fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Brand & Purpose: Nike & the Politics of Advertising
By: Michael A. Tennant
Tags: Purpose, Advertising, Nike, Kaepernick, Marketing

Fiverr Presents: The Art of Doing — The Future of the Creative Industry

Our Co-founder & Managing Partner, Michael Tennant, recently spoke at the Fiverr “The Art of Doing” — The Future of the Creative Industry, an NYC event moderated by Ann-Marie Alcantara, tech & e-commerce reporter for Adweek, sparking dialogue on the influence of technology on the advertising industry. The conversation quickly evolved into an in-depth discussion of brand integrity and responsibility handling issues concerning diversity, purpose, and authenticity.

The creative industry is rapidly evolving, “people are no longer willing to take a back seat and let things happen, said Zach Dioneda, director of brand marketing at Fiverr. If we diversify and democratize the way we do business, we can change the way people work together.” We at Curiosity Lab agree. But will go a step further to say that brands that remain complacent, will become yesterday’s conversation, as value-driven brands that are willing to stand for something and “do” something, will continue to hold or steal market share.

“Technology has given every critic a voice, says Ian Kovalik, partner, and creative director at Mekanism, Brands will not have to apologize if they ‘stick their chest out’ and ‘leave it all on the table.’” Finding the balance between pushing creative boundaries and working in a highly sensitive environment makes brand integrity, honesty, and accountability critical to consumers.

Brands like Nike have paved the path towards, and reaped the benefits of, brand polarization by publicly supporting Colin Kaepernick. If we dive deeper into the timeline of Colin Kaepernick’s activism and sponsorship with Nike, you’ll uncover that it took Nike almost two years to stand up for Kaepernick, at a time where his infamy as an activist might very well be greater than he ever had as a player. You have to ask, what “value” was Nike publicly expressing here… Standing up for what’s right? Or capitalizing on Colin’s Activism?

A recent report by the Center for Responsive Politics exposes Nike and its employees for overwhelmingly supporting Republican candidates in this 2018 election cycle. Which begs the question, should a brand’s employees’ political contributions sway consumer’s purchasing decision? We’d say, it’s up to the individual consumer to decide. In a time when everything is being politicized, perhaps the politics of a product are more important to the consumer than the product itself. Being in the spotlight isn’t easy, but neither is making $36.6 billion in sales for 2018 so far. As Nike faces investigation into their genuine stance as a company, it’s owners, and its employees, where to draw the line is yet to be seen,” says Michael Tennant.
Fear.
By: Sarah Firth
Tags: Personal Development, Personal, Transformation, Psychology, Healing

Written by

I’m an award-winning comic artist, writer and graphic recorder. All words + images © Sarah Firth. Contact me www.sarahthefirth if you want to use them.
Zenome annual report
By: Jeff Heizmann
Tags: Zenome, Cryptocurrency Investment, Blockchain, Development, Genetics

Dear holders and potential buyers of Zenome’s tokens.

About two weeks ago, the one year mark passed since the idea of the decentralized genomic Internet — Zenome arose.

Let me introduce to your attention Zenome’s first annual report.

Period: June 30, 2017 — June 30, 2018

Zenome’s token sale

We sell our tokens in several stages. This is similar to the stage of venture financing. We plan to do token sales in five stages.

So far we’ve raised:

● Public presale round — 100,000 USD

● First private sale round — 200,000 USD

● First public sale round — 362,000 USD

In early September 2018, we plan to start a second public round of the token sales.

The private round is from July 1 to September 1, 2018.

Total raised funds — 662,000 USD (at the exchange rate from February 2018)

At present, fluctuations in the exchange rate have resulted in a decrease in dollar fundraising amounts by an average of 20–30%

● The total amount of tokens: 35,000,000 ZNA

● Currently sold: 1,035,491 ZNA

● Tokens for bounty program participants: 87,499 ZNA

● Reserved for advisers: 87,500 ZNA

The main terms of the token sale are shown here: https://zenome.io/download/terms.pdf

Marketing Activities:

Social Media

Last year, starting with an initial group of 4 people, we managed to grow a community of more than 3,000 people from around the world.

Community size: Telegram — 570, Twitter — 674, Facebook — 1974

Conferences:

We actively attend various conferences, both on the topics of blockchain and genomics. Over the past year, we have spoken more than ten times about our project’s story in different countries and cities.
That Other Light
By: Priyanka Srivastava
Tags: Diwali, India, Writing, Spiritual Secrets, Poetry

with too many things in my head i write to sort it all till the sky is empty and there’s no poetry

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The Real Tastemakers Behind Artificial Flavors
By: Bryan Quoc Le
Tags: Food, Science, Work, Careers, Technology

During the early and mid-20th century, when refrigeration was commercially developed and rolled out into modern homes, convenience became an important selling point for processed, ready-to-eat, and frozen foods. However, the methods used to preserve foods against microbial decay for long-term refrigeration and freezing resulted in the deterioration of flavor. The result? Many of these processed foods ended up tasting bland.

The rise of organic chemistry during the mid-1800s also led to new organic compounds that could be readily and cheaply produced. Many of these compounds made processed foods taste similar to how they’d taste in their original form (prior to heat processing). Over time, it became clear that mixtures of compounds, each at varying concentrations, could be used to both mimic and impart new flavors to foods, preserving their taste. Chemical instruments and methods for analyzing the composition of food flavors became increasingly sophisticated, allowing food technologists to reconstruct the flavor profile of foods with greater precision and accuracy.

A human intermediary is always needed to bridge the gap between chemical analysis and subjective taste.

However, despite advancements in analytical methodology, the human element remains invaluable in flavor design. For example, while only a small handful of signature compounds can be said to “taste” like strawberry, a real strawberry may contain hundreds of compounds that, together, create a unique depth of flavor. These smaller components may only be present at parts per million or billion. They may barely make a blip on a chromatograph, but their impact on our senses is disproportionately large.

While the most sophisticated gas chromatograph has limits of detection of 10 parts per billion, human noses have been reported to smell some aromas at around 0.000000001 parts per billion. For this reason, a human intermediary is always needed to bridge the gap between chemical analysis and subjective taste.

That is where a flavorist comes in.
PyTorchを用いたディープラーニング実装の学習方法 (Part 2)
By: 小川 雄太郎 電通国際情報サービスIsid
Tags: Python, Japanese, 日本語, Deep Learning, Pytorch

An open source machine learning framework that accelerates the path from research prototyping to production deployment

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Remove
By: Joseph Emmi
Tags: Habits, Self Improvement, Journal, Commitment, Writing

Sometimes we put ourselves into a certain position from which seems difficult or at times impossible to get away from, almost forgetting that we were the ones that created it in the first place.

That’s what happened to me when I decided to keep writing everyday for 1 year after the conclusion of my 100 day project. It was was great, I was motivated, but suddenly felt trapped. I trapped myself into the commitment and the routine instead of the habit, and there is a difference between these, very subtle, the one that makes it bearable and attainable.

A commitment is about it getting it done no matter what, weather you like or not, easy or hard, it has to be completed.

A habit on the other hand, is about embedding it into our daily lives to the point that we don’t think about it and it becomes natural. We don’t question it, we just do it.

How to know the difference? Remove it. Stop doing it.

As my daily writing started to become a burden, and I started to question the real purpose and value of my decision, only two path became available. The first, just keep doing it, no questions asked, no dwelling, just sticking to plan. The second, hit pause for a couple of days and see how it goes, how I felt and what came to mind. I choose number 2.

For me, removing is always the best way to realise if something is really important and how much value it adds to my life, if any. Removing is the best to learn if you don’t need something, it’s also difficult, because it can makes us feel that we might be wasting time, that we are going backwards or nowhere at all; especially in the present days where everything is presented to us as urgent, everything is immediate, everyone needs it no matter what, the real question is, is it truly important?

In my case, yes, it is important, I learned through removing myself from the daily commitment of writing, that I like it, I enjoy it, and most importantly, that I missed it. I missed creating on daily basis, to have something tangible at the end of the day that I can related to and that over time, slowly and consistently, will become and important body of work.

I also learned that, I want to keep do it on regular basis, daily as a matter of fact; but that for this to happen, I need to do other things as well, organise, balance, and somedays, let go, or even remove something else if necessary.
What Makes Cheese Taste Better when It’s Melted?
By: Travis Horan
Tags: Cheese, Taste, Science, Food

What Makes Cheese Taste Better when It’s Melted?

Melted cheese is without a doubt betterr than plain old block cheese, and here’s why

Photo by Klara Avsenik on Unsplash

It’s gooey, it’s savoury, and it’s oh-so-delicious. It’s on some of our favorite dishes, like pizza and nachos, and it can even make our least favorite foods taste better Yes, I’m talking about cheese. Or more specifically, melted cheese — because while cheese is delicious and all, a lot of people think the melted stuff is so much better.

That’s probably not a coincidence. There actually seems to be a scientific reason why people love melted cheese more than solid cheese. So the next time you’re reaching for those nachos — you can blame it on your biology. According to the research, a lot of this has to do with something called mouthfeel — a term used to describe… well, how food feels in your mouth.

It’s pretty straightforward. Studies suggest that mouthfeel plays a big role in how much we like a certain food and that something’s texture can even influence how much of it we eat.

Photo by Jennie Brown on Unsplash

Take a study published in 2014. In it, researchers ran five experiments where two groups of people ate foods with different textures. In one experiment, they had 83 university students eat either hard or soft brownies while watching advertisements. The scientists found that the soft brownie group naturally ate more. People don’t just have a soft spot for brownies, though.

Surveys have found that, when it comes to cheese, we also tend to like things on the softer side. Scientists think there are a couple of reasons why. One is that we tend to like foods that don’t take a lot of work to eat — which makes sense. It’s way easier to stuff your face with a bunch of soft, fudgy brownies than a bag of rock candy.

Photo by Fatima Akram on Unsplash

This isn’t the whole answer, though, because the amount of effort it takes to eat can also be influenced by things like your saliva. For example, some people dissolve starches faster than others because their saliva contains more of a protein called salivary amylase. So something that feels really thick to you might feel runnier to someone else. Another part of the answer, then, seems to be what the food is made of.

In general, people probably love the mouthfeel of fatty foods — specifically, ones that go from solid to semi-solid or liquid, like cheese or chocolate — because it signals that the food is higher in calories. Since calories are our source of energy, there’s an evolutionary advantage to loving foods with lots of them.

This probably also explains why fatty food is so good at activating the brain’s reward system. So really, your love of melty cheese might be your body’s way of trying to fuel itself. Between the calories and the fact that it’s just so easy to eat — what’s not to love?
How to Run Productive 1-on-1 Meetings Remotely
By: William Anderson
Tags: Programming, Leadership, Management, Work, Startup

How to Run Productive 1-on-1 Meetings Remotely

Snooze Slack and plan ahead

Photo by Pixabay from Pexels

You can run meaningful 1-on-1 meetings with members of your team, even when you’re remote.

Remote meetings come with a ton of challenges, from technology, timing, digital distractions, and more. Mastering 1-on-1s with your direct reports is also key to being a great manager and leading productive teams.

Nothing beats being face-to-face with a team member, but even when remote there are many steps you can take to run better 1-on-1s. Here are five ways to make that happen.
On Deja vu
By: Mohit Thatte
Tags: Psychology, Vu, Light, Deja

Ever felt like you had been in this exact same situation before? Same people, same place, same conversation? I have! Wray Herbert explains
Pre-Dying Plea
By: Toni Crowe
Tags: Self-awareness, Work, Death, Poetry, Family

A Poem Before Surgery

Image by skeeze from Pixabay

When I am dying, tell me the truth

I can take it

I got work to do

When I am dying, tell me stories

Break my heart

Don’t patronize me

When I am dying, tell me our history

I will say all the unsaid words

I got work to do

When I am dying, tell me about forgiveness

I have done people wrong

I shall make it better

When I am dying, tell me about gratefulness

I have people to acknowledge

I got work to do

When I am dying, tell me about leaving

I must say farewell

I want to touch them all

When I am dying, tell me I am dying

It is the Endgame

I got work to do

******

Another poem: Delicious Secret

My books are available on Amazon.

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I can be reached at https://www.tonicrowewriter.com/
How to Never Run Out of Freelance Writing Jobs Again! Seriously
By: Josef Cruz
Tags: Freelance Writing, Freelance, Writing, Freelancers, Freelancing

The term “feast and famine” comes around a lot in the freelance world (especially writers), but it doesn’t have to go to those extremes.

In fact, I will show you that you can make your next month’s goal (within reason) without having to send a prospecting email or make a phone call.

There are a few things that could hold you back, but not having enough work isn’t a problem, if you have a (several) fail-safes in place.

That’s what we’re going for here.

I have a list of several options that should keep you in the money. Some of them are fast, and some take some time to build up, but if you implement them during downtime, you shouldn’t be in the dumps for long.

Why is Work Not Consistent?

This is a good question, and I’m not sure I can answer it fully, but here goes. Here are least a few potential responses

Seasonality

It seems that most of my freelance friends are always slow in January. Typically, you will be if you have clients that don’t order regularly. I have customers who always order a month’s worth of blog posts, and that provides consistency, but other clients only come calling when they need new content.

January is the time where many businesses do taxes, reorganize, and evaluate things. Putting in a content order isn’t at the top of their priority list.
2020: A Year Full of Amazing AI Papers — A Review
By: Louis, What S Ai
Tags: Machine Learning, Data Science, Deep Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Research

2020: A Year Full of Amazing AI Papers — A Review

A curated list of the latest breakthroughs in AI by release date with a clear video explanation, link to a more in-depth article, and code

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Even with everything that happened in the world this year, we still had the chance to see a lot of amazing research come out. Especially in the field of artificial intelligence. More, many important aspects were highlighted this year, like the ethical aspects, important biases, and much more. Artificial intelligence and our understanding of the human brain and its link to AI is constantly evolving, showing promising applications in the soon future.

Here are the most interesting research papers of the year, in case you missed any of them. In short, it is basically a curated list of the latest breakthroughs in AI and Data Science by release date with a clear video explanation, link to a more in-depth article, and code (if applicable). Enjoy the read, and let me know if I missed any important papers in the comments, or by contacting me directly on LinkedIn!

The complete reference to each paper is listed at the end of this article.

Access the complete list in a GitHub repository

Tag me on Twitter (@Whats_AI) or LinkedIn (Louis (What’s AI) Bouchard) if you share the article!

Watch a complete 2020 rewind in 15 minutes
How To Rewire Disillusionment and Monotony
By: The Good Men Project
Tags: Personal Development, Change Your Life, Depression, Mental Health, Success

How To Rewire Disillusionment and Monotony

Do things the make time fly.

Photo credit: Shutterstock

By Kathleen Reily

Once not long ago I had a conversation with a gentleman who was cusping that midlife period and there was so much about his mindset that found inspiring and wanted to learn from. He was so happy, resilient, and remained so positive in the midst of life’s pitfalls and challenges. I could tell immediately there was so much I could learn from him.

Since then we have had multiple conversations about life, what determines that experience of fulfillment for men, and what is the interior life like for a midlife family man, discussing the positives and the negatives. I was asking him questions in hopes of getting some insight into what ingredients he possessed that made him the person he was.

He responded to me with a story. Many years ago he discovered it was paramount that he feels driven on a daily basis, and in order for him to feel driven he had to be doing something that he loved. He emphasized that one doesn’t necessarily have to love what they are doing one hundred percent of the time, but one must lose track of time, one must experience their day racing by until suddenly it’s evening time. Once you realize that this particular thing you are doing speeds up time, then one must figure out how to do more of it. One thing this gentleman told me was that he was deathly afraid of monotony and stagnation, not moving toward a goal or attaining anything major in his life by way of challenging himself.

He then recommended that one figure out a way to do more of this thing that makes time fly. Because for him to live out his life barely feeling alive was the worst thing in the entire world. I ask you to find that one thing or those few things that make you feel alive and bring you so much joy that time begins to fly.

The more you live your life in this headspace, this mindset that doing this thing brings to you, the more you will reverse that experience of possible disillusionment with life, possible monotony. If these are experiences that you are currently having on a regular basis, I challenge you to sit down with a pen and paper and go back over your years to find that one thing that made time fly for you.
7 Quick and Easy Ways to Combat Low Self Esteem
By: M.X. Christopher
Tags: Self Improvement, Self Esteem, Relationships, Mental Health, Self

pexels- Khoa Vo

Suffering from low self esteem? You are not the only one. We all could do well to incorporate these seven transformational mind shifts. Let’s get right into it.

You are enough.

How many of us walk around feeling like we are not enough? Not good enough. Not pretty enough. Not smart enough. Enough! You are truly valuable. You are more than enough. You are a joy and a blessing. Tell yourself, I am enough. And then, drop it. Whenever you face negative self talk, remind yourself, I am enough.

2. You are worthy.

We all have inherent self worth. We are worthy of love and life and good things. We deserve goodness in our lives. We deserve to be happy. We are worthy of love. You are worthy of love.

3. You are beautiful.

You are so beautiful. We become even more beautiful when we accept ourselves fully and completely. It is then that we start to shine. You are without a doubt, beautiful.

I see your beauty. Do you?

4. You are so unique.

You are literally, one of a kind. Out of billions of people there is not another you. I don’t care if you are a twin. You are one of a kind. Really take hold of this truth. You are so special. Embrace yourself. Be more fully you. You bring to the table things that no one else can. Your joy. Your love. Your hope. Your blessings.

5. You are made of stardust.

We are literally made of stardust. We are also made of rivers and mountains and deserts and valleys. You are made of stone and water and iron and bone. You are incredible.

6. You have unlimited potential.

There are literally no limits to your growth and potential. You can recreate yourself daily. Don’t believe me? Pick up a book on a subject you are interested in. Read it. You have gained knowledge and increased in understanding. Take the role of the avid student. Learn a new language, a new skill, or pick up a new outlook. There are no limits as to what you can do or who you can be.

7. You are fearfully and wonderfully made.

You are a magnificent creation. Created by an awesome Creator. Created in love and with love. No detail was rushed or made haphazardly. When you were created the Creator God declared you a masterpiece. His finest work. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Embrace yourself. You are so special. You are so important.

I hope these seven mind shifts will help you on your journey to self love and acceptance. You deserve it. You really do. I wish you all the best. May we grow and learn to think of ourselves in positive and beautiful ways. You are beautiful. You are worth it. You are enough.

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What I Learned From 100 Hours of Live Streaming
By: Dr. Derek Austin
Tags: Programming, Live Streaming, Life Lessons, Technology, Marketing

What I Learned From 100 Hours of Live Streaming

Being live on camera for 100 hours is something I would do again, even though I didn’t earn a cent

Photo by AronPW on Unsplash

I’ll never forget the burning sensation.

My mouth was burning uncontrollably, and I wasn’t sure if I could drink the water. I felt like I had made a terrible mistake on my first trip to Mexico, all from taking a bite of habanero paste that I mistook for tomatillo salsa.

The tortilla chips were thick and had a flavor best described as cardboard, but I was starving. So, I eagerly took a giant scoop of the diced salsa and started chewing the leathery corn chip.

My mouth exploded like never before. The burn didn’t stop for over 30 minutes, and I had trouble feeling my lips for the rest of the afternoon. My mouth never really recovered, and now I love spicy food.

Let’s just say that when I try things, I like to try them all the way, and that’s the same approach I took to live streaming.

I started my live stream at the end of October by going live eight hours a day every weekday, so I streamed over 100 hours live in my very first month.

Along the way, I learned some important lessons about personal branding and how to succeed with video content online.
A simple tool for poaching eggs.
By: Lauren Harkawik
Tags: Recipes, Cooking Tools, Eggs, Wellness, Food

I’ve since heard from other chefs that poached eggs are challenging. And I agree. I’ve made them, and they’re challenging.

They’re also healthy and versatile. They’re good on the aforementioned biscuits and gravy, but they are also good on things like pasta dishes, grain and veggie bowls. And, of course, Eggs Benedict, which they are the star of even though the hollandaise usually gets the praise.

(Since I’m a terrible millennial, I’m also required to inform you that they’re also très bon on avocado toast. 🤩)

There is a classic way to poach an egg. According to incredibleegg.org, it is:

1. HEAT 2 to 3 inches of water in large saucepan or deep skillet to boiling. ADJUST HEAT to keep liquid simmering gently. 2. BREAK eggs, 1 at a time, into custard cup or saucer. Holding dish close to surface, SLIP egg into water. 3. COOK eggs until whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard, 3 to 5 minutes. Do not stir. LIFT eggs from water with slotted spoon. DRAIN in spoon or on paper towels. TRIM any rough edges, if desired. SPRINKLE with salt and pepper. SERVE immediately.

I’ve done it the classic way. It’s not that hard (like, I wouldn’t yell at a waitress or refuse a customer over it, but to be fair, I also would not own a restaurant 🤷🏻‍♀️) but simply following the instructions above gave me some failed attempts. Subsequent google searches revealed tricks like making a whirlpool with a spoon before dropping the egg in and adding white vinegar to the water to help harden the egg whites.

Both tips proved to be useful (and the whirlpool creates a pretty neat visual effect when you drop the egg in), but there are certainly easier ways to do it. For me, I knew that investing in an easier way would mean I’d poach eggs more, which would mean consuming healthily-prepared, versatile eggs more often. Which in my view is a win.

So, I bought these silicone cups. I got a pair for $9 (+some change). They work by trapping the egg in a little cage so it can poach in the hot water. No chef-made whirlpool necesary.

Some observations:
Finding
By: A. Christine Myers
Tags: Sonnet, Life Lessons, Poetry, Mental Health, Poem

Finding

a sonnet of heart’s treasures

Photo by Michael Dziedzic on Unsplash

I find that somewhere in the very heart

Of suddenly revealed tomorrows lie

The little things that lingered, whole and part

And dark and light, that I had lost. They die —

Heart’s treasures — so I thought; they disappear

Forever in the shades that wrap our lives

From start to finish, left to moulder near

The shrouds of our own souls that could not thrive

Past birth and hatred. Well, but I was wrong!

The hatred gone, the treasures find their place,

The sudden sunlight gleams upon their throng

That’s gathered waiting in the dust. Erase

The theft of joys and bring to bright rebirth

The life so nearly lost in years of dearth.
UX 文章列表 & 學習資源導覽
By: Aapd, As A Product Designer
Tags: Aapd, Design, UX, User Experience, Resources

We share digital product design experiences & help designers find their purpose and passion. Follow our Medium Publication ↑ and Facebook http://fb.me/aapd.tw

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Space Ecosystems: India with Narayan Prasad
Tags: Space, Policy, India, Space Exploration, Startup

If you’d like to get in touch with Narayan, you can find him at the following:

If you’re keen to hear on the go, it’s also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher Radio under Clayming Space.

Enjoy! And please like, share and subscribe, so we know the types of content you want us to produce.
Fear
By: Awab Hussain
Tags: Poem, Fear, Literature, Writing

Fear

A Basic Instinct

Photo by Stefano Pollio on Unsplash

I can recall when we were afraid of monsters,

hiding under our beds;

gathering our body___ in the shape of a ball;

fearing that if a leg got astray,

and hung across the edge of the bed;

the monster might have a nibble and then

we are done for____

but there has to be a point, that we cannot recall;

where we stuck out unwillingly, or forgetfully,

and the moment those feet landed;

nothing happened except the thump of our impact.

There must be a point when we decided to lean enough,

to have a peek down,

staring into the abyss____ that gathered itself in a small corner,

like a small family of four;

the truth is; we never deliberately tried to outgrow those fears,

we never wanted to rise above them_____to confront the absurdity,

that blanketed our fears;

or to burden our feeble souls with the austerity of freedom;

it just happened when we got tired,

or when we had more things to worry about

or more fears to harbor
Behind Your Brain, Understanding The Complex Psychology of Break Ups
By: Argumentative Penguin
Tags: Life, Psychology, Relationships, Love, Breakups

Want to move on? Fed up of ending up in bed together after you both promised it would never happen again? Here’s a quick and handy guide to the revolving door of bad relationship breakups.

Let’s do some arty visualisation first. Then we’ll drill into the Psychology.

Take a deep breath. Imagine yourself standing on a stony beach. No… although it might be tempting if you’ve just broken up with someone, don’t walk out to sea. Things aren’t that bad.

Instead, imagine you’ve picked up a stone. I bet you want to throw it out to sea? That’s what almost everyone does if you give them this scenario.

Human beings toss stones into water. They like the splash.

It’s a futile exercise that serves no purpose. What it shows is that humans have a propensity to interact with their environment. We have an internal reward system that operates when we show competence.

In short, we get a little happiness kick when we cause an effect on the world. If you’ve ever wondered why humans love skimming stones, popping bubble wrap or why children kick at pigeons to make them take off. You’re welcome. All human beings (big and small) like to see the effect they’re having on the world.

When there is evidence that they have caused a change and received feedback from the universe they feel good. Why do you think children’s toys have big colourful buttons and make loud noises? It might be the bane of your life as a parent but it’s very addictive to the brain of your offspring. As we get older we get similar positive feedback when we learn new things.

Musical instruments, complicated games, even writing an article and watching your stats go up. This positive feedback loop forms an integral part of our motivational system. It’s necessary for learning and it’s necessary for life.

But back to our stone. The splash is important. That’s how the effect registers in your brain. Stone selection, throwing technique and arm strength are assets in the process, the splash itself is what registers.

Do it too many times and the reward will wear off. The little high you experience becomes less and less effective. This is the nature of brain chemistry and to maintain the same level of reward, you alter the game.

You opt for a bigger splash. Or skimming and making multiple splashes. These splashes are bigger or more complex, they help maintain that feeling of achievement.
6 Ways to Speed Up Your Vue.js Application
By: Aris Pattakos
Tags: JavaScript, Software Development, Vue, Vuejs, Programming

1. Update Only What’s Needed

One of the nastiest issues you can run into with VueJS is rendering the same elements or list of elements more times than needed. To understand why or how this can happen we have to understand reactivity in Vue.

This example is from the official Vue.js documentation and it shows which properties are reactive and which are not. There are many reactive elements in Vue: properties assigned to the data object, computed properties, or methods that rely on reactive properties.

But a plain JavaScript code, such as {{ 'value' }} or {{ new Date() }} , is not tracked by Vue as a reactive property.

So what does reactivity have to do with duplicate rendering?

Let’s say you have an array of objects like this in your data object:

values: [{id: 1, t: 'a'}, {id: 2, t: 'b'}]

And you’re rendering it using v-for :

<div v-for="value in values" :key="value.id">{{ value.t }}</div>

When a new element is added to the list Vue will re-render the whole list. Not convinced? Try writing it like this:

<div v-for="value in values" :key="value.id">

{{ value.t }}

{{ new Date() }}

</div>

The JavaScript Date object is not reactive so it doesn’t affect rendering. It will only be called if the element has to be rendered again. What you will see in this example, is that every time a value is added or removed from values a new Date will pop up on all rendered elements.

What should you expect in a more optimized page? You should expect only the new or changed elements to show a new Date , while the others should not be rendered at all.

So, what does key do and why are we passing it? The key property helps Vue understand which element is which. If the order of the array changes, key helps Vue shuffle the elements into place, rather than going through them one-by-one again.

Specifying a key is important, but it’s not enough. In order to make sure you’re getting the best performance, you need to create Child components. That’s right — the solution is pretty simple. You just have to divide your Vue app into small, lightweight components.

<item :itemValue="value" v-for="item in items" :key="item.id"></item>

This item component will only update if the specific item has a reactive change (for example with Vue.set)

The performance gain of using components to render lists is tremendous. If an element is added or removed from the array, Vue won’t render all the components one-by-one again. If the array is sorted, Vue just shuffles the elements by relying on the provided key .
3 to read: Making journalism crowd funding work
By: Matt Carroll
Tags: Journalism, Media Criticism, Journalism Criticism, Media, Jill Abramson

Jan. 26, 2018: Cool stuff about journalism, once a week. Get notified via email? Subscribe: 3toread (at) gmail. Originally published on 3toread.co

How The Correspondent became the largest journalism crowdfunding project in history — without 1 story on its site: News sites are increasingly turning to readers to be their financial saviors. But it’s not easy. So here’s a fascinating look at how The Correspondent patiently and carefully laid the groundwork for raising $2.6 million from more than 45,000 supporters. For people interested in starting their own crowd-funded news sites, this is a primer on how to do it well. Great story by Emily Goligoski and Aron Pilhofer for MembershipPuzzle.org.

How many paying subscribers do you need to keep a money-losing magazine afloat? A regional mag finds out: The digital age has not been kind to regional magazine, which at one point were fat, happy money-makers. Now they’re hanging on by their fingertips. So when Arkansas Magazine announced it would shut down if it didn’t get enough paid subscribers, the staff jumped in, pushing hard on social media. Here’s what happened. By Laura Hazard Owens for Nieman Lab.

What Jill Abramson gets wrong about the digital journalism: Abramson, the first female executive editor of the NYT, has written a book, “Merchants of Truth: The Business of News and the Fight for Facts.” It’s a take on four big media players — the NYT, WaPo, Vice, and BuzzFeed, where media is headed, and her own bitter falling-out with the NYT. But apparently she had trouble wrangling the truth down about Vice and BuzzFeed. An angry war of tweets has erupted over what reporters at Vice and BuzzFeed claim are errors in the book. As Josephine Livingstone chronicles for The New Republic, it’s not a pretty. But it makes an interesting read.
The Amazing Power of a Good Hike
By: Robert Roy Britt
Tags: Wellness, Hiking, Fitness, Exercise, Stress

The Amazing Power of a Good Hike

Stressed? Exhausted? Depressed? Here’s a surefire way to clear your head and improve your health.

Photo: massimo colombo/Getty Images

When anxiety sends my heart climbing into my throat, when motivation evaporates, when life makes no sense, I have a proven pick-me-up. I head to the nearest trail for a quick hike or, when time allows, drive to the mountains for a good, long trek. Without fail, the exercise, fresh air, and curative effects of nature itself combine to boost my mental mood and invigorate my body.

It’s not just me. There’s serious science to all this, and the positive effects build over time with repeated outings. Importantly, you’re never too old to begin accruing the physical and mental health benefits.

A mountain of research proves that simply walking at a brisk pace is a great way to improve well-being, lowering the risk of everything from depression to heart problems and upping the odds of a longer, healthier life. Hiking offers the added benefit of some uneven terrain that strengthens numerous small muscles in your legs and core that improve balance while forcing your mind to focus on each step rather than cogitating on life’s stressors.

If an incline gets you huffing and puffing, all the better. Specifically, hiking has been shown to lower blood pressure, bolster the immune system, lower stress, increase attention levels, and support well-being more broadly. Science also finds that just being in nature — whether or not you hike — can boost your mood and reduce your odds of dying prematurely. The combo of hiking in nature can boost creativity and problem-solving abilities, too.

But isn’t hiking hard? That’s up to you. Perhaps there’s a nearby city park with flat, winding paths or maybe a popular trailhead that starts out modestly, where you can simply turn around if the hike gets too challenging.

I’m fortunate to have a trail near my home in Arizona that gets me into nature quickly. I cherish it. I mix short hikes with even shorter walks around the neighborhood on other days and some mountain biking, too. But my mind struggles to let go of the fact that work and the news and the rest of life are just, well, a short hike away. That compels me to explore farther afield so that even if there’s something that needs doing, I can’t do it.

Here’s where I elected to have lunch on Election Day 2020. Photo courtesy of the author.

You may not live near a spot like this, but don’t let that stop you from getting out — you never know what you’ll find on a trail until you explore. No major trails nearby? Find some nature in a local park, walk to the river, or ride the subway to the beach on a winter day and hike in the sand.

Not in shape? Start modestly. Take a small step, as it were, and see where things go. Science promises you’ll feel better.
The Blindfold
By: White Feather
Tags: Poetry, Spirituality, Consciousness, Imagination, Self-awareness

Looking for perfect friends

Looking for a perfect companion

Looking for the perfect place

Looking for the perfect time

We need not look for perfection

We need to stop looking

And start seeing

And start feeling

We are playing a game

Pretending everything is difficult

Pretending we are powerless

Making everything into a challenge

It is a game gods play blindfolded

To help develop their imagination

When you can create anything

You first learn what you do not want to create

To find perfection

We must find it everywhere

Even in the darkest places

We can imagine

An artist plays with colors

And sound and smell and taste and texture

Creating new ways to see and feel

Beauty and perfection

Life is the Creator gods’ blank canvas

We paint blindly by default

Practicing for when

The blindfold is finally removed
Submit your guide, article, or story to SoftwareSupp
By: Matt Pliszka
Tags: CRM, Salesforce, Sales, Crm Software, Marketing

-> Link to submitting your story to SoftwareSup

SoftwareSupp is a freelance marketplace for technology experts. We promote our freelancers’ services based on their experience, the number of realized projects but also the quality of content they deliver to the ultimate customers.

Below are some of the benefits of submitting the story to SoftwareSupp publication:

Additional promotion of your expert profile in social media

Promoting your content through our marketing channels: social media, newsletter (+1k professionals), “News” section on our website

Better visibility for customers, increasing chances to close new jobs/leads at SoftwareSupp

Content subjects

We publish content about the technology you specialize in, including tutorials, use cases, customer success stories. Feel free to submit any of the below types of content:

Guides/tutorials

Customer success stories

Research/statistics articles

Rankings

Reviews

We currently publish articles on the below software:

Pipedrive

Zoho

HubSpot

Salesforce

MS Dynamics

SAP

Shopify

Webflow

+ any other software solutions.

FAQ

Can I write for SoftwareSupp as a guest post writer/contributor?

Yes, but we only publish quality articles from experts/freelancers listed at SoftwareSupp.

Can I re-post articles from my website?

Yes, if they’re quality content, you can repost them from your website. Just please be aware that we favor original non-duplicate content.

What can I write about?

Simply choose the topic which would fit into the structure described above. We’re a blog about software helping people/businesses become more efficient, grow faster, reduce development costs.

How do I submit?

You can submit your blog post using the link below:

-> Link to submitting your story to SoftwareSupp

We will then add you as our publication’s writer and will ask you to submit your story through Medium.

Is there any guarantee that the article will be published?

No, we do not guarantee the publication of the article but we will notify you if there is anything wrong about the content you submit.

What are the guidelines?

Matching the blog’s topics described above and delivering quality content.

Can I promote my product/services?

Yes, you can promote your product/services if the promotion is done as an addition to the valuable content you deliver to customers.

Wish you all the best in writing for SoftwareSupp and looking forward to seeing more companies grow sales and save time with the right software setup!
How to prevent your SSH session from disconnect while being idle?
By: Dariusz Mydlarz
Tags: Software Engineering, Software Development, Linux, Mac, Terminal

Recently I found a really annoying thing. My SSH sessions to remote servers were being disconnected while I was not actively using them for a certain period of time (even a couple of minutes).

Fortunately, I have found a solution. Very simple solution.

Send keep-alive messages

In order to prevent it, you have to add entry yo your .ssh/config file

Host *

ServerAliveInterval 60

That’s it!

Now your SSH remote sessions will not be disconnected even if you’re not actively using them for a certain amount of time.

Voila! :)
My Robot Vacuum is Surprisingly Wise
By: Rose Bak
Tags: Self Improvement, Mental Health, Home, Inspiration, Life

One of my best middle-of-the-night purchases was a robot vacuum.

I had been contemplating purchasing one for a while, so it wasn’t exactly spur-of-the-moment, but looking at the dog hair on the carpet late one night convinced me that it was worth a try.

If you haven’t seen them, the robot vacuum is a handy little self-propelled machine the size of large pizza that cleans your floors.

It’s no muss, not fuss — all you have to do is program it and periodically empty the tray. The robot vacuum is fully programmable — it starts, stops and recharges automatically. If it gets stuck or the tray is full it will give you helpful warning beeps but otherwise it just does its thing.

Because I have an innate need to anthropomorphize things, I named the robot vacuum Reggie. Reggie the Robot. I know, I’m super creative.

At first, she acted like I was crazy, but I have even got my roommate calling it Reggie now. “Where’s Reggie?” she will ask if she doesn’t see him wandering around cleaning. The other night she came out of the bathroom and I heard her say, “Oh hi Reggie.”

Reggie may be a machine, but he exemplifies some important life lessons for all of us.
Five Scientific Journals to Follow as a Data Scientist
By: Ruben Kerkhofs
Tags: Analytics, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Education, Research

Five Scientific Journals to Follow as a Data Scientist

How to Stay Up-To-Date With the Scientific Community

Photo by Susan Yin on Unsplash

The field of data science is advancing at an incredible pace. New scientific articles are published daily. As a student, I try to stay up-to-date with the scientific literature that is published. In this blog post, I created a list of scientific journals that I believe every data scientist should follow. The journals are presented in no particular order.

International Journal of Data Science and Analytics

The journal welcomes experimental and theoretical findings on data science and advanced analytics along with their applications to real-life situations.

The first scientific journal on the list is the International Journal of Data Science and Analytics (JDSA). This is no surprise since this was the first scientific journal in data science and analytics. The editor-in-chief is Longbing Cao from the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia.

The journal contains articles from many subdomains in data science mostly focussing on machine learning and big data. It brings together thought leaders, researchers, industry practitioners, and potential users of data science and analytics, to develop the field, discuss new trends and opportunities, exchange ideas and practices, and promote transdisciplinary and cross-domain collaborations [1].

Link to a recent edition: Volume 10, issue 4, October 2020
The Earnings Lifecycle of a Medium Story
By: Aris Pattakos
Tags: Money, Writing, Personal Development, Learning, Freelancing

Learnings

I wrote a script in Python to extract my daily earnings stats and then analyze them further. The reason I did this is that I had many questions regarding my earnings. I then realized that I could share these statistics to help you better understand Medium earnings. Here are the things I learned.

1. Prioritize evergreen stories

The best type of story that you can create on Medium is one that is going to be read by many people for a long period of time. To create evergreen stories, focus on creating content that’s going to be relevant for a long time. You can also create stories with short-lived success but I believe evergreen stories are the best possible investment.

2. Take advantage of SEO to gain longevity in your stories

If your story is able to rank highly on Google, which is fairly easy to do thanks to Medium’s high domain authority, you are able to have long-lived stories that keep on making you money even after the algorithm stops distributing them.

3. Don’t lose faith if a story doesn’t earn a lot in the first week

If your story hasn’t made a crazy amount of money, don’t lose faith. I have stories that made over $30, having made less than $1 during the first month. Having one of your articles picked up by the algorithm at a much later point in time can happen, so don’t rush to think your articles as unsuccessful.

4. Create a backlog of content

The best way to gain significant and steady earnings on Medium is to create a large backlog of content that will keep on producing revenue for you. Don’t try to create the next viral story, but instead focus on offering value and produce stories that people will want to read for a long time.

By doing that, you will have a ton of articles that people keep on reading and will keep on making you money. Ideally, you want your older articles to make more money than your more recent articles. That is the only way you can grow your earnings substantially, without needing to produce new stories every single day.
Type Inspiration 01 — Gilroy. I decided to start a new typographic…
By: Debbie Turner
Tags: Typography, Design, Inpiration, Typography Inspiration, Type Experiment

I decided to start a new typographic experiment series. First up for july is Gilroy, the perfect choice for any product, website or app.

Gilroy is a great example of an extremely modern and versatile font. I decided to pair this experiment with a limited colour palette and use the medium and light versions of the font.