fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
How to make peace with your debt so you can actually start paying it off
By: Kiersten Marie Brown
Tags: Money Mindset, Money, Debt, Financial, Financial Freedom

Throughout my entrepreneurial journey, my financial status has fluctuated. There have been months when I reached my income goals. Those days bought myself a new pair of shoes and felt on top of the world. The magic of seeing a comma in my bank account.

But when I wasn’t bringing as much as I wanted my actions and behaviors changed. That rectangular piece of plastic called a credit card became my hero. It was the key to my financial salvation. After every swipe I thought, ok I would for sure pay this balance with my next paycheck.

But yet, I somehow slipped into a habit of just paying the minimum. And as I did this my credit card balance grew like a weed in my financial garden.

And has this bad habit started to form, my credit score took an inevitable hit. As my score decrease so did my financial confidence. I felt overwhelmed, suffocated with guilt.

And this guilt prevented me from actually doing something about my debit. It became the stain the carpet I would hide under a rug. It became that root canal that instead of getting fixed I would just down some aspirin. Less and less I made efforts to actively pay off my debt. I thought as long as I’m not adding to my debt, what’s the rush to pay it off?

I became so ashamed of my debt, that I didn’t dare ask for. Because asking for help meant that I would have to admit that I made some not so wise money decisions,

Then my mom told me something. Also make the efforts, even if you have to put only $5 towards your debit.

At the same time, I kept hearing all of these messages around gratitude. I thought what if I showed gratitude towards my debt. Not to say I was happy owing credit card companies, thousands of dollars. but I started thinking about all the things debt helped bring me into my life.

So I wrote a gratitude letter to my debt Thanking it for allowing me to travel. y credit cards have allowed me to try out new ideas, follow my dreams, and in some moments to make purchases worry-free. It has allowed me to invest in myself through coaching programs and business programs.

In addition, my debt helped me pay for things that I actually needed, like car repairs, dental care, and medical care.

Once I saw the importance of my debit, it became easier to pay down. Easier to face the high number with no shame and confidence to know that one day that number won’t exist
Got Bitcoin? US Fed Warns National Debt Growth Is ‘Not Sustainable’
By: Coinegg Exchange
Tags: Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency, Altcoins, Debt

The head of the United States Federal Reserve has admitted current economic policy is “not sustainable” — but that it is not its job to fix it.

Speaking during testimony before Congress’ Joint Economic Committee on Nov. 13, Jerome Powell noted that currently, U.S. national debt is growing faster than nominal GDP.

Powell: Solving debt spiral “not up to the Fed”

“Ultimately in the long run that’s not a sustainable place to be,” he said. Powell continued:

“How to fix that — it’s easy to say that — how do you do that and when do you do that is an issue that is up to you and not to us.”

U.S. debt has now topped $23 trillion — around $70,000 per head of the population, or more than $1 million for each Bitcoin that will ever exist.

On the night of Nov. 14 alone, the Fed distributed funds to banks worth 12.7 million BTC, while its balance sheet is expanding towards $4 trillion.

For Powell, however, resolving the debt crisis simply means making growth beat debt, and even failure to do so would not equal chaos.

“I would be remiss in not pointing out that the consequences of not addressing it is just that… our kids and grandkids will be spending their tax dollars servicing debt rather than on the things they really need,” he continued.

Trump wants negative interest rates

The comments came as U.S. President Donald Trump renewed calls for negative interest rates — effectively charging savers to store fiat currency — and criticized the Fed for not introducing them.

“Remember, we are competing with nations who openly cut interest rates so that now many are actually getting paid when they pay off their loan… who ever heard of such a thing? Give me some of that, give me some of that money,” he said in a speech to the Economic Club of New York.

Debt-driven economic policy and its consequences were the main motivation behind Bitcoin (BTC), which appeared after the 2008 economic crisis.

As hard money with a deflationary supply impossible to manipulate, Bitcoin is increasingly compared to gold as a hedge against the constant erosion in the value of fiat currencies.
How To Manifest Money Effortlessly Using The Law Of Attraction.
By: Shana Jahsinta Walters
Tags: Manifestation, Debt, Law Of Attraction, Finance, Money

Manifesting Money March 30 Day Challenge Part 1.

Photo by Alexander Mils on Unsplash

Welcome to Manifest Money in March 30 Day Challenge. I am creating this challenge for the sole purpose of helping you and myself to manifest whatever amount of money we want this month. Of course you can carry on this challenge for the rest of the year as well.

Step 1.

1. Set a money intention you want to achieve in the month of March.

This amount can be any amount you desire it to be. At the very least aim for no less than $100.00. I feel that amount is something most people can manifest easily without too much effort.

Try and stretch yourself here. If you have manifest about $1,000.00 in a month before, aim for about $1,200.00 or more.

But definitely don’t aim for an unrealistic figure you have never manifested before like $100,000.00 dollars. If you have done those numbers before, then cool. If not, then target a number that is more comfortable and just reach a little further from there.

If you feel being focused on money triggers you in a negative fashion, then focus on the item you want to purchase instead with the money.

Let’s say that you want to purchase a television with the money. And the television you want to manifest costs around $2,000.00, then focus on the television instead of thinking about the $2,000.00 dollars.

This manifestation challenge is just for fun. Forget about stressing yourself and trying to figure out how are you going to receive this money. All you have to do today is pick a number or an item. Nothing else is required of you.

After you have chosen your number, write it down somewhere where you can find it easily and then forget about it for the rest of the day.

Who knows? Maybe your dad will gift you the money you are setting out to manifest before the end of the day. Or a long-time friend will contact you to pay you back the debt that they already owe you.

See how easy that is?

Come back tomorrow for part two of this manifesting money challenge. Remember we are both in this together.

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Right now my books are on a $0.99cents March Madness sale.

1. How To Attract Your Sweetheart In Time For The Holidays? How You Can Use The Law Of Attraction To Manifest A Special, Specific Person; Manifesting Romantic Love (Dating And Relationship Advice For Women Only) — https://amzn.to/38gIyyO
How To Manifest Money Effortlessly Using The Law Of Attraction.
By: Shana Jahsinta Walters
Tags: Manifestation, Debt, Law Of Attraction, Finance, Money

Manifesting Money March 30 Day Challenge Part 2.

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

Welcome to Manifest Money in March 30 Day Challenge. I am creating this challenge for the sole purpose of helping you and myself to manifest whatever amount of money we want this month. Of course you can carry on this challenge for the rest of the year as well.

Step 2.

2. Write a check from The Secret website which you can find here — https://www.thesecret.tv/gifts-for-you/the-secret-check/. Or use one from your check book.

The amount of money that you have chosen yesterday as your target for March is what you are going to fill out The Secret check.

So far, so good. We have not done anything difficult at all. Manifesting money is supposed to be fun and light. Your energy is what is going to manifest whatever your heart desires to manifest.

I know most people will think or say that it is the technique and that is not the truth. Some people insist for instance, that visualization is the key. Some people are great visualizers that is why they believe this. Since visualization works best for them, it is better for them to stick with that law of attraction technique.

Sometimes people do ask which technique is best and the answer is none of them are. This is why I always advise testing out a few and discover which one resonates with you the most.

I am not a god visualizing person at all. And I have manifested quite a lot without the use of visualization. Why is that? Because the key is your energy not the technique. Any law of attraction technique can be used to manifest whatever you want.

Haven’t you ever thought about a song and then you heard it on the radio or someone walking by you blasting the song? This has happened to me quite often. I wasn’t visualizing the song. It was just a brief thought in my mind. Yet somehow it showed up in my reality with ease.

And this is how we have to start manifesting money too. Yes it might require a bit more than just thinking about it, before it comes falling into your lap. But that doesn’t matter. We are going to keep our vibration high to manifest our money target in March.

Come back tomorrow for part 3 of this manifesting money challenge. Remember we are both in this together.

________________________________________

Right now my books are on a $0.99cents March Madness sale.

1. How To Attract Your Sweetheart In Time For The Holidays? How You Can Use The Law Of Attraction To Manifest A Special, Specific Person; Manifesting Romantic Love (Dating And Relationship Advice For Women Only) — https://amzn.to/38gIyyO
How To Manifest Money Effortlessly Using The Law Of Attraction.
By: Shana Jahsinta Walters
Tags: Fianance, Manifestation, Debt, Law Of Attraction, Money

Manifesting Money March 30 Day Challenge Part 3.

Photo by Jp Valery on Unsplash

Welcome to Manifest Money in March 30 Day Challenge. I am creating this challenge for the sole purpose of helping you and myself to manifest whatever amount of money we want this month. Of course you can carry on this challenge for the rest of the year as well.

Step 3.

3. Stop purchasing something that you buy daily and save that money in March.

That item can be something like Starbucks coffee. Now there are no Starbucks in my country. I had to go and Google what the cost of a Starbucks coffee is. I see that they are various prices and so I am just going to stick with $3.00 for the sake of simplicity.

I live in Antigua in the Caribbean for those who are curious to know.

I had a teacher in high school who I once asked how many cups of coffee she drank in a day. Lord that woman was always drinking a coffee. She didn’t know the number off the top of her head so she walked me through a typical day in her life of drinking coffee. Imagine my shock when we got to 10. I just could not believe it.

I have no idea if this is just normal or over the top for most coffee drinkers. I went back to Google and searched for ‘how many cups of coffee does the average person drink.’ Good old Google puts the number at 3. That sounds average to me.

Now if we multiple $3.00 X 3 cups = $9.00

If you decide to give up Starbucks coffee for March then you would have saved $270.00. That’s not bad if the amount you choose to manifest is say $150.00. Now in the case of my teacher she would have saved $900.00. Wow that is a lot of money to spend on coffee in one month.

Keep in mind that money can come to us in all kinds of different ways. It does not have to be through the lottery or a job.

The thing I used to purchase daily was actually the newspaper. However it is online now and I no longer have this daily purchase on my hands. I will have to do some digging and see what I can give up spending on this month.

Come back tomorrow for part 4 of this manifesting money challenge. Remember we are both in this together.

________________________________________

Right now my books are on a $0.99cents March Madness sale.

1. How To Attract Your Sweetheart In Time For The Holidays? How You Can Use The Law Of Attraction To Manifest A Special, Specific Person; Manifesting Romantic Love (Dating And Relationship Advice For Women Only) — https://amzn.to/38gIyyO
Peoples of Pearler — Nguyen. “I wanted to start investing in the…
By: Heath Mitchell
Tags: Personal Finance, Investing, Saving, Debt

“I wanted to start investing in the share market but I feared making expensive mistakes or buying in at the wrong time. After chatting with a few of my trusted finance-savvy friends, I learnt that it’s almost impossible to ‘time’ the market and that the people who try too, are often the ones who lose out in the long term. So, it’s not even worth the mental energy.

They told me its best to purchase shares that already represent a wide range of shares in the market. It sounded confusing at first, but when I looked into it, it made my life a whole lot easier. It meant that I could just add to my portfolio when and where I wanted for a low cost and low risk.” — Nguyen

A common myth is that the sharemarket is only a place for wealthy people. Incorrect, in fact, almost everyone who has been employed would already have at least some indirect exposure to the share market through their superannuation fund. But if you want to retire early, or see your savings grow faster, it’s up to you to increase that exposure to your own accord.

Even some of the titans of investing like Warren Buffet agree that the average person should invest for the long term, either through ETF’s or index funds. Jumping straight into traditional shares with little to no experience may be a bad idea — learn from Nola’s experience. To clarify, an ETF is short for an ‘Exchange Traded Fund’ which represents a company whose sole business is investing monies in a particular asset class (such as gold), industry (such as healthcare), or index.

An index is a continually updated list of shares, referenced by the value and size of those shares in the market. For example, the ASX 200 index represents the largest 200 Australian companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). An index fund makes no attempt to try to ‘time’ the market or invest in the right ones. It simply tracks the average performance of a market and offers investors a truly diversified investment option.

Investing in ETFs is by far the easiest way to get the diversification needed to reduce share market risk as much as possible. It also means you do not waste your money on brokerage fees when you buy and sell individual companies listed on the exchange. Pearler is attempting to make the purchase of an ETF even easier by creating a simple, user-friendly investment platform in which you can see what your peers are investing in. What’s more, we’ll even let you purchase your first two ETF’s without having to incur a brokerage fee.

True access. True freedom. Begin your investment journey with Pearler today.
WAYS IN WHICH DEBT PAY OFF CAN GO WRONG.
Tags: Debt Settlement, Debt Consolidation, Debt, Debt Payoff, Debt Relief

1. DON’T SKIP MONTHLY PAYMENTS-

Whatever you do, don’t skip your monthly payments. It’s one of the fastest ways to destroy your credit score. You’ll owe more interest and late fees. Even if you’re facing financial hardship, contact your credit card company in advance and discuss potential options. That may sound uncomfortable, but it’s much better than simply missing a payment.

2. Pay only the minimum payment-

Your minimum payment does not need to be your monthly payment. Yes, they can be different. So long as you pay the minimum balance each month, it’s your choice how much extra you want to pay. Interest is always coming on your principal balance. So paying any amount more than the monthly minimum can lower the cost of your credit card debt.

3. Don’t make an extra credit card payment-

Making an extra credit card payment can be one of the best ways to pay off credit card debt faster. Well , in addition to making 12 monthly payments per year, consider an extra payment once every three months for a total of 16 payments per year.

Be sure to inform your credit card company in writing to apply any extra payment to your principal balance only (not to next month’s monthly payment) to limit the amount of interest that accrues.

4. Don’t make a lump-sum credit card payment-

Should you use your bonus to pay off credit card debt? Think of it this way. The interest rate you pay on your credit card debt could be higher than the interest on your mortgage, student loans and auto loans combined. Each day you don’t make a payment means more interest on your debt balance. A lump-sum payment can be any amount and make lump-sum payments as often as you’re able to.

Whenever you get a pay raise, bonus, tax refund or gift from grandma, make a lump-sum to pay off credit card debt. Make every dollar count.

5. Don’t consolidate credit card debt

Credit card consolidation with a personal loan is often the best strategy to pay off credit card debt faster. A personal loan is an unsecured, fixed-rate loan that is repaid within two to seven years. When you consolidate credit card debt, you swap your credit card debt for a personal loan with a lower interest rate. The lower interest rate saves you money and helps you get out of debt faster.

Personal loan rates start at 5.99%. Of course, you should only consolidate credit card debt if you can qualify for a lower interest rate than you currently have on your credit card debt. You should apply to multiple lenders and consider a qualified co-signer to increase your chances of approval. Apply to consolidate credit card debt. You can apply online and funding to your bank account can be within days.

FOR MORE ARTICLES AND INFORMATION VISIT OUR PAGE: www.bharatdebtrelief.com
How to Alleviate Debt from the COVID-19 Pandemic
By: Rashad Blossom
Tags: Covid 19, Rashad Blossom, Debt

The COVID-19 Pandemic plunged millions of Americans into financial chaos. The sudden decrease in income has made it difficult — and for some impossible — to pay expenses. Here are some tips for alleviating your debt during the COVID-19 crisis.

1. Contact Your Creditors. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, most credit card companies and mortgage lenders offer assistance to customers. Some utility companies are offering help as well. Contact your creditors and ask if they have a COVID-19 assistance plan.

2. Get Unemployment. President Trump signed The CARES Act on March 27, 2020. CARES gives states the option to extend unemployment benefits to workers who are usually ineligible — such as independent contractors. Your state’s unemployment insurance office can tell you if these benefits are available in your state.

3. Speak with Your Landlord. Federal and local governments are making an effort to halt some evictions up until December 31, 2020. An order called “Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions to Prevent the Further Spread of COVID-19” went into effect on September 4, 2020.

The order has strict rules about which tenants are covered. Tenants ineligible for the order may possibly have state eviction protection. If any eviction protection doesn’t cover you, speak with your landlord as soon as possible to discuss your situation.

4. Contact Your Car Loan Lender. Some car loan lenders are allowing borrowers to defer loan payments. For example, Ford Motor Credit is offering payment extensions and waiving late fees upon request. And Wells Fargo Bank is waiving late fees and offering payment deferments for three-months. Contact your lender and see if they’re assisting borrowers affected by the pandemic.

5. Request Student Loan Forbearance or Deferment. A student loan deferment allows you to stop paying the principal or interest on your loan temporarily. Submit a request for deferment to your loan provider. For a Federal Perkins Loan, submit your request to the financial aid office at your school.

If you don’t qualify for a deferment, request student loan forbearance. Forbearance temporarily reduces your monthly payment for up to a year or gives you the option to stop paying on the principal temporarily. If forbearance or deferment aren’t best for your situation, consider an income-driven repayment plan if you’re working.
Are Millennials Are Getting Conned More Than The Elderly?
By: Brian Graham
Tags: Student Loans, Millenials, Students, Debt, Student Loan Debt

I was listening to The Art of Manliness podcast yesterday and heard an interesting fact.

Brett (the host) was interviewing Frank Abagnale, the famous former conman depicted in the Leonardo DiCaprio movie “Catch me if you can”.

Frank is an expert consultant on the subject of commercial and consumer scams.

Anyway, he discovered that millennials are actually more often scammed than elderly people, but for less money. (Presumably, because older folks have more money saved.)

There’s another important fact you should know.

The master con artist says ANYONE can be scammed.

Even him.

And if you ask me, we’ve all been scammed.

Scammed into paying thousands for a college degree that is already outdated by the time we graduate.

Scammed into believing a degree will get us a good job out of college.

Scammed into paying for the said degree with student loans that take a lifetime to pay back.

And scammed into thinking that it’s okay to max out our consumer credit in order to look more wealthy than we are.

If you’ve fallen for this trap, don’t kick yourself.

Remember, anyone can be scammed.

Especially with such a massive, cultural scam.

And fortunately, there’s another way.

If you’ve already been through college and now have an anchor tied to your foot, there’s a way out.

If you haven’t yet; but want to find a high-paying career, there’s a simple way to do that without paying for more expensive classes.

If you want to make extra money on the side to help pay off those student loans, I got your six.

It will all be there in the upcoming Money Master Manifesto program.

I’ll tell you what I did to get a higher paying gig, without the need for a degree.

And the best part is, within 4 years I’ll be making double that of my college peers.

The answer may surprise you….

Until MMM is ready, you can check out some more of this action at the link below.

https://growthronin.com

Catch you on the flip side,

Brian Graham
Why Don’t We Talk About Money?
By: Justin Moore
Tags: Wealth Management, Saving, Investing, Debt, Personal Finance

When I was 4 years old, I asked my Grandpa if I could borrow 50 cents until I got my allowance to get an ice cream treat in the shape of Spider-Man’s face from the ice cream man.

He grabbed two quarters out of his glass coin jar and said I could have them as long as when I paid him back I gave him two quarters and a nickel. In response to my confused look, he explained the concept of interest and said that I should never lend anyone money without getting more money back in return.

I know what you’re thinking — my Grandpa was more than a little intense to say that to a 4 year old just trying to get 50 cents to get those bubble gum eyes out of that Spider-Man treat. I don’t disagree with you, but this piece of advice taught me more than my entire high school personal finance class (though I can write a check if needed — assuming I still remember how to write in cursive).

My family didn’t talk much about money, and frankly, we didn’t have a lot of it, so investing wasn’t even a potential topic of conversation.

Although my experience may be specific to my situation, I often find from talking to friends and family that many people struggle talking about personal finance and investing. Many people are afraid to ask questions for fear of sounding uneducated or making others uncomfortable.

I’ve made a lot of mistakes over the years when it comes to personal finance, but I’ve also learned a lot and I enjoy sharing that knowledge. While there are few absolutes in personal finance and there is rarely one answer that works for everyone, everyone benefits from a community that can have open discussion about financial hardships and successes and share strategies and approaches for building wealth, both financially and in life.

I’ll be writing, at least weekly, maybe more, about my personal financial journey, opinions on investing strategies, leveraging credit effectively, paying down debt, etc. Please follow if you’re interested and share your opinions (positive or otherwise) in the comments!
Wondering how to save the planet? Start here.
By: Call For Code
Tags: Code, Green Energy, Tech For Good, Technology, Developer

Wondering how to save the planet? Start here.

The truth is, we have work to do. When evaluating the current condition of the world, it’s clear that we need to change our ways. The fact of the matter is, the global material footprint rose nearly 18 percent from 73 billion metric tons in 2010 to 85.9 billion metric tons in 2017 according to the UN.

Certainly, there are global needs that require continuous fulfillment; food needs to be grown, products need to be made, transportation is necessary and much more. With that said, there can be differences made in our approach to fulfilling these needs. As our ecological footprint continues to grow as a byproduct of the current methodologies in place, it offers not only an opportunity to improve these practices, but it reveals a dire need to immediately pivot for the health of our planet. So, what can we do?

As a part of the 2021 Call for Code Global Challenge, developers and problem solvers from around the world are invited to participate in the largest tech for good initiative of its kind, and tasked with building solutions to our world’s most pressing issues. Climate change is a serious and imminent problem that is only fueled by the mistreatment we, as people, apply. Simultaneously, as people, we have a chance to commit to reversing the impacts of this mistreatment through technology. As it pertains to responsible production and green consumption, technology can help in many ways, from providing recommendations on energy efficiency to highlighting the carbon footprint of online purchases.

Through Call for Code, you have the power to improve the future of what our world looks like. You have the chance to build a solution on leading, open source-powered technologies. The winning solution is awarded $200,000 and support from IBM and the Linux Foundation to further develop and deploy your solution.

So, are you ready to build the future? Check out the responsible production and green consumption starter kit and get going.

If you liked the story, be sure to give it a clap and follow Call for Code Digest for more tech-for-good stories! Also, receive monthly updates on the Call for Code challenges, coding resources, meetups, and more, straight to your inbox!
System notifications
Tags: Portal Development, Web App Development, UI Design, UX Design, Notifications

There are many types of notifications that need to be considered before building a portal application. Their location on the page, the duration they exist on the page, … all contribute to a good user experience.

First, we have the Success/Error/Warning Notifications. These kinds of messages are very common. They appear and quickly disappear or fade in and out within seconds. Examples of these are:

“Great, your password has been updated” after the users update their password.

“There was an error processing your data. Please check it” after the users submit a form with invalid data.

Secondly, we have the Status Notifications. As I am typing this post, I notice that, at the top left corner, near where the Medium logo is, the text “Saving…” / “Saved” fades in and out all the time. But differently to the first type, the frequency of Status Notifications is higher and sometimes does not rely on the user’s interactions. For examples:

“Saving…” / “Saved” status when writing a the Medium draft post

“Loading…” or Splash page when we first open an application

“You’re offline” / “You’re online” — Internet connectivity

Thirdly, we have Announcements. These announcement bars often appear at the very top or at the very bottom of the screen. For examples:

A message about cookie being used on the site.

A message letting the users know about system outage.

A message letting the users know about upcoming sales or important changes.

Fourthly, we have Persistent Notifications. This type of notification persistently “silently” sit on the page and suggests the status of something on the page. Example of theses are:

A badge notification showing the number of new emails in the Inbox

A coloured dot showing something in the Accounts menu that requires user attention.

Important consideration:

We need to decide the styles, locations and behaviours of these notifications upfront. Because as the users interact and learn the system through time, they would form habits and expectations about these notifications. As our portal grows, the estate of the page is at stake, as more information, more colours, more icons are added to the page. These items require the users’ attention, and as Seth Godin mentioned in the book “This is marketing”, attention is a scared resource. We don’t want our users exhaust their attention.
Build an e-commerce web app with Django+React+Docker+Postgres. Part-1
Tags: Django, Pipenv, Postgres, Docker, Web App Development

Photo by Sanni Sahil on Unsplash

Hello World! This is going to megaproject with a series of posts, where I will build a Dockerized eCommerce web app with Django, Postgres and React. In the first article, we will just set up a Dockerized Django+Postgres project.

What we will build?

Corner is a web app (under active development ), where local shopkeepers, vendors or grocers can list their products online. The customers can view these shops listing for their neighborhood(hence the name ‘corner’), order them, and get delivered to their doorstep (if the shop provides) or have a takeaway. However, I won’t be able to write the entire tutorial for this project but will try my best to share as much knowledge as possible from setting up the project to deployment in Google Cloud Platform at least.

Let’s Dive In!

First let's create a root directory for a project, install Pipenv, Django and start a Django project

mkdir corner && cd corner # main project folder

mkdir api && cd api

pipenv — python 3.6

pipenv install django==2.2.4

pipenv shell

django-admin.py startproject corner_api .

Create a Dockerfile in corner/api folder and paste the below content.

# Pull base image

FROM python:3.6 # Set environment varibles

# Prevents Python from writing pyc files to disc

ENV PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE 1

# Prevents Python from buffering stdout and stderr

ENV PYTHONUNBUFFERED 1 # Set work directory

RUN mkdir /code

WORKDIR /code # Install dependencies

RUN pip install pipenv

COPY Pipfile Pipfile.lock /code/

RUN pipenv install --system # Copy project

COPY . /code/

Now run the build command. This creates a Docker image, which we’re going to name using the — tag option. Use -t if you want to use the shorter option.

docker build --tag=corner_api . # dot at the end

Running $ docker image ls shows us the new created image.

Now lets us share this image. If you don’t have a Docker account, sign up for one at hub.docker.com

docker login

Tag the Image. The notation for associating a local image with a repository on a registry is username/repository:tag

docker tag corner_api jonathan92/corner_api:part1

Running $ docker image ls will show you the newly tagged image. Upload the tagged image to the repository.
Nearby Location Queries with Cloud Firestore
By: Jake Richards
Tags: JavaScript, Web App Development, Firebase, Programming, Google Cloud Platform

Nearby Location Queries with Cloud Firestore

Querying for nearby places is an almost essential feature to many web and mobile applications. Let’s dive into how you could implement this feature with Google Cloud Firestore.

The Problem

Typically when searching for nearby locations, you would need to create a range of latitude and longitude coordinates that could be used to capture a list of restaurants, stores, etc. However, Cloud Firestore queries can only perform range filtering on a single field. This means that we are unable to query on both latitude and longitude as separate fields. So, can we combine them?

Yes, and luckily an algorithm for this already exists! Someone else has already solved this problem for us — it’s called Geohashing.

Essentially, Geohashing encodes latitude and longitude coordinates into a single string of characters — a Geohash. These strings of characters are formatted in such a way that nearby coordinates will generate similar Geohashes. This is very useful for something like a range filter in a Firestore query.

Getting Started

Let’s start by pulling in the Geohashing library.

npm install ngeohash --save

Also, be sure that you have installed the Google Cloud Firestore library.

npm install @google-cloud/firestore --save

Firestore Document Structure

In order to use Geohashing in your query, you’ll need to ensure that all of the documents — that represent places in your database — have a precalculated Geohash based on the corresponding latitude and longitude. We can calculate this Geohash using the library’s encode method.

It is important that these documents have a geohash field before performing the query. This goes back to solving our original problem of only being able to perform range filters on one field in Firestore queries.

So let’s say, for example, that we’re querying for nearby restaurants. The given Firestore documents should look similar to this.

Performing the Nearby Query

The following example illustrates how you could perform a nearby location query from a given latitude, longitude, and distance in miles. I’ve included a utility function that generates two hashes — one for the upper boundary and one for the lower boundary.

I’ve also included the code necessary to retrieve the client’s current coordinates using the Geolocation API.

This should be all you need to perform nearby location queries using Cloud Firestore! I hope this post helps you in your endeavors of creating applications and allows you to better understand the basics of Geohashing and why we need to use it when using Firestore queries.
Boost your Business with Web App
By: Muble Solutions
Tags: Web Developers India, Web Development Services, Web Development Company, Web App Development, Webapplicationdevelopment

Web applications play an important role in scaling the efficiency of a business. Be it small, medium, or large businesses, they require web-based applications to conduct day-to-day business activities. It can be highly effective in conducting business processes.

There are many ways in which web applications can boost your business. Web applications can be accessed 24/7 online from your smartphone, tablet, PC, or laptop. Moreover, there is no need to download web applications as they can be accessed if you have the internet and a browser.

Web applications can help you efficiently manage the data collection process for your business. They can collect data and process them faster and accurately. It helps you to save time and money and provides a secure way to store and maintain data that offers daily insights into your business.

Web apps can be accessed by multiple users at the same time. You can interact with your employees through the web application. The maintenance requirements of a web application are less compared to a mobile app and need less support.

Do you want to develop a customized web application for your business? Share your idea with us or please visit our official website.

https://mublesolutions.com/web-application-development
Building Momentum: Making the Move from founder to employer
By: The Frontline
Tags: Startup, Founders, Founder Advice, Founder Stories, Entrepreneurship

Get outside your comfort zone

Founders can fall into the trap of hiring people who sound like them, work like them and who they get along with. Building a team of ‘clones’ can produce a seemingly conducive collective, however, you risk losing your dynamism. Diversity of thought is essential for creativity and innovation.

Your first hires should plug capability caps and bring in much-needed skillsets. To find them, you’ll need to;

Go beyond your inner circle

Founders typically look to their immediate network but this is often a narrow talent pool with limited access to the skills needed to take the business to the next level. “That pool of people is likely very small and may not have the competencies required to run a business” says Anne Diemer from online payment prover Stripe.

In an increasingly global talent market, you never know who you might be missing by sticking to friends of friends, and it’s even trickier if things go wrong later on.

Hire “General(ist)s”

At an early stage, having a number of generalists who have the potential to up-skill and become specialists, later on, is a way to increase capacity while bringing in hungry talent.

These generalists can wear many hats and increase the workload you can get through today but should have the potential to grow with your business.

Be purposeful about your culture

Your first hires will dictate the company (and culture) you are set to become. Considering the association of winning cultures with commercial outcomes (a 4x revenue growth according to one study), it’s important to be purposeful about the culture you’re creating instead of taking refuge in gut feel.

Ben Prouty, CEO of Shepper, told us how he instigated the ‘Shepper Culture Council’ who conduct first-round interviews to ensure their culture is “reinforced with each new hire.”

Ask yourself, who do you want forming the foundations of your culture?

Get them before your competition does

With millennials turning increasingly to job satisfaction over salary, more candidates are choosing start-ups over blue-chip careers. There’s more talent in the mix but the marketplace is changing and the competition heightening.

For start-ups, it often comes down to who’s articulating purpose better. “By nature, start-ups are purpose-driven groups of people who are coming together because they feel passionate about a particular issue,” says Jack Tang, Co-founder of high-growth start-up, Urban. “Attracting talent is all about communicating that effectively in a way that makes the right people want to be part of that journey.”

When someone chooses to join your company they’ve probably said no to other jobs and while embracing an incredible opportunity with you, they’ve no doubt taken a risk.

When you get your first hires right, you’ll start accelerating faster than you ever could on your own.

And whilst your business is bound to change and evolve, great talent will make you resilient and resourceful.
500,000 companies and 17 million students: learnings from Garrett Lord, CEO and founder of Handshake
By: Naxn, Nic Newman
Tags: Startup, Founder Stories, Higher Education, Entrepreneurship, Edtech

Here are some highlights from the interview:

⭐ You have to really believe in what you do — Starting a company is something a lot of people aspire to do, but I think it’s important to not just start a company for the sake of starting a company.

🎓 You have to invest in your sales skills — You’re selling to prospective employees, you’re selling to customers, you’re selling to investors, and it’s really important that you understand how to communicate and inspire all these different audiences.

🤝 Know that big things can rarely be accomplished solo — The size of your network can be a limiter for what you can achieve. I’m constantly looking for people who are 10 times better than me and a little bit further along in their journey to get advice and learn from them.

It has gone pretty well for you Garrett. How well?

Today we are the market leader and the number one place where students find internships and jobs in the United States.

We’re the biggest network of early career talent trying to find their first internship or job. There are 420,000 companies. Every single Fortune 500 company around the world uses Handshake. We have 80% of the top 500 universities in the United States using Handshake as the primary place they point their students and employers. Not only that, there are 14 million students and young alumni that use Handshake.

What is your one line elevator pitch for Handshake?

Handshake is the leading career community for students trying to find internships and jobs. We wake up every day trying to make an impact on a problem that is very personal for us. We help students find their way into meaningful careers via their first internship, or their first job, and ultimately figure out where they fit into the world of work.

It must have been exciting. What has been the best thing about running your own company?
[Founder Feature @TC] — March 2020
By: Technopreneur Circle
Tags: Startup, Founders, Founder Stories, Technology, Entrepreneurship

Name: Benny Low, Co-Founder, 50yo, Singaporean

Technopreneur Circle member: Since November 2017

Company: DataVLT (AI-enabler for enterprises)

Website: www.datavlt.com

Fun facts about me:

I enjoy going on solo motorcycle rides around ASEAN, from Singapore. It would be a dream come true if I could someday, ride from Singapore to Europe and cross it off my bucket list!

The company under 20 words:

DataVLT provides artificial intelligence as an outsource solution.

What my company name & logo means:

DataVLT is a combination of 2 words — Data & Vault. When combined, ‘DataVLT’ implies a melting pot repository for algorithms, models, data and insights. Our logo is an interpretation of the data dynamism in fluid bars.

Why I started the company & my journey so far:

I started the company with two other co-founders, Michelle and Willy in late 2016. Our purpose came to us when we saw the startling declining numbers of SMEs in Singapore — this is not encouraging for any local economy. We then decided to help companies scale their impact with Artificial Intelligence in Singapore and in the region.

What’s incredible is that we also gained a lot of traction with large enterprises. Many companies who have data but lack the AI capability have been approaching us to work together. We’re now focused on serving industries such as Engineering, Consumer Goods, and Supply Chain / Logistics.

Our latest win is gaining recognition from A*STAR’s Advance Remanufacturing and Technology Centre as well as securing a project to predict the sequence of jet engine faults for commercial planes.

My lightbulb advice:

Always be open to criticisms and learning opportunities. It might sound cliché, but most young entrepreneurs are too ‘married’ to their ideas to the point where they refuse to pivot, innovate or garner feedback and that can lead to flatlining the business.

Changes in ideas are usually unavoidable, so embrace it and go with the flow! Never lose sight of your core values and intent behind why you started your entrepreneurship journey as it will serve as your compass. Lastly, purse your dream with fervor, smarts and give it everything you’ve got. Success will come knocking eventually.

I am looking for:

Investors, Mentors, Advisors, Partners, Talents (team members)

You can reach me @

benny.low@datavlt.com

Technopreneur Circle is a member-based community platform funded by Vertex Ventures for tech startups to connect, communicate, and collaborate. More information available at www.technopreneurcircle.com.

Contact us: techcircle@vertexholdings.com
When speaking about Security Tokens it might be worth to learn some basics to help you deal with…
By: Marvin Steinberg
Tags: Founders, Cryptocurrency, Founder Stories, Crypto, Entrepreneurship

When speaking about Security Tokens it might be worth to learn some basics to help you deal with the following question:

⠀

STOs are not cryptocurrencies: they look like traditional securities. ⠀

The only difference is that they are of digital nature.

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Compliance is encoded into the tokens.

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It means that all transactions are transparent, can be easily traced, and are unimpeachable.

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Higher liquidity.

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This refers to the words “global” and “tradable”.

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Tokens can be listed in all markets, exchanges.

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Decreasing intermediaries parties.

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STOs are automated, so lots of manual processes that were typical in traditional securities have become unnecessary.

⠀

STOs are trustless.

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This is due to the blockchain system which is basically a mathematical code.

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You simply don’t need to trust to your counter-party.

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Blockchain records everything all the time.

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And one more thing: STO’s are a new way of fundraising and investing.

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So it’s better to learn new ways of making business and managing your financial assets early.

.

#marvinsteinberg #success #successful #finance #marketing #sales #business #couch
From Idea to Industry, A Founders Interview with David Plumridge
Tags: Business Advice, Entrepreneurship, Founder Stories

Tell us about yourself and how your journey brought you to where you are now.

Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve always wanted to make businesses. It started with a failed business in primary school — selling Acorns (when sitting directly underneath the acorn tree). I enjoy the challenges, flexibility and personal growth that comes from being a founder.

How did you create your brand name, and logo?

It was done using Gimp and other free tools. There wasn’t much to spend when the logo was created. It would be great to get someone in to help with our branding.

How did you go about establishing your marketing?

I come from a technical background, so there was a lot to learn. I read a lot of books, spoke with and took advice from people in the know, and ultimately learnt a lot from my own mistakes.

What is your work structure like and what does the average workday look like for you?

Given that I work with a lot of people overseas, my day can start really early and/or finish very late. Typically I start work around 9 am and work through till about Midnight. Taking breaks and spending time with family and friends of course! Usually, I am either activating a new city (which means going there in person and having a lot of face-to-face meetings) or I getting stuff done on my laptop (from home most of the time).

What philosophies do you integrate into your workflow most often and what philosophy inspires you in your work?

One of my main philosophies is trying to set clear goals and focusing on getting them done. That’s actually where the idea of ActionBuddy came from. I’m always looking for simple and reliable solutions to the challenges I am facing (be that in development or general business).

What do you think you do that drives your success?

I’m very focused on outcomes and try to avoid distractions as much as possible.

How do you engage with your clients and build your following?

I’ve met most of my clients for mindmybag in person at their place of business. This goes a long way to building a long-term relationship. For ActionBuddy I try to interact with as many users as possible (video calls/emails).

What do you wish you knew before you started? What advice would you give to someone entering your field now?

Test your ideas before you build them. I got lucky with my early ventures that there was demand after they had been launched. Nowadays, I always test the idea before I start any kind of work on it.

Is there an event or situation that you can point to that was life-changing for you that you can share with us?

The personal growth that has come from being a start-up founder has been amazing. I’ve had to get over my fears of failure (as much as possible) and just try your best.

What has been the most memorable or inspiring interaction with a client or customer?

One of my first clients was running late to our meeting. He invited me to have food with him, family, instead of cancelling the meeting and rescheduling.