fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
AYS Daily Digest 28/05/2020: New testimonies of violent push backs
By: Are You Syrious
Tags: Digest, Europe, Greece, Refugees, Pushback

As of next Monday, first of June, some 11.000 people with recognized refugee statues will have to leave their accommodations on the mainland. As included in the Greek Asylum legislation from February 2020, people with a positive decision of their asylum application will only be allowed to stay in camps and other subsidized facilities for one month. Everybody who got his positive decision before May 2nd will therefore have to leave as of beginning of June. It is argued that through this step, space is created to be able to transfer more people from the overcrowded camps on the islands. But since Greece is doing little to nothing to integrate recognized refugees, the risk that many will face homelessness is extremely high. Finding an apartment and a job to support oneself as a refugee in a country that’s economy is still struggling and now hit by the lockdown will be close to impossible for most refugees.

No Border Kitchen Lesvos gives an account on Facebook on what that actually means for people on the ground. They reported about a house in Mytilene, Lesvos, that is run by the NGO Illaktida and supported by UNHCR and UNICEF. The house is designed to host people who are regarded as most vulnerable for the time of their asylum procedure and, if necessary, beyond. The facility costs the Greek government nothing, since Illaktida and UNHCR are paying the rent and the costs of the project. Still, also people from this facility are supposed to be evicted. Some of the people who are now supposed to travel to the mainland and live without any support did not even receive their travel documents yet and have appointments with official institutions on the island after the date of their eviction. Again, all of them belong to the group of most vulnerable people.

No Border Kitchen Lesvos states in their post:

“By mistreating even the people that have been able to prove their asylum claim as valid, it fits neatly into their policy of making greece an “unnatracitive” country for migration. And this is a very nasty business.“

For more information also see:
Why The Crisis is Not Over
By: The Crisis Isn'T Over
Tags: Asylum Seekers, European Union, Greece, Refugees, Refugee Crisis

I came to live in Athens having spent the last 10 years doing legal and practical work with migrants in the UK. I had not planned to keep a blog, but the extremity of the situations I have come across so far compelled me to set this up and record the issues that I find here in Greece.

This will be one source of many, documenting the conditions here. Mainstream media, UN agencies, academics, NGOs, grassroots sources and independent volunteers all consistently document the situation for refugees in Greece. There are photos, videos, reports, statistics, yet the situation remains dire. In the face of such well-documented and serious suffering, the EU’s agenda is clear — keep the borders closed, decrease funding, and return asylum seekers to Greece whenever possible. Civilian efforts to assist refugees are thwarted — rescue initiatives and individuals alike have been arrested and imprisoned for saving refugees from drowning.

The number of refugees arriving to Greece has fallen dramatically since 2015, causing some to suggest there is no longer a ‘crisis’. But such statistics in isolation are meaningless. The number of refugees claiming asylum in Greece rose over 400% between 2015 and 2017. And relative to population size, Greece recorded the highest number of asylum claims in 2017 in the whole of the EU.

Statistics also cannot capture the reality. The reality is that even if numbers fall, which they may well do, Greece is a living hell for almost all refugees already here.

Arrivals might decrease for two main reasons:

The EU-Turkey deal — that pushes refugees back to Turkey, despite conditions being unsafe in Turkey for refugees, and Turkish citizens themselves increasingly claiming asylum in Europe. EU money spent in countries such as Libya reinforcing the borders, to stop refugees even reaching Europe.

Those who do manage to make it to Greece will join a long queue of refugees already suffering inhumane living conditions and unworkable delays. Some will be unable to tell the Greek authorities their story until 2024, when their asylum interview is scheduled. For most refugees, the only accommodation options are in squats, camps, or on the streets.

The reality is that Greece’s Asylum Service and the Greek state in general cannot cope. NGOs and volunteers try to plug the gaps but their efforts are inherently inadequate —NGOs and volunteers cannot solve a crisis when there are systemic deficiencies in all essential services and political agendas are counter to people’s needs.

Greece is at the mercy of the EU — economically and politically, but Greek politicians play their part in worsening the crisis too.

I hope to publish specific stories, to elaborate on and illustrate the above.

You cannot solve a ‘crisis’ by refusing to use the word.
4 Books That Will Help You Become a Modern Polymath
By: Chris Wojcik
Tags: Books, Mindset, Skills, Personal Development, Self Improvement

4 Books That Will Help You Become a Modern Polymath

Photo by John-Mark Smith on Unsplash

I’ve always been fascinated by polymaths.

Da Vinci and Plato (especially because Plato was a wrestler like me) are prime examples, but I’m also interested in modern polymaths like Tim Ferriss. Ferriss is an entrepreneur, author, and podcaster, along with being a former kickboxing national champion and successful tango competitor.

I’m fascinated not by the achievements themselves, but the thought processes, habits, and mindsets that have helped create these polymaths. That’s where these books come in.

I read primarily to learn, and my favorite skill to learn about lately has been “how to get good at stuff.” It’s one thing to become successful in one area of your life, but to me, it’s incredibly more impressive to be able to transcend disciplines and become a modern polymath. The hardest skill you’ll develop in life is the first one.

Plus, in the future, it might even be better to be a generalist than a specialist.

These are the 4 books that will outline your journey to polymathy.
How to create beautiful and insightful charts
By: André Sionek
Tags: Data Science, Skills, Plotly, Data Storytelling, Data Visualization

How to create beautiful and insightful charts

Okay, let's start with the truth about my background: I’m not a designer, neither a data journalist nor a data scientist. I'm a data engineer, and my daily activities rarely include having to plot charts or conduct any kind of analysis.

But even without having lots of experience, I managed to win data visualisation competitions promoted by Kaggle for three years in a row. I finished in third place in 2018 and 2019 and got the first prize in 2020 out of more than 300 different competitors. Over the last three years, I won a total of $19,000 in prizes from those competitions.

Many people have to create data visualisations at work every day, from data and BI analysts to data scientists, designers, and journalists. And it is often the case that the charts fail to deliver the value and insights they were supposed to. Simply because they are not well designed and built. My rule of thumb to identifying a good chart is:

If it requires explanation, then it is not a good chart.

Let's see two charts that expose the same data. Can you tell which is the good one?

Chart 1: The percentage of men and women that answered the Kaggle Survey. Source: Author

Chart 2: Another chart exposing the same data. Source: Author

Most of you will agree that the Chart 2 is better and does not require any explanation. Now, why most people keep creating and delivering visualisations like Chart 1?

The first reason is that creating useful graphs requires planning, time, and a lot of work. I have spent more than 50 hours working into my submission, and it had only 17 charts — This is about three hours of work per chart.

The second reason is that while most persons prefer Chart 2, only a few can tell all the reasons why they like it.

On this post, I want to share some of the inspirations and decisions that I made while creating the submission that got the first place on the 2020 Kaggle Machine Learning & Data Science Survey Competition. I will give you a comprehensive guide on how to:

Have ideas for your analysis.

Make considerations about your audience and about how you are going to present the information.

Highlight the stories hidden in each chart.

Make conscious design decisions and pay attention to the details.

I will not focus on any technical aspects of how to write code to create charts. It is possible to achieve the same results using different tools, and there are already plenty of tutorials and comprehensive documentation on how to use most data visualisation libraries.

If you want to dig into the technical aspects, then have a look at Plotly. I have used it to create the charts I'm showing here. Plotly is a Python library that offers a fair degree of interactivity that I always find interesting when publishing charts online. All code is also available on my Kaggle Notebook.
If you do what you did, you get ….
By: Arnold Beekes
Tags: UK Politics, Skills, Transformation, Change, Uniqueness

If you do what you did, you get ….

… what you got.

This is a well-known quote. The intention is to let you see that you need to do something different in order to get a different result.

The bushfires in Australia, the tension in the Middle East (especially between US and Iran) and growth of mental illness are just a few indicators that we need radical change.

Our track record on transformation has been rather poor. Mostly because we don’t really want to change ourselves, and our habits.

Yes, we want others to change, but for example we won’t change our own food, our drinks, and exercise regime.

We want to use renewable energies, yet we keep on subsidizing fossil fuels. We want people to be healthy, but we still allow sugar to be added to most of the food. We want innovation, but a employee who comes up with a game changing idea is often silenced.

The ‘good’ thing about the pain that many communities are experiencing is that people are really more open to radical change. Radical change requires new ways of thinking and behaving. That is what outliers have been doing for ages.

The real change is that this urgency for change is now also been seen at the very heart of our society. Downing Street 10 symbolizes this in the UK.

It was a pleasant surprise to read the blog from the Chief Advisor of the Prime Minister. In his blog he writes that “We want to hire an unusual set of people with different skills and backgrounds to work in Downing Street with the best officials”.

That is very encouraging as when change starts at the core, it will be very likely that change will spread out everywhere.

Extraordinarians will no longer be seen as a pain in the ass, but as facilitators of change.

How does that make you feel? Are you an Extraordinarian?
HOW TO STYLE FLATTERING SWIMWEAR
By: Tali Kogan
Tags: Style, Swimsuits For Women

Last week I asked my Instagram community what topic they are interested to see and majority voted, swimwear! So here we are! I know during lockdown, everyone is dreaming about our next vacation and more importantly, vacation outfits! After all planning our vacation wear is an instant mood boost, right?!? Fabulous swimwear, oversized sunnies, and cocktails on the beach in Mexico, anyone? Since we are all in swimwear mode, I want to take the opportunity to share my tips how to style the most flattering swimwear!

FIGURE FLATTERING SWIMWEAR

I know, swimwear can be a stressful topic, but it doesn’t have to be! I feel so much more comfortable in one pieces to hide the tummy area. Mommas you know what I mean! Fortunately, one piece suits are a great way to flatter any body shape, especially options with interesting details like cut outs.

When I do wear a bikini I always choose high waist bottoms as they have a slimming effect on the stomach area. Plus, anything high-waisted is super trendy right now. I also focus on bikini tops with great support and coverage, like these Target underwire swimsuits! Their quality is amazing and super easy to adjust bra straps, and obviously super affordable.

Girls, I accidentally came across the most life changing styling hack! Over my quarantine birthday weekend, I paired my swimsuit with a sport bra and it is magic. It keeps everything covered and I love that I can run around and jump into the pool with kids, worry-free. Best news is it works for one-piece or bikini! My sport bra was the same print as my swim suit, but if you try this, you can experiment with different prints.

KIMONO LAYERS

When it comes to vacation wear I try to keep things as easy as possible. One of my favorite ways to create a look that’s chic but still easy is with a kimono layer! Personally, I love to wear cover ups like these so they double as an outfit. Kimonos are the biggest summer trend and there are endless options, but my personal favorite is a classic black or white for extra lightness.

SWIMWEAR ACCESSORIES

Of course, no swimwear look is complete without summer ready accessories. My favorite completer piece? Hats! Hats are an absolute must have for your beach vacation style. Plus, the protection from the sun is a great skincare bonus

I am always wearing Janessa Leone straw summer hats, because she just does them so well!

A great pair of sunnies is also an easy pieces to complete your resort looks. To add a fun twist with sunnies I always prioritize finding edgy and fun colors or shapes. This year, oversized squares are the “it” sunnies!

And that’s it! Are you excited for swimwear weather?!

Love, Tali
What Makes Italian leather so special
Tags: Style, Fashion, Tote Bags, Leather

What makes Italian leather the best in the world. The craftsmanship employed by the skilled Italian craftsmen is the most advanced than any other country can be able to match. The companies have employed craftsman knowledge passed to them from decades ago. The leather products made with exclusive and refined materials which are combined with modern concepts and designs to bring products that stand-out with elegance and sophistication.

One of the prime reasons why their products are superior to other leather manufacturers is the employment of carefully executed process that is employed. Use of quality hides, use of natural extracts such as vegetable and plants extracts to dye the leather. This results in a stronger and longer lasting product.

At OLLIVETTE, our mission is to satisfy our customers with best and well designed Italian made bags and accessories. Having a deep partnership with manufacturers and designers who understand our vision has allowed us to bring the best for our customers.
Relaxed quarantine: All day outfit inspiration
By: The Style Blender
Tags: Outfit, Fashion, Netflix, Home, Style

I have gathered some (sustainable) style inspiration for: work from home life, garden life, supermarket runs, date nights in and Netflix binging on the couch. When I am at home I want to be as comfortable as possible. My long curls go into a bun and I want to get out of my jeans asap. For years I used to wear sportswear in the house, but now you can find all sorts of lovely loungewear. Loungewear is getting more and more diverse and fashionable for in- and outside of the house.

Before I get into the loungewear I believe it is important to describe the environment in which I like to lounge at home. Looking at the different people around me there are two types: 1. people who like the house warm and wear minimal clothing in and around the house 2. people who put all the windows open and wear 5 layers at home. Point 2 is slightly exaggerated, but you get the gist. To clarify, I am type 1. I get cold easily and do not like to wear layers of clothing. Are you type 1 or type 2 and how does this affect your home life?

My lounging is done in my livingroom in front of the tv on the couch. I do not like to watch tv from my bed. Who’s with me on this one…? My outfit at home needs to be comfortable enough to permit sitting for many hours. They are soft to the skin and really mentally signal that: I’m home let’s chill and relax vibe. During the lockdown I changed from wearing standard loungewear at home to flowy dresses so that I would feel in workmode for my meetings and my boyfriend and I kept our weekly date nights by transferring them to the dinnertable.
Gun violence is traumatic, but it is over-represented in the media.
By: Daniel Goldman
Tags: Guns, Public Health, Science, Violence, Government

Gun violence is traumatic, but it is over-represented in the media. Mass shootings especially account for a small fraction of premature deaths. The bigger issues though are as follows. First, gun control is enforced by the police, which are a group of terrorists. After all, police brutality is a human issue.

Do we really want more contact between police and the general population? Are we going to increase stop and frisk? Are we going to assume guilt until innocence is proven?

Furthermore, the epidemiology of gun violence isn’t really indicative that further gun control is the answer. Hell, the New Zealand mass shooting, and its gun control and gun violence history are indicative that it isn’t law, but rather attitude, that must change.

Of course, there’s also the issue of the second amendment, and as importantly, the fifth amendment. The more hurdles you place on constitutionally protected rights, the greater the violation of the constitution. What we really should focus on is the mass murder committed by government, including through the wars on drugs and terror.
UNIFORM
By: Erica Wools
Tags: Fiction, People, Uniforms, Violence, Traffic

UNIFORM

I left work exactly at dusk today. Quite early I’d say.

“Hallelujah!” I mused in amazement, staring at the hues of willowy clouds playing tag with the swift means of transport I was tucked in. Atypically, traffic was light and we swam through it.

Some junctions later; after considerable maneuvers from the driver, the bus finally decelerated and hobbled to a screeching halt, dying gracelessly in the middle of the road. A couple of passengers made to alight having reached their stop; the traffic light had shone red, so it was the perfect drop.

Scrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!! Gboooooow!

I felt my body violently yanked and flung from my seat by the impact of the collision. Iron slammed and bit into my midsection; I could not seem to yelp proportionately with the depth of the pain. Gasps were all I could muster, but they seemed enough. Screams and shrieks escaped lips as similar experiences ricocheted through bodies occupying metallic wooden seats around me. It was an agonizing frenzy. The bus tilted heavily on its side, while passersby raised alarms, stole frantic pictures of the sinister occurrence and cars screeched in harried attempts to back up from the scene. I felt something thick, sticky and warm trickle down my rib cage but neither of my bloodied palms could search out its source, so I closed my eyes and tried to lie still in the eye of the storm.

“Bomboclat!!!” The officer yelled at the driver, right after the bus had steadied its wobbly wheels and settled on them. He whipped out his threadbare belt, wrenched open the door and began thrashing the sprawled hapless motorist, who did little to avert the blows.

Behind the bus, the Toyota Hilux SR which had arrogantly rammed into it continued on without remorse. It purposefully nudged the wrecked vehicle off the road while the officer kept at his charade to the revulsion of onlookers. Nobody deigned to help, most had exasperated expressions on their faces. Such was the life people were now made to live.

“You no know say na Army man dey drive for your back, you come park sidon for road?” The officer ranted amidst the assault, other uniformed men gathered round to moral support to their comrade. “Useless man!” he pronounced as the bus succumbed to the prods of the Hilux and was swerved to the sidewalk opening the otherwise closed road, after which the Toyota zoomed off without a backward glance of care or concern. The whipping ceased leaving the subconscious driver at the mercy of the nonchalant retreat of his assailants who stalked away from the accident scene indifferently.

Inside, the other passengers and I laid in silent horror bleeding out. I grew weaker by the second and was slowly slipping into a hazy sleep when arms reached out and felt for my pulse and carefully carried me out of the wreck. Apparently, some good Samaritans having tired of folding arms had rushed to help, and thus, our rescue mission began.
Quick one on “Yet not war”
By: Cheta Nwanze
Tags: Nigeria, Security, Violence, Politics

Ibrahim Gobir (APC, Sokoto East)

This is Senator Ibrahim Gobir (APC, Sokoto East). Yesterday, there was a motion on the floor of the Senate by Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC, Niger North) on the need to expand the military onslaught against bandits. Senator Gobir, contributing to Senator Abdullahi’s motion dropped a bombshell.

“The situation is so bad that we only get help from Niger Republic,” he was quoted as saying by Daily Trust.

Also yesterday, the NewsWire Nigeria website had this report. In part it reads, “In-country however, community theft has gone up, armed robbery cases have become rampant, and increased police brutality is being seen across the country.”

“Local vigilante’s notified of the incident just after it occurred did a stop and search and found a car suspected to have been used by the robbers.”

“In Kubwa, Abuja, local community policing is replacing the government. Residents continue to fear increases in crime will overwhelm the police stations and are setting up vigilante groups street by street.”

These two taken together are particularly scary. First, the military is deployed pretty much all over the country, and we have police posts everywhere including Kubwa. Yet, citizens have to resort to self-help.

Military deployments in Nigeria, January 2020. Source: SBM Intelligence

Consider the implications of the statement by a sitting Senator, on the floor of the Senate. It means that Senator Gobir’s statement is a matter of public record. What Senator Gobir said in effect is, “The Nigerian Army cannot protect the territorial integrity of Nigeria, thus Nigerians have to turn to help from our neighbouring Niger Republic.”

Who gave the Nigerien soldiers the right to be on Nigerian soil in the first place? Was it a matter of expediency? Sokoto East shares a border with Niger. Were the Nigerien soldiers 5km away on Nigerien soil, and because the Nigerian Army failed to respond to Nigerian calls for help, they breached Nigeria’s territorial integrity in order to help Nigerian citizens?

In Kubwa who gave the local vigilante the right to start doing stop and search?

These things are linked and let me tell you how…

Both of them show diminishing confidence in the ability of Nigeria’s security services to protect the country’s people, so naturally, people will turn to where they logically believe that they can get help, in the case of Kubwa, to local vigilante, in the case of Sokoto East, to foreigners. Both the same outcome — the weakening of the Nigerian state.

Heck, even the police can’t protect themselves, as this chart from a report by SBM Intelligence shows. These are incidents where the police was attacked, and weapons taken away.

But hey, let’s be enjoying the theatrics by paid hacks while the state burns under our feet.

I’ll be doing an examination of violence Nigeria, “Yet not at war” along with the erudite Chris Kwaja, on behalf of Global Rights. 2pm this afternoon (20 May 2020) on Zoom.
President Thomas’ Rating
By: Shakim Muhafiz
Tags: President, Schools, Morehouse College, Higher Education, Leadership

President Thomas’ Rating

Morehouse’s president David Thomas will be coming up on one year as the official president in February. In his short time as president different changes have occurred for the college. These changes have come in policies, appearances, and other aspects that involve the college.

Modifications may have occurred, but what do the Men of Morehouse think of Dr. Thomas and his changes so far? For freshmen and sophomores, President Thomas is the only president they have known to be in charge since their time at Morehouse. Dr. Thomas stated, “The class of ’22 is my class.” He considers that his class because it will be the first class that he welcomed into Morehouse and will say goodbye to at commencement in spring 2022. One member of the ’22 class thinks nothing of Thomas.

“I barely see President Thomas,” Morehouse sophomore Christopher Goolsby said. “I don’t know what to think about him. I have very little interaction with him.”

Dr. Thomas is a very busy as many presidents of a college or university would be, especially one of Morehouse’s magnitudes. Recently, he had to handle a situation with the faculty of Morehouse almost walking out because of unfair pay and benefits. When he is not handling problems such as that, he is trying to raise money for his college. But one student believes he is not doing that correctly necessary.

“President Thomas must begin to address the true financial issues of Morehouse,” class of ’22 member Jordan Tune said. “And the poor management of the school. I am dissatisfied with him.”

Of course everyone might not feel the same way, but if there is a large enough number of students that feel the same as Tune or might not know him well like Goolsby then what does that mean for Thomas? Men of Morehouse like to have results and if some feel he is not doing enough for the college or trying to connect with the students then it could mean departure from Morehouse sooner rather than later.

Nevertheless, it is still only his second year as Morehouse’s president so things might not be able to get done as soon as students want it to be. Time will only how President David Thomas presidency will go from now on.
A Complete Guide to the Connecticut Primary, 5 Months Out
By: Christian Damiana
Tags: President, Connecticut, Politics, State Politics, Democratic Primary

Polling

Few polls have been conducted to discern the preferences of Connecticut residents. In early October, Sacred Heart University polled to find out who was most likely to win the Connecticut primary and how candidates would fare head to head against Donald Trump.

If the Connecticut democratic primary were held today, 36.9% of respondents believed that Vice President Joe Biden would win. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders followed with 14% and 10.8%, respectively. Only 2.1% of respondents believed that Mayor Pete Buttigieg would win the Connecticut primary, but much could have changed in the two months since the poll.

Every candidate polled would beat Donald Trump in Connecticut, an unsurprising feat considering the state’s reputation as a democratic stronghold. Joe Biden fares the best against the President, garnering 52.2% to his 33.3% support. Biden is followed by Sanders, Warren, Harris, and Buttigieg, in that order. Buttigieg, the lowest polling candidate in the head to head match-up, would still beat Donald Trump with 45.8% to his 34.2%.

Does Connecticut Really Matter?

Every presidential election year, there are grumbles among Connecticut residents about the state’s perceived lack of influence in selecting a nominee. Often, state officials even float the idea of scheduling election day much earlier in nominating process. Despite this, Connecticut actually does have a fair amount of sway in the contest.

Connecticut could become particularly influential if there isn’t a clear nominee before early spring. If two candidates are neck and neck for delegates in April, it is possible that the state’s voters (along with the other Acela primary states) can make a real difference in who becomes the nominee. If 3 or 4 candidates appear to have a credible path to the nomination, Connecticut would become even more important. The state could provide highly coveted delegates to candidates as they seek to increase their totals before the convention. Connecticut will send 64 regular delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in mid-July.

It is far too soon to predict what the primary landscape will look like on election day, but Connecticut should not be ruled out as unimportant to the process.

In Conclusion

When Connecticut voters head to the polls on April 28, 2020, they will likely do so in record numbers. Even this early in the primary, many residents are consistently engaging with campaigns through donations, volunteering, and voicing their support. This will only increase as more candidates visit the state and make inroads with voters.

{Thanks for reading! Keep up with local Connecticut and Washington, DC politics by following me on twitter here}
Ahmadinejad Raps JCPOA, Dismisses Plan for Presidential Race
By: Maryam Khy
Tags: President, Politics, Jcpoa, Middle East, Iran

Former president of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has slammed the 2015 nuclear deal as a one-way accord that has ignored the principles of justice and is doomed to collapse in the long term, noting that he would not run for president in the next election.

In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Ahmadinejad criticized the administration of his successor Hassan Rouhani for signing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with the world powers, saying he would have never agreed to sign such a deal if he had been in the office.

Asked whether he has plans to run for president, Ahmadinejad said, “No; we respect people’s views.”

The former president said the JCPOA has only had one-way commitments for Iran, noting that its collapse would not mark any considerable achievement for either side.

“I believe that the base and foundation of the negotiations that led to the JCPOA were wrong,” he noted.

A contract not based upon justice, respect or recognition of mutual rights will be doomed to failure in the long term, he stated.

Ahmadinejad then emphasized the necessity for a negotiated settlement of the problems instead of using arms, noting that Iran and the US could be friends provided that the American policy-makers halt their hostile measures and stop seeking dominance.

Asked about France’s freeze-for-freeze proposal to save the JCPOA, Ahmadinejad said nothing has been left to be frozen.

“They [Rouhani administration] have lost everything and have received nothing in turn. Such plans (freeze-for-freeze) are like ceasefire plans in the war. An aggressor invades a country, and as soon as the country being invaded wants to respond, they [invaders] call for a ceasefire,” he noted.

“This is the Westerners’ usual method. They impose sanctions, and then obtain concessions for lifting the sanctions,” Ahmadinejad concluded, stressing that the West must recognize the rights of all nations if it really advocates world peace.

https://ifpnews.com/ahmadinejad-raps-jcpoa-dismisses-plan-for-presidential-race
Parasite (2019)
By: Isa Uggetti
Tags: Movies, Film Review, Film, Parasite

“Dignity. Always dignity,” proclaims Gene Kelly’s Don Lockwood as Singing in the Rain opens. As I watched Bong Joon-Ho’s latest, Parasite, I imagined Song Kan-ho’s Kim ki-Taek as a subtler Lockwood. By nature, Kim is a dignified patriarch, but in reality, he drew the shorter lot. His palace is a semi-basement, his feasts feature chips and soda, his court jesters are the neighborhood drunkards that piss too close to the window. Whenever Kim senses the incongruities between what he feels he ought to be and what he is, he rarely lashes out — he sits, cross-legged, closing his eyes monk-like, maybe he’s counting to ten.

Eventually, Kim and his family rise above their station, but they cannot escape the sticky essence, the (literal) stench of their true home — a bad smell is the biggest threat to Kim’s Lockwoodian facade.

Parasite presents a pretty simple microcosm of complex truths. Its plot plays like a parable: simple and even farcical, yet insightful and satisfying. Dense with shrewd wit, the movie chuckles at the absurdity of human effort in its deterministic worldview — we are born into our station, we didn’t choose it, and we can never escape it; try to plan an escape from your destiny and the film meets you with nonsensical laughter.

For the Kims — who successfully infiltrate and occupy the lavish Park residence as domestic workers and tutors — possession equals ownership. That’s how the world ought to be right? The stronger, smarter conquering the naive? That doesn’t feel right, not even to the strange ethics of this film. This is why the movie actually begins when the Park’s are at their happiest: drunk, gleeful, enjoying the spoils of performance until the doorbell rings.

What follows would be a great double feature paired with Jordan Peele’s Us. Both films tussle with the complications of class — the absurdity and delicacy of the constructed categories “rich” and “poor,” and how far we’re willing to go, how low we’re willing to stoop, to move into the former just because the sun seems to shine brighter there.
Movies with Mikey is the best Movie essay series on YouTube.
By: Jamie Sergeant
Tags: Movies, Film, Movies With Mikey, YouTube, Film Reviews

The movie video essay has become boring. The YouTube genre popularised by the now abandoned ‘Every Frame a Painting’ channel, has become stale. You know the videos; slow male voice stressing certain words to add some gravitas to what is being said, onscreen graphics that ease in and out onto brightly coloured backgrounds, and chill hop music in the background. But one Movie essayists has broken from this convention and created something so fresh and unique it can’t be replicated.

Movies with Mikey, is exactly what it sounds like. It’s like going to the movies with Mikey Neumann, the creator of the series, as he tells you exactly why he loves the film he’s concentrating on.

Films are subjective, and when they’re evaluated there should be a consideration for this. There will never be a film review that 100% aligns with your views and that’s ok, I don’t agree with everything Mikey says, but I sure respect his views, as he’ll often explain his point of view without being condescending.

His videos, which will often concentrate on a film that has been out for a while-or at least is no longer in the theatres-explores how the film was made, the challenges it faced during production and the intentions of the filmmakers. But it’s his insights and his ability to become emotional over a film which sets him apart. He’s not scared to relate his experiences to the films he watched. He often talks about love and the importance love has on the intention of a film.

But what stands Mikey apart from the rest of the crowd is he has an in-depth knowledge of narrative structures. He worked at Gearbox interactive and ultimately become the ‘chief creative champion’ at the developer, working on titles such as Brothers in Arms and Borderlands 1 and 2. The narrative structure differs between games and films, but characters and story theory are very much the same, and this has put Mikey in good stead.

The structure of his videos is excellent, from the opening sting with the diamonds and funky music made to look like old cinema advertisement, to his ‘Did you know’ sections that will throw in some random nuggets of information. It’s a slick production, and it makes his videos fun to watch.

Mikey’s passion for films is incontestable, and it’s what makes his videos so engaging. I dare you not to become enamoured by Mikey, you’ll certainly binge his back catalogue quickly when you find it. His unique voice helps bring a freshness to the YouTube essay, something that the genre has desperately needed for a while.
What Makes For a Senior-Friendly Destination?
By: Anuradha Silva
Tags: Travel, Family Vacation, Travel Tips, Elders, Senior Friendly

A travel segment that far too many places tend to neglect are Seniors.

Seniors have the time and money to spend on holidays, and take their families with them. So why is it that not many hotels or destinations pay enough attention to them?

When it comes to Senior-Friendly Destinations, these locations should be able to not only be visited but also enjoyed thoroughly by elderly people.

Accessibility

A main feature of a senior-friendly destination is that they are easy to get to and move around by those who find it difficult to, or are unable to, walk. In such places, there are usually elevators up and down, and shuttle services from rooms / facilities that are located far away. Stairs would be minimal and always accompanied by the option of a ramp for wheelchair-bound customers.

(I was at Amaya Lake, one of the most unique Dambulla hotels I have been to, and I was pleasantly surprised by how suitable it was for elderly people. Indeed, there were many elderly people having a really nice time there.

Activities

Something that a lot of people overlook, or simply neglect to think about at all, is that not only should Seniors be able to get to and move around the place freely, but there should also be plentiful things for them to do on-site.

Activities offered should be relaxing, such as a leisurely walk through nature (with resting areas at regular intervals), or a lovely meal experience (e.g. high tea by the lake overlooking mountains). Any background music playing in public areas should be soft and soothing.

Climate

Senior-friendly destinations have milder climates to suit elderly people, who do not thrive in climates that are too cold, too warm or too wet.

Hotels & Rooms

Hotel rooms allocated to seniors should not be too far away from main areas, but far enough to be peaceful and quiet, away from the hustle and bustle of activity. The room temperature should be easily adjustable to suit their wishes, and the beds should provide good support and low enough to get on and get off easily from.

The property should also be clearly depicted in the form of maps with directions clearly marked so that elders can go from place to place without much confusion.

And perhaps the most crucial requirement of all are the smiling faces of the staff who would have enough patience to be happy enough to answer the questions (sometimes repeatedly) to seniors and explain things clearly.
Things to do in Armenia- Best travel tips
Tags: Armenia, Travel, Traveling, Travel Tips

COOL THINGS TO DO IN YOUR TRIP TO ARMENIA

The mountainous Armenia, tiny, lies on the border of Asia and Europe. Geographically it belongs to Asia, but in terms of culture and history it feels European. Bordering Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkey, it has no access to the sea. Another fact: capital Yerevan is one of the oldest cities in the world, the city was founded in 782 BC. If you ignore politics during your vacation and ignore rebellious regions,there are plenty of great places to admire in Armenia.

YEREVAN

Armenia is a very nice country. A very relaxed atmosphere already shows this at the capital Yerevan. The highlight of this capital city are the views of the Turkish mountain Ararat. People often call it the Pink City because of the colour of the stones used for the buildings.

SEVAN LAKE, ARMENIA

Lake Sevan is the largest lake in Armenia and is located at 2,000 meters above sea level. It is therefore slightly cooler there than in many other places in the country. It is a popular holiday destination for locals that want to avoid the high temperatures. Swimming is possible in the lake as well as wind surfing on the water. Try the affordable fish served in the many restaurants around the lake.

TATEV MONASTERY

You can reach The Tatev Monastery via one of the longest cable cars in the world. You bridge the Vorotan canyon 320 meters deep and in the meantime you can fully enjoy the far-reaching view. From the cable car you have a good view of the entire monastery and once you arrive you can see the monastery from close by.

KHOR VIRAP

Because of the view and the significant significance for the Armenians, Khor Virap is one of the most visited places in Armenia. This monastery is unique not only because it is a historic place of pilgrimage, but also with its fantastic view that opens from there to Mount Ararat, a biblical mountain where Noah’s Ark landed according to the gospel.

GARNI in ARMENIA

The UNESCO World Heritage Site Garni is the only Greek-style temple in Armenia. King Trdat built it in the 1st century and was dedicated to Mithra, the God of the Sun. The temple used to serve as a summer residence for Armenian kings. After the adoption of Christianity in 301 as a state religion, they destroyed all pagan temples. Only Garni is still standing.

ZVARTNOTS CATHEDRAL

The cathedral in Zvartnots dedicated to Saint George was once the largest church in Armenia, built between 642 and 662. An earthquake, probably, destroyed the shrine in 930 AD. The ‘archaeological site of Zvartnots’ (UNESCO-protected) ) was only discovered between 1901 and 1907.

The authorities have now placed a number of columns on the original site. So that you can get a fairly good impression of the size of the former cathedral.

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Is AI a Threat to Employment?
By: Sanjay Verma
Tags: Artificial Intelligence, AI, Jobs, Employment, Analytics

“AI is going to take jobs of the future, I assure you.”

“I’m sure that job would be taken over my machines soon.”

The future of AI has already received its positive and negative points. Everyone knows the positives- it’ll make human life easier, make work more efficient, make task more streamlined, etc. I’m also sure in addition to the Terminator-ish scenario, you must have also heard that AI would make some jobs redundant.

Advancement of technology and softwares would take over some less skilled jobs, sure. Yet, we could likewise consider it to be a test for us to grow more abilities and update ourselves with the most recent tech progressions.

There is no doubt that AI is going to influence ventures over the range, and a great many individuals should change their approach to work so as to stay aware of the changes. The lay-offs will likewise be at a record-breaking high.

A report by Deloitte has indicated that in the UK, AI has made more employments than it has struck down. This makes automation appear to be a hopeful and practical result for our future.

What can we do to stay ahead on top of our game? We keep up to date with recent advancements. We keep ourselves educated. We upskill ourselves. No AI can duplicate human ingenuity, at least not in the near future. As long as you are produce good results, you are valuable to the economy.

Being well read/up to date can be troublesome, but if you are affiliated with LrnEd, it is not that tough. With 12 weeks online bootcamp, and 24/7 mentoring, that daunting task is accomplished systematically and easily. Head on over to LrnEd, and see for yourself!
What To Do When You Get Laid Off — According to Mr. Wonderful
By: Lisa Marking
Tags: Careers, Recruiting, Hiring, Employment, Work

You are in charge of the company’s social media and work with all the online platforms to generate sales. You believe that your job is “essential” because you assume that the company will need you to keep sales going so they can stay alive.

But, similar to other ill-fated individuals, you got laid off.

You have become part of a group that you did not envision getting yourself into — unemployment. Along with the sinking feeling, fear is constantly swarming around in your head with so many unanswered questions.

The question you should be asking yourself is, “how can I solve a problem right now?” Better yet, “how can I communicate effectively when looking for employment?”

Every day, Kevin O’ Leary, aka Mr. Wonderful, receives questions from individuals on what they can do for future employment during this pandemic, whether they have been lay-offed or their future is shaky. Rather than giving out his typical “sharky” tough love advice, a rare emotion is expressed — human compassion.

Receiving these crushing, heartbreaking “what to do” employment questions motivate him to help by giving out the most productive pieces of advice. To him, it’s all about employing yourself by making yourself useful to someone.

Here are 3 hopeful pieces of advice he gave during his Youtube segment that you can do right now.
WAX Tokenomics & DeFi is NOW LIVE! Here’s how to participate
By: Wax Io
Tags: Ethereum, Eth, Tokenomics, Blockchain, Defi

WAX Tokenomics & DeFi is NOW LIVE! Here’s how to participate WAX io Follow Jan 15 · 4 min read

WAX Tokenomics & DeFi is NOW LIVE! This tokenomic model marries the explosive growth of NFTs with the superior monetization capabilities of DeFi. It enables anyone who participates to earn rewards in the form of Ethereum Tokens (ETH) and WAXG Governance Tokens. You can learn much more about what the new model involves and why we launched it here.

Below is an overview of the steps that you need to take to participate. If you wish to read an in-depth technical user guide, click here. And if you have any questions or wish to join the community, you can join our Discord here.

Here’s how to participate in the new Tokenomics & DeFi model on WAX:

Before we begin, please note that since the WAX DeFi model leverages the Ethereum blockchain, you will need to have ETH in your wallet to pay for gas fees. Also, transactions on Ethereum can take a few minutes to process. You can increase the amount you pay in gas fees to speed up your transactions if you wish.

1. Visit wallet.wax.io and create an account or login

2. Install MetaMask on your browser

3. Navigate to the ETH Bridge section, click “login to MetaMask” and follow the MetaMask prompts in the popup

4. Enter the number of WAXP Tokens that you want to swap for WAXE Tokens, then click “Next”

5. Confirm the swap and approve the transaction. This process may take several minutes. You may navigate away and then claim your WAXE under the Claim section…

6. Claim your WAXE by clicking the orange “Claim Your WAXE” button or visiting the “Claim” tab at the top of the page

7. Confirm in the MetaMask popup (note: you will need to have enough ETH in your MetaMask wallet to pay for the gas fees).

8. You now have WAXE! Now you need to provide liquidity into the WAXE-ETH Liquidity Pool and stake the WAXE-ETH tokens that you will receive for doing so. Visit the DeFi section of the WCW and click “Deposit WAXE in Liquidity Pool” and a Uniswap modal will appear

9. Enter the amount of liquidity you wish to provide to the WAXE-ETH Liquidity Pool (the same dollar value of WAXE and ETH tokens is deposited into the WAXE-ETH Liquidity Pool) and click “Connect Wallet.”

10. Select the wallet you wish to connect and click “Approve WAXE”

11. Confirm the transaction in the MetaMask popup

12. Click the pink “Supply” button and “Confirm Supply”, then confirm the transaction in the MetaMask popup

13. Now you will have WAXE-ETH, which will show as Unstaked tokens in the “WAXE-ETH” section of the DeFi page. Click “Stake,” enter the amount you wish to stake, and follow the approval prompts in WCW and MetaMask.

That’s it! You will now see that your WAXE-ETH tokens have moved from “Unstaked” to “Stake.” You will now receive rewards in the form of ETH and WAXG at the conclusion of every four-week period (epoch). You can choose to unstake your WAXE-ETH at any time.

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