubernetes-cluster-14eeeb3c521e

['Lukasz Raczylo']

2020-12-10 20:53:43.322000+00:00

['Linux', 'Raspberry Pi', 'Kubernetes', 'Development', 'Clustering']

Title Building Home Raspberry PI Kubernetes ClusterContent Kubernetes fan I’m running production work private project quite sometimes need place quickly develop test new feature without incurring additional cost simply — run home entertainment backup file sharing kettle node way cluster almost ready Hardware used Black Friday price 🥳 Raspberry Pi TLDR Cost v processing power 4 node cluster provides 4 x 15Ghz 4 core ARM cpu 4 GB RAM — that’s 16 15 Ghz core 16 GB RAM available I’ve done math overall cost cluster still cheaper similar processing power node cloud offering Say more… Memory card preparation Start downloading operating system heavy lifting spend day working docker Kubernetes one hobby slimming docker image absolute minimum — achieved thanks Alpine Linux — therefore I’ll base cluster exact distribution Head Alpine Linux Downloads section pick AARCH64 version Raspberry Pi 4 Model B meanwhile — let’s prepare memory card starting formatting FAT32 filesystem I’m OSX person using following command obtain disk identifier memory card diskutil list Follow format whole memory card — called memory card RPI sudo diskutil eraseDisk FAT32 RPI MBRFormat devdiskX Unpack downloaded package Alpine linux onto memory card sudo tar xf alpinerpi3121aarch64targz C VolumesRPI Base system configuration Congratulations one step closer world kubernetes living room Slide memory card Raspberry Pi monitor TV together keyboard switch power system boot asks login — use root username password Execute following command initiate setup process setupalpine I’m running cluster home I’m running short available router port decided use WiFi network There’s much difference option you’ll pick — choose wisely though you’ll done setup — there’s thing Alpine default run RAM we’d like change persist disk potential restarts apk update apk add cfdisk e2fsprogs Install disk tool cfdisk devmmcblk0 Run cfdisk memory card step need Resize FAT32 partition reasonable minimum — gave 1GB case Use remaining free space create new bootable partition Don’t forget write change made Helpful tutorial use cfdisk There’s command need execute complete whole process mkfsext4 devmmcblk0p2 Format newly created partition EXT4 mount devmmcblk0p2 mnt Mount setupdisk sys mnt Install system file mount remountrw mediammcblk0p1 Remount old partition RW Lets housekeeping rm f mediammcblk0p1boot cd mnt rm bootboot mv boot mediammcblk0p1boot rm Rf boot mkdir mediammcblk0p1 ln mediammcblk0p1boot boot Update etcfstab record echo devmmcblk0p1 mediammcblk0p1 vfat default 0 0 etcfstab sed cdromd etcfstab sed floppyd etcfstab cd mediammcblk0p1 Last touch system restart — keep mind without appropriate cgroups enabled kubeadm step fail Enable edge repository Alpine sed edge mntetcapkrepositories Force use new partition root one sed srootdevmmcblk0p2 mediammcblk0p1cmdlinetxt Make sure appropriate cgroups enabled echo cgroupenablecpuset cgroupenablememory cgroupmemory1 mediammcblk0p1cmdlinetxt sed aNbas g mediammcblk0p1cmdlinetxt rcupdate add wpasupplicant boot Make sure wifi come back restart Finally really important thing step — backup change made reboot system lbucommit reboot Rest system configuration I’ve mentioned intend use kubernetes cluster home environment — you’ll ask — work office network well although — there’s extra touch add Announce hostname local network — avahi daemon step It’s much easier ssh pi0local trying find correct IP address also make connectivity clustering configuration much easier afterwards especially can’t count static IPs apk add dbus avahi rcupdate add dbus boot avahi wont start without dbus rcupdate add avahidaemon boot Allow ssh access root Edit etcsshsshdconfig file — add following line enable access ssh root PermitRootLogin yes Install docker kubernetes rest remaining package need later apk update apk add kubernetes docker cniplugins kubelet kubeadm rcupdate add docker default rcupdate add kubelet default Little helper say save effort stage everything ready journey used opportunity switch Raspberry Pi take memory card back laptop create image card restore remaining three card save time Remember change etchostname content every newly recreated machine avoid conflict I’ve picked pi0 pi1 pi2 make easier remember use local ssh config although there’s limitation Create kubernetes master service docker start kubeadm config image pull Get necessary image kubeadm init podnetworkcidr102440016 see cgroups related error stop initialisation process — you’ve missed one step otherwise see message starting Kubernetes controlplane initialised successfully SAVE command output one starting kubeadm join safe place need allow remaining node join cluster Run following command store credential home directory mkdir p HOMEkube sudo cp etckubernetesadminconf HOMEkubeconfig sudo chown id uid g HOMEkubeconfig access node I’ve copied content HOMEkubeconfig node onto local machine changing default value avoid potential clash Thanks use tool like kubectl k9s laptop make sure I’ll always reach right server Master running what’s else Networking pod — without node remain tainted NotReady state forever can’t deploy anything master node default node show tainted don’t worry — change command kubectl taint node noderolekubernetesiomaster Dashboard ever met anyone saying “I don’t like dashboards” Kubernetes quite universal dashboard give great overview cluster anything within Add kubernetesdashboard repository helm repo add kubernetesdashboard httpskubernetesgithubiodashboard Deploy Helm Release named kubernetesdashboard using kubernetesdashboard chart helm install kubernetesdashboard kubernetesdashboardkubernetesdashboard set protocolHttptrueingressenabledtruerbaccreatetrueserviceAccountcreatetrueserviceexternalPort9090networkPolicyenabledtruepodLabelsappdashboard you’ve noticed added quite extra helm chart setting there’s reason dashboard running won’t show anything Missing permission kubectl create clusterrolebinding kubernetesdashboard clusterroleclusteradmin serviceaccountdefaultkubernetesdashboard Okay almost master node dashboard can’t access moment could potentially use nodePort expose dashboard it’s way roll — kubernetes way need loadBalancer Node run local network can’t count goody provided AWS GoogleCloud fear — there’s way deal Load balancing home network Follow installation step MetalLLB till end Installation Manifest ifconfig wlan0 promisc Set PROMISC mode WiFi ARP Command effect long keep Pi running avoid creation startup script decided edit etcnetworkifupddad set promisc mode interface come Create following manifest mydashboardyaml apiVersion v1 kind ConfigMap metadata namespace metallbsystem name config data config addresspools name default protocol layer2 address 1921685020019216850250 apiVersion v1 kind Service metadata name k8sdashboard annotation metallbuniversetfaddresspool default spec port port 80 targetPort 9090 selector app dashboard type LoadBalancer Don’t forget change address section correspond local network setting kubectl apply f mydashboardyaml kubectl get svc k8sdashboard dashboard accessed case http19216850200 Raspberry Pi powered k8s cluster Article powered Saturday struggle RedBull love experiment Cluster PODS overview provided K9S Adding additional node DRY Don’t Repeat KISS Keep Stupid Simple — scroll beginning article follow step “Create kubernetes master” newly created node execute following remember replace ip address master node IP — it’s hostname pi0local thanks avahi daemon service docker start kubeadm config image pull kubeadm join 192168501326443 token dugwjt0k3n discoverytokencacerthash sha25655cfadHelloSuperSecretHashbf4970f49dcadf533f86e3dba Tip forgot copy kubeadm command master node creation got back — following command master node print againTags Linux Raspberry Pi Kubernetes Development Clustering

Do I Need to Code in My Free Time to Be a Good Developer?

“But Hey, I Love to Write Code and I’m Passionate About It” Don’t get me wrong. I don’t mind if someone codes in their free time. It makes a lot of sense in different situations, like with junior developers who obviously need to learn and practice. Or when you need to learn a new language or a new technology. Or when you’re preparing for an interview (especially for big companies). Or when you just like coding and it’s your hobby. Or when you work on your own projects. And so on. All these situations and reasons are wonderful and great, so there is no reason to argue. My question is a bit different: Why do some people expect that I will code in my free time if my circumstances are different? Just to give a bit of context about myself, it happens that coding is not my hobby, although I do like it and do my work at a high level. I really enjoy it when I see the result of my work. It’s an amazing feeling to see how people interact with interfaces that I’ve built. And I love it even after eight years of developing. But I spend eight hours per day for work, and a third of a day goes to sleeping. As a result, I don’t have that much time left for something else. What about my hobbies? Family? My friends? I need a lot of time for all these. I need a balance. I don’t want to tell my wife something like, “Yeah, I will be right there, just finishing one more small bug” when she asks me to join the family dinner. Because I know, in that case, I will have dinner alone and will eat something cold. I don’t want to miss really important moments in my life. My hobbies are slightly related to computers. I do like practicing yoga. I enjoy bicycle trips. I like baking (even though I’m not very good at it). I’m trying to learn how to play the harmonica. I want to try new things and new hobbies, and I want to feel the life outside of these computers. And how can I find enough time for all these hobbies when I have so little time left in the evenings?

https://medium.com/better-programming/do-i-need-to-code-in-my-free-time-to-be-a-good-developer-6509b3777327

['Maxim Chechenev']

2020-07-06 21:40:18.894000+00:00

['Programming', 'Productivity', 'Development', 'Startup', 'Software Development']

Title Need Code Free Time Good DeveloperContent “But Hey Love Write Code I’m Passionate It” Don’t get wrong don’t mind someone code free time make lot sense different situation like junior developer obviously need learn practice need learn new language new technology you’re preparing interview especially big company like coding it’s hobby work project situation reason wonderful great reason argue question bit different people expect code free time circumstance different give bit context happens coding hobby although like work high level really enjoy see result work It’s amazing feeling see people interact interface I’ve built love even eight year developing spend eight hour per day work third day go sleeping result don’t much time left something else hobby Family friend need lot time need balance don’t want tell wife something like “Yeah right finishing one small bug” asks join family dinner know case dinner alone eat something cold don’t want miss really important moment life hobby slightly related computer like practicing yoga enjoy bicycle trip like baking even though I’m good I’m trying learn play harmonica want try new thing new hobby want feel life outside computer find enough time hobby little time left eveningsTags Programming Productivity Development Startup Software Development

How to Build a Simple Image Recognition System with TensorFlow (Part 2)

This is the second part of my introduction to building an image recognition system with TensorFlow. In the first part we built a softmax classifier to label images from the CIFAR-10 dataset. We achieved an accuracy of around 25–30%. Since there are 10 different and equally likely categories, labeling the images randomly we’d expect an accuracy of 10%. So we’re already a lot better than random, but there’s still plenty of room for improvement. In this post, I’ll describe how to build a neural network that performs the same task. Let’s see by how much we can increase our prediction accuracy! Neural Networks Neural networks are very loosely based on how biological brains work. They consist of a number of artificial neurons which each process multiple incoming signals and return a single output signal. The output signal can then be used as an input signal for other neurons. Let’s take a look at an individual neuron: An artificial neuron. Its output is the result of the ReLU function of a weighted sum of its inputs. What happens in a single neuron is very similar to what happens in the the softmax classifier. Again we have a vector of input values and a vector of weights. The weights are the neuron’s internal parameters. Both input vector and weights vector contain the same number of values, so we can use them to calculate a weighted sum. So far, we’re doing exactly the same calculation as in the softmax classifier, but now comes a little twist: as long as the result of the weighted sum is a positive value, the neuron’s output is this value. But if the weighted sum is a negative value, we ignore that negative value and the neuron generates an output of 0 instead. This operation is called a Rectified Linear Unit (ReLU). Rectified Linear Unit, which is defined by f(x) = max(0, x) The reason for using a ReLU is that this creates a nonlinearity. The neuron’s output is now not strictly a linear combination (= weighted sum) of its inputs anymore. We’ll see why this is useful when we stop looking at individual neurons and instead look at the whole network. The neurons in artificial neural networks are usually not connected randomly to each other. Most of the time they are arranged in layers: An artificial neural network with 2 layers, a hidden and an output layer. The input is not considered a layer, since it just feeds the data (without transforming it) to the first proper layer. (Image is part of the Wikimedia Commons and was taken from here) The input image’s pixel values are the inputs for the network’s first layer of neurons. The output of the neurons in layer 1 is the input for neurons of layer 2 and so forth. This is the reason why having a nonlinearity is so important. Without the ReLU at each layer, we would only have a sequence of weighted sums. And stacked weighted sums can be merged into a single weighted sum, so the multiple layers would give us no improvement over a single layer network. Introducing the ReLU nonlinearity solves this problem as each additional layer really adds something to the network. The network’s final layer’s output are the values we are interested in, the scores for the image categories. In this network architecture each neuron is connected to all neurons of the previous layer, therefore this kind of network is called a fully connected network. As we shall see in Part 3 of this Tutorial, that is not necessarily always the case. And that’s already the end of my very brief part on the theory of neural networks. Let’s get started building one! The Code The full code for this example is available on Github. It requires TensorFlow and the CIFAR-10 dataset (see Part 1) on how to install the prerequisites). If you’ve made your way through my previous blog post, you’ll see that the code for the neural network classifier is pretty similar to the code for the softmax classifier. But in addition to switching out the part of the code that defines the model, I’ve added a couple of small features to show some of the things TensorFlow can do: Regularization: this is a very common technique to prevent overfitting of a model. It works by applying a counter-force during the optimization process which aims to keep the model simple. Visualization of the model with TensorBoard: TensorBoard is included with TensorFlow and allows you to generate charts and graphs from your models and from data generated by your models. This helps with analyzing your models and is especially useful for debugging. Checkpoints: this feature allows you to save the current state of your model for later use. Training a model can take quite a while, so it’s essential to not have to start from scratch each time you want to use it. The code is split into two files this time: there’s two_layer_fc.py , which defines the model, and run_fc_model.py , which runs the model (in case you’re wondering: ‘fc’ stands for fully connected). 2-Layer Fully Connected Neural Network Let’s look at the model itself first and deal with running and training it later. two_layer_fc.py contains the following functions: inference() gets us from input data to class scores. gets us from input data to class scores. loss() calculates the loss value from class scores. calculates the loss value from class scores. training() performs a single training step. performs a single training step. evaluation() calculates the accuracy of the network. Generating Class Scores: inference() inference() describes the forward pass through the network. How are the class scores calculated, starting from input images? The images parameter is the TensorFlow placeholder containing the actual image data. The next three parameters describe the shape/size of the network. image_pixels is the number of pixels per input image, classes is the number of different output labels and hidden_units is the number of neurons in the first/hidden layer of our network. Each neuron takes all values from the previous layer as input and generates a single output value. Each neuron in the hidden layer therefore has image_pixels inputs and the layer as a whole generates hidden_units outputs. These are then fed into the classes neurons of the output layer which generate classes output values, one score per class. reg_constant is the regularization constant. TensorFlow allows us to add regularization to our network very easily by handling most of the calculations automatically. I’ll go into a bit more detail when we get to the loss function. Since our neural network has 2 similar layers, we’ll define a separate scope for each. This allows us to reuse variable names in each scope. The biases variable is defined in the way we already know, by using tf.Variable() . The definition of the weights variable is a bit more involved. We use tf.get_variable() , which allows us to add regularization. weights is a matrix with dimensions of image_pixels by hidden_units (input vector size x output vector size). The initializer parameter describes the weight variable’s initial values. Up to now, we’ve initialized our variables to 0, but this wouldn’t work here. Think about the neurons in a single layer. They all receive exactly the same input values. If they all had the same internal parameters as well, they would all make the same calculation and all output the same value. To avoid this, we need to randomize their initial weights. We use an initialization scheme which usually works well, the weights are initialized to normally distributed values. We drop values which are more than 2 standard deviations from the mean, and the standard deviation is set to the inverse of the square root of the number of input pixels. Luckily TensorFlow handles all these details for us, we just need to specify that we want to use a truncated_normal_initializer which does exactly what we want. The final parameter for the weights variable is the regularizer . All we have to do at this point is to tell TensorFlow we want to use L2-regularization for the weights variable. I’ll cover regularization here. To create the first layer’s output we multiply the images matrix and the weights matrix witch each other and add the bias variable. This is exactly the same as in the softmax classifier from the previous blog post. Then we apply tf.nn.relu() , the ReLU function to arrive at the hidden layer’s output. Layer 2 is very similar to layer 1. The number of inputs is hidden_units , the number of outputs is classes . Therefore the dimensions of the weights matrix are [hidden_units, classes] . Since this is the final layer of our network, there’s no need for a ReLU anymore. We arrive at the class scores ( logits ) by multiplying input ( hidden ) and weights with each other and adding bias . The summary operation tf.histogram_summary() allows us to record the value of the logits variable for later analysis with TensorBoard. I’ll cover this later. To sum it up, the inference() function as whole takes in input images and returns class scores. That’s all a trained classifier needs to do, but in order to arrive at a trained classifier, we first need to measure how good those class scores are. That’s the job of the loss function. Calculating the Loss: loss() First we calculate the cross-entropy between logits (the model’s output) and labels (the correct labels from the training dataset). That has been our whole loss function for the softmax classifier, but this time we want to use regularization, so we have to add another term to our loss. Let’s take a step back first and look at what we want to achieve by using regularization. Overfitting and Regularization When a statistical model captures the random noise in the data it was trained on instead of the true underlying relationship, this is called overfitting. The red and blue circles represent two different classes. The green line represents an overfitted model whereas the black line represents a model with a good fit. (Image is part of the Wikimedia Commons and was taken from here) In the above image there are two different classes, represented by the blue and red circles. The green line is an overfitted classifier. It follows the training data perfectly, but it is also heavily dependent on it and is likely to handle unseen data worse than the black line, which represents a regularized model. So our goal for regularization is to arrive at a simple model without any unnecessary complications. There are different ways to achieve this, and the option we are choosing is called L2-regularization. L2-regularization adds the sum of the squares of all the weights in the network to the loss function. This corresponds to a heavy penalty if the model is using big weights and a small penalty if the model is using small weights. That’s why we used the regularizer parameter when defining the weights and assigned a l2_regularizer to it. This tells TensorFlow to keep track of the L2-regularization terms (and weigh them by the parameter reg_constant ) for this variable. All regularization terms are added to a collection called tf.GraphKeys.REGULARIZATION_LOSSES , which the loss function accesses. We then add the sum of all regularization losses to the previously calculated cross-entropy to arrive at the total loss of our model. Optimizing the Variables: training() global_step is a scalar variable which keeps track of how many training iterations have already been performed. When repeatedly running the model in our training loop, we already know this value. It’s the iteration variable of the loop. The reason we’re adding this value directly to the TensorFlow graph is that we want to be able to take snapshots of the model. And these snapshots should include information about how many training steps have already been performed. The definition of the gradient descent optimizer is simple. We provide the learning rate and tell the optimizer which variable it is supposed to minimize. In addition, the optimizer automatically increments the global_step parameter with every iteration. Measuring Performance: evaluation() The calculation of the model’s accuracy is the same as in the softmax case: we compare the model’s predictions with true labels and calculate the frequency of how often the prediction is correct. We’re also interested in how the accuracy evolves over time, so we’re adding a summary operation which keeps track of the value of accuracy . We’ll cover this in the section about TensorBoard. To summarize what we have done so far, we have defined the behavior of a 2-layer artificial neural network using 4 functions: inference() constitutes the forward pass through the network and returns class scores. loss() compares predicted and true class scores and generates a loss value. training() performs a training step and optimizes the model’s internal parameters and evaluation() measures the performance of our model. Running the Neural Network Now that the neural network is defined, let’s look at how run_fc_model.py runs, trains and evaluates the model. After the obligatory imports we’re defining the model parameters as external flags. TensorFlow has its own module for command line parameters, which is a thin wrapper around Python’s argparse . We’re using it here for convenience, but you can just as well use argparse directly instead. In the first couple of lines, the various command line parameters are being defined. The parameters for each flag are the flag’s name, its default value and a short description. Executing the file with the -h flag displays these descriptions. The second block of lines calls the function which actually parses the command line parameters. Then the values of all parameters are printed to the screen. Here we define constants for the number of pixels per image (32 x 32 x 3) and the number of different image categories. Then we start measuring the runtime by creating a timer. We want to log some info about the training process and use TensorBoard to display that info. TensorBoard requires the logs for each run to be in a separate directory, so we’re adding date and time info to the name of the log directory. load_data() loads the CIFAR-10 data and returns a dictionary containing separate training and test datasets. Generate the TensorFlow Graph We’re defining TensorFlow placeholders. When performing the actual calculations, these will be filled with training/testing data. The images_placeholder has dimensions of batch size x pixels per image. A batch size of ‘None’ allows us to run the graph with different batch sizes (the batch size for training the net can be set via a command line parameter, but for testing we’re passing the whole test set as a single batch). The labels_placeholder is a vector of integer values containing the correct class label, one per image in the batch. Here we’re referencing the functions we covered earlier in two_layer_fc.py . inference() gets us from input data to class scores. gets us from input data to class scores. loss() calculates a loss value from class scores. calculates a loss value from class scores. training() performs a single training step. performs a single training step. evaluation() calculates the accuracy of the network. Defines a summary operation for TensorBoard (covered here). Generates a saver object to save the model’s state at checkpoints (covered here). We start the TensorFlow session and immediately initialize all variables. Then we create a summary writer which we will use to periodically save log information to disk. These lines are responsible for generating batches of input data. Let’s pretend we have 100 training images and a batch size of 10. In the softmax example we just picked 10 random images for each iteration. This means that after 10 iterations each image will have been picked once on average(!). But in fact some images will have been picked multiple times while some images haven’t been part of any batch so far. As long as you repeat this often enough, it’s not that terrible that randomness causes some images to be part of the training batches somewhat more often than others. But this time we want to improve the sampling process. What we do is we first shuffle the 100 images of the training dataset. The first 10 images of the shuffled data are our first batch, the next 10 images are our second batch and so forth. After 10 batches we’re at the end of our dataset and the process starts again. We shuffle the data another time and run through it from front to back. This guarantees that no image is being picked more often than any other while still ensuring that the order in which the images are returned is random. In order to achieve this, the gen_batch() function in data_helpers() returns a Python generator , which returns the next batch each time it is evaluated. The details of how generators work are beyond the scope of this post (a good explanation can be found here). We’re using the Python’s built-in zip() function to generate a list of tuples of the from [(image1, label1), (image2, label2), ...] , which is then passed to our generator function. next(batches) returns the next batch of data. Since it’s still in the form of [(imageA, labelA), (imageB, labelB), ...] , we need to unzip it first to separate images from labels, before filling feed_dict , the dictionary containing the TensorFlow placeholders, with a single batch of training data. Every 100 iterations the model’s current accuracy is evaluated and printed to the screen. In addition, the summary operation is being run and its results are added to the summary_writer which is responsible for writing the summaries to disk. From there they can be read and displayed by TensorBoard (see this section). This line runs the train_step operation (defined previously to call two_layer_fc.training() , which contains the actual instructions for the optimization of the variables). When training a model takes a longer period of time, there is an easy way to save a snapshot of your progress. This allows you to come back later and restore the model in exactly the same state. All you need to do is to create a tf.train.Saver object (we did that earlier) and then call its save() method every time you want to take a snapshot. Restoring a model is just as easy, just call the saver’s restore() method. There is a working code example showing how to do this in the file restore_model.py in the github repository. After the training is finished, the final model is evaluated on the test set (remember, the test set contains data that the model has not seen so far, allowing us to judge how well the model is able to generalize to new data). Results Let’s run the model with the default parameters via “ python run_fc_model.py ”. My output looks like this: Parameters: batch_size = 400 hidden1 = 120 learning_rate = 0.001 max_steps = 2000 reg_constant = 0.1 train_dir = tf_logs Step 0, training accuracy 0.09 Step 100, training accuracy 0.2675 Step 200, training accuracy 0.3925 Step 300, training accuracy 0.41 Step 400, training accuracy 0.4075 Step 500, training accuracy 0.44 Step 600, training accuracy 0.455 Step 700, training accuracy 0.44 Step 800, training accuracy 0.48 Step 900, training accuracy 0.51 Saved checkpoint Step 1000, training accuracy 0.4425 Step 1100, training accuracy 0.5075 Step 1200, training accuracy 0.4925 Step 1300, training accuracy 0.5025 Step 1400, training accuracy 0.5775 Step 1500, training accuracy 0.515 Step 1600, training accuracy 0.4925 Step 1700, training accuracy 0.56 Step 1800, training accuracy 0.5375 Step 1900, training accuracy 0.51 Saved checkpoint Test accuracy 0.4633 Total time: 97.54s We can see that the training accuracy starts at a level we would expect from guessing randomly (10 classes -> 10% chance of picking the correct one). Over the first about 1000 iterations the accuracy increases to around 50% and fluctuates around that value for the next 1000 iterations. The test accuracy of 46% is not much lower than the training accuracy. This indicates that our model is not significantly overfitted. The performance of the softmax classifier was around 30%, so 46% is an improvement of about 50%. Not bad! Visualization with TensorBoard TensorBoard allows you to visualize different aspects of your TensorFlow graphs and is very useful for debugging and improving your networks. Let’s look at the TensorBoard-related lines of code spread throughout the codebase. In two_layer_fc.py we find the following: Each of these three lines creates a summary operation. By defining a summary operation you tell TensorFlow that you are interested in collecting summary information from certain tensors ( logits , loss and accuracy in our case). The other parameter for the summary operation is just a label you want to attach to the summary. There are different kinds of summary operations. We’re using scalar_summary to record information about scalar (non-vector) values and histogram_summary to collect info about a distribution of multiple values (more info about the various summary operations can be found in the TensorFlow docs). In run_fc_model.py the following lines are relevant for the TensorBoard visualization: An operation in TensorFlow doesn’t run by itself, you need to either call it directly or call another operation which depends on it. Since we don’t want to call each summary operation individually each time we want to collect summary information, we’re using tf.merge_all_summaries to create a single operation which runs all our summaries. During the initialization of the TensorFlow session we’re creating a summary writer. The summary writer is responsible for actually writing summary data to disk. In its constructor we supply logdir , the directory where we want the logs to be written. The optional graph argument tells TensorBoard to render a display of the whole TensorFlow graph. Every 100 iterations we execute the merged summary operation and feed the results to the summary writer which writes them to disk. To view the results we run TensorBoard via “ tensorboard --logdir=tf_logs ” and open localhost:6006 in a web browser. In the “Events”-tab we can see how the network’s loss decreases and how its accuracy increases over time. TensorBoard charts displaying the model’s loss and accuracy over a training run. The “Graphs”-tab shows a visualization of the TensorFlow graph we have defined. You can interactively rearrange it until you’re satisfied with how it looks. I think the following image shows the structure of our network pretty well. TensorBoard displays the TensorBoard graph in an interactive visualization. In the “Distribution”- and “Histograms”-tabs you can explore the results of the tf.histogram_summary operation we attached to logits , but I won’t go into further details here. More info can be found in the relevant section of the offical TensorFlow documentation. Further Improvements Maybe you’re thinking that training the softmax classifier took a lot less computation time than training the neural network. While that’s true, even if we kept training the softmax classifier as long as it took the neural network to train, it wouldn’t reach the same performance. The longer you train a model, the smaller the additional gains get and after a certain point the performance improvement is miniscule. We’ve reached this point with the neural network too. Additional training time would not improve the accuracy significantly anymore. There’s something else we could do though: The default parameter values are chosen to be pretty ok, but there is some room for improvement left. By varying parameters such as the number of neurons in the hidden layer or the learning rate, we should be able to improve the model’s accuracy some more. A testing accuracy greater than 50% should definitely be possible with this model with some further optimization. Although I would be very surprised if this model could be tuned to reach 65% or more. But there’s another type of network architecture for which such an accuracy is easily doable: convolutional neural networks. These are a class of neural networks which are not fully connected. Instead they try to make sense of local features in their input, which is very useful for analyzing images. It intuitively makes a lot of sense to take spatial information into account when looking at images. In part 3 of this series we will see the principles of how convolutional neural networks work and build one ourselves. Stay tuned for part 3 on convolutional neural networks and thanks a lot for reading! I’m happy about any feedback you might have! aYou can also check out other articles I’ve written on my blog.

https://medium.com/free-code-camp/how-to-build-a-simple-image-recognition-system-with-tensorflow-part-2-c83348b33bce

['Wolfgang Beyer']

2017-02-18 05:12:54.230000+00:00

['Machine Learning', 'Python', 'TensorFlow', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Image Processing']

Title Build Simple Image Recognition System TensorFlow Part 2Content second part introduction building image recognition system TensorFlow first part built softmax classifier label image CIFAR10 dataset achieved accuracy around 25–30 Since 10 different equally likely category labeling image randomly we’d expect accuracy 10 we’re already lot better random there’s still plenty room improvement post I’ll describe build neural network performs task Let’s see much increase prediction accuracy Neural Networks Neural network loosely based biological brain work consist number artificial neuron process multiple incoming signal return single output signal output signal used input signal neuron Let’s take look individual neuron artificial neuron output result ReLU function weighted sum input happens single neuron similar happens softmax classifier vector input value vector weight weight neuron’s internal parameter input vector weight vector contain number value use calculate weighted sum far we’re exactly calculation softmax classifier come little twist long result weighted sum positive value neuron’s output value weighted sum negative value ignore negative value neuron generates output 0 instead operation called Rectified Linear Unit ReLU Rectified Linear Unit defined fx max0 x reason using ReLU creates nonlinearity neuron’s output strictly linear combination weighted sum input anymore We’ll see useful stop looking individual neuron instead look whole network neuron artificial neural network usually connected randomly time arranged layer artificial neural network 2 layer hidden output layer input considered layer since feed data without transforming first proper layer Image part Wikimedia Commons taken input image’s pixel value input network’s first layer neuron output neuron layer 1 input neuron layer 2 forth reason nonlinearity important Without ReLU layer would sequence weighted sum stacked weighted sum merged single weighted sum multiple layer would give u improvement single layer network Introducing ReLU nonlinearity solves problem additional layer really add something network network’s final layer’s output value interested score image category network architecture neuron connected neuron previous layer therefore kind network called fully connected network shall see Part 3 Tutorial necessarily always case that’s already end brief part theory neural network Let’s get started building one Code full code example available Github requires TensorFlow CIFAR10 dataset see Part 1 install prerequisite you’ve made way previous blog post you’ll see code neural network classifier pretty similar code softmax classifier addition switching part code defines model I’ve added couple small feature show thing TensorFlow Regularization common technique prevent overfitting model work applying counterforce optimization process aim keep model simple Visualization model TensorBoard TensorBoard included TensorFlow allows generate chart graph model data generated model help analyzing model especially useful debugging Checkpoints feature allows save current state model later use Training model take quite it’s essential start scratch time want use code split two file time there’s twolayerfcpy defines model runfcmodelpy run model case you’re wondering ‘fc’ stand fully connected 2Layer Fully Connected Neural Network Let’s look model first deal running training later twolayerfcpy contains following function inference get u input data class score get u input data class score loss calculates loss value class score calculates loss value class score training performs single training step performs single training step evaluation calculates accuracy network Generating Class Scores inference inference describes forward pas network class score calculated starting input image image parameter TensorFlow placeholder containing actual image data next three parameter describe shapesize network imagepixels number pixel per input image class number different output label hiddenunits number neuron firsthidden layer network neuron take value previous layer input generates single output value neuron hidden layer therefore imagepixels input layer whole generates hiddenunits output fed class neuron output layer generate class output value one score per class regconstant regularization constant TensorFlow allows u add regularization network easily handling calculation automatically I’ll go bit detail get loss function Since neural network 2 similar layer we’ll define separate scope allows u reuse variable name scope bias variable defined way already know using tfVariable definition weight variable bit involved use tfgetvariable allows u add regularization weight matrix dimension imagepixels hiddenunits input vector size x output vector size initializer parameter describes weight variable’s initial value we’ve initialized variable 0 wouldn’t work Think neuron single layer receive exactly input value internal parameter well would make calculation output value avoid need randomize initial weight use initialization scheme usually work well weight initialized normally distributed value drop value 2 standard deviation mean standard deviation set inverse square root number input pixel Luckily TensorFlow handle detail u need specify want use truncatednormalinitializer exactly want final parameter weight variable regularizer point tell TensorFlow want use L2regularization weight variable I’ll cover regularization create first layer’s output multiply image matrix weight matrix witch add bias variable exactly softmax classifier previous blog post apply tfnnrelu ReLU function arrive hidden layer’s output Layer 2 similar layer 1 number input hiddenunits number output class Therefore dimension weight matrix hiddenunits class Since final layer network there’s need ReLU anymore arrive class score logits multiplying input hidden weight adding bias summary operation tfhistogramsummary allows u record value logits variable later analysis TensorBoard I’ll cover later sum inference function whole take input image return class score That’s trained classifier need order arrive trained classifier first need measure good class score That’s job loss function Calculating Loss loss First calculate crossentropy logits model’s output label correct label training dataset whole loss function softmax classifier time want use regularization add another term loss Let’s take step back first look want achieve using regularization Overfitting Regularization statistical model capture random noise data trained instead true underlying relationship called overfitting red blue circle represent two different class green line represents overfitted model whereas black line represents model good fit Image part Wikimedia Commons taken image two different class represented blue red circle green line overfitted classifier follows training data perfectly also heavily dependent likely handle unseen data worse black line represents regularized model goal regularization arrive simple model without unnecessary complication different way achieve option choosing called L2regularization L2regularization add sum square weight network loss function corresponds heavy penalty model using big weight small penalty model using small weight That’s used regularizer parameter defining weight assigned l2regularizer tell TensorFlow keep track L2regularization term weigh parameter regconstant variable regularization term added collection called tfGraphKeysREGULARIZATIONLOSSES loss function access add sum regularization loss previously calculated crossentropy arrive total loss model Optimizing Variables training globalstep scalar variable keep track many training iteration already performed repeatedly running model training loop already know value It’s iteration variable loop reason we’re adding value directly TensorFlow graph want able take snapshot model snapshot include information many training step already performed definition gradient descent optimizer simple provide learning rate tell optimizer variable supposed minimize addition optimizer automatically increment globalstep parameter every iteration Measuring Performance evaluation calculation model’s accuracy softmax case compare model’s prediction true label calculate frequency often prediction correct We’re also interested accuracy evolves time we’re adding summary operation keep track value accuracy We’ll cover section TensorBoard summarize done far defined behavior 2layer artificial neural network using 4 function inference constitutes forward pas network return class score loss compare predicted true class score generates loss value training performs training step optimizes model’s internal parameter evaluation measure performance model Running Neural Network neural network defined let’s look runfcmodelpy run train evaluates model obligatory import we’re defining model parameter external flag TensorFlow module command line parameter thin wrapper around Python’s argparse We’re using convenience well use argparse directly instead first couple line various command line parameter defined parameter flag flag’s name default value short description Executing file h flag display description second block line call function actually par command line parameter value parameter printed screen define constant number pixel per image 32 x 32 x 3 number different image category start measuring runtime creating timer want log info training process use TensorBoard display info TensorBoard requires log run separate directory we’re adding date time info name log directory loaddata load CIFAR10 data return dictionary containing separate training test datasets Generate TensorFlow Graph We’re defining TensorFlow placeholder performing actual calculation filled trainingtesting data imagesplaceholder dimension batch size x pixel per image batch size ‘None’ allows u run graph different batch size batch size training net set via command line parameter testing we’re passing whole test set single batch labelsplaceholder vector integer value containing correct class label one per image batch we’re referencing function covered earlier twolayerfcpy inference get u input data class score get u input data class score loss calculates loss value class score calculates loss value class score training performs single training step performs single training step evaluation calculates accuracy network Defines summary operation TensorBoard covered Generates saver object save model’s state checkpoint covered start TensorFlow session immediately initialize variable create summary writer use periodically save log information disk line responsible generating batch input data Let’s pretend 100 training image batch size 10 softmax example picked 10 random image iteration mean 10 iteration image picked average fact image picked multiple time image haven’t part batch far long repeat often enough it’s terrible randomness cause image part training batch somewhat often others time want improve sampling process first shuffle 100 image training dataset first 10 image shuffled data first batch next 10 image second batch forth 10 batch we’re end dataset process start shuffle data another time run front back guarantee image picked often still ensuring order image returned random order achieve genbatch function datahelpers return Python generator return next batch time evaluated detail generator work beyond scope post good explanation found We’re using Python’s builtin zip function generate list tuples image1 label1 image2 label2 passed generator function nextbatches return next batch data Since it’s still form imageA labelA imageB labelB need unzip first separate image label filling feeddict dictionary containing TensorFlow placeholder single batch training data Every 100 iteration model’s current accuracy evaluated printed screen addition summary operation run result added summarywriter responsible writing summary disk read displayed TensorBoard see section line run trainstep operation defined previously call twolayerfctraining contains actual instruction optimization variable training model take longer period time easy way save snapshot progress allows come back later restore model exactly state need create tftrainSaver object earlier call save method every time want take snapshot Restoring model easy call saver’s restore method working code example showing file restoremodelpy github repository training finished final model evaluated test set remember test set contains data model seen far allowing u judge well model able generalize new data Results Let’s run model default parameter via “ python runfcmodelpy ” output look like Parameters batchsize 400 hidden1 120 learningrate 0001 maxsteps 2000 regconstant 01 traindir tflogs Step 0 training accuracy 009 Step 100 training accuracy 02675 Step 200 training accuracy 03925 Step 300 training accuracy 041 Step 400 training accuracy 04075 Step 500 training accuracy 044 Step 600 training accuracy 0455 Step 700 training accuracy 044 Step 800 training accuracy 048 Step 900 training accuracy 051 Saved checkpoint Step 1000 training accuracy 04425 Step 1100 training accuracy 05075 Step 1200 training accuracy 04925 Step 1300 training accuracy 05025 Step 1400 training accuracy 05775 Step 1500 training accuracy 0515 Step 1600 training accuracy 04925 Step 1700 training accuracy 056 Step 1800 training accuracy 05375 Step 1900 training accuracy 051 Saved checkpoint Test accuracy 04633 Total time 9754s see training accuracy start level would expect guessing randomly 10 class 10 chance picking correct one first 1000 iteration accuracy increase around 50 fluctuates around value next 1000 iteration test accuracy 46 much lower training accuracy indicates model significantly overfitted performance softmax classifier around 30 46 improvement 50 bad Visualization TensorBoard TensorBoard allows visualize different aspect TensorFlow graph useful debugging improving network Let’s look TensorBoardrelated line code spread throughout codebase twolayerfcpy find following three line creates summary operation defining summary operation tell TensorFlow interested collecting summary information certain tensor logits loss accuracy case parameter summary operation label want attach summary different kind summary operation We’re using scalarsummary record information scalar nonvector value histogramsummary collect info distribution multiple value info various summary operation found TensorFlow doc runfcmodelpy following line relevant TensorBoard visualization operation TensorFlow doesn’t run need either call directly call another operation depends Since don’t want call summary operation individually time want collect summary information we’re using tfmergeallsummaries create single operation run summary initialization TensorFlow session we’re creating summary writer summary writer responsible actually writing summary data disk constructor supply logdir directory want log written optional graph argument tell TensorBoard render display whole TensorFlow graph Every 100 iteration execute merged summary operation feed result summary writer writes disk view result run TensorBoard via “ tensorboard logdirtflogs ” open localhost6006 web browser “Events”tab see network’s loss decrease accuracy increase time TensorBoard chart displaying model’s loss accuracy training run “Graphs”tab show visualization TensorFlow graph defined interactively rearrange you’re satisfied look think following image show structure network pretty well TensorBoard display TensorBoard graph interactive visualization “Distribution” “Histograms”tabs explore result tfhistogramsummary operation attached logits won’t go detail info found relevant section offical TensorFlow documentation Improvements Maybe you’re thinking training softmax classifier took lot le computation time training neural network that’s true even kept training softmax classifier long took neural network train wouldn’t reach performance longer train model smaller additional gain get certain point performance improvement miniscule We’ve reached point neural network Additional training time would improve accuracy significantly anymore There’s something else could though default parameter value chosen pretty ok room improvement left varying parameter number neuron hidden layer learning rate able improve model’s accuracy testing accuracy greater 50 definitely possible model optimization Although would surprised model could tuned reach 65 there’s another type network architecture accuracy easily doable convolutional neural network class neural network fully connected Instead try make sense local feature input useful analyzing image intuitively make lot sense take spatial information account looking image part 3 series see principle convolutional neural network work build one Stay tuned part 3 convolutional neural network thanks lot reading I’m happy feedback might aYou also check article I’ve written blogTags Machine Learning Python TensorFlow Artificial Intelligence Image Processing

How to Build a No Code Startup Around Your MVP

How to Build a No Code Startup Around Your MVP You don’t have to spend a fortune to build out your company, yet Why do some successful startups scale smoothly while others flail and eventually fail? In the early days of any company — the minimum viable product days — it’s a miracle just to get a working version of your product into a customer’s hands. So what happens when you eventually wind up delivering a lot of product to a lot of customers — but you’re still recording all your information on sticky notes? Or whatever the 2020 equivalent of a sticky note might be? When I founded my first startup 20 years ago, one of the first things I did was build a system to keep track of every data point of my business. Today, I can accomplish the same thing, but with No Code options, which means I no longer need to spend dozens of hours reinventing wheels when I should be spending that time building a better product and selling more of it. You don’t have to build a proprietary system or spend a fortune on SaaS solutions in order to scale. Not yet. Here’s how to get started with No Code options for tracking the most important growth aspects of your business. Why you need to track the growth of your business It’s never been easier to start a company, and it’s never been easier to create a working product or market a new service. The options for building a sustainable business are nearly unlimited. But that lowering-of-the-bar comes with a downside — I see a lot of newly-formed companies skipping those unlimited options altogether. In fact, I recently polled my Teaching Startup entrepreneurs about how they were monitoring the health of their business. These are serious, revenue-generating, early-to-growth-phase entrepreneurs, and their answers, on the scale from most ideal to least, was not as ideal as I would have assumed. Almost half of these startups are only tracking sales (the 2020 equivalent of the sticky notes option). This is understandable, of course, and not a big problem. Yet. That’s going to come later. To illustrate the impending spiral, I like to use the example of a well-financed startup I consulted for a long time ago. When I got there, the company was generating $6 million a month in revenue, and burning $7 million a month to do it. Not a rarity for a startup, for sure. The problem was, everyone knew this was happening and no one knew how to stop it, because no one had a handle on costs and how costs and revenues broke down over customers. Costs kept rising faster than revenue. They burned through all the investor money and never recovered. An ounce of preparation is worth months, maybe years, of painful, cash-burning cure. Here’s what you should be thinking about from the get go. Customers There are a lot of ways to track your customers and prospects. Here are just a few examples: CRM software like Salesforce. Marketing management software like Hubspot. Payment software like Stripe. Accounting software like Quickbooks. Chances are you are already using one or more of these systems and hopefully tracking your customers individually in at least one. In fact, the problem most startups have is that they usually have multiple copies of a customer across several systems. What every startup needs is a system of record for customers. This is one single source list that tracks them from initial prospect through conversion and until they leave you forever. What most startups do instead is choose one of their customer databases from the list above, and call that their system of record. That’s not a terrible option, but I don’t recommend it. First of all, your customers are YOUR customers. They’re not Salesforce’s, they’re not Hubspot’s, and they’re not Stripe’s. And depending on what software you’re using, your customer data in that system might not 100% belong to you or be 100% accessible outside of that system. If you are using someone else’s database as your system of record, make sure it has the ability to create and update multiple custom fields. Also make sure it has an export/import function, so you can bring that data into a spreadsheet whenever you want, make mass changes, and import those changes back in. The lowly but powerful spreadsheet It’s OK to use a spreadsheet as your system of record. You can either create it as the result of an export from another system or create it manually. Each customer in your system of record should have a unique ID that you generate — don’t use Hubspot’s ID, don’t use Stripe’s ID. Having this data in a spreadsheet is extra work, of course, especially if your company is B2C and selling to hundreds of customers per day — this is why your other systems need an import/export option. What your system of record allows you to do is pull in data from other systems, so you can analyze how marketing is increasing sales, how sales is triggering discounts from suppliers, how suppliers are raising costs in support, and so on. Once all the data (or most of it) is in a spreadsheet, you can run all kinds of analysis to monitor the health of your business and keep it growing. So where is the rest of that data coming from? Marketing I’m going to poke conventional wisdom here, but in the beginning, you do not need a lot of data tracking around digital marketing until the numbers start to produce a sustained impact on sales. Most young startups aren’t remarketing, they’re not A/B testing, and they can usually count conversions manually. There’s little need to go all-in on software to do that counting at the customer level. So until you can prove causation between a marketing campaign and a rise in sales, focus on aggregate, not granular, marketing data. Make another spreadsheet — this time you’ll be correlating aggregate marketing activity to aggregate sales generated. In other words, if you spend $100 on a digital ad campaign, track how much that bumped sales. Why another spreadsheet? Because in most cases, getting the truth between one system that does your marketing and another system that tracks your sales is like deciphering hieroglyphics. But also, your business is probably different enough from every other business on the planet that the default connections between those systems will result in numbers but no insights. That said, I can use those systems, if I have access to them, to analyze cause and effect. If I can pull a customer from an ad campaign and see what I had to do to land them and what they did once they got to me, that can be super-helpful. But again, early on, that kind of analysis should be reactive, not proactive. Sales Money never changes hands without some kind of digital record being created. Plug into this digital record and tie that revenue back to your system of record for customers. The key here is to keep this data as real-time as possible. Again, most startups do their “banking” once a week or even once a month. I don’t like to do banking at all, and my accountant will tell you that the thing I’m worst at is accounting. Just about every bank’s digital offering, as well as every credit card processor and every flavor of accounting software on the market today, will allow an almost seamless connection and update to other systems. If you don’t have an accountant, or even if you do, get some free or cheap accounting software with an import/export ability, and routinely get a sense of where your money is coming from and where it’s going. This software can serve as the system of record for sales and costs. Again, being able to import into your accounting system from your spreadsheet — your system of record for customers — is going to cut way down on your “banking” time, as well as keep you on at least a daily monitoring cycle of the health of your business, if not real-time. Automation Speaking of real-time, let’s talk about Zapier. In cases where I don’t have automatic updates between systems, I can use Zapier to automate those updates for me. So when I make a sale (in Stripe), my marketing system (MailChimp) gets updated. But what’s even better is that Zapier can update my spreadsheets too. This means I can be running constant analysis on my business, conduct experiments, and let the results store themselves in real time so I can analyze them when I’m ready without a lot of prep. Communications And finally, let’s talk about Slack. If I’m real time with my data, or even when I’m not, there are certain situations where real time notification and communication is critical. Slack is more than an instant messaging tool for your team, it’s an instant messaging tool between your team and your data. When I pair Slack with Zapier, not only will my systems know when I’ve made a sale, but my sales, customer success, and support teams will too. And if something’s not right, they can all gather in the same place, immediately, without leaving where they are. All this and I’m not spending thousands of dollars on a custom data infrastructure and monitoring system. Yet. This is all temporary, but it’s also permanent Of course, you’re going to pretty quickly outgrow the free-to-use variants of these no code tools. Eventually, the unique needs of your business model will even push you past the capabilities of the paid versions of these tools. Not only that, but I’m willing to bet your spreadsheets will become a heated, unusable mess before the latter happens. So yes, you’ll have to ditch all this duct-tape mess at some point. But here’s the thing. 20 years ago when I sat down to create my custom systems, the hardest part was figuring out how to build them to suit the unique needs of the business I was creating. When it’s time to build your own custom system, you’ll not only have figured out exactly what kind of data structure you need, you’ll have an initial set of data that goes almost all the way back to the beginning. And it won’t all be on sticky notes. Hey! If you found this post actionable or insightful, please consider signing up for my newsletter at joeprocopio.com so you don’t miss any new posts. It’s short and to the point.

https://jproco.medium.com/how-to-build-a-no-code-startup-around-your-mvp-b1296a650a5e

['Joe Procopio']

2020-07-27 11:38:29.359000+00:00

['Product Management', 'Business', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Startup', 'Productivity']

Title Build Code Startup Around MVPContent Build Code Startup Around MVP don’t spend fortune build company yet successful startup scale smoothly others flail eventually fail early day company — minimum viable product day — it’s miracle get working version product customer’s hand happens eventually wind delivering lot product lot customer — you’re still recording information sticky note whatever 2020 equivalent sticky note might founded first startup 20 year ago one first thing build system keep track every data point business Today accomplish thing Code option mean longer need spend dozen hour reinventing wheel spending time building better product selling don’t build proprietary system spend fortune SaaS solution order scale yet Here’s get started Code option tracking important growth aspect business need track growth business It’s never easier start company it’s never easier create working product market new service option building sustainable business nearly unlimited loweringofthebar come downside — see lot newlyformed company skipping unlimited option altogether fact recently polled Teaching Startup entrepreneur monitoring health business serious revenuegenerating earlytogrowthphase entrepreneur answer scale ideal least ideal would assumed Almost half startup tracking sale 2020 equivalent sticky note option understandable course big problem Yet That’s going come later illustrate impending spiral like use example wellfinanced startup consulted long time ago got company generating 6 million month revenue burning 7 million month rarity startup sure problem everyone knew happening one knew stop one handle cost cost revenue broke customer Costs kept rising faster revenue burned investor money never recovered ounce preparation worth month maybe year painful cashburning cure Here’s thinking get go Customers lot way track customer prospect example CRM software like Salesforce Marketing management software like Hubspot Payment software like Stripe Accounting software like Quickbooks Chances already using one system hopefully tracking customer individually least one fact problem startup usually multiple copy customer across several system every startup need system record customer one single source list track initial prospect conversion leave forever startup instead choose one customer database list call system record That’s terrible option don’t recommend First customer customer They’re Salesforce’s they’re Hubspot’s they’re Stripe’s depending software you’re using customer data system might 100 belong 100 accessible outside system using someone else’s database system record make sure ability create update multiple custom field Also make sure exportimport function bring data spreadsheet whenever want make mass change import change back lowly powerful spreadsheet It’s OK use spreadsheet system record either create result export another system create manually customer system record unique ID generate — don’t use Hubspot’s ID don’t use Stripe’s ID data spreadsheet extra work course especially company B2C selling hundred customer per day — system need importexport option system record allows pull data system analyze marketing increasing sale sale triggering discount supplier supplier raising cost support data spreadsheet run kind analysis monitor health business keep growing rest data coming Marketing I’m going poke conventional wisdom beginning need lot data tracking around digital marketing number start produce sustained impact sale young startup aren’t remarketing they’re AB testing usually count conversion manually There’s little need go allin software counting customer level prove causation marketing campaign rise sale focus aggregate granular marketing data Make another spreadsheet — time you’ll correlating aggregate marketing activity aggregate sale generated word spend 100 digital ad campaign track much bumped sale another spreadsheet case getting truth one system marketing another system track sale like deciphering hieroglyphic also business probably different enough every business planet default connection system result number insight said use system access analyze cause effect pull customer ad campaign see land got superhelpful early kind analysis reactive proactive Sales Money never change hand without kind digital record created Plug digital record tie revenue back system record customer key keep data realtime possible startup “banking” week even month don’t like banking accountant tell thing I’m worst accounting every bank’s digital offering well every credit card processor every flavor accounting software market today allow almost seamless connection update system don’t accountant even get free cheap accounting software importexport ability routinely get sense money coming it’s going software serve system record sale cost able import accounting system spreadsheet — system record customer — going cut way “banking” time well keep least daily monitoring cycle health business realtime Automation Speaking realtime let’s talk Zapier case don’t automatic update system use Zapier automate update make sale Stripe marketing system MailChimp get updated what’s even better Zapier update spreadsheet mean running constant analysis business conduct experiment let result store real time analyze I’m ready without lot prep Communications finally let’s talk Slack I’m real time data even I’m certain situation real time notification communication critical Slack instant messaging tool team it’s instant messaging tool team data pair Slack Zapier system know I’ve made sale sale customer success support team something’s right gather place immediately without leaving I’m spending thousand dollar custom data infrastructure monitoring system Yet temporary it’s also permanent course you’re going pretty quickly outgrow freetouse variant code tool Eventually unique need business model even push past capability paid version tool I’m willing bet spreadsheet become heated unusable mess latter happens yes you’ll ditch ducttape mess point here’s thing 20 year ago sat create custom system hardest part figuring build suit unique need business creating it’s time build custom system you’ll figured exactly kind data structure need you’ll initial set data go almost way back beginning won’t sticky note Hey found post actionable insightful please consider signing newsletter joeprocopiocom don’t miss new post It’s short pointTags Product Management Business Entrepreneurship Startup Productivity

Ready, Set, Go — Making an Impact in Your First Few Months at Wish

Ready, Set, Go — Making an Impact in Your First Few Months at Wish A look into the first projects of 4 team members Image by Ruby Yeh With so many tech companies and tech workers in the Bay Area, it would be easy to get lost in the fold at another company. This is not the case at Wish, where each one of our 350 employees makes a huge impact. Although Wish is growing rapidly, we still retain a good deal of our startup company charm. Our relatively flat structure gives employees latitude to suggest ideas, and work closely with senior management to turn those ideas into reality. Every employee at Wish has a chance to make their mark, right from the get-go. Need proof? We asked four contributors at Wish about the first projects that they tackled when they came on board. If you’ve ever had a slow ramp-up at another company, their answers may surprise you. Lorna Product Designer What she has to say: “I came from a much bigger company. I was looking for a position with greater ownership and more responsibilities — as a designer, you want to be able to create and craft your own designs. Wish allows me to do that, to have my own voice. One of the first projects I worked on was redesigning the shopping cart. I requested the project and Wish allowed me to work on it. How many people can say they joined a company and were immediately able to work on such a key area of an app? When I started working on the shopping cart, it was not user-friendly. It was cluttered and it was difficult to process what you were seeing on the screen. The pricing, shipping, and billing information was arranged in such a way that it was overwhelming for the user. Overall I condensed information, removed unnecessary spacing, and prioritized what was important for the customer on the screen. In the end, I was able to let millions of users see my work, and over the course of a few months our Gross Merchandise Value went up 2%. It was great to see my hard work pay off.” Reni Platform Product Manager What he has to say: “One of my first projects was working on merchant growth, and how to make merchants successful on our platform. We used full funnel analysis and dashboards to measure [the merchant onboarding and sales process]. We tracked everything and used data to strategize. In the end, we were able to double the rate at which merchants got their first sale. I’m a quantitative guy, and I like that Wish is a data-driven company. Data allows employees to stay focused on the same goals and make decisions based on the same KPIs, even with their individual contributions. In terms of business transactions, Wish is a big company. But they have truly been able to keep the startup pace. At Wish, you enjoy the speed and full responsibility of your projects. You see the passion in everyone’s work. Wish should be proud of this — I haven’t seen this in comparable companies, ever.” Alireza Android Engineering Lead What he has to say: “One of the first projects I worked on was our rewards system a.k.a. our loyalty program. The program gave customer rewards for performing various actions on the site, which would later turn into discounts that could be applied to their future purchases. It was a fun way for users to stay engaged with the site, and become engaged in new ways. It was a major undertaking, and I worked on the project by myself as a newly-graduated engineer. It felt great to work on such a big task, and even better that the results were positive. Within a couple of weeks, there was a 2% increase in sales, a 2.5% increase in the number of unique buyers visiting the site, and a 2.5% increase in purchases completed. Over 2 years later, it is still one of our major features.” Image by Ruby Yeh Shiyu Growth Data Analyst Intern What he has to say: “Wish treats interns like they are regular full time employees. This was not always the case in other internships that I’ve had. Before, I might have trouble getting permission to work on large impactful projects. At Wish, you get a lot of freedom. You are welcome to propose different strategies and they will listen to you as long as your strategies make sense.” Image by Ruby Yeh This is just a peek into some of the exciting projects you will have the opportunity to work on as a part of Wish’s dynamic team. If you’re looking for a company where you can make a huge impact, check out our open positions here: https://jobs.lever.co/wish?lever-via=Te-nD12q0H

https://medium.com/wish-engineering/ready-set-go-making-an-impact-in-your-first-few-months-at-wish-4c0a2e8478c4

['Kristina Wang']

2018-02-22 23:39:46.872000+00:00

['Startup', 'Engineering', 'Design', 'Analytics', 'Product Management']

Title Ready Set Go — Making Impact First Months WishContent Ready Set Go — Making Impact First Months Wish look first project 4 team member Image Ruby Yeh many tech company tech worker Bay Area would easy get lost fold another company case Wish one 350 employee make huge impact Although Wish growing rapidly still retain good deal startup company charm relatively flat structure give employee latitude suggest idea work closely senior management turn idea reality Every employee Wish chance make mark right getgo Need proof asked four contributor Wish first project tackled came board you’ve ever slow rampup another company answer may surprise Lorna Product Designer say “I came much bigger company looking position greater ownership responsibility — designer want able create craft design Wish allows voice One first project worked redesigning shopping cart requested project Wish allowed work many people say joined company immediately able work key area app started working shopping cart userfriendly cluttered difficult process seeing screen pricing shipping billing information arranged way overwhelming user Overall condensed information removed unnecessary spacing prioritized important customer screen end able let million user see work course month Gross Merchandise Value went 2 great see hard work pay off” Reni Platform Product Manager say “One first project working merchant growth make merchant successful platform used full funnel analysis dashboard measure merchant onboarding sale process tracked everything used data strategize end able double rate merchant got first sale I’m quantitative guy like Wish datadriven company Data allows employee stay focused goal make decision based KPIs even individual contribution term business transaction Wish big company truly able keep startup pace Wish enjoy speed full responsibility project see passion everyone’s work Wish proud — haven’t seen comparable company ever” Alireza Android Engineering Lead say “One first project worked reward system aka loyalty program program gave customer reward performing various action site would later turn discount could applied future purchase fun way user stay engaged site become engaged new way major undertaking worked project newlygraduated engineer felt great work big task even better result positive Within couple week 2 increase sale 25 increase number unique buyer visiting site 25 increase purchase completed 2 year later still one major features” Image Ruby Yeh Shiyu Growth Data Analyst Intern say “Wish treat intern like regular full time employee always case internship I’ve might trouble getting permission work large impactful project Wish get lot freedom welcome propose different strategy listen long strategy make sense” Image Ruby Yeh peek exciting project opportunity work part Wish’s dynamic team you’re looking company make huge impact check open position httpsjobslevercowishleverviaTenD12q0HTags Startup Engineering Design Analytics Product Management

Teams don’t struggle with solving problems but figuring out what the problems are

Teams don’t struggle with solving problems but figuring out what the problems are. Table of Contents Summary Though many factors contribute to a project’s failure, nothing is more certain to cause a project to fail than solving the wrong problem or realizing too late that the problem was misunderstood. A common misconception is that identifying the right problem is an innate ability that only a select few visionaries like Henry Ford or Steve Jobs possess. Their quotes, “If I asked people what they wanted, they would say “a faster horse”, and, “Its really hard to design products by focus groups, as people don’t know what they want until you show it to them”, have propagated this myth. Identifying, analyzing and defining problems is a process and its accessible to anyone that is passionate about doing so. The rigor with which a problem is defined is the most important factor in finding a suitable solution. Founders and Organizations investing in projects don’t spend enough time defining the most important problem they’re attempting to solve. Many have considerable difficulty even identifying which problems are crucial to their missions and strategies. This results in too many pivots, shifting business requirements, missing deadlines and re-work as teams go back to the drawing board. This eventually results in schedule and budget overruns or project cancelation. Teams speed toward a solution, fearing that if they spend too much time defining the problem, they will lose the window of opportunity or get scolded by corporate leadership for taking too long to leave the starting line. Many times, projects go down the wrong path and end up implementing the wrong system. They discover too late, that they didn’t solve the “right problem”, or they didn’t solve the “whole problem”. They only realize in hindsight the right problem to focus on and which path to follow. Projects also fail when they start with the solution first. Often referred to as “Solutions in search for a problem”. This happens frequently when new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain come on the scene and teams are adamantly attached to building with it. Teams often end up shoe-horning problems instead of objectively evaluating the situation and using the right solution to solve it. Most teams are not proficient at articulating their problems clearly and concisely. They need to ask the right questions earlier and not start building solutions too soon. Teams need to get a lot better at: Identifying the right problem to solve Being sure the problem is worth solving Understanding who is affected and how Understanding the root causes of the problem and breaking down large problems into many smaller ones Asking why it hasn’t yet been solved and understanding the most difficult parts of the problem Defining the problem clearly and concisely Validating the economics — the costs, benefits and payback Asking how we will know when the problem is solved and whose opinions count Identify the right problem to solve Where do the ideas for the right problems (or opportunities) come from? Life is problematic and solving challenges is an integral part of our everyday lives. So ideas for problems are everywhere. Whilst there is no shortage of problems to find, there are limits on what we as individuals or corporations can take on. Therefore, the process starts with asking the right question — “What does the world want changed, that I am, or we are, passionate about solving and are uniquely qualified to tackle?” Simon Sinek puts this as “Do what inspires you”. Simon explains that to do what inspires, start with the “Why”. Start by understanding and explaining why the problem matters to you. If you can answer that question, you will not only inspire more people to use the solution, but you will also inspire yourself to get out of bed each morning and push through difficult tasks. Simon goes onto explain that searching for why the problem matters, requires you to examine the significant moments from your past to understand your why. This process also applies to corporations, who must look to their history so that they can understand why its important to their mission. Another less used, but powerful technique to gaining clarity on what matters to you is to write your own obituary or for a corporation, a bankruptcy filing. Although it sounds a bit macabre, writing your own ending, can be an excellent way to gain clarity on how you want to use your time. Be sure the problem is worth solving Not all problems can be solved viably. Some problems are not economical to solve because: The solution would cost more to build or sell than its benefits The solution would take too long to pay back the investors or the corporation. Some problems are not economical to solve right now, because the conditions for success are not yet ripe. But how can we predict if a problem is worth solving and the timing is right? Significant contributions on answering this question come from the Tech Startup Community — these insights also apply to problems faced by corporations. Problems are worth solving when they: Matter deeply to the founders (if it’s a Startup), or to a corporation’s mission Are useful to enough people And are: Growing or getting worse with time compared to other problems these people face Urgent and needs to be solved quickly Hard to solve and the people impacted don’t have good enough alternatives or the solution is not immediately obvious Mandatory and not just a nice to have Caused by changes in the environment Frequent and affects people often Understanding who is affected and how To analyze if a problem would be useful to enough people, you need to: Identify who and how many people might be impacted by this project the most or have influence over this project who and how many people might be impacted by this project the most or have influence over this project Prioritize the people based on their interest and influence the people based on their interest and influence Understand how they are impacted or how they will impact you Enterprise IT / transformation projects often refer to this analysis as “Stakeholder Analysis” and charts such as the one below is created to visualize the Power-Interest of each stakeholder. Source : https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newPPM_07.htm This area is well covered by multiple sources. Some of the notable ones are listed below: The Technology Startup community has a rich body of knowledge on finding potential users. Geoffrey Moore describes the various segments in his book “Crossing the Chasm”. The central idea of the book is that Startups should focus first finding innovators, then target early adopters and so fourth as the company matures. Crossing the chasm, by Geoffrey More Understand the root causes of the problem and break down large problems into many smaller ones Problems often start out “fuzzy” — vague, formless thoughts. A problem is fuzzy if the founders and project teams struggle to explain the problem concisely and precisely. Its often said, that if you cannot explain the problem you are working on to your partner or parents, you haven’t understood the problem well enough yourself. Root cause analysis is about digging beneath the surface understanding of a problem. The goal is look beyond trying to find one singular cause, and instead uncover the system, or network of causes. A Root Cause Network Map is a simple visual explanation of all the causes that contributed to the problem. Source : https://www.lucidchart.com/blog/root-cause-analysis 5 Whys This method encourages you to keep going deeper as you examine an issue. Ask “Why?” at least five times until you’ve uncovered all potential causal factors and determined the real reasons this problem occurred in the first place. 5 Fives is well established technique with detailed steps and tips. Using a root cause analysis, teams can break fuzzy large problems into multiple well-defined smaller pones. In doing so they can also identify the sources of a problem. This level of understanding will later help to implement permanent and lasting solutions. How to deal with complex root causes The root cause network map is often a simplified view of the true nature of the issue. Most real-world issues have a more far more complex causal chain. For example, the diagram below depicts the behavioral and societal factors that contribute to the cause of obesity. Analyzing the root cause when the causes are complex are covered by the complexity theory field of study. Teams facing complex causes should look to tools and techniques used by complexity analysts, such as graph analysis. Source: Government Office for Science 2017 Ask why it hasn’t yet been solved and understand the most difficult parts of the problem With a clearer view of the problem and the network of causes, teams can then ask these questions: “Why hasn’t each of the smaller problems been solved?” “Which of these smaller problems are the hardest to solve”? Difficult problems remain unsolved, generally because somewhere in the network of causes is a “Mini-Wicked problem” that’s hard to solve, because it is: Not economical to solve The problem is highly interconnected with too many other problems The technology doesn’t exist yet to effectively solve the problem No obvious solution exists If viable solutions cannot be found to these wicked problems, project failure is imminent. Define the scope of the problem Teams must solve a root cause completely and better than an alternative to be successful. However, teams often don’t have the resources to solve all the root causes of a problem. Therefore, teams must decide which of these ones they wish to undertake and include within the project. The list of root causes that the team chooses to include within a project is referred to as the “Scope” of the project. Various frameworks exist for defining the scope of the problem and teams must select one that works best for their situation. The Concise Scope Definition (“The Elevator Pitch”) This type of scope definition is a few sentences that describe: Current State — who is facing the issue, what is today’s reality, when, how and why, do they face the issue today The loss — the frequency and impact of that this issue is having on users today Ideal End State — the users experience once the problem is solved Example: Managers are spending 20% of their time each week receiving and compiling sales reports for upper management, reducing the number of hours spent on mentoring sales staff, lead generation, and closing business. This is a productivity issue, and ignoring it results in decreased sales and missed revenue targets over the past 3 months. XYZ Company is committed to reducing the time spent compiling reports to no more than 10% of the sales manager’s time in any week. Scope Modeling Frameworks Some scope definitions need more information to set the stage and define where the problem exists and which problem is being tackled. In such situations the problem definition often requires several pages, several PowerPoint slides, various diagrams or even more formal models. The scope definition must help explain the impacted Business units Business processes Business capabilities Data Applications Projects Infrastructure If the problem is a caused by a change in the external environment, the model may also need to explain: The Influencers — trends, competitors or legislations that are causing this change trends, competitors or legislations that are causing this change The SWOT — strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the business because of these external changes — strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the business because of these external changes The drivers — the main reasons why this is a problem and why it’s a problem now If the problem is a so severe that it requires the business to change direction or morph into a different business to survive, the problem definition may need to explain: The business model — the most fundamental building blocks of the business that are impacted such as Customer segments, Value proposition, Revenue streams, Channels the business uses to interact with customers, Customer relationships, Key activities, Key resources, Key partners, Cost structure Teams can refer to frameworks such as the business model canvas. This framework is also useful to Startups as they are often invent new business models. Validate the economics Teams often asked the question “How much will this project cost?”. Teams should resist responding only with the cost “this project will cost $1 Million” as it offers no frame of reference to understand if this cost is too high or just right. Teams need to get better at providing both the cost, the benefit and the return on investment — for example “This project will cost $1 Million, and will deliver $5 Million in Benefits over 3 years”. Even at the early stage of the project, teams should strive to envision ballpark return on investment figures. Creating business cases has been extensively written about. Some notable references include How will we know when the problem is solved and whose opinions count The big problem with assessing project success is that is no consistent way to define “project success.” There is a great deal of diversity in terms of what is considered as the project success criteria, and worse they change over time. Projects that struggle to define success or aim for moving targets, risk the odds that the project will be viewed as a failure in the end. Getting project success criteria is sometimes so hard, that a popular practice has simply been to ignore it. Many project teams never ask the two fundamental questions at the beginning of their projects: Who declares success? What are the criteria that will be used to determine success or failure? Project Management Institute has made significant contributions in this area and suggests that there are broadly two types of success criteria Project management success — the team’s ability to meet the projects budget and schedule and deliver a product of acceptable quality Product success — the outward view of success of such as revenue and customer adoption, customer satisfaction and so fourth. Whether the project will be judged more so by project management success or product success will largely dependent on the power-influence mix of the project’s stakeholders and if they are more focused on project management success or product success or some combination of the two. Conclusion Projects succeed when teams solve the right problem and solve the whole problem. To do this, teams must resist the urge to speed toward a solution, and spend more time upfront, identifying and defining the problem. To find the right problems, individuals and corporations must be selective in which problems they choose to take on. They should prioritize those that: Could have a big impact on people They are uniquely qualified to tackle Can be solved viably — i.e. the solution has greater benefits than the cost to build and sell it Have an acceptable pay back period for the investors or corporation. Teams must identify the users that will be impacted or have an influence over the success of the projects and assess if there are enough people that will benefit from this project to make it worthwhile. Root cause analysis is an essential step to help teams Break down fuzzy large problems into multiple well-defined smaller ones Identify and visualize the multiple causes of a problem. Before embarking on solution design, teams should Try to understand why the problem hasn’t yet been solved, and Where in the network of causes is the hardest part of the problem to solve. The list of root causes that the team chooses to include within a project is referred to as the “Scope” of the project. There are various frameworks for defining the scope of the problem and teams must select one that works best for their situation. Teams need to get better at Validating the project’s economics by understanding the cost, the benefits and the return on investment. Uncovering at an early stage, who declares success and what criteria will be used to determine success. Teams don’t struggle with solving problems but figuring out what the problems are. Identifying, analyzing and defining the problem is the key to project success. Einstein summarized it best by saying: “If I had an hour to solve a problem, I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions.” Reference

https://medium.com/swlh/solve-the-right-problems-c3992f7491a9

['Vasa Digital Architects']

2020-11-07 20:02:13.953000+00:00

['Technology', 'Design', 'Startup', 'Digital Marketing', 'Entrepreneurship']

Title Teams don’t struggle solving problem figuring problem areContent Teams don’t struggle solving problem figuring problem Table Contents Summary Though many factor contribute project’s failure nothing certain cause project fail solving wrong problem realizing late problem misunderstood common misconception identifying right problem innate ability select visionary like Henry Ford Steve Jobs posse quote “If asked people wanted would say “a faster horse” “Its really hard design product focus group people don’t know want show them” propagated myth Identifying analyzing defining problem process accessible anyone passionate rigor problem defined important factor finding suitable solution Founders Organizations investing project don’t spend enough time defining important problem they’re attempting solve Many considerable difficulty even identifying problem crucial mission strategy result many pivot shifting business requirement missing deadline rework team go back drawing board eventually result schedule budget overrun project cancelation Teams speed toward solution fearing spend much time defining problem lose window opportunity get scolded corporate leadership taking long leave starting line Many time project go wrong path end implementing wrong system discover late didn’t solve “right problem” didn’t solve “whole problem” realize hindsight right problem focus path follow Projects also fail start solution first Often referred “Solutions search problem” happens frequently new technology Artificial Intelligence Blockchain come scene team adamantly attached building Teams often end shoehorning problem instead objectively evaluating situation using right solution solve team proficient articulating problem clearly concisely need ask right question earlier start building solution soon Teams need get lot better Identifying right problem solve sure problem worth solving Understanding affected Understanding root cause problem breaking large problem many smaller one Asking hasn’t yet solved understanding difficult part problem Defining problem clearly concisely Validating economics — cost benefit payback Asking know problem solved whose opinion count Identify right problem solve idea right problem opportunity come Life problematic solving challenge integral part everyday life idea problem everywhere Whilst shortage problem find limit individual corporation take Therefore process start asking right question — “What world want changed passionate solving uniquely qualified tackle” Simon Sinek put “Do inspires you” Simon explains inspires start “Why” Start understanding explaining problem matter answer question inspire people use solution also inspire get bed morning push difficult task Simon go onto explain searching problem matter requires examine significant moment past understand process also applies corporation must look history understand important mission Another le used powerful technique gaining clarity matter write obituary corporation bankruptcy filing Although sound bit macabre writing ending excellent way gain clarity want use time sure problem worth solving problem solved viably problem economical solve solution would cost build sell benefit solution would take long pay back investor corporation problem economical solve right condition success yet ripe predict problem worth solving timing right Significant contribution answering question come Tech Startup Community — insight also apply problem faced corporation Problems worth solving Matter deeply founder it’s Startup corporation’s mission useful enough people Growing getting worse time compared problem people face Urgent need solved quickly Hard solve people impacted don’t good enough alternative solution immediately obvious Mandatory nice Caused change environment Frequent affect people often Understanding affected analyze problem would useful enough people need Identify many people might impacted project influence project many people might impacted project influence project Prioritize people based interest influence people based interest influence Understand impacted impact Enterprise transformation project often refer analysis “Stakeholder Analysis” chart one created visualize PowerInterest stakeholder Source httpswwwmindtoolscompagesarticlenewPPM07htm area well covered multiple source notable one listed Technology Startup community rich body knowledge finding potential user Geoffrey Moore describes various segment book “Crossing Chasm” central idea book Startups focus first finding innovator target early adopter fourth company matures Crossing chasm Geoffrey Understand root cause problem break large problem many smaller one Problems often start “fuzzy” — vague formless thought problem fuzzy founder project team struggle explain problem concisely precisely often said cannot explain problem working partner parent haven’t understood problem well enough Root cause analysis digging beneath surface understanding problem goal look beyond trying find one singular cause instead uncover system network cause Root Cause Network Map simple visual explanation cause contributed problem Source httpswwwlucidchartcomblogrootcauseanalysis 5 Whys method encourages keep going deeper examine issue Ask “Why” least five time you’ve uncovered potential causal factor determined real reason problem occurred first place 5 Fives well established technique detailed step tip Using root cause analysis team break fuzzy large problem multiple welldefined smaller pone also identify source problem level understanding later help implement permanent lasting solution deal complex root cause root cause network map often simplified view true nature issue realworld issue far complex causal chain example diagram depicts behavioral societal factor contribute cause obesity Analyzing root cause cause complex covered complexity theory field study Teams facing complex cause look tool technique used complexity analyst graph analysis Source Government Office Science 2017 Ask hasn’t yet solved understand difficult part problem clearer view problem network cause team ask question “Why hasn’t smaller problem solved” “Which smaller problem hardest solve” Difficult problem remain unsolved generally somewhere network cause “MiniWicked problem” that’s hard solve economical solve problem highly interconnected many problem technology doesn’t exist yet effectively solve problem obvious solution exists viable solution cannot found wicked problem project failure imminent Define scope problem Teams must solve root cause completely better alternative successful However team often don’t resource solve root cause problem Therefore team must decide one wish undertake include within project list root cause team chooses include within project referred “Scope” project Various framework exist defining scope problem team must select one work best situation Concise Scope Definition “The Elevator Pitch” type scope definition sentence describe Current State — facing issue today’s reality face issue today loss — frequency impact issue user today Ideal End State — user experience problem solved Example Managers spending 20 time week receiving compiling sale report upper management reducing number hour spent mentoring sale staff lead generation closing business productivity issue ignoring result decreased sale missed revenue target past 3 month XYZ Company committed reducing time spent compiling report 10 sale manager’s time week Scope Modeling Frameworks scope definition need information set stage define problem exists problem tackled situation problem definition often requires several page several PowerPoint slide various diagram even formal model scope definition must help explain impacted Business unit Business process Business capability Data Applications Projects Infrastructure problem caused change external environment model may also need explain Influencers — trend competitor legislation causing change trend competitor legislation causing change SWOT — strength weakness opportunity threat business external change — strength weakness opportunity threat business external change driver — main reason problem it’s problem problem severe requires business change direction morph different business survive problem definition may need explain business model — fundamental building block business impacted Customer segment Value proposition Revenue stream Channels business us interact customer Customer relationship Key activity Key resource Key partner Cost structure Teams refer framework business model canvas framework also useful Startups often invent new business model Validate economics Teams often asked question “How much project cost” Teams resist responding cost “this project cost 1 Million” offer frame reference understand cost high right Teams need get better providing cost benefit return investment — example “This project cost 1 Million deliver 5 Million Benefits 3 years” Even early stage project team strive envision ballpark return investment figure Creating business case extensively written notable reference include know problem solved whose opinion count big problem assessing project success consistent way define “project success” great deal diversity term considered project success criterion worse change time Projects struggle define success aim moving target risk odds project viewed failure end Getting project success criterion sometimes hard popular practice simply ignore Many project team never ask two fundamental question beginning project declares success criterion used determine success failure Project Management Institute made significant contribution area suggests broadly two type success criterion Project management success — team’s ability meet project budget schedule deliver product acceptable quality Product success — outward view success revenue customer adoption customer satisfaction fourth Whether project judged project management success product success largely dependent powerinfluence mix project’s stakeholder focused project management success product success combination two Conclusion Projects succeed team solve right problem solve whole problem team must resist urge speed toward solution spend time upfront identifying defining problem find right problem individual corporation must selective problem choose take prioritize Could big impact people uniquely qualified tackle solved viably — ie solution greater benefit cost build sell acceptable pay back period investor corporation Teams must identify user impacted influence success project ass enough people benefit project make worthwhile Root cause analysis essential step help team Break fuzzy large problem multiple welldefined smaller one Identify visualize multiple cause problem embarking solution design team Try understand problem hasn’t yet solved network cause hardest part problem solve list root cause team chooses include within project referred “Scope” project various framework defining scope problem team must select one work best situation Teams need get better Validating project’s economics understanding cost benefit return investment Uncovering early stage declares success criterion used determine success Teams don’t struggle solving problem figuring problem Identifying analyzing defining problem key project success Einstein summarized best saying “If hour solve problem I’d spend 55 minute thinking problem five minute thinking solutions” ReferenceTags Technology Design Startup Digital Marketing Entrepreneurship

NLP — Zero to Hero with Python and More!

NeurIPS, the largest conference in artificial intelligence, is currently underway, and it has over 20k people registered. If you are not registered and would like to access their goodies, please visit this public access version of the NeurIPS website. If you are into deep learning, we recommend you to check out this phenomenal tutorial by David Duvenaud, Zico Kolter, and Matt Johnson, which makes use of many tools such as Anderson acceleration, differential equations, neural nets, convex optimization, Jax, automatic differentiation and others, presented on NeurIPS. Next, we recommend you to check out this article titled “We read the paper that forced Timnit Gebru out of Google. Here’s what it says” by Karen Hao from MIT Technology Review, which gives a very insightful overview of what caused the departure of Timtit Gebru, co-lead ethical AI researcher from Google Brain. For those interested in natural language processing, Carnegie Mellon Professor Graham Neubig just published 23 class-lectures on multilingual natural language processing, including two guest lectures by Pat Littell and Orhan Firat. The video playlist can be accessed for free on Youtube. Last but not least, Paul Liang and Misha Khodak from ML@CMU published a post containing all of CMU’s submissions to NeurIPS 2020, with many goodies, from papers to code, and much more.

https://medium.com/towards-artificial-intelligence/nlp-zero-to-hero-with-python-and-more-6f5968e96f1c

['Towards Ai Team']

2020-12-08 17:22:53.925000+00:00

['News', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Science', 'Future', 'Technology']

Title NLP — Zero Hero Python MoreContent NeurIPS largest conference artificial intelligence currently underway 20k people registered registered would like access goody please visit public access version NeurIPS website deep learning recommend check phenomenal tutorial David Duvenaud Zico Kolter Matt Johnson make use many tool Anderson acceleration differential equation neural net convex optimization Jax automatic differentiation others presented NeurIPS Next recommend check article titled “We read paper forced Timnit Gebru Google Here’s says” Karen Hao MIT Technology Review give insightful overview caused departure Timtit Gebru colead ethical AI researcher Google Brain interested natural language processing Carnegie Mellon Professor Graham Neubig published 23 classlectures multilingual natural language processing including two guest lecture Pat Littell Orhan Firat video playlist accessed free Youtube Last least Paul Liang Misha Khodak MLCMU published post containing CMU’s submission NeurIPS 2020 many goody paper code much moreTags News Artificial Intelligence Science Future Technology

The power of visualizing as a tool for creativity

A creative director explains how dyslexia is the secret to unlocking flow. In my mind, I see a lady with a tattoo. I also see a bearded man. Scattered in this orbit are a small cat, a large dog and the swell of love. These images are all part of a rebranding project I’m visualizing for a veterinary technology company. Some are close and some are blurrier, farther away. I can reach out and arrange each one to help me make unexpected connections. They’re all in motion. When one connection lights up, I move toward it. As I move, I accumulate more nodes that feel right. Soon, all of these once-disparate parts fall into alignment. As someone with dyslexia, I’ve always been able to see my ideas. You won’t be surprised to hear that you can write on every wall at Gershoni Creative, my creative agency that builds brands and propels ideas. My inner dialogue is more like an inner whiteboard. And I know I’m not the only one. Many of you may be nodding. You, too, have experienced the power of visualizing as a tool for creativity. Formally, visualizing is the act of forming a mental image of something. Informally, it’s a way to spark, connect, expand and evaluate our (many) ideas. Anyone can have a knack for this skill. I’ve found dyslexics over-index on this ability. For example, inventor and fellow dyslexic Tom Pellereau agrees, “I seem to be able to visualize things easier than other people,” he said. “I can see it and I can picture it and I can turn it around.” Pellereau recently joined me and marketer Steven “Woody” Woodgate for The Bigger Picture With Amazing Dyslexics, a live virtual salon series I host to celebrate the way divergent thinking influences the way we think, create and relate to one another. It’s what I call Dyslexic Design Thinking. In the salon, Pellereau shared how visualizing allows him to be more iterative and creative in real time. These techniques helped him become a winner on BBC One’s The Apprentice, where he became the first business partner of self-made billionaire Lord Sugar. The three of us grasp the big picture in similar ways because, in our minds, everything is nonlinear, no matter the industry or profession. I apply visualization to the innovation, strategy and design work we do for clients. Pellereau steers his techniques toward innovation in the beauty category, while Woodgate applies them to product and software strategy. Although our professional lives diverge, each of us sees visualizing as an essential part of our creative process. So why visualize? Here are five reasons that came up in our recent chat: It sparks ideas. Visualization is a process that’s integrated, not interruptive, to concepting. In rebranding the veterinary technology company, I pulled inspiration from all over: an audience insight from an unrelated industry, a conversation with a longtime employee, an afternoon walk with my own dog. Pellereau can’t help but incorporate his mechanical engineering background into his work. Woodgate has a passion for football and cricket. Because ideas come from everywhere, it helps to let everything in and worry about where it fits later. Instead of pausing to process the information, I tap into a natural state of flow. I withhold judgment and let the visualizations roll in. It reveals connections. Not all ideas arrive fully formed. Having a mental landscape where everything is visible allows me to find commonalities and see how ideas fit together to create something bigger than themselves. Seeing things from new perspectives always lights up new rooms in my team’s minds, too. We make a point to work with people who look up and look around and never look at the same thing the same way. It expands ideas. The easiest way for me to deepen an idea is to go back to my visualization. When a global professional services company wanted an innovative approach to a textbook-long curriculum, I visualized the ideas presented on paper as living worlds. I couldn’t talk innovation until I could see the content in an innovative form. In my mind’s eye, I saw a complete immersive experience that moved the curriculum into new mediums and opportunities. The success of our project reinforced what I always instinctively knew: There are always more ideas once you look beyond what’s in the frame. It evaluates ideas. Visualization helps me quickly determine whether an idea is viable or not. I organize ideas into lists and color-code them based on effort. A low-effort task that takes two hours is green; a more time-intensive task is blue. The different colors allow me, at a glance, to account for all the elements needed to bring an idea to life and make a determination whether we have the resources to complete it on time and on budget. Another fan of color? Pellereau. He’s often seen carrying around Pilot’s FriXion erasable color pens. They help him map out what’s next for the latest STYLIdeas makeup-brush cleaner that just became available at Costco in the U.S. Why practice visualization? Because it opens the door to inclusivity. Once a visualization leaves my head, it brings different mindsets and skill sets into the creative process. Everyone on the team gets to add their own ideas, experiences and points of view. We co-create and iterate until we’re all on the same page. Visualization is about having a vision of where you’re going. We move together not just because we agree on the future, but because we can see it, too. To read more counterintuitive ideas from one dyslexic creative leader, sign up for the newsletter.

https://medium.com/design-bootcamp/the-power-of-visualizing-as-a-tool-for-creativity-98c46e76e1ee

['Gil Gershoni']

2020-12-21 02:11:42.297000+00:00

['Creative Process', 'Design', 'Creativity', 'Design Thinking', 'Visualization']

Title power visualizing tool creativityContent creative director explains dyslexia secret unlocking flow mind see lady tattoo also see bearded man Scattered orbit small cat large dog swell love image part rebranding project I’m visualizing veterinary technology company close blurrier farther away reach arrange one help make unexpected connection They’re motion one connection light move toward move accumulate node feel right Soon oncedisparate part fall alignment someone dyslexia I’ve always able see idea won’t surprised hear write every wall Gershoni Creative creative agency build brand propels idea inner dialogue like inner whiteboard know I’m one Many may nodding experienced power visualizing tool creativity Formally visualizing act forming mental image something Informally it’s way spark connect expand evaluate many idea Anyone knack skill I’ve found dyslexics overindex ability example inventor fellow dyslexic Tom Pellereau agrees “I seem able visualize thing easier people” said “I see picture turn around” Pellereau recently joined marketer Steven “Woody” Woodgate Bigger Picture Amazing Dyslexics live virtual salon series host celebrate way divergent thinking influence way think create relate one another It’s call Dyslexic Design Thinking salon Pellereau shared visualizing allows iterative creative real time technique helped become winner BBC One’s Apprentice became first business partner selfmade billionaire Lord Sugar three u grasp big picture similar way mind everything nonlinear matter industry profession apply visualization innovation strategy design work client Pellereau steer technique toward innovation beauty category Woodgate applies product software strategy Although professional life diverge u see visualizing essential part creative process visualize five reason came recent chat spark idea Visualization process that’s integrated interruptive concepting rebranding veterinary technology company pulled inspiration audience insight unrelated industry conversation longtime employee afternoon walk dog Pellereau can’t help incorporate mechanical engineering background work Woodgate passion football cricket idea come everywhere help let everything worry fit later Instead pausing process information tap natural state flow withhold judgment let visualization roll reveals connection idea arrive fully formed mental landscape everything visible allows find commonality see idea fit together create something bigger Seeing thing new perspective always light new room team’s mind make point work people look look around never look thing way expands idea easiest way deepen idea go back visualization global professional service company wanted innovative approach textbooklong curriculum visualized idea presented paper living world couldn’t talk innovation could see content innovative form mind’s eye saw complete immersive experience moved curriculum new medium opportunity success project reinforced always instinctively knew always idea look beyond what’s frame evaluates idea Visualization help quickly determine whether idea viable organize idea list colorcode based effort loweffort task take two hour green timeintensive task blue different color allow glance account element needed bring idea life make determination whether resource complete time budget Another fan color Pellereau He’s often seen carrying around Pilot’s FriXion erasable color pen help map what’s next latest STYLIdeas makeupbrush cleaner became available Costco US practice visualization open door inclusivity visualization leaf head brings different mindset skill set creative process Everyone team get add idea experience point view cocreate iterate we’re page Visualization vision you’re going move together agree future see read counterintuitive idea one dyslexic creative leader sign newsletterTags Creative Process Design Creativity Design Thinking Visualization

4 Things Brands Must do Right Now to Prepare for 2021

Set a SMART goal Business mentors, coaches, marketing gurus, and experts really like to wave a very threatening statistic around our faces. Apparently, 90% of startup businesses fail within the first year. If, as a creative, you thought you’d be exempt from being part of the failure complex, you may be wrong. If we do the maths correctly, setting up a website can take as little as 15 minutes, or as long as a month. More than the feeling of failure in itself, what really packs a punch is the amount of time we spend setting up something that we do not see following through. However, I do not believe in failure. That’s why I believe that goal setting is a key aspect of creating a great strategy and a glorious brand. This leads me to another key point of this discussion. If you are not seeing the results you expected, chances are you’re not going to achieve your goals by accident: it takes purposeful planning. If you don’t define those goals and create a plan to work toward them, you’ll never reach them. This is why, today, I am introducing one easy way of setting meaningful goals for your brand. Before you ask, Fab is not re-inventing the wheel here. S.M.A.R.T. goals are not a new thing. They have been used by many very successful professionals and individuals for many years. S.M.A.R.T. is an acronym that helps you set the right type of goals. Specific This is quite straightforward. The more specific you make your goal, the more likely you are to achieve it. Instead of saying “I want to make money from my content” make sure you set a specific goal to make enough money from your content to pay, for example, for a week-long holiday. Measurable Setting targets can be scary, hence why we are more likely to shy away from them! Just like how people struggle to “grow their Instagram” because they do not know what that actually entails, you need to get clear on what true results mean to you. You want to know how many new followers you are expecting, how many articles you want to write in a month, how many new emails you want to collect in a specific amount of time — this makes your achievements measurable and more manageable. Achievable Less is more, especially when it comes to goal setting. Choose one big goal, and work toward it. Then move on to the next one. Remember, you can only achieve so much before your willpower dwindles and you jump straight into burnout. Don’t get fooled by the shiny object syndrome: if you create many goals to accomplish at the same time, you’ll burn through your willpower very quickly. Relevant Your goals should be consistent with what you want to achieve with your brand, hence you need to know WHY you are in business altogethr. There’s no point in wasting time on a goal that won’t help you achieve your overall purpose. Think carefully about how your goal is helping you to achieve your purpose in your brand. Is doubling your Facebook likes really going to help you make the money you want for that holiday? Time-bound A time-bound goal gives you focus and allows an end date for achieving your goal. Let’s use the weight-loss analogy just one more time. You don’t want to just set a goal, such as “I want to gain 1,000 followers”. Instead, you want your goal to be time-bound, such as “I want to get to 10,000 followers by the end of the year.” By adding a deadline for achieving the goal, you will be able to see how close you are and keep yourself on the right track. Remember, you are always encouraged to adjust your deadlines accordingly to the goal, and how achievable it is.

https://medium.com/the-business-of-wellness/4-things-brands-must-do-right-now-to-prepare-for-2021-fc5af87f1703

['Fab Giovanetti']

2020-11-30 17:37:56.595000+00:00

['Marketing', 'Creativity', 'Business', 'Productivity', 'Work']

Title 4 Things Brands Must Right Prepare 2021Content Set SMART goal Business mentor coach marketing guru expert really like wave threatening statistic around face Apparently 90 startup business fail within first year creative thought you’d exempt part failure complex may wrong math correctly setting website take little 15 minute long month feeling failure really pack punch amount time spend setting something see following However believe failure That’s believe goal setting key aspect creating great strategy glorious brand lead another key point discussion seeing result expected chance you’re going achieve goal accident take purposeful planning don’t define goal create plan work toward you’ll never reach today introducing one easy way setting meaningful goal brand ask Fab reinventing wheel SMART goal new thing used many successful professional individual many year SMART acronym help set right type goal Specific quite straightforward specific make goal likely achieve Instead saying “I want make money content” make sure set specific goal make enough money content pay example weeklong holiday Measurable Setting target scary hence likely shy away like people struggle “grow Instagram” know actually entail need get clear true result mean want know many new follower expecting many article want write month many new email want collect specific amount time — make achievement measurable manageable Achievable Less especially come goal setting Choose one big goal work toward move next one Remember achieve much willpower dwindles jump straight burnout Don’t get fooled shiny object syndrome create many goal accomplish time you’ll burn willpower quickly Relevant goal consistent want achieve brand hence need know business altogethr There’s point wasting time goal won’t help achieve overall purpose Think carefully goal helping achieve purpose brand doubling Facebook like really going help make money want holiday Timebound timebound goal give focus allows end date achieving goal Let’s use weightloss analogy one time don’t want set goal “I want gain 1000 followers” Instead want goal timebound “I want get 10000 follower end year” adding deadline achieving goal able see close keep right track Remember always encouraged adjust deadline accordingly goal achievable isTags Marketing Creativity Business Productivity Work

Read the Email That Led to the Exit of Google A.I. Ethicist Timnit Gebru

Read the Email That Led to the Exit of Google A.I. Ethicist Timnit Gebru ‘Your life gets worse when you start advocating for underrepresented people’ Photo: Kimberly White/Stringer/Getty Images Timnit Gebru, one of Google’s most prominent researchers on ethics and computer vision, says she was fired this week after sending an email to Google Brain Women and Allies, an internal resource group at the company. The email alludes to Google censoring one of Gebru’s research papers without talking to her about it, as well as the poor treatment of those who advocate for underrepresented people at the company. The email was published in full on the outlet Platformer. After sending the email, Gebru had an exchange with managers and privately threatened to quit unless certain undisclosed conditions were met. Instead, Gebru says she was immediately fired, she told OneZero’s Will Oremus. Gebru’s contributions to the field have shaped modern understanding of how artificial intelligence fails and the technical underpinnings of how algorithms treat underrepresented people differently. A Twitter thread by Fast.ai co-founder Rachel Thomas lays out how Gebru’s years of scholarship have influenced A.I. research, including her co-authoring a seminal work that showed facial recognition is far less accurate on women of color than on white men. Gebru helped lead of Google’s A.I. ethics team and co-founded Black in A.I., an international organization focused on supporting Black A.I. researchers and expanding access to the traditionally exclusive field. According to the Platformer, the email reads, in part: Imagine this: You’ve sent a paper for feedback to 30+ researchers, you’re awaiting feedback from PR & Policy who you gave a heads up before you even wrote the work saying “we’re thinking of doing this”, working on a revision plan figuring out how to address different feedback from people, haven’t heard from PR & Policy besides them asking you for updates (in 2 months). A week before you go out on vacation, you see a meeting pop up at 4:30pm PST on your calendar (this popped up at around 2pm). No one would tell you what the meeting was about in advance. Then in that meeting your manager’s manager tells you “it has been decided” that you need to retract this paper by next week, Nov. 27, the week when almost everyone would be out (and a date which has nothing to do with the conference process). You are not worth having any conversations about this, since you are not someone whose humanity (let alone expertise recognized by journalists, governments, scientists, civic organizations such as the electronic frontiers foundation etc) is acknowledged or valued in this company. Then, you ask for more information. What specific feedback exists? Who is it coming from? Why now? Why not before? Can you go back and forth with anyone? Can you understand what exactly is problematic and what can be changed? And you are told after a while, that your manager can read you a privileged and confidential document and you’re not supposed to even know who contributed to this document, who wrote this feedback, what process was followed or anything. You write a detailed document discussing whatever pieces of feedback you can find, asking for questions and clarifications, and it is completely ignored. And you’re met with, once again, an order to retract the paper with no engagement whatsoever. Then you try to engage in a conversation about how this is not acceptable and people start doing the opposite of any sort of self reflection — trying to find scapegoats to blame. Silencing marginalized voices like this is the opposite of the NAUWU principles which we discussed. And doing this in the context of “responsible AI” adds so much salt to the wounds. Read the full letter on Platformer.

https://onezero.medium.com/read-the-email-that-led-to-the-exit-of-google-a-i-ethicist-timnit-gebru-45a4775c14ca

['Dave Gershgorn']

2020-12-03 19:43:19.918000+00:00

['Technology', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'AI', 'Google', 'Race']

Title Read Email Led Exit Google AI Ethicist Timnit GebruContent Read Email Led Exit Google AI Ethicist Timnit Gebru ‘Your life get worse start advocating underrepresented people’ Photo Kimberly WhiteStringerGetty Images Timnit Gebru one Google’s prominent researcher ethic computer vision say fired week sending email Google Brain Women Allies internal resource group company email alludes Google censoring one Gebru’s research paper without talking well poor treatment advocate underrepresented people company email published full outlet Platformer sending email Gebru exchange manager privately threatened quit unless certain undisclosed condition met Instead Gebru say immediately fired told OneZero’s Oremus Gebru’s contribution field shaped modern understanding artificial intelligence fails technical underpinnings algorithm treat underrepresented people differently Twitter thread Fastai cofounder Rachel Thomas lay Gebru’s year scholarship influenced AI research including coauthoring seminal work showed facial recognition far le accurate woman color white men Gebru helped lead Google’s AI ethic team cofounded Black AI international organization focused supporting Black AI researcher expanding access traditionally exclusive field According Platformer email read part Imagine You’ve sent paper feedback 30 researcher you’re awaiting feedback PR Policy gave head even wrote work saying “we’re thinking this” working revision plan figuring address different feedback people haven’t heard PR Policy besides asking update 2 month week go vacation see meeting pop 430pm PST calendar popped around 2pm one would tell meeting advance meeting manager’s manager tell “it decided” need retract paper next week Nov 27 week almost everyone would date nothing conference process worth conversation since someone whose humanity let alone expertise recognized journalist government scientist civic organization electronic frontier foundation etc acknowledged valued company ask information specific feedback exists coming go back forth anyone understand exactly problematic changed told manager read privileged confidential document you’re supposed even know contributed document wrote feedback process followed anything write detailed document discussing whatever piece feedback find asking question clarification completely ignored you’re met order retract paper engagement whatsoever try engage conversation acceptable people start opposite sort self reflection — trying find scapegoat blame Silencing marginalized voice like opposite NAUWU principle discussed context “responsible AI” add much salt wound Read full letter PlatformerTags Technology Artificial Intelligence AI Google Race

6 Powerful Headline Principles Inspired by Claude Hopkins

6 Powerful Headline Principles Inspired by Claude Hopkins 42 Headline examples and practical tips you can use immediately Illustration by Cynthia Marinakos. Claude Hopkins was one of the world’s greatest copywriters and advertising men. He is credited with ad techniques such as market research, money-back guarantees, sampling, and trials. His techniques are as powerful now as back then. His book, Scientific Advertising, captures foundational principles of advertising and copywriting. We don’t spend time creating and testing headlines because we want our articles published quickly. We neglect our readers because we’re too absorbed in writing what we want to write, the way we want to write it. We get tunnel vision from the products, services, and ideas we want to sell. This book reminds us we’re here because of our readers. So shift the focus back to them. It covers headlines in one chapter, yet so many of the principles can be applied when creating headlines. I came up with six key learnings from analyzing Hopkins’ headlines while at the same time studying his classic principles. Address your target reader Aim for clarity Appeal to people’s desire to avoid pain Show credibility Focus on your reader’s interests Spend time creating and testing headlines You’ll see examples of his headlines, a discussion of his approach, how it can be applied to our own headline, and examples of headlines we can create from the techniques. Let’s dig into these, shall we?

https://medium.com/better-marketing/6-powerful-headline-principles-inspired-by-claude-hopkins-dc73a8a68947

['Cynthia Marinakos']

2020-08-09 03:29:12.085000+00:00

['Headline Hacks', 'Business', 'Creativity', 'Startup', 'Writing']

Title 6 Powerful Headline Principles Inspired Claude HopkinsContent 6 Powerful Headline Principles Inspired Claude Hopkins 42 Headline example practical tip use immediately Illustration Cynthia Marinakos Claude Hopkins one world’s greatest copywriter advertising men credited ad technique market research moneyback guarantee sampling trial technique powerful back book Scientific Advertising capture foundational principle advertising copywriting don’t spend time creating testing headline want article published quickly neglect reader we’re absorbed writing want write way want write get tunnel vision product service idea want sell book reminds u we’re reader shift focus back cover headline one chapter yet many principle applied creating headline came six key learning analyzing Hopkins’ headline time studying classic principle Address target reader Aim clarity Appeal people’s desire avoid pain Show credibility Focus reader’s interest Spend time creating testing headline You’ll see example headline discussion approach applied headline example headline create technique Let’s dig shall weTags Headline Hacks Business Creativity Startup Writing

How to Organize Your Medium Submissions With Trello

How to Organize Your Medium Submissions With Trello Manage where and when you publish and increase your writing productivity Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash One of the best ways to get your writing seen on Medium is to publish them in popular publications. The number of my submitted stories that get accepted into a publication vs. the number of those that don’t is about 50/50. Finally, because I figured out how to organize my submissions, at least I never have to guess (or remember) where my story landed. When I first started submitting stories, I chose a few publications that had a lot of subscribers and covered topics I know well. Since I’m a copywriter of 15 years and a personal essay writer, I chose The Writing Coop and P.S. I Love You. I also found my way to Illuminations because I found myself reading a lot of stories there and I figured my writing would fit in. Since then I’ve added a few more publications to the list. Now and then, I write a story that might be a good fit for more than one publication. The business side of writing, and the growing complexity of where and when I would submit a story, was taking over and cutting into my writing time. I had to develop a very simple method for keeping track of my submissions so that I can free my creative brain for writing. The more you write, the more you spread yourself around At first, when I was only writing one story a week or maybe even a month, it was easy to keep track. I’d finish editing my story, check the submission rules, and then submit. Then I’d sit back and wait to hear back. This worked just fine until I started writing more regularly. Today, in late 2020, I publish several stories a week on my Medium platform and enjoy interacting with other writers and bloggers. I’m working on finding my niche, and other writers whose stories I adore. I want to be read and found by people who are actually going to spend time reading my stories. Over the past year, the busier I got writing, the more my regular writing schedule started causing problems with my submission process, or lack of it, I should say. I would write on my whiteboard when I submitted a story and where. If my story was declined by my first choice, sometimes I’d submit it to another one before simply publishing under my own page and publication. This worked for a while until I started branching out and looking for more publications to write for. This is where things got complicated. Because publications have guidelines and their own curation rules, the turnaround time for acceptance is usually between 3 and 5 business days. Some even hold new story ideas for specific days of the week. For example, Entrepreneur's Handbook only accepts stories on Mondays. So I’m waiting… If we writers could receive an instant yea or nay, life would be easy! However, editors of popular publications are swamped. Many of the most popular ones get thousands of submissions each week. Editors work hard to find the best stories for their subscribers. They can’t be expected to get back to everyone within a day or two. For the writer, this means we must wait and be patient. It also means we must have some sort of process for staying organized. Easy, tiger Once you’ve done the work and polished the perfect story, you’re eager to get it out there. I know the feeling! You need to assess the value in waiting for a publication to accept your work, or to move on and try another publication, or to simply publish on your own. I was keeping cryptic notes and scrawls on my whiteboard to help me remember where and when I sent what. Here’s my old way. It still works in a pinch. I remind myself of the number of days it takes a publication to get to my story, etc. and, sometimes, a motivation for why I should try getting my story published there. (See the “124 K” notation… that’s the number of followers!) My whiteboard, courtesy of the author Then, like an epiphany, I remembered my old friend Trello. I used to use this SaaS (software as a service) to keep track of client projects when I was writing content and copy for others, and often working with a team of other creatives. It’s great for that! Now that’s my go-to place to organize my most recent stories and submissions on Medium. Trello is easy to use If you’ve never used it, you can try a free version to check it out. Basically, it works like a bulletin board, on which you make list-columns that have cards beneath each column. It’s like a colorful spreadsheet. You can easily add information and details, pictures and notes, even dates. For me, Trello provides structure to my submission process. I can see at a glance when I submitted a story and how long I need to wait before I should consider it declined and move on. I like to add the main image associated with the story, too. The visual helps me quickly remember the content of the story. Trello‘s elegant, user-friendly design is perfect for this. There’s a flush of satisfaction as you slide your stories from “submitted” to “published.” There’s even a kernel of pride as you publish your stories on your profile or through your own publications. You feel like you’ve completed your job. These days, my Trello board titled “Medium Articles” looks like this. Much more clear. Image courtesy of the author. The four lists you should start with After playing around with lists for story ideas and drafts, I landed on four main lists: Submitted to publication, date Published by publication, date Published to my profile, date Curated by Medium, date With these four lists, I simply add a card every time I finish a story. I add the date I submit and the turnaround time of that publication. Once it’s accepted or declined, I note where I’ve already submitted that story and either try another publication or add it to my profile. Then I slide that card to the appropriate list. Last, if my story is curated by Medium, the card slides to the far right column — the Shangrila of Medium story cards. If I have to scroll down too far to see my published or curated stories, I move them to a Google spreadsheet, where I include the link to the story as well as the tags I used for each one. This helps me quickly grab it when I need to link to a story from one currently in progress. This way, I keep my submissions and rejections clearly documented at a glance. At this point, it’s all I need. The only hard part of the process is waiting for a response from the publication. But at least I’m not accidentally submitting a story twice to the same publication, or forgetting to publish it altogether. Don’t forget to work within Medium to save time First, I should tell you, in my zeal to put everything within Trello, I got a little carried away. Originally I intended to develop stories and headline ideas on my Trello board, but I found I was just duplicating content that was already in my Medium drafts tab. Now I religiously use the Medium drafts folder as my go-to brainstorming area. Your Medium drafts folder is there for you. Why complicate things? Medium holds your ideas until you are ready to write. As I come up with story ideas, many times they come from deleted parts of a story already in progress. If it’s an idea I feel deserves its own headline and story, I just start a new story on Medium and add content there. Whenever I think of an addition to the story or find a relevant article on the Internet that would help me write, I simply open that draft and copy the link or jot down the idea right within Medium. Still, Trello can’t be beat for categorizing and planning what happens to those stories. More ways to use Trello for writing Medium stories You may like to brainstorm headlines and keep great images within Trello, too. Don’t let me stop you. You can use Trello any way you want to boost creativity and productivity. By the way, I’m also thinking of starting a Trello board to keep track of tags I use regularly, and the stories that go with them. The main four popular tags I use are Health, Lifestyle, Grief, and Writing. Sometimes I get so many similar, but different ideas at once. (Does that ever happen to you when you’re on a roll?) With Trello, I could easily plunk them all under a single category and come back to them when I’m ready. Also, I want to start a board just for the publications I submit to regularly. By distinguishing each of my target publications and keeping them all in view in one place, it would be easy to organize themes and topics I want to write about in the future. I could also add new publications I want to try submitting my stories. I’m always on the lookout for the perfect spot — and new readers, too. Finding a home for your story When submitting to publications on Medium, accept the fact that every publication has its own modus operandi. Editors of the most popular publications know their readers; their priority is to them. After that, they work hard to help the author get visibility. I’ve found that most editors are actually very helpful and even make suggestions for improving your story. Some don’t of course, but I think it’s because they just don’t have time to give every story individual attention; not because they don’t care. I regularly get personal notes on my submitted drafts that go something like this. “Thanks for submitting. We appreciate you. Your story is not a fit for us at the time, but please submit again. Keep writing!” As I parse my stories within Trello and decide where they would ultimately do the best, I include my own (very new) publication in my “Published by publications, date” category in Trello. As a new editor, I try to be objective and publish only those articles that fit, and I accept the fact that sometimes even my own stories don’t fit. I often publish stories under my profile, and not within my own publication! Meanwhile, I use Trello to help me keep track of all those other submissions I attempt to share with audiences I haven’t met yet. Use Trello to help you get organized, and you’re sure to find your way into the publications where your work will shine. P.S. I don’t get any money from Trello for recommending this software. It’s just that I use it daily and find it helpful. I hope it helps you, too.

https://medium.com/portals-pub/how-to-organize-your-medium-submissions-with-trello-8e32c0f2fc1d

['Jen Mcgahan']

2020-11-03 02:33:57.544000+00:00

['Creativity', 'Publishing', 'Writing Tips', 'Productivity', 'Writing']

Title Organize Medium Submissions TrelloContent Organize Medium Submissions Trello Manage publish increase writing productivity Photo Kelly Sikkema Unsplash One best way get writing seen Medium publish popular publication number submitted story get accepted publication v number don’t 5050 Finally figured organize submission least never guess remember story landed first started submitting story chose publication lot subscriber covered topic know well Since I’m copywriter 15 year personal essay writer chose Writing Coop PS Love also found way Illuminations found reading lot story figured writing would fit Since I’ve added publication list write story might good fit one publication business side writing growing complexity would submit story taking cutting writing time develop simple method keeping track submission free creative brain writing write spread around first writing one story week maybe even month easy keep track I’d finish editing story check submission rule submit I’d sit back wait hear back worked fine started writing regularly Today late 2020 publish several story week Medium platform enjoy interacting writer blogger I’m working finding niche writer whose story adore want read found people actually going spend time reading story past year busier got writing regular writing schedule started causing problem submission process lack say would write whiteboard submitted story story declined first choice sometimes I’d submit another one simply publishing page publication worked started branching looking publication write thing got complicated publication guideline curation rule turnaround time acceptance usually 3 5 business day even hold new story idea specific day week example Entrepreneurs Handbook accepts story Mondays I’m waiting… writer could receive instant yea nay life would easy However editor popular publication swamped Many popular one get thousand submission week Editors work hard find best story subscriber can’t expected get back everyone within day two writer mean must wait patient also mean must sort process staying organized Easy tiger you’ve done work polished perfect story you’re eager get know feeling need ass value waiting publication accept work move try another publication simply publish keeping cryptic note scrawl whiteboard help remember sent Here’s old way still work pinch remind number day take publication get story etc sometimes motivation try getting story published See “124 K” notation… that’s number follower whiteboard courtesy author like epiphany remembered old friend Trello used use SaaS software service keep track client project writing content copy others often working team creatives It’s great that’s goto place organize recent story submission Medium Trello easy use you’ve never used try free version check Basically work like bulletin board make listcolumns card beneath column It’s like colorful spreadsheet easily add information detail picture note even date Trello provides structure submission process see glance submitted story long need wait consider declined move like add main image associated story visual help quickly remember content story Trello‘s elegant userfriendly design perfect There’s flush satisfaction slide story “submitted” “published” There’s even kernel pride publish story profile publication feel like you’ve completed job day Trello board titled “Medium Articles” look like Much clear Image courtesy author four list start playing around list story idea draft landed four main list Submitted publication date Published publication date Published profile date Curated Medium date four list simply add card every time finish story add date submit turnaround time publication it’s accepted declined note I’ve already submitted story either try another publication add profile slide card appropriate list Last story curated Medium card slide far right column — Shangrila Medium story card scroll far see published curated story move Google spreadsheet include link story well tag used one help quickly grab need link story one currently progress way keep submission rejection clearly documented glance point it’s need hard part process waiting response publication least I’m accidentally submitting story twice publication forgetting publish altogether Don’t forget work within Medium save time First tell zeal put everything within Trello got little carried away Originally intended develop story headline idea Trello board found duplicating content already Medium draft tab religiously use Medium draft folder goto brainstorming area Medium draft folder complicate thing Medium hold idea ready write come story idea many time come deleted part story already progress it’s idea feel deserves headline story start new story Medium add content Whenever think addition story find relevant article Internet would help write simply open draft copy link jot idea right within Medium Still Trello can’t beat categorizing planning happens story way use Trello writing Medium story may like brainstorm headline keep great image within Trello Don’t let stop use Trello way want boost creativity productivity way I’m also thinking starting Trello board keep track tag use regularly story go main four popular tag use Health Lifestyle Grief Writing Sometimes get many similar different idea ever happen you’re roll Trello could easily plunk single category come back I’m ready Also want start board publication submit regularly distinguishing target publication keeping view one place would easy organize theme topic want write future could also add new publication want try submitting story I’m always lookout perfect spot — new reader Finding home story submitting publication Medium accept fact every publication modus operandi Editors popular publication know reader priority work hard help author get visibility I’ve found editor actually helpful even make suggestion improving story don’t course think it’s don’t time give every story individual attention don’t care regularly get personal note submitted draft go something like “Thanks submitting appreciate story fit u time please submit Keep writing” parse story within Trello decide would ultimately best include new publication “Published publication date” category Trello new editor try objective publish article fit accept fact sometimes even story don’t fit often publish story profile within publication Meanwhile use Trello help keep track submission attempt share audience haven’t met yet Use Trello help get organized you’re sure find way publication work shine PS don’t get money Trello recommending software It’s use daily find helpful hope help tooTags Creativity Publishing Writing Tips Productivity Writing

Interferon: The Latest Advancement in Covid-19 Treatment

Interferon: The Latest Advancement in Covid-19 Treatment A frontline doc unpacks results of a new clinical trial that shows interferon may reduce the odds of severe illness or death from Covid-19 Photo: Emin BAYCAN/Unsplash As someone who provides care for those with Covid-19 in a hospital approaching its capacity, I’m constantly on the lookout for safe and effective treatment strategies — anything to help my patients recover faster and get home sooner. With so many therapies being studied, it can be difficult to determine which new piece of data is truly valuable. My attention was caught by a well-constructed clinical trial published November 12 in The Lancet by Phillip Monk, et al. Here’s why I believe it’s so important. Recent studies have shown a significant portion of individuals who become severely ill from Covid-19 possess antibodies that disable naturally occurring immune proteins called interferons. Instead of targeting invading pathogens, these antibodies, called autoantibodies, act against the body’s own immune system. Interferons are cell-signaling molecules that function to alert the immune system of a developing infection. When interferons are deactivated by autoantibodies, viruses like the novel coronavirus are able to evade the body’s early warning alarms. The importance of interferons is also highlighted by studies observing individuals with mutations in genes that code for interferon production. When interferons are diminished because of a mutated gene, patients tend to suffer from more severe symptoms of Covid-19. The lead author of one such study, Qian Zhang, explains, “If you don’t get the alarm out, you could have viruses everywhere in large numbers.” It would stand to reason that providing the body with an added supply of interferon could potentially improve its response to the virus, SARS-CoV-2. This theory is supported by studies on animals infected with other coronaviruses, SARS and MERS. Unfortunately, the concept did not translate well to humans with Covid-19 as evidenced by the Solidarity trial conducted by the WHO earlier this year. Patients in this study failed to benefit from interferon injected under the skin, but what might happen if the medication was administered by a different route? That’s the question Monk and colleagues sought to answer by treating patients with an inhaled formulation of interferon beta-1a. By targeting the organ most strongly affected by SARS-CoV-2 — the lungs — researchers hoped to deliver interferon directly to its area of greatest need. What separates this study from many other pharmaceutical trials is its thoughtful design. Despite having a small sample size, being a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial allows this investigation to bypass many confounding elements that plague retrospective and observational studies. Moreover, publication in a peer-reviewed journal elevates its findings above data found on preprint servers which have become so prevalent lately. The 97 hospitalized patients in the United Kingdom received either interferon beta-1a (code-named SNG001) or placebo for up to two weeks. At the end of four weeks, 58% of patients receiving interferon recovered compared to 35% of the placebo group as measured by the WHO Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement (figure below). Of the 49 patients in the placebo group, three died, whereas all of the 48 patients receiving interferon survived. In her report on the study, Mary Van Beusekom, a writer for the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy notes, “A secondary analysis showed that SNG001 patients were more than three times more likely to recover, defined by resumption of ability to resume normal activities, than those receiving a placebo at 28 days.” Lead investigator, Tom Wilkinson, PhD, recognizes that interferon has the ability to boost the lung’s defense against pathogens in a nonspecific manner which could prove especially beneficial this time of year when co-infections are more likely to occur. “This [interferon beta-1a] might carry additional advantages of treating Covid-19 infection when it occurs alongside infection by another respiratory virus, such as influenza or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) that may well be encountered in the winter months.” One drawback is that, despite showing a trend toward improving mortality, the study did not involve enough patients for this trend to be considered statistically significant. Authors of an associated commentary in The Lancet call for expanded research on the safety and efficacy of interferon. “Larger randomised clinical trials are therefore needed to further investigate the effectiveness of nebulised interferon beta-1a therapy in this setting.” Because interferon plays a role in the initial response to a pathogen, the group is now studying the effects of the drug when administered prior to hospitalization. They also hope to examine the response to interferon in “ventilated, critically ill patients with Covid-19 who have evidence of active viral infection in the lungs.” Randomization of a small sample of patients can also lead to an unintentional imbalance in the group characteristics. The authors note that “SNG001 and placebo groups were well matched for age, sex, and overall comorbidities, but were less well matched for disease severity at recruitment and for specific comorbid conditions — particularly diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension.” Of the serious adverse events that occurred during the study, none were attributed directly to interferon beta-1a and all were thought likely to have been caused by Covid-19 itself. The most frequently reported adverse event was the development of headache which occurred in 15% of the interferon group and 10% of those receiving placebo. Because inhaled interferon is not currently marketed to treat other diseases, information regarding its cost is lacking, but, undoubtedly, price will factor into its chance of widespread success. Despite some clear obstacles, I believe this novel therapeutic has as good a chance as any to become a game-changer in the pandemic. Here’s to inhaling a deep breath and waiting patiently for what happens next.

https://coronavirus.medium.com/interferon-the-latest-advancement-in-covid-19-treatment-9c2c02bed72a

['Bo Stapler']

2020-11-18 17:12:29.684000+00:00

['Health', 'Healthcare', 'Covid-19', 'Coronavirus', 'Science']

Title Interferon Latest Advancement Covid19 TreatmentContent Interferon Latest Advancement Covid19 Treatment frontline doc unpacks result new clinical trial show interferon may reduce odds severe illness death Covid19 Photo Emin BAYCANUnsplash someone provides care Covid19 hospital approaching capacity I’m constantly lookout safe effective treatment strategy — anything help patient recover faster get home sooner many therapy studied difficult determine new piece data truly valuable attention caught wellconstructed clinical trial published November 12 Lancet Phillip Monk et al Here’s believe it’s important Recent study shown significant portion individual become severely ill Covid19 posse antibody disable naturally occurring immune protein called interferon Instead targeting invading pathogen antibody called autoantibody act body’s immune system Interferons cellsignaling molecule function alert immune system developing infection interferon deactivated autoantibody virus like novel coronavirus able evade body’s early warning alarm importance interferon also highlighted study observing individual mutation gene code interferon production interferon diminished mutated gene patient tend suffer severe symptom Covid19 lead author one study Qian Zhang explains “If don’t get alarm could virus everywhere large numbers” would stand reason providing body added supply interferon could potentially improve response virus SARSCoV2 theory supported study animal infected coronaviruses SARS MERS Unfortunately concept translate well human Covid19 evidenced Solidarity trial conducted earlier year Patients study failed benefit interferon injected skin might happen medication administered different route That’s question Monk colleague sought answer treating patient inhaled formulation interferon beta1a targeting organ strongly affected SARSCoV2 — lung — researcher hoped deliver interferon directly area greatest need separate study many pharmaceutical trial thoughtful design Despite small sample size randomized doubleblind placebocontrolled trial allows investigation bypass many confounding element plague retrospective observational study Moreover publication peerreviewed journal elevates finding data found preprint server become prevalent lately 97 hospitalized patient United Kingdom received either interferon beta1a codenamed SNG001 placebo two week end four week 58 patient receiving interferon recovered compared 35 placebo group measured Ordinal Scale Clinical Improvement figure 49 patient placebo group three died whereas 48 patient receiving interferon survived report study Mary Van Beusekom writer Center Infectious Disease Research Policy note “A secondary analysis showed SNG001 patient three time likely recover defined resumption ability resume normal activity receiving placebo 28 days” Lead investigator Tom Wilkinson PhD recognizes interferon ability boost lung’s defense pathogen nonspecific manner could prove especially beneficial time year coinfections likely occur “This interferon beta1a might carry additional advantage treating Covid19 infection occurs alongside infection another respiratory virus influenza respiratory syncytial virus RSV may well encountered winter months” One drawback despite showing trend toward improving mortality study involve enough patient trend considered statistically significant Authors associated commentary Lancet call expanded research safety efficacy interferon “Larger randomised clinical trial therefore needed investigate effectiveness nebulised interferon beta1a therapy setting” interferon play role initial response pathogen group studying effect drug administered prior hospitalization also hope examine response interferon “ventilated critically ill patient Covid19 evidence active viral infection lungs” Randomization small sample patient also lead unintentional imbalance group characteristic author note “SNG001 placebo group well matched age sex overall comorbidities le well matched disease severity recruitment specific comorbid condition — particularly diabetes cardiovascular disease hypertension” serious adverse event occurred study none attributed directly interferon beta1a thought likely caused Covid19 frequently reported adverse event development headache occurred 15 interferon group 10 receiving placebo inhaled interferon currently marketed treat disease information regarding cost lacking undoubtedly price factor chance widespread success Despite clear obstacle believe novel therapeutic good chance become gamechanger pandemic Here’s inhaling deep breath waiting patiently happens nextTags Health Healthcare Covid19 Coronavirus Science

Increase Your Reach 10x by Turning Blog Posts into Videos

Increase Your Reach 10x by Turning Blog Posts into Videos Video receives more engagement than text and other mediums Photo by Jackson Hayes on Unsplash Producing and publishing great blog posts is not enough to grow your views and reads. You also need to promote those blog posts to attract visitors. Don’t stop at sharing a link on Facebook and Twitter, you can also turn that blog post into a video to get more traffic from YouTube. With over 1.5 billion monthly active users watching 1 billion hours of video content per day, YouTube is one of the most effective platforms you can leverage to generate traffic and promote your business online. You spend days writing and crafting the best content for your blog. Yet most of those blog posts often go unnoticed. Repurpose those old blog posts by turning them into videos and easily get started on a video marketing strategy. There’s no need to buy expensive video camera equipment or invest in video production agencies. You can create videos all by yourself. I’ll show you how.

https://medium.com/the-innovation/increase-your-reach-10x-by-turning-blog-posts-into-videos-8e97b89236cc

['Esat Artug']

2020-12-08 21:44:56.888000+00:00

['Writing', 'Social Media', 'Marketing', 'Productivity', 'Money']

Title Increase Reach 10x Turning Blog Posts VideosContent Increase Reach 10x Turning Blog Posts Videos Video receives engagement text medium Photo Jackson Hayes Unsplash Producing publishing great blog post enough grow view read also need promote blog post attract visitor Don’t stop sharing link Facebook Twitter also turn blog post video get traffic YouTube 15 billion monthly active user watching 1 billion hour video content per day YouTube one effective platform leverage generate traffic promote business online spend day writing crafting best content blog Yet blog post often go unnoticed Repurpose old blog post turning video easily get started video marketing strategy There’s need buy expensive video camera equipment invest video production agency create video I’ll show howTags Writing Social Media Marketing Productivity Money

Taking Your Anger and Frustration Out on Others Might Be Killing You

Stop Killing Yourself Little by Little with Positivity There are some habits you need to break and some gratifications you need to rechannel, if you want to be healthier and not cut your life short. Make a conscious effort, everyday, to be more positive. Here’s 6 ways to start: You can do this by consciously practicing restraint when you feel the urge come upon you to lash out at somebody, for whatever reason. One way to do this is to catch yourself and redirect your thought patterns and thereby rechanneling the negative energy vibrations into positive vibrations. You will transform from operating in a lower vibration to a higher vibration. You just need to shift your mentality. Worked for me! For example: If someone cuts you off in traffic, when you feel the urge to hang heavily on your horn, flip them the bird, yell and allow anger to well up in you, instead consciously use that moment as a reminder to produce a positive thought or say something positive out loud to yourself. Send out blessings instead of curses whenever someone does something rude, stupid, inconsiderate, selfish, etc. If you usually treat people mean just because you’re being a jerk, then go back and apply the concepts in #1 and #2 above. You can change how you choose to act or react. You choose how you treat others. The Takeaway Be kind to yourself by being kind to others. Now, granted, sometimes people just get on your last nerve and sometimes you will still lash out. But, if you choose the higher vibration most of the time, you will eventually reach your goal of not being someone who takes out your frustrations on others all the time and become more of that better person that you want to be. That is if you really want to be better— of course.

https://medium.com/in-fitness-and-in-health/how-to-not-take-out-anger-and-frustration-on-others-40a9bbc58ed9

['Audrey Malone']

2020-12-27 02:12:03.557000+00:00

['Mental Health', 'Health', 'Psychology', 'Abuse', 'Anger Management']

Title Taking Anger Frustration Others Might Killing YouContent Stop Killing Little Little Positivity habit need break gratification need rechannel want healthier cut life short Make conscious effort everyday positive Here’s 6 way start consciously practicing restraint feel urge come upon lash somebody whatever reason One way catch redirect thought pattern thereby rechanneling negative energy vibration positive vibration transform operating lower vibration higher vibration need shift mentality Worked example someone cut traffic feel urge hang heavily horn flip bird yell allow anger well instead consciously use moment reminder produce positive thought say something positive loud Send blessing instead curse whenever someone something rude stupid inconsiderate selfish etc usually treat people mean you’re jerk go back apply concept 1 2 change choose act react choose treat others Takeaway kind kind others granted sometimes people get last nerve sometimes still lash choose higher vibration time eventually reach goal someone take frustration others time become better person want really want better— courseTags Mental Health Health Psychology Abuse Anger Management

What Words Should Be Capitalized in a Headline?

Comparison Between Styles Using Real Headlines Here’s what each style looks like when applied to the headline: All the Silicon Valley Copycat Cities Around the World AP: All the Silicon Valley Copycat Cities Around the World APA: All the Silicon Valley Copycat Cities Around the World CMOS: All the Silicon Valley Copycat Cities around the World MLA: All the Silicon Valley Copycat Cities around the World NYT: All the Silicon Valley Copycat Cities Around the World WP: All the Silicon Valley Copycat Cities Around the World The main difference between them all is the Chicago Manual of Style and MLA write “around” with a lower case “a” — because “it is probably used as a preposition (as in ‘traveling around the world’). However, it can also be used as an adverb (‘come around soon’), in which case it must be capitalized.” The title converter includes a helpful explanation about why each word is capitalized or not. So for instance, in AP style, the heading is formatted as All the Silicon Valley Copycat Cities Around the World because: All is capitalized because it is the first word of the title. the is not capitalized because it is an article. Silicon is capitalized because it is neither an article, a coordinating conjunction nor a preposition with fewer than four letters. Valley is capitalized because it is neither an article, a coordinating conjunction nor a preposition with fewer than four letters. Copycat is capitalized because it is neither an article, a coordinating conjunction nor a preposition with fewer than four letters. Cities is capitalized because it is neither an article, a coordinating conjunction nor a preposition with fewer than four letters. Around is capitalized because it is neither an article, a coordinating conjunction nor a preposition with fewer than four letters. the is not capitalized because it is an article. World is capitalized because it is the last word of the title or subtitle. Screenshot: Explanation for headline formatting. Source: Title Case Converter Other headline comparisons Headline: CN Rail to Shut Eastern Canada Network Amid Protests AP: CN Rail to Shut Eastern Canada Network Amid Protests APA: CN Rail to Shut Eastern Canada Network Amid Protests CMOS: CN Rail to Shut Eastern Canada Network amid Protests MLA: CN Rail to Shut Eastern Canada Network amid Protests NYT: CN Rail to Shut Eastern Canada Network Amid Protests WP: CN Rail to Shut Eastern Canada Network amid Protests Comparison: For AP, APA, NYT: Amid is capitalized because it is neither an article, a coordinating conjunction, nor a preposition with fewer than four letters. FOR CMOS, MLA and WP: amid is not capitalized because it is a preposition with four letters. Headline: Genius Crackle You Must Try at Burwood Rooftop Farm AP: Genius Crackle You Must Try at Burwood Rooftop Farm APA: Genius Crackle You Must Try at Burwood Rooftop Farm CMOS: Genius Crackle You Must Try at Burwood Rooftop Farm MLA: Genius Crackle You Must Try at Burwood Rooftop Farm NYT: Genius Crackle You Must Try at Burwood Rooftop Farm WP: Genius Crackle You Must Try at Burwood Rooftop Farm Comparison: Same in all styles. Headline: Kim Kardashian Shows Off Her Kids’ Playroom and It’s Jaw-Dropping AP: Kim Kardashian Shows Off Her Kids’ Playroom and It’s Jaw-Dropping PA: Kim Kardashian Shows Off Her Kids’ Playroom and It’s Jaw-Dropping CMOS: Kim Kardashian Shows Off Her Kids’ Playroom and It’s Jaw-Dropping MLA: Kim Kardashian Shows Off Her Kids’ Playroom and It’s Jaw-Dropping NYT: Kim Kardashian Shows Off Her Kids’ Playroom and It’s Jaw-Dropping WP: Kim Kardashian Shows Off Her Kids’ Playroom and It’s Jaw-Dropping Comparison: Same in all styles. Headline: I Quit My Job and Now My Partner Pays Our Bills. Here’s How It’s Affected Us. AP: I Quit My Job and Now My Partner Pays Our Bills. Here’s How It’s Affected Us. APA: I Quit My Job and Now My Partner Pays Our Bills. Here’s How It’s Affected Us. CMOS: I Quit My Job and Now My Partner Pays Our Bills. Here’s How It’s Affected Us. MLA: I Quit My Job and Now My Partner Pays Our Bills. Here’s How It’s Affected Us. NYT: I Quit My Job and Now My Partner Pays Our Bills. Here’s How It’s Affected Us. WP: I Quit My Job and Now My Partner Pays Our Bills. Here’s How It’s Affected Us. Comparison: Same in all styles. Headline: Counting Calories Is Basically Pointless. So Why Are We Still Doing It? AP: Counting Calories Is Basically Pointless. So Why Are We Still Doing It? APA: Counting Calories Is Basically Pointless. So Why Are We Still Doing It? CMOS: Counting Calories Is Basically Pointless. So Why Are We Still Doing It? MLA: Counting Calories Is Basically Pointless. So Why Are We Still Doing It? NYT: Counting Calories Is Basically Pointless. So Why Are We Still Doing It? WP: Counting Calories Is Basically Pointless. So Why Are We Still Doing It? Comparison: Same in all styles. Headline: What Valentine’s Day Is Like After Marriage, As Told in 26 Tweets AP: What Valentine’s Day Is Like After Marriage, As Told in 26 Tweets APA: What Valentine’s Day Is Like After Marriage, As Told in 26 Tweets CMOS: What Valentine’s Day Is like after Marriage, as Told in 26 Tweets MLA: What Valentine’s Day Is like after Marriage, As Told in 26 Tweets NYT: What Valentine’s Day Is Like After Marriage, as Told in 26 Tweets WP: What Valentine’s Day Is like After Marriage, As Told in 26 Tweets Comparison: In AP, APA, MLA, and WP: “As” is capitalized because it is probably used as an adverb (e.g., “delivered as promised”). However, it can also be used as a preposition (e.g., “working as a teacher”) or conjunction (e.g., “cold as ice” or “do as I do”), in which case it must be lowercased. In CMOS and NYT: “as” is not capitalized because it is always lowercased according to the Chicago Manual of Style and the New York Times style manual.

https://medium.com/better-marketing/what-words-should-be-capitalized-in-a-headline-1cd311f617b5

['Cynthia Marinakos']

2020-03-07 07:04:49.629000+00:00

['Headline Hacks', 'Business', 'Productivity', 'Creativity', 'Writing']

Title Words Capitalized HeadlineContent Comparison Styles Using Real Headlines Here’s style look like applied headline Silicon Valley Copycat Cities Around World AP Silicon Valley Copycat Cities Around World APA Silicon Valley Copycat Cities Around World CMOS Silicon Valley Copycat Cities around World MLA Silicon Valley Copycat Cities around World NYT Silicon Valley Copycat Cities Around World WP Silicon Valley Copycat Cities Around World main difference Chicago Manual Style MLA write “around” lower case “a” — “it probably used preposition ‘traveling around world’ However also used adverb ‘come around soon’ case must capitalized” title converter includes helpful explanation word capitalized instance AP style heading formatted Silicon Valley Copycat Cities Around World capitalized first word title capitalized article Silicon capitalized neither article coordinating conjunction preposition fewer four letter Valley capitalized neither article coordinating conjunction preposition fewer four letter Copycat capitalized neither article coordinating conjunction preposition fewer four letter Cities capitalized neither article coordinating conjunction preposition fewer four letter Around capitalized neither article coordinating conjunction preposition fewer four letter capitalized article World capitalized last word title subtitle Screenshot Explanation headline formatting Source Title Case Converter headline comparison Headline CN Rail Shut Eastern Canada Network Amid Protests AP CN Rail Shut Eastern Canada Network Amid Protests APA CN Rail Shut Eastern Canada Network Amid Protests CMOS CN Rail Shut Eastern Canada Network amid Protests MLA CN Rail Shut Eastern Canada Network amid Protests NYT CN Rail Shut Eastern Canada Network Amid Protests WP CN Rail Shut Eastern Canada Network amid Protests Comparison AP APA NYT Amid capitalized neither article coordinating conjunction preposition fewer four letter CMOS MLA WP amid capitalized preposition four letter Headline Genius Crackle Must Try Burwood Rooftop Farm AP Genius Crackle Must Try Burwood Rooftop Farm APA Genius Crackle Must Try Burwood Rooftop Farm CMOS Genius Crackle Must Try Burwood Rooftop Farm MLA Genius Crackle Must Try Burwood Rooftop Farm NYT Genius Crackle Must Try Burwood Rooftop Farm WP Genius Crackle Must Try Burwood Rooftop Farm Comparison style Headline Kim Kardashian Shows Kids’ Playroom It’s JawDropping AP Kim Kardashian Shows Kids’ Playroom It’s JawDropping PA Kim Kardashian Shows Kids’ Playroom It’s JawDropping CMOS Kim Kardashian Shows Kids’ Playroom It’s JawDropping MLA Kim Kardashian Shows Kids’ Playroom It’s JawDropping NYT Kim Kardashian Shows Kids’ Playroom It’s JawDropping WP Kim Kardashian Shows Kids’ Playroom It’s JawDropping Comparison style Headline Quit Job Partner Pays Bills Here’s It’s Affected Us AP Quit Job Partner Pays Bills Here’s It’s Affected Us APA Quit Job Partner Pays Bills Here’s It’s Affected Us CMOS Quit Job Partner Pays Bills Here’s It’s Affected Us MLA Quit Job Partner Pays Bills Here’s It’s Affected Us NYT Quit Job Partner Pays Bills Here’s It’s Affected Us WP Quit Job Partner Pays Bills Here’s It’s Affected Us Comparison style Headline Counting Calories Basically Pointless Still AP Counting Calories Basically Pointless Still APA Counting Calories Basically Pointless Still CMOS Counting Calories Basically Pointless Still MLA Counting Calories Basically Pointless Still NYT Counting Calories Basically Pointless Still WP Counting Calories Basically Pointless Still Comparison style Headline Valentine’s Day Like Marriage Told 26 Tweets AP Valentine’s Day Like Marriage Told 26 Tweets APA Valentine’s Day Like Marriage Told 26 Tweets CMOS Valentine’s Day like Marriage Told 26 Tweets MLA Valentine’s Day like Marriage Told 26 Tweets NYT Valentine’s Day Like Marriage Told 26 Tweets WP Valentine’s Day like Marriage Told 26 Tweets Comparison AP APA MLA WP “As” capitalized probably used adverb eg “delivered promised” However also used preposition eg “working teacher” conjunction eg “cold ice” “do do” case must lowercased CMOS NYT “as” capitalized always lowercased according Chicago Manual Style New York Times style manualTags Headline Hacks Business Productivity Creativity Writing

Why reading more makes us better at our jobs

I’m passionate about talent management and culture. My objective is to make Osedea the best workplace for our team. Follow

https://medium.com/osedea/why-reading-more-makes-us-better-at-our-jobs-1fc70bf4f718

['Ivana Markovic']

2020-09-09 14:55:50.592000+00:00

['Books', 'Reading', 'Creative Thinking', 'Productivity', 'Creativity']

Title reading make u better jobsContent I’m passionate talent management culture objective make Osedea best workplace team FollowTags Books Reading Creative Thinking Productivity Creativity

New Research On Masks Show They Can Act Like A Vaccine

New Research On Masks Show They Can Act Like A Vaccine This is the strongest evidence yet that masks really work As a healthcare professional who has actually taken care of patients afflicted with COVID-19 on the front lines, it has been distressing to me to see the active campaign against masks. Yes, this would not be the first time Americans have resisted masks in the midst of a pandemic. At the same time, I would have hoped that we would know better 100 years later. This is especially true since the latest research shows that masks really do work and are very effective at reducing the spread of COVID-19. Researchers out of the University of California San Francisco looked at virologic, ecologic, and epidemiologic evidence in the literature. They found that wearing masks reduces what’s called the “viral inoculum,” which is the amount of virus that one can potentially inhale into his or her respiratory system. The higher the viral inoculum, the more likely someone will get infected and get severe illness. The lower the inoculum, the less likely someone will get the disease, because there are less viruses in that inoculum. What’s more, while masks do reduce droplets and particles that get into your mouth and nose, it is not 100%. So, even if one does get an infection with a low viral inoculum, it is much more likely to be very mild or totally asymptomatic infection. And, barring a weak immune system, the body will generate an immune response to the virus and hopefully confer some sort of immunity to the virus. It may not be long-lasting, as some research has borne out, but there is a secondary immune response, and hopefully this response will be intact and will help protect the individual from re-exposure. And so, in essence, masks can act like a “poor man’s vaccine,” as the researchers in the paper called it, while we wait for a real vaccine that is safe and effective to be developed. Yet, how does this work? Well, a vaccine is an injection of either a weakened or dead pathogen or a critical protein of the pathogen. This injection stimulates an immune response to the pathogen, one that is hopefully long-lasting. It’s a way to get immunity without having to suffer the devastating effects of the illness itself. In the case with masks, if you get a very small viral inoculum of SARS-CoV-2 that causes asymptomatic infection, your body generates an immune response without suffering the devastating effects of full blown COVID-19, in other words, similar to what a vaccine does. This is the strongest evidence yet that masks are an effective way to reduce the spread of COVID-19. To me, there really is no debate. There should be no one who derides or harasses someone who is wearing a mask. Yes, the CDC was wrong not to recommend people wearing masks early on in the pandemic. I myself regret having retweeted this tweet from the CDC back in February: We know better now. We understand better now. The data are very clear: wearing masks is an effective way to slow the spread of COVID-19. It is the very least we can do, and it is about respect and yes…freedom.

https://drhassaballa.medium.com/new-research-on-masks-show-they-can-act-like-a-vaccine-5dbde9398dd4

['Dr. Hesham A. Hassaballa']

2020-08-03 15:07:24.371000+00:00

['Politics', 'Medicine', 'Health', 'Coronavirus', 'Science']

Title New Research Masks Show Act Like VaccineContent New Research Masks Show Act Like Vaccine strongest evidence yet mask really work healthcare professional actually taken care patient afflicted COVID19 front line distressing see active campaign mask Yes would first time Americans resisted mask midst pandemic time would hoped would know better 100 year later especially true since latest research show mask really work effective reducing spread COVID19 Researchers University California San Francisco looked virologic ecologic epidemiologic evidence literature found wearing mask reduces what’s called “viral inoculum” amount virus one potentially inhale respiratory system higher viral inoculum likely someone get infected get severe illness lower inoculum le likely someone get disease le virus inoculum What’s mask reduce droplet particle get mouth nose 100 even one get infection low viral inoculum much likely mild totally asymptomatic infection barring weak immune system body generate immune response virus hopefully confer sort immunity virus may longlasting research borne secondary immune response hopefully response intact help protect individual reexposure essence mask act like “poor man’s vaccine” researcher paper called wait real vaccine safe effective developed Yet work Well vaccine injection either weakened dead pathogen critical protein pathogen injection stimulates immune response pathogen one hopefully longlasting It’s way get immunity without suffer devastating effect illness case mask get small viral inoculum SARSCoV2 cause asymptomatic infection body generates immune response without suffering devastating effect full blown COVID19 word similar vaccine strongest evidence yet mask effective way reduce spread COVID19 really debate one derides harasses someone wearing mask Yes CDC wrong recommend people wearing mask early pandemic regret retweeted tweet CDC back February know better understand better data clear wearing mask effective way slow spread COVID19 least respect yes…freedomTags Politics Medicine Health Coronavirus Science

Creative and Critical Use of Complex Networks

A network diagram offers a “common language” that is both visual and mathematical. So, from a network map, we can get qualitative information by reading its actors and relations, as well as do quantitative analysis by computing its connection structure. In fact, we can use this common language to study systems that may differ widely in their nature, appearance, or scope. For example, rather three different systems 1) devices sending messages to each other, 2) film actors connected through taking roles in the same movies, 3) organizations connected through partnerships may have exactly the same network structure. While the nature of the nodes and the links differs widely, each network has the same graph representation, consisting of 4 nodes and 4 links. We can use this simple method to begin studying a variety of complex systems. Why is network logic significant today? Let us look at why do networks matter today, although they existed in every society in the history. It is known that ~3000 years ago the ancient Phoenician and Greek colonies formed their trade routes and built network of harbours in the Mediterranean Sea. Whereas today, in the same geography, submarine cables carry messages and enable a global communication system. What we have today, is not just networks as analog or bare life happenings, but networks that are digitized, like the way many aspect of life is digitized. Thus, networks matter today, because electronic and software based communication systems made networks measurable. Only in this day and age, networks are able to reach a global scale and infiltrate into every part of our life. With today’s advanced information technologies the metrics of network effect have become trackable and measurable even in one’s daily course of life, at the same structuring the social world as such. ~3000 years ago Phoenician and Greek colonies formed the trade routes in the Mediterranean Sea. Map Source Today, in the same geography, submarine cables are enabling a global communication system. Map Source Only in this day and age, networks are able to reach a global scale and infiltrate into every part of our life. Map Source Use of complex networks In fact, we all experience the network effect, from email to e-commerce, from social networking to banking, from telecommunication to transportation. We all acknowledged the fact that the world is complex more than ever. It feels both flat –one can email anyone any time– and chaotic –our inbox is inundated with information coming from all directions. Sometimes we are opportunistic about the internet, talking about it as a global good, other times we are pessimistic knowing that we are all under surveillance all the time. In such an antagonistic world that is at once flat and chaotic, the question arises again: Where does power reside and circulate? Photograph of Obama and NYPD experts investigating the links of the suspect of a bombing attempt in Times Square. Image from an New York Times article “Police Find Car Bomb in Times Square”, May 1st 2010. Additionally, the state’s tactics in partnership with certain corporations to monitor its own citizens through what has been called “the big data”, the NSA leaks and so on and so forth have also attracted our attention towards an inaccessible but quite magical tool of knowing and predicting of what people want. This indeed was possible through understanding the interrelated or linkable structure of the information generated by many, but as said only open to the reach of a handful of institutions. In other words, network logic have been mystified in the eyes of the public. Only experts in certain fields have been aggregating large amount of data and using scientific tools for mapping and analyzing it on relational basis. Neither the relational data nor the mapping and analysis tools are accessible to the average user. Photograph from a Graph Commons workshop with NGOs. Representatives from two organizations in France and Turkey present the shared links between their organizations. However, it is a myth that common people has no access to data. We are the data for the governments and corporations who continuously sense our activity. In fact today, a wide array of people pursue projects containing complex data. All such people would benefit from structuring and interlinking their information. Connecting our discrete data sets would generate new knowledge, render complex issues visible and generate crucial discussions that impact us and our communities. The Graph Commons platform is a step to allow you to do so. Conceptual drawing for the idea of Graph Commons. Graph Commons Graph Commons is the first collaborative online platform for making and publishing interactive network maps publicly. It is dedicated to investigative journalism, civic data research, archive exploration, creative research, and organizational analysis. On Graph Commons, you can collectively compile data about the topics you are interested, define and categorize relations, and transform your data into interactive network maps, discover new patterns, and share your insight about complex issues using a simple interface. The platform serves both producers and consumers of graphs by linking entities together in useful ways and thereby creating a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Graph Commons members collectively experiment in the act of network mapping as an ongoing practice: Search across variety of graphs, invite collaborators to their work and ask to contribute to theirs. We believe everybody will find a unique way to use Graph Commons in their own connected world. We invite you to join us, and join one another in connecting partial information to explore complex relations that impact us and our communities.

https://medium.com/graph-commons/creative-and-critical-use-of-complex-networks-412fe9eddecb

['Burak Arikan']

2017-08-08 10:28:19.718000+00:00

['Productivity', 'Data Science', 'Creativity', 'Big Data', 'Data Visualization']

Title Creative Critical Use Complex NetworksContent network diagram offer “common language” visual mathematical network map get qualitative information reading actor relation well quantitative analysis computing connection structure fact use common language study system may differ widely nature appearance scope example rather three different system 1 device sending message 2 film actor connected taking role movie 3 organization connected partnership may exactly network structure nature node link differs widely network graph representation consisting 4 node 4 link use simple method begin studying variety complex system network logic significant today Let u look network matter today although existed every society history known 3000 year ago ancient Phoenician Greek colony formed trade route built network harbour Mediterranean Sea Whereas today geography submarine cable carry message enable global communication system today network analog bare life happening network digitized like way many aspect life digitized Thus network matter today electronic software based communication system made network measurable day age network able reach global scale infiltrate every part life today’s advanced information technology metric network effect become trackable measurable even one’s daily course life structuring social world 3000 year ago Phoenician Greek colony formed trade route Mediterranean Sea Map Source Today geography submarine cable enabling global communication system Map Source day age network able reach global scale infiltrate every part life Map Source Use complex network fact experience network effect email ecommerce social networking banking telecommunication transportation acknowledged fact world complex ever feel flat –one email anyone time– chaotic –our inbox inundated information coming direction Sometimes opportunistic internet talking global good time pessimistic knowing surveillance time antagonistic world flat chaotic question arises power reside circulate Photograph Obama NYPD expert investigating link suspect bombing attempt Times Square Image New York Times article “Police Find Car Bomb Times Square” May 1st 2010 Additionally state’s tactic partnership certain corporation monitor citizen called “the big data” NSA leak forth also attracted attention towards inaccessible quite magical tool knowing predicting people want indeed possible understanding interrelated linkable structure information generated many said open reach handful institution word network logic mystified eye public expert certain field aggregating large amount data using scientific tool mapping analyzing relational basis Neither relational data mapping analysis tool accessible average user Photograph Graph Commons workshop NGOs Representatives two organization France Turkey present shared link organization However myth common people access data data government corporation continuously sense activity fact today wide array people pursue project containing complex data people would benefit structuring interlinking information Connecting discrete data set would generate new knowledge render complex issue visible generate crucial discussion impact u community Graph Commons platform step allow Conceptual drawing idea Graph Commons Graph Commons Graph Commons first collaborative online platform making publishing interactive network map publicly dedicated investigative journalism civic data research archive exploration creative research organizational analysis Graph Commons collectively compile data topic interested define categorize relation transform data interactive network map discover new pattern share insight complex issue using simple interface platform serf producer consumer graph linking entity together useful way thereby creating whole greater sum part Graph Commons member collectively experiment act network mapping ongoing practice Search across variety graph invite collaborator work ask contribute believe everybody find unique way use Graph Commons connected world invite join u join one another connecting partial information explore complex relation impact u communitiesTags Productivity Data Science Creativity Big Data Data Visualization

I Just Received the Smartest $1.5 Million Email (Case Study)

The Six Principles of Influence The six principles of influence are: Reciprocity Commitment and consistency Social proof Authority Liking Scarcity Let’s look at how the email follows each of these principles: Reciprocity — the $5 credit The principle of reciprocity was first outlined by the social anthropologist Marcel Mauss in his 1925 essay The Gift: Forms and Functions of Exchange in Archaic Societies. Mauss’s key point was that a gift comes with an assumption of reciprocity. In other words, when you receive a gift from someone, you’ll likely feel obligated to give back. In the email above, I’m given a $5 credit in reciprocity for the fact that I already took an interest in the business (I backed one of their previous campaigns). Now the ball’s in my court: Will I return the favor by backing the new campaign? It’s a nice touch that encourages me to be loyal to their products. Commitment and consistency — the subject line Research shows that clickbait subject lines reduce open rates. The subject line of this email at first glance seems pretty ordinary, even bureaucratic: Yet it immediately arouses curiosity. I can see it’s from a gaming company, and I love games. So I wonder, “what credits have I been given towards a new game?” and I open the email. I’ve made a small commitment to finding out more. A small yes from a prospective buyer makes it easier to get a bigger yes. People act consistently with their previous commitments. I’ve made a commitment to open the email, which makes me more likely to read the email, then click the “claim your credits” call to action at the end of the email. This accumulation of small commitments means I’m more likely to take the final action the email senders want: back the project. Social proof — ‘every user’ The phrase “this is a gift to every user” adds social proof to the email, showing that I’m alongside a crowd of similarly minded people. When I click through to the campaign page, I see even more social proof in how much the campaign has raised: Screenshot provided by the author. Seeing how many backers are already on board with the campaign — and how much they’ve pledged — encourages me to open my wallet and back too. That’s the power of social proof. Authority — the branding and colors This is where it gets super smart. Awaken Realms are a highly successful board games publisher, who rose to success through raising funds for their games on Kickstarter. In total their games have raised tens of millions of dollars. So Kickstarter’s 8% fees would have hit them hard, to the tune of millions of dollars. That’s likely why Awaken Realms switched to Gamefound, a relatively new crowdfunding platform with lower fees, for this project. The downside of setting up on a new platform? Establishing trust. If you’re not careful, you’re starting from scratch with building a relationship with your customers. That’s covered in the email. The light grey and green colors in the email echo the branding colors of Kickstarter, while not being exactly the same color. That’s an easy way to create an immediate sense of familiarity and trust. What’s more, the whole tone of the email is one of quiet confidence, which adds authority. They’re not pleading “please give us money for our project” or shouting about “special offer.” They just state what’s on the table, in a straightforward way. Liking — mixing familiarity and novelty When you like someone, you’re more likely to be influenced by their requests. As I’ve backed campaigns previously from Awaken Realms, I’m familiar with their games, and neuroscience research shows that familiarity causes high levels of brain activation. Likewise, novelty activates the reward centers in the brain. This email invites me to celebrate the launch of a new project, so it hits the novelty button, too. An email that combines both familiarity and novelty is a heady mixture that gives me positive feelings towards the brand. Scarcity — the project deadline People are inclined to put off decisions until the last minute. That’s why scarcity can be helpful in selling products. If there’s a limited number of products available or a deadline for buying, customers take action because they don’t want to miss out. Crowdfunding campaigns have built-in scarcity since there’s a date by which backers need to make their pledge to be part of the campaign. Otherwise, they risk missing out on the new product. The email doubles down on this scarcity, by putting a time limit on the $5 credit: “This credit can only be used during the ISS Vanguard campaign.”

https://medium.com/better-marketing/i-just-received-the-smartest-1-5-million-email-case-study-3da80f54f18

['David Majister']

2020-12-22 17:30:38.910000+00:00

['Entrepreneurship', 'Writing', 'Marketing', 'Email Marketing', 'Case Study']

Title Received Smartest 15 Million Email Case StudyContent Six Principles Influence six principle influence Reciprocity Commitment consistency Social proof Authority Liking Scarcity Let’s look email follows principle Reciprocity — 5 credit principle reciprocity first outlined social anthropologist Marcel Mauss 1925 essay Gift Forms Functions Exchange Archaic Societies Mauss’s key point gift come assumption reciprocity word receive gift someone you’ll likely feel obligated give back email I’m given 5 credit reciprocity fact already took interest business backed one previous campaign ball’s court return favor backing new campaign It’s nice touch encourages loyal product Commitment consistency — subject line Research show clickbait subject line reduce open rate subject line email first glance seems pretty ordinary even bureaucratic Yet immediately arouses curiosity see it’s gaming company love game wonder “what credit given towards new game” open email I’ve made small commitment finding small yes prospective buyer make easier get bigger yes People act consistently previous commitment I’ve made commitment open email make likely read email click “claim credits” call action end email accumulation small commitment mean I’m likely take final action email sender want back project Social proof — ‘every user’ phrase “this gift every user” add social proof email showing I’m alongside crowd similarly minded people click campaign page see even social proof much campaign raised Screenshot provided author Seeing many backer already board campaign — much they’ve pledged — encourages open wallet back That’s power social proof Authority — branding color get super smart Awaken Realms highly successful board game publisher rose success raising fund game Kickstarter total game raised ten million dollar Kickstarter’s 8 fee would hit hard tune million dollar That’s likely Awaken Realms switched Gamefound relatively new crowdfunding platform lower fee project downside setting new platform Establishing trust you’re careful you’re starting scratch building relationship customer That’s covered email light grey green color email echo branding color Kickstarter exactly color That’s easy way create immediate sense familiarity trust What’s whole tone email one quiet confidence add authority They’re pleading “please give u money project” shouting “special offer” state what’s table straightforward way Liking — mixing familiarity novelty like someone you’re likely influenced request I’ve backed campaign previously Awaken Realms I’m familiar game neuroscience research show familiarity cause high level brain activation Likewise novelty activates reward center brain email invite celebrate launch new project hit novelty button email combine familiarity novelty heady mixture give positive feeling towards brand Scarcity — project deadline People inclined put decision last minute That’s scarcity helpful selling product there’s limited number product available deadline buying customer take action don’t want miss Crowdfunding campaign builtin scarcity since there’s date backer need make pledge part campaign Otherwise risk missing new product email double scarcity putting time limit 5 credit “This credit used ISS Vanguard campaign”Tags Entrepreneurship Writing Marketing Email Marketing Case Study

Tony Hsieh is Dead and Nobody Knows What to Say

You can tell by the things they are saying. The major outlets talk about his legacy of business successes and huge parties, and his “tragic downfall at the end”. The personal essayists and bloggers are looting that legacy for inspiring leadership quotes. And WaPo is turning him into a cautionary tale for rich people even before his body has gone cold. On the surface, it looks like nobody wants to understand why Tony Hsieh is dead. I think everybody privately understands anyway. Most just don’t have the right language for it. I think Tony Hsieh, as a public figure, spent decades trying to tell us something important about himself that nobody wants to hear. It’s something about all of us, especially the “visionaries” and “leaders,” that the postmodern world blinds us to while we drive ourselves insane. Specifically, the lay concept of mental health is incomplete: the differences between how human minds are commonly thought to work, and how they actually work, creates and perpetuates the suffering that makes business, economics, and modern life unbearable to gifted people. First, Some CYA Maneuvering Before I dive into this, I need to make two things very clear. I am not a licensed mental health professional. I work as a coach for leadership and, consequently, life. I facilitate people’s personal change processes; doing that effectively requires lots of study and training in psychology and supportive relational practices, which I have. But I don’t hold a license from any board of health. This means I’m not bound by the handcuffs licensed professionals wear and can speak my mind pretty freely about mental health topics, so long as I don’t solicit services regulated by healthcare licensure boards or construe myself as a certified practitioner. But this isn’t about me. It’s about Tony Hsieh. I’m going to talk about Tony Hsieh the public figure. This is the Tony Hsieh whose story is told in magazine articles, press releases, and newspaper editorials. He is distinct from Tony Hsieh the private citizen. I don’t know that person; I could never know that person; I’m not going to presume anything about that person’s life or mind. Besides, this isn’t about Tony Hsieh. It’s about you. How We’re Taught to Talk About Dead Visionaries Sifting through a few dozen articles and blogs about Tony’s death shows common trends for discussing high-profile visionaries. Depending on our (lack of) relationship to them and to structures of social power, we vary in how much we’re willing to see them as bona fide human beings. Most people are satisfied with counting trophies and projecting their own aspirations onto the blank canvas of a public figure. If your epigraph includes “but,” you need to get clear on whether you’re talking about the deceased or yourself. This is what I mean. The author can’t see Tony through the fog of The Business Icon. Their confusion even shows in the title, which lexically broadcasts two ideas: Tony Hiseh’s Death [Reminds] How to Build a Great Company Tony Hsieh’s Death [Reminds] How to Build a Great Life First, note that Company came before Life. Then look at that second sentence and tell me how it makes any kind of sense. A guy descends into drug-fueled madness for months, flees to the mountains with a cadre of sycophants, and dies in a fire while locked inside a house. The article doesn’t even talk about Tony’s life. Instead, it cherry-picks factoids from Hsieh’s business legacy to support its premise that a culture-forward HR policy is the best way to do business. The author sprinkles in assumptions about Hsieh’s inner life, like “Looking at some of the pictures and comments around these events [note: ‘adventures away from the office’], you just can’t fake that kind of gratitude and happiness.” He doesn’t give a damn about Tony Hsieh. He wants to feel inspired by a set of culture polices that promote his idealized work environment. The closing argument proves it: Reading and practicing what Hsieh wrote made me a better teacher and a better person. In this regard, Hsieh left something really great behind for people who knew him and complete strangers like me. We honor him by following his timeless advice about business and life. I believe we dishonor Hsieh when we only honor the ideas and works he left us. The man himself never mattered to people like the author. This might be forgivable since the author never worked for Hsieh and never met him in real life. But reducing a person to public figurehood — no, to iconography — indignifies them. And for many, many people that indignity creates a steep slippery slope between a healthy sense of self and identity confusion. How can someone know who they are, or what they need to feel safe and fulfilled, when they’re only known by their roles and achievements? That goes for Tony and for the author. This, as I’ve highlighted, was published before Tony died. It’s a response to his stepping down from Zappos, the event that demarcated his flight from familiar surroundings and people in Las Vegas. The 3-min read is little more than a PR statement from one Zappos employee to others. Its thesis: We lost a leader. But we have also gained an opportunity, to change. Though I recognize the shock of this change, and we will be OK in the long run. Everyone will lift each other up, it is already happening. Rarely is anyone at a company because of simply one person, and I believe that to be the case now. This is the thing about businesses and professional organizations: people are only part of them because of the mission or for personal gain (read: salary/commission/dividends). So much of what’s said about Tony isn’t even about Tony; it’s about what he did for the institutions of Zappos and Downtown Las Vegas. What members to those entities got from him. Where are the articles about his relationships? His personhood? I think this is a serious problem in executive leadership roles. The structure of the job demands someone who trusts others very little, who believes they are in a constant struggle for survival against the world. The work hours and constant power-jockeying with vendors, competitors, shareholders, and even teammates creates an impossibly isolating lifestyle. How is a human being supposed to find happiness, fulfillment, and life satisfaction while working as a business leader? Especially if they have the kind of personality (read: developmental psychology) that makes them less likely to trust others than normal? Everybody wants to be safely connected to other people. “Safe” is determined by the unconscious mind and its authentic needs. When we repeatedly experience violations of trust — power games, backstabbing, politicking — we learn to keep our guard up. We deny ourselves authentic self-expression, and the only way to do that is to stuff our authenticity down inside ourselves, to lock away our unconscious minds so they don’t slip out. This kind of self-disconnection, when it becomes chronic, leads to all sorts of physiological and psychological problems… …which start to show up in your work. This article is a summary of some tribute given to Tony by “people that knew and loved him including TED speaker Nic Marks.” Because being a TED speaker matters even more than having known and loved Tony; it merits special mention. That’s what readers of The Happy Startup School really want to hear: the opinion of someone successful enough to have spoken at TED. The rest of Tony’s lovers can come too, we suppose. 1. “Live your values, don’t laminate them”: Zappos’ core values were important to building a strong company culture 2. “Never put money before your happiness”: Tony walked away from his first company because it made him so unhappy. He couldn’t bear going into work every day. 3. “Aim to create an emotional connection with everyone you talk to”: One of Zappos’ customer service metrics was making two emotional connections on a call. This was personally important to Tony. 4. “Surprise and delight your customers at every turn”: Each rep was given freedom to make customers happy, even sending flowers and recommending pizza. 5. “Encourage your team to be themselves at work”: Individuality was encouraged at Zappos and staff were empowered. They had a full-time life coach for work or personal sessions. 6. “Don’t let money or success change you”: Tony was worth $1bn but had a normal desk and lived in a trailer 7. “Your brand and culture are two sides of the same coin” 8. “Use your company as a vehicle for your mission”: Tony inspired others to put people before profit 9. “Never stop taking risks”: Tony kept pushing himself to try new things. He could have played it safe. 10. “Make your mark in the precious time you have”: Tony died early, reminding us to act now Great. We have a collection of banal platitudes for making a business that cares about people. But why is this important? Why is it distinct enough to merit a TED speaker’s consideration? Why isn’t this just business-as-normal? You know the answers. They’re solid answers. And they aren’t the point. They just tee up the real question: Why did Tony spend every waking moment struggling against those answers to build a different kind of work environment anyway? What demon possessed him to swim upstream against the entire world? The above list tells a story about Hsieh. Here’s a retelling of that story with more focus on character development: “Tony walked away from his first company because it made him so unhappy. He couldn’t bear going into work every day. At Zappos, he told people to make emotional connections as part of their job role. This was personally important to him. He even insisted that his employees make people happy by whatever means they could drum up. Everybody around him was allowed individuality and empowered: he hired a life coach for his employees and gave them free access to that person. Tony didn’t show himself much care through the luxury his success afforded him. He kept pushing himself. He could have played it safe but for some reason wouldn’t allow safety into his life. Tony died early.” I assert that Tony Hsieh, the subject of all these essays and remembrances, was not actually a happy man. He was chronically troubled all his life and, as humans do, tried to construct an outer world that wouldn’t reflect his intensely distressing inner world. He couldn’t find the help he needed to make his inner world more peaceful, and he finally succumbed to what we callously label “mental illness”. And I think the writers of Forbes’s memoir agree with me, even if their audience won’t let them come out and say it. But while he directly (by the tens of thousands) and indirectly (by the millions) delivered on making other people smile, Hsieh was privately coping with issues of mental health and addiction. Finally, a breath of fresh air. Forbes has interviewed more than 20 of his close friends and colleagues over the past few days…reconciling their accounts, one word rises up: tragedy. According to his friends and family, Hsieh’s personal struggles took a dramatic turn south over the past year, especially as the Covid-19 pandemic curtailed the nonstop action that Hsieh seemingly craved. Anxiety creeps into my belly. This account is taking its own precipitous turn. According to numerous sources with direct knowledge, Hsieh, always a heavy drinker, veered into frequent drug use, notably nitrous oxide. Friends also cited mental health battles, as Hsieh often struggled with sleep and feelings of loneliness — traits that drove his fervor for purpose and passion in life. By August, it was announced that he had “retired” from the company…friends and family members, understanding the emerging crisis, attempted interventions over the past few months to try to get him sober. Instead, these old friends say, Hsieh retreated to Park City, where he surrounded himself with yes-men…He would double the amount of their highest-ever salary. All they had to do was move to Park City with him and “be happy”. And there we go. The interventionist historical fiction. He fell into crisis and we tried to change his behavior, but he fled us and dug deeper into the only thing he knew. It’s such a shame that he wouldn’t take the medicine. This schizoid article struggles with itself the whole way through. I think the writers want to tell the truth about Tony’s lifelong struggle with inner demons, but Forbes is a magazine for business aspirants. Fortunately, famed singer-songwriter Jewel stands in nicely as a foil: the writers use the humble and heart-forward bohemian — who in no way threatens the identities of Forbes’ readership — to deliver their message so they can tell the truth without getting run out of town. And the editor gets to stamp his logo above the dead man’s head and use the title to blame him for “self-destruction.” (Bad Tony, scratching up the perfect image of an exuberant, people-centric, visionary leader we want to see. We trusted you to carry the banner.) Tony Hsieh, like most visionary business leaders, only knew one way to handle his constant psychic distress: craft an outer world that doesn’t in any way reflect his inner world. When the pandemic shut down city life, he must have been left with a lot of time on his hands. Then Zappos was taken from him, according to insinuations in the article. And a troubled man exhibiting several markers of constant distress (heavy use of dissociative drugs like alcohol and whippets, chronic sleeplessness, chronic loneliness and depression, ‘an addictive personality’) had none of his tools for avoidance left. The Language We Really Need The normies around Tony saw him fall through the gaps in his constructed world and tried what they know: a behavioral intervention. Tony, they said, you have to stop drinking and using drugs. These outside-things are messing up your inside-world. Stop using them so your inside-world fixes itself. This is what they were probably taught by TV sitcoms growing up. It’s what we’re all taught through a million mass-cultural interpretations of behaviorist psychology. Behaviorists love to look at humans like opaque “black boxes”: since you can’t know what the inside looks like, just change the outside of the box and wait for the inside to adapt. It works well enough when a human is capable of adapting, which is why the American Psychological Association (which governs mental health treatment in the USA) requires all psychiatrists to be trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT is so heavily used here that its ideas and assumptions about human psychology have worked their way into normal society. But — this is one of those things I can say because I’m not a licensed healthcare worker — in my experiences as a therapy client, an emotional intelligence trainer, and a coach, I’ve seen how behavioral intervention doesn’t work very well in the face of psychological trauma. Trauma is the rearrangement of one’s entire mind to isolate the memory of a life-threatening event. When something happens that makes the unconscious parts of our mind believe we’re going to die and can’t do anything about it, the brain records a special memory of that event that includes everything we did to survive it. If we survive, the memory is kept as an immutable record of stimuli from right before the event happened and physiological responses to it(nervous system, endocrine, and motor responses). Because obviously one or more of those responses cause us to avoid dying (or so the mind thinks). When the stimuli reappear in present-time, the memory is triggered and the responses are replayed automatically, unconsciously, and immediately to help us survive again. Trauma is designed to be immutable. This is why behavioral interventions don’t work very well at healing it. You can’t just tell someone using alcoholism to avoid their PTSD, “knock it off with the drinking.” They’ll just drink when you aren’t watching, or they’ll switch to another intoxicant with a similar effect, like harder drugs or sex or cultism. It’s a mostly unconscious psychological process. What you have to do is heal the trauma first, and then they’ll stop needing to escape their own mind. Effective trauma healing uses body-centric mindfulness to track autonomic trauma responses while staying aware of the present moment in which you are not actually about to die. You might have heard of EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, NARM, or Hakomi. Those are non-behaviorist methodologies with decades of clinical evidence and biological theory backing them. They can completely heal trauma by working with the unconscious mind. Behavioral therapy, hypnosis, and psychoanalysis — as well as coaching methodologies derived from them — do not. (Citations for such a wide-reaching argument are impossible. You can find a better explanation of almost all of this in Trauma and Memory by Peter. A. Levine PhD and The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk MD.) The public figure of Tony Hsieh smacks of complex PTSD (C-PTSD). The failure of behavioral interventions. The booze and partying and biohacking. The lifelong frenetic drive to create a fantasy world that doesn’t actually align with the real world’s constraints. This is a person who very likely suffered C-PTSD, and it seems nobody in his environment was able or willing to recognize it. What we know intuitively is that people like Tony — brilliant, big-hearted, lost in the adult world, and almost constantly dysfunctional — are struggling with inner demons common to the heart of mankind. What we don’t know is how to talk about it, how to model the experience with a common language, or how to alleviate the suffering. The language of psychological trauma, particularly complex/developmental trauma, is what we need. Tony didn’t get the help he actually needed. While he developed an inspiring persona modeling an idealistic fantasy we’d all rather live in, he didn’t develop a resilient personality for living in the real world. He didn’t find inner peace, not ever. He didn’t live another 40 years to make his utopia more viable and inspire even more visionaries to build it. Hsieh is the Everyman for Leaders There’s so much complexity in this story that could be explored, but I’m staying focused on part of it that never gets told clearly. Because when the details are abstracted, it’s the same story I see in most of the senior leadership, startup founders, and entrepreneurs I’ve met as a coach/trainer. The same psychology that makes one stand out from the masses also makes one incredibly vulnerable to chronic dysfunction. In banal cases, it just means you’re a heavy partier on business trips and work insane hours. In many of the cases I’ve seen, it means you’re a lowkey terror to people on your team, and they spend too much of their personal energy managing yours. In Tony’s case, it means you lose control of your company, lose touch with your humanity, and die in mid-life. From Forbes: Toward the end of 2014 he stepped away from leading the Downtown [Las Vegas] Project and moved from his high-rise condo into an Airstream park, complete with an LED-lit stage and a roaming alpaca. Here, the revelry continued in a scene where recreational drugs were mixed with an evolving group of thinkers, creatives and entrepreneurs who sought Hsieh’s advice…Over this period, many of Hsieh’s longtime peers found themselves on a divergent path from him. Their definitions of happiness had changed — a feeling echoed by several Hsieh friends, who said that they had married and started families, while Hsieh remained an extremely rich Peter Pan. Tony Hsieh needed attunement, validation and nurturance. He needed people he could trust to see his full childlike authenticity, welcome it, and protect him from a callous world. He kept unconsciously trying to create these experiences around himself, for himself, but people just showed up to soak it in and encourage him to lay more golden eggs. This is a pattern of the traumatized mind: we unconsciously recreate the situation that led to the trauma for the rest of our lives, hoping to ‘win’ this time against the threat or stressor. The Tony I see between the lines of all these articles surrounded himself with people who “valued him” but didn’t validate and build his sense of worth. Businesspeople need the capacity to point to the root causes of dysfunctional leadership and toxic culture. Nobody is telling the real story, despite the thousands of pages of biz lit published every year, because those who analyze leadership don’t really understand psychological trauma, and those who really understand trauma could lose their therapy license if they say too much about anybody’s psychology. It’s a catch-22 that keeps the deep healing magic locked behind a one-way gate. Outside the gate, we’re left with pitiful imitations of real thing: Big-5 Profiles and Unconscious Bias Training. People with “strong personalities” keep being put into leadership positions where they are driven to their physical and mental limits to create value for everyone around them. In exchange, they’re allowed leeway to shape the lives of others through social power, which they always unconsciously use to make their inner worlds less painful. If the visionary is Tony Hsieh, people love it but he implodes and crumples. If the visionary is Steve Jobs, people hate it but deflect their misery with the material comforts they gain. What are the costs of letting your eccentric leadership continue to live in ignorance of complex trauma? Are they toxic to their coworkers? To their organizational systems? To themselves? Do you have to build social firewalls around them at the Director level to filter their communications and influence their decision-making? If you’re the leader in your company — maybe a startup or an entrepreneurship — how sustainable and fulfilling is your life in this role? Do you feel intimately connected to the people in your life? Do you trust your own instincts? Can you take directions, receive hard feedback, and say things like “I’m sorry”, “I need help”, and “I was wrong”? How much pigmented hair is still on your head? It’s okay to be affected by trauma; every single person on Earth is. It’s the human condition. But it doesn’t have to be nearly as hard for many of us as society makes it. We are not a compassionate people to one another or ourselves. We have the innate ability to be, but our culture teaches us its opposite. Tony Hsieh, as described by the post mortem rags circulating this week, is another wake-up call to all of Western business. Trauma runs deep in our individual and collective psyches, and we have been ignoring it for generations. The complexity of the matter is only getting worse. If we don’t immediately start popularizing effective and compassionate conceptual models of the twenty-first century human mind, we’ll lack the language needed to understand the suffering and misery we cause with business-as-usual. We’ll only going to use up and throw away more Tony Hsiehs while they try, desperately but futilely, to change the world when they can’t find peace inside themselves.

https://starlingdavid.medium.com/tony-hsieh-is-dead-and-nobody-knows-what-to-say-d097abc570dc

['David A Staab']

2020-12-08 18:14:48.024000+00:00

['Business', 'Startup', 'Mental Health', 'Leadership', 'Psychology']

Title Tony Hsieh Dead Nobody Knows SayContent tell thing saying major outlet talk legacy business success huge party “tragic downfall end” personal essayist blogger looting legacy inspiring leadership quote WaPo turning cautionary tale rich people even body gone cold surface look like nobody want understand Tony Hsieh dead think everybody privately understands anyway don’t right language think Tony Hsieh public figure spent decade trying tell u something important nobody want hear It’s something u especially “visionaries” “leaders” postmodern world blind u drive insane Specifically lay concept mental health incomplete difference human mind commonly thought work actually work creates perpetuates suffering make business economics modern life unbearable gifted people First CYA Maneuvering dive need make two thing clear licensed mental health professional work coach leadership consequently life facilitate people’s personal change process effectively requires lot study training psychology supportive relational practice don’t hold license board health mean I’m bound handcuff licensed professional wear speak mind pretty freely mental health topic long don’t solicit service regulated healthcare licensure board construe certified practitioner isn’t It’s Tony Hsieh I’m going talk Tony Hsieh public figure Tony Hsieh whose story told magazine article press release newspaper editorial distinct Tony Hsieh private citizen don’t know person could never know person I’m going presume anything person’s life mind Besides isn’t Tony Hsieh It’s We’re Taught Talk Dead Visionaries Sifting dozen article blog Tony’s death show common trend discussing highprofile visionary Depending lack relationship structure social power vary much we’re willing see bona fide human being people satisfied counting trophy projecting aspiration onto blank canvas public figure epigraph includes “but” need get clear whether you’re talking deceased mean author can’t see Tony fog Business Icon confusion even show title lexically broadcast two idea Tony Hiseh’s Death Reminds Build Great Company Tony Hsieh’s Death Reminds Build Great Life First note Company came Life look second sentence tell make kind sense guy descends drugfueled madness month flees mountain cadre sycophant dy fire locked inside house article doesn’t even talk Tony’s life Instead cherrypicks factoid Hsieh’s business legacy support premise cultureforward HR policy best way business author sprinkle assumption Hsieh’s inner life like “Looking picture comment around event note ‘adventures away office’ can’t fake kind gratitude happiness” doesn’t give damn Tony Hsieh want feel inspired set culture police promote idealized work environment closing argument prof Reading practicing Hsieh wrote made better teacher better person regard Hsieh left something really great behind people knew complete stranger like honor following timeless advice business life believe dishonor Hsieh honor idea work left u man never mattered people like author might forgivable since author never worked Hsieh never met real life reducing person public figurehood — iconography — indignifies many many people indignity creates steep slippery slope healthy sense self identity confusion someone know need feel safe fulfilled they’re known role achievement go Tony author I’ve highlighted published Tony died It’s response stepping Zappos event demarcated flight familiar surroundings people Las Vegas 3min read little PR statement one Zappos employee others thesis lost leader also gained opportunity change Though recognize shock change OK long run Everyone lift already happening Rarely anyone company simply one person believe case thing business professional organization people part mission personal gain read salarycommissiondividends much what’s said Tony isn’t even Tony it’s institution Zappos Downtown Las Vegas member entity got article relationship personhood think serious problem executive leadership role structure job demand someone trust others little belief constant struggle survival world work hour constant powerjockeying vendor competitor shareholder even teammate creates impossibly isolating lifestyle human supposed find happiness fulfillment life satisfaction working business leader Especially kind personality read developmental psychology make le likely trust others normal Everybody want safely connected people “Safe” determined unconscious mind authentic need repeatedly experience violation trust — power game backstabbing politicking — learn keep guard deny authentic selfexpression way stuff authenticity inside lock away unconscious mind don’t slip kind selfdisconnection becomes chronic lead sort physiological psychological problems… …which start show work article summary tribute given Tony “people knew loved including TED speaker Nic Marks” TED speaker matter even known loved Tony merit special mention That’s reader Happy Startup School really want hear opinion someone successful enough spoken TED rest Tony’s lover come suppose 1 “Live value don’t laminate them” Zappos’ core value important building strong company culture 2 “Never put money happiness” Tony walked away first company made unhappy couldn’t bear going work every day 3 “Aim create emotional connection everyone talk to” One Zappos’ customer service metric making two emotional connection call personally important Tony 4 “Surprise delight customer every turn” rep given freedom make customer happy even sending flower recommending pizza 5 “Encourage team work” Individuality encouraged Zappos staff empowered fulltime life coach work personal session 6 “Don’t let money success change you” Tony worth 1bn normal desk lived trailer 7 “Your brand culture two side coin” 8 “Use company vehicle mission” Tony inspired others put people profit 9 “Never stop taking risks” Tony kept pushing try new thing could played safe 10 “Make mark precious time have” Tony died early reminding u act Great collection banal platitude making business care people important distinct enough merit TED speaker’s consideration isn’t businessasnormal know answer They’re solid answer aren’t point tee real question Tony spend every waking moment struggling answer build different kind work environment anyway demon possessed swim upstream entire world list tell story Hsieh Here’s retelling story focus character development “Tony walked away first company made unhappy couldn’t bear going work every day Zappos told people make emotional connection part job role personally important even insisted employee make people happy whatever mean could drum Everybody around allowed individuality empowered hired life coach employee gave free access person Tony didn’t show much care luxury success afforded kept pushing could played safe reason wouldn’t allow safety life Tony died early” assert Tony Hsieh subject essay remembrance actually happy man chronically troubled life human tried construct outer world wouldn’t reflect intensely distressing inner world couldn’t find help needed make inner world peaceful finally succumbed callously label “mental illness” think writer Forbes’s memoir agree even audience won’t let come say directly ten thousand indirectly million delivered making people smile Hsieh privately coping issue mental health addiction Finally breath fresh air Forbes interviewed 20 close friend colleague past days…reconciling account one word rise tragedy According friend family Hsieh’s personal struggle took dramatic turn south past year especially Covid19 pandemic curtailed nonstop action Hsieh seemingly craved Anxiety creep belly account taking precipitous turn According numerous source direct knowledge Hsieh always heavy drinker veered frequent drug use notably nitrous oxide Friends also cited mental health battle Hsieh often struggled sleep feeling loneliness — trait drove fervor purpose passion life August announced “retired” company…friends family member understanding emerging crisis attempted intervention past month try get sober Instead old friend say Hsieh retreated Park City surrounded yesmen…He would double amount highestever salary move Park City “be happy” go interventionist historical fiction fell crisis tried change behavior fled u dug deeper thing knew It’s shame wouldn’t take medicine schizoid article struggle whole way think writer want tell truth Tony’s lifelong struggle inner demon Forbes magazine business aspirant Fortunately famed singersongwriter Jewel stand nicely foil writer use humble heartforward bohemian — way threatens identity Forbes’ readership — deliver message tell truth without getting run town editor get stamp logo dead man’s head use title blame “selfdestruction” Bad Tony scratching perfect image exuberant peoplecentric visionary leader want see trusted carry banner Tony Hsieh like visionary business leader knew one way handle constant psychic distress craft outer world doesn’t way reflect inner world pandemic shut city life must left lot time hand Zappos taken according insinuation article troubled man exhibiting several marker constant distress heavy use dissociative drug like alcohol whippet chronic sleeplessness chronic loneliness depression ‘an addictive personality’ none tool avoidance left Language Really Need normies around Tony saw fall gap constructed world tried know behavioral intervention Tony said stop drinking using drug outsidethings messing insideworld Stop using insideworld fix probably taught TV sitcom growing It’s we’re taught million masscultural interpretation behaviorist psychology Behaviorists love look human like opaque “black boxes” since can’t know inside look like change outside box wait inside adapt work well enough human capable adapting American Psychological Association governs mental health treatment USA requires psychiatrist trained Cognitive Behavioral Therapy CBT CBT heavily used idea assumption human psychology worked way normal society — one thing say I’m licensed healthcare worker — experience therapy client emotional intelligence trainer coach I’ve seen behavioral intervention doesn’t work well face psychological trauma Trauma rearrangement one’s entire mind isolate memory lifethreatening event something happens make unconscious part mind believe we’re going die can’t anything brain record special memory event includes everything survive survive memory kept immutable record stimulus right event happened physiological response itnervous system endocrine motor response obviously one response cause u avoid dying mind think stimulus reappear presenttime memory triggered response replayed automatically unconsciously immediately help u survive Trauma designed immutable behavioral intervention don’t work well healing can’t tell someone using alcoholism avoid PTSD “knock drinking” They’ll drink aren’t watching they’ll switch another intoxicant similar effect like harder drug sex cultism It’s mostly unconscious psychological process heal trauma first they’ll stop needing escape mind Effective trauma healing us bodycentric mindfulness track autonomic trauma response staying aware present moment actually die might heard EMDR Somatic Experiencing NARM Hakomi nonbehaviorist methodology decade clinical evidence biological theory backing completely heal trauma working unconscious mind Behavioral therapy hypnosis psychoanalysis — well coaching methodology derived — Citations widereaching argument impossible find better explanation almost Trauma Memory Peter Levine PhD Body Keeps Score Bessel Van Der Kolk MD public figure Tony Hsieh smack complex PTSD CPTSD failure behavioral intervention booze partying biohacking lifelong frenetic drive create fantasy world doesn’t actually align real world’s constraint person likely suffered CPTSD seems nobody environment able willing recognize know intuitively people like Tony — brilliant bighearted lost adult world almost constantly dysfunctional — struggling inner demon common heart mankind don’t know talk model experience common language alleviate suffering language psychological trauma particularly complexdevelopmental trauma need Tony didn’t get help actually needed developed inspiring persona modeling idealistic fantasy we’d rather live didn’t develop resilient personality living real world didn’t find inner peace ever didn’t live another 40 year make utopia viable inspire even visionary build Hsieh Everyman Leaders There’s much complexity story could explored I’m staying focused part never get told clearly detail abstracted it’s story see senior leadership startup founder entrepreneur I’ve met coachtrainer psychology make one stand mass also make one incredibly vulnerable chronic dysfunction banal case mean you’re heavy partier business trip work insane hour many case I’ve seen mean you’re lowkey terror people team spend much personal energy managing Tony’s case mean lose control company lose touch humanity die midlife Forbes Toward end 2014 stepped away leading Downtown Las Vegas Project moved highrise condo Airstream park complete LEDlit stage roaming alpaca revelry continued scene recreational drug mixed evolving group thinker creatives entrepreneur sought Hsieh’s advice…Over period many Hsieh’s longtime peer found divergent path definition happiness changed — feeling echoed several Hsieh friend said married started family Hsieh remained extremely rich Peter Pan Tony Hsieh needed attunement validation nurturance needed people could trust see full childlike authenticity welcome protect callous world kept unconsciously trying create experience around people showed soak encourage lay golden egg pattern traumatized mind unconsciously recreate situation led trauma rest life hoping ‘win’ time threat stressor Tony see line article surrounded people “valued him” didn’t validate build sense worth Businesspeople need capacity point root cause dysfunctional leadership toxic culture Nobody telling real story despite thousand page biz lit published every year analyze leadership don’t really understand psychological trauma really understand trauma could lose therapy license say much anybody’s psychology It’s catch22 keep deep healing magic locked behind oneway gate Outside gate we’re left pitiful imitation real thing Big5 Profiles Unconscious Bias Training People “strong personalities” keep put leadership position driven physical mental limit create value everyone around exchange they’re allowed leeway shape life others social power always unconsciously use make inner world le painful visionary Tony Hsieh people love implodes crumples visionary Steve Jobs people hate deflect misery material comfort gain cost letting eccentric leadership continue live ignorance complex trauma toxic coworkers organizational system build social firewall around Director level filter communication influence decisionmaking you’re leader company — maybe startup entrepreneurship — sustainable fulfilling life role feel intimately connected people life trust instinct take direction receive hard feedback say thing like “I’m sorry” “I need help” “I wrong” much pigmented hair still head It’s okay affected trauma every single person Earth It’s human condition doesn’t nearly hard many u society make compassionate people one another innate ability culture teach u opposite Tony Hsieh described post mortem rag circulating week another wakeup call Western business Trauma run deep individual collective psyche ignoring generation complexity matter getting worse don’t immediately start popularizing effective compassionate conceptual model twentyfirst century human mind we’ll lack language needed understand suffering misery cause businessasusual We’ll going use throw away Tony Hsiehs try desperately futilely change world can’t find peace inside themselvesTags Business Startup Mental Health Leadership Psychology