fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
What is the value of the AI Guild?
By: Chris Armbruster
Tags: Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Data Science, Ai Guild, Community

What is the value of the AI Guild?

Be a community member or a founding member

The AI Guild brings together expert, senior, and junior practitioners in Europe and worldwide in pursuit of accelerated AI adoption by focusing on productionizing AI in relevant use and business cases. We value diversity and also the gender balance we achieve in our community activities. If this sounds interesting to you, then please read on about the members, the value the AI Guild creates, and how to become a community or founding member.

Productionizing relevant use and business cases has the following implications:

Establishing for any use case if the deployment of e.g. Data Science or Deep Learning is relevant, and then working in cross-functional teams (including user, tech, and business perspectives) when building a new product or supercharging an existing one. Creating standards for deployment of AI and establishing best practices in industry and startups, and notably also for freelance contracts. Leveraging the joint expertise and experience for co-creating an environment conducive to accelerated AI adoption and its ethical implementation across industries and governments.

Members of the AI Guild

As of October 2019, the 200+ members of the AI Guild typically are

Data Scientists, Data Engineers, Machine Learning engineers, and Deep Learning engineers — working in startups and industry or freelancing.

AI researchers at universities, hospitals, and in international research organizations.

Practitioners working on the use and business case of AI in roles such as product, business, marketing, and so on.

Startup co-founders and business executives.

theguild.ai

The AI Guild is set up to create the following benefits for key member groups such as experts and seniors, entrepreneurs and freelancers, and also for new talent.

AI experts

AI experts typically have a track record of five or more years in industry and startups, and have shipped products. Often experts are in the role of a technical lead or team lead, and possibly also in management or executive role. If you are an expert, then some of the things you can achieve with the AI Guild include
Gigabyte Aero 14 review & benchmarks: laptop versus servers
Tags: Benchmark

Introduction

I recently purchased a Gigabyte Aero 14K v7 (shortened as 14 in this post) after 6 months of tracking Internet for THE laptop I wanted. I am very picky on laptop specifications and usage, which makes it very difficult to match my needs and what I can get (read more about my needs later in this post).

The previous laptop which met all my needs was the HP Elitebook 840 G1: IPS 14" Full HD screen, i7, 16GB RAM, two SSDs (SATA + M.2 2242), nearly fully silent… Fully spec-ed out, it did cost 5 years ago over €4,000 with an international next day 3-year warranty (a 3/3/3 warranty) on-site (I got it under €700 due to the wrong keyboard in France).
3 Ways to Stop Feeling That Your Life Is Getting Out of Control
By: Jyoti Meena
Tags: Self Improvement, Personal Growth, Psychology, Self-awareness, Personal Development

3 Ways to Stop Feeling That Your Life Is Getting Out of Control

#3: Just don’t do anything about it

Photo by energepic.com from Pexels

As an almost Type A personality, I love working and finishing my tasks. When I am typing away on my laptop, completing my assignments before time, it leaves me with a deep sense of accomplishment. I thrive when I hit the submit button before everyone else does.

This gives me a high, like nothing else.

As expected, I do not do well under pressure. If I get multiple submissions and deadlines in a short frame of time, I lose my sanity. I find it difficult to deal with these cloudy and rainy days.

Even small failures are generalized to everything else. If I get late for some project, my instant thought is that ‘I am a failure’ instead of the negative feeling being limited to the task.

In cognitive psychology, this is known as a cognitive bias. A cognitive bias is a distortion in thought patterns. They develop as a result of the human brain’s efforts to simplify information and make sense out of it.

As a result of such biases, I end up feeling that all the control I have over myself and my life is slipping away. As someone who loves having control and working hard, this results in me panicking and blacking out.

To cope with this, over the period of the past couple of years and my training as a psychologist, I have devised certain strategies that I use extensively to get out of the feeling that life is spiraling out of control.
Somewhere on this page
By: D Abboh
Tags: Poetry, Life, Stress, Breakthrough

somewhere on this page, you will find her bleeding, almost to death, barely breathing — a heart in distress, finely balanced on the edge of glory, facing the world with bittersweet stories

somewhere on this page, glimpse a good woman going rogue, on the run from unpaid rent, haemorrhaging from money spent, carrying much too heavy loads, holding floods — beautifully composed

in between your world and mine, here searching all diamonds in the sky, for poetic gifts to write these lines, to hold on to witness the Universe rise, to discover truth and reject the lies, to soak it in and feel alive, to be a Black wave reflecting moonlight

somewhere on this page, feel everything she has to give dissipate like smoke, words to take your breath away — leaving ash in her throat, one by one with every day, burning bridges — setting cities ablaze, crossing deserts, running free — becoming what she’s meant to be, let’s meet in the wild — watch things fall apart, see her break open — to burst into stars
Virtual Reality Is Creeping Into Our Lives—Why Virtual Reality Competence Is Becoming Critical
By: Daniel Hövermann
Tags: Life Lessons, Personal Growth, Virtual Reality, Change, Awareness

1. VR itself

Whenever you take off virtual reality goggles, you have to accommodate the “real” sight. It is different from what you have seen in the virtual world. Sometimes, the virtual world's images are so comfortable that you don’t want to leave the scene.

And who can judge you for this — you are in perfect company.

Based on crisis reports, people are fleeing into virtual worlds to either disconnect from reality as they seek distraction or to gain control over everything in this world— just like in a PC game.

Movies like “Ready Player One” have a big impact and influence on their viewers. It strengthens the fact that you can be anyone you want — in virtual realms.

Once you escape the gaming scene, you sometimes wish to go back immediately. In reality, there are no cheat codes available, and people don’t act like you want them to act.

One day, virtual reality might be so appealing and realistic that it will be hard to spot the differences. It might even go that far that one day the “real” thing will lose its attractiveness.

That day will be the turning point. You surrender your mind to machinery and a billion-dollar industry. A good future outlook is the fact that VR might already control your sexual drive.

According to some statistics, 60% of all VR-websites are currently porn-focused.

There is not much fantasy needed to imagine what this means for our sex-life. When you can construct your perfect partner in virtual worlds, why would you start flirting again?

You wouldn’t get hurt again, and you can carry out all your fantasies with your VR fantasy. There is no honesty nor bravery needed anymore.

This vision might seem dark and far away, but given the speed of technology advancement and adoption, it is only a matter of a few years. We are already close to the edge.

If you want to prevent it from happening actively, here are possible loopholes:
Waterskiing at sunset with the Spark
By: Jason Yeaman
Tags: Stillwater, Dji, Spark, Drones

Stillwater Lake Estates

Some footage I captured last night of a slalom skier at Stillwater in Syracuse Utahz
A TASTY LITTLE TALE
By: Gary Ryan Blair
Tags: Self Improvement, Life Lessons, Motivation, Entrepreneurship, Personal Development

MIND MUNCHIES…is my effort to deliver the “missing curriculum” that you didn’t get in school, and most likely not seeing modeled at work.



Each delicious brain snack highlights the best practices you need to think big and execute flawlessly to make your goals and ideas happen.



Everywhere you look these days, the entire world seems to be playing its own unique variations of the Limbo Dance…HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?



The only solution to conforming to this dirty, behavioral ring around the collar is to raise the bar, elevate the game and RACE TO THE TOP!

And racing to the top is what we do best.



You can trust us to provide you with the best ways to upgrade your health, wealth, wisdom, families and careers.

We prefer to set the example for others to emulate.



We live, breath and model excellence.



We won’t spam you with garbage.



We won’t waste your time with scrawny ideas.



OUR NO NO LIST



No silly popups.



No annoying pre-rolls.



No clickbait.



No video gifs.



No swearing.



We only provide content and promote companies you’d be proud to share with your Mom and discuss with your kids.



We love our community.



You’re in good hands.

Everything Counts!

P.S. Call us out if you ever feel we are not living up to these standards.



Here’s where you can reach me.

Gary Ryan Blair is creator of the 100 Day Challenge…a radical approach to goal achievement that shows people how to achieve 10X size goals by applying the methods and best practices of growth hacking. Get all the details here.

If you enjoyed this post…it would mean a lot to me if you could click on the “claps” icon…up to 50 claps allowed — Thank You!
Get to Know the Secure Wallet: Loss, Backup and Restoration
Tags: Ethereum, Private Keys, Bitcoin, Fintech, Ecomi

A combination of clever design, world-leading security, and a simplified user interface (the ECOMI app) have led to the worlds most secure, and portable cold storage wallet. However, we didn’t want to only bring to market the worlds best wallet, we wanted to make sure that we covered every aspect of your interactions with cold storage, to make the Secure Wallet the easiest to use, and the easiest to understand. With this in mind, we have also simplified the loss, backup, and restoration process so that you can rest easy knowing your crypto is safe, whether it is in your possession or not.

Setting up your Secure Wallet with Alex Saunders of Nuggets News

Backing up Your Private Key

When you first received your Secure Wallet, the packaging also came with a recovery booklet. This booklet is designed to help you record and protect your private key (seed phrase) in order to recover your balances. The private key is comprised of 12 different number combinations, which, when translated on the network point to a wallet address.

We strongly recommend keeping your private key in a very safe place, and making copies of it if you are prone to losing things. In the event that you lose your phone or Secure Wallet, or need to update the firmware of the card itself (when new tokens are added) you will need this seed phrase.
Xiaomi working on foldable phone, design similar to Samsung’s Z Flip
By: Prabidhi Info
Tags: Technology, Xiaomi, Future Technology, News, Smartphones

Foldable phones and 5G were the biggest deal of 2019 and it seems the trend is here to stay. 2019 was the beginning of the foldable phones as well as the 5G connectivity. OEM’s like Samsung, Motorola, and Huawei have already launched their foldable phone with many other manufacturers still developing their take in the trend. Among the already launched devices, Samsung’s Z Flip is considered the most polished foldable phone. It packs good hardware and comes with the familiar clamshell form factor. Taking a similar route, Xiaomi seems to be developing its foldable phone as well.

A report by ZDNet Korea says, Xiaomi recently approached Samsung Display to supply it with a clamshell-style foldable display similar to the panel used in the Z Flip devices. The reason for going with Samsung’s panel instead of BOE and CSOT made displays is given to be a big quality gap between them and Samsung’s clamshell screens. The report also says that Xiaomi might ask LG to provide it with the foldable displays.

Furthermore, Xiaomi will reportedly start the mass production of the foldable phone in H2 of 2020. As of yet, there is no information regarding the hardware specification of the device. If Xiaomi is indeed working on the foldable phone, we can expect to see the phone as early as, end of the year. As for hardware the device should sport, Snapdragon 865 SoC, 5G connectivity, 8GB of RAM or higher, and Android 10.

We can also expect the device to be cheaper than the present offerings. Xiaomi is famous for undercutting and offering its product at very competitive prices. If the foldable phone by Xiaomi is in development, it might even undercut the Galaxy Z Flip. As it is too early to say anything about the device, we suggest you take this with a grain of salt.
Weekly Roundup: Animal ordinance, LRHSD board representative
By: Melissa Riker
Tags: New Jersey, Schools, Animals

Weekly Roundup: Animal ordinance, LRHSD board representative

Catch up on what happened this week in Medford.

Medford Council at a standstill with animal ordinance

At this week’s Medford Council meeting, a draft ordinance was presented in regard to animal regulations.

Medford Township’s draft ordinance stated there would be no more than 15 dogs age 6 months and older allowed on one property, regardless of lot size.

Deputy Mayor Frank Czekay said he thinks allowing 15 dogs on one property is too high. Czekay said he would not want to live next to a house on a half-acre lot that has ownership of 15 dogs — to which Councilman Erik Rebstock agreed.

The full story can be found here.

LRHSD board representative resigns after 22 years of service

“You are a family man, you are a community man, you are a Lenape man.”

Those are the words of Lenape High School Principal Tony Cattani as he spoke to resigning Lenape Regional High School District board member John “JJ” Jeffers at this week’s board meeting.

Jeffers was a Mount Laurel representative to the Lenape District Board of Education, on which he has served for the past 22 years.

The full story can be found here.
This is Why Employee Programs Fail
By: Amit Gawande
Tags: Employee Referrals, Employee Referral Program, Hiring Strategy, Hiring, Recruiting Technology

Often companies wonder why their employee referral program is not running successful despite offering heavy cash bonuses. Isn’t cash prize motivating enough? In most cases, the answer is NO!

The real reason why a referral program may fail is missing employee engagement. Is your employee feel motivated enough to refer more candidates? If the answer is NO then you need to work on your employee referral program to make it more interactive, dynamic, fun.

Here are some prominent reasons why employee referral programs fail.
No, I Won’t Reveal to you the Four Hidden Warning Signs of a Heart Attack Unless you Give Me Your Email
By: Simon Black
Tags: Funny, Comedy, Parody, Satire, Humor

No, I Won’t Reveal to you the Four Hidden Warning Signs of a Heart Attack Unless you Give Me Your Email

Because I am a horrible person

Photo by Piron Guillaume on Unsplash

What, you think I just give information out for free? Information that could save your life? What do you think this is, charity?

Hell, no, I’m not going to tell you if you might be exhibiting one of the four deadly symptoms of an imminent sudden cardiac arrest.

Why should I?

What, you can’t give me your lousy email? And you’re calling me selfish? What’s so special about your lousy email anyway? Oh, your precious G-mail account. Bet a lot of important stuff goes on there. I wouldn’t want to muck up your inbox with marketing for some materials that just MIGHT SAVE YOUR FUCKING LIFE!

Sure, you could Google it.

A lot of people think they are pretty clever, thinking they can just google their way around click baits.

You can’t Google this one, folks, sorry. My web site has actually been banned from Google search so you’re not going to find this specific information there.

Remember Yahoo? You could try Yahoo searching for it. I don’t know, does Yahoo even do search any more.

I know! Try Binging it. Bing the Four Deadly Signs that You are About To Drop Dead of a Heart Attack.

See what it brings up.

It won’t be the good stuff, trust me. The only way you can get these four secret symptoms of soon sudden death is by coughing up that email you stubborn bastard.

GIVE IT TO ME!

I want that email!! I want it now. I want to put you in my sales funnel. I want to trap you in there. And then want to blast you on a regular basis with scammy sounding medical products and subscription offers to web sites you want no part of.

OK?

Just give it to me.

OH SHIT

I think it’s too late. I can see through your web cam, you’re already exhibiting one of the secret signs of cardiac arrest. You blew it buddy. And, no, don’t even think about giving me your email now. It won’t help you.

CALL 911

And make sure you explain to the EMTs that you’re having a completely preventable heart attack. A medical episode that could have been easily avoided by simply submitting to my marketing demands.

Maybe one of the EMTs can give me his email and I will explain to him in the ambulance what you’re about to die of.

But I need an email.

Alright I’ll Tell You

I’m not a bad guy really. It’s not that big a deal. It’s shortness of breath, pain in your right arm, pain in your chest, duh, and light headedness.

There.

I hope you’re happy now. I didn’t even get an email, but I gave you the four signs.

Can I get your email now? Please.

Pretty please?
🌊 StateFlow, End of LiveData?
By: Shreyas Patil
Tags: Reactive Programming, Kotlin, Android, Coroutine, Flow

To manage state in Android we generally used Android Arch. component’s LiveData which is lifecycle-aware. We can replace it with StateFlow. Let’s see how to use it with Android. Let’s write some code!

⚡️ Getting Started

Open Android Studio and create a new project. Alternatively, you can simply clone this repository. This is a very simple counter app for demonstrating the use of Kotlin Coroutine’s StateFlow API.

We’ll be using MainViewModel to manage our data of MainActivity .

Now you can compare its implementation using LiveData.

MutableStateFlow has a setter property for value.

has a setter property for value. We’ve declared an instance of StateFlow i.e. countState which we’re exposing for activity (It’s a read-only field).

i.e. countState which we’re exposing for activity (It’s a read-only field). StateFlow has a property called value by which you can be safely read at any time.

Now let’s implement our MainActivity —

Here, we’ve initialized ViewModel for activity. Now let’s implement the initView() method which will initialize our Counter App UI.

Everything looks cool now! 😃. Let’s observe for count value now to keep track of counting and show it on UI accordingly.

Here’s we have collector which will be executed whenever the value of a countState is updated. We also made it lifecycle-aware as we’ve used it under lifecycleScope . It looks simple, right? That’s it! 😎

Now let’s run this app and see if it’s working.

Counter app demo

Ain’t it Sweettttt 😍.
Why Trumpism Is More Dangerous for American Democracy Than Trump’s Martial Law
By: Sikander Hayat Khan
Tags: Politics, World, Government, Donald Trump, Election 2020

And those two types of coups that I just laid out above — you know what ties both of them together?

Trumpism.

You see, there's nothing special about Trump. He’s a liar, racist and a dictator. Those are not attractive qualities to have. So why do Trump die-hards even exist? What possible reason could they have to look at him and think that he was the best America could do?

I’ll tell you — they don't. It’s got nothing to do with him and everything to do with America, as they see it. What do I mean? Like everywhere else in the world, evil exists in America too. It’s got people who believe men are superior to women, whites are superior to people of colour and that guns should be a common sight in Starbucks. What do you call this? A vision — a vision for an America that's built from the ground up on violence, racism and misogyny. And here’s the thing — it’s always existed. Trump never stood on stage preaching why “whites are superior.” He merely encouraged the supremacists.

So what does this have to do with coups, exactly? Let’s start with how Trump got to power first. That vision of America I just told you about? That’s what a certain subset of the American electorate wanted. They would, however, be in the minority. The majority tagged on for various reasons but, either way, they were willing to accept the evil in return for what they wanted.

And what does that mean? Trump found a winning formula. He found a core base with extremist views and an even bigger base willing to digest it. And because those views were extremist in nature, because they were to “Make America Great,” people were willing to go to extremes to bring it to life. Trump, for them, was just a means to an end. That’s why he won — and that’s why he’s been able to launch attempts at undermining American democracy.

Because he couldn’t have done either without mass support. In 2016, that was in the form of votes. In 2020, it was chasing the Biden campaign bus, 73 million votes, violence, “million marches” and over $200 million in donations to fight the result in the courts. Trump supporters had given Trump their unquestionable loyalty — something he would never have gotten from the military. Why? For “America.” And it was their support that gave him the leverage to start legal proceedings and call governors. I mean, you really think he didn’t tell every single governor he called that, “73 million people are going to be really angry if you don’t do what I say?” And as for the judiciary, hand-picked and ever-cognisant of the fact that they could be subject to threats if they didn’t overturn the result.
Where Aliens Attacked in the Independence Day Movie
Tags: Satellite Imagery, July 4, Independence Day, Satellite

Today, we celebrate Independence Day, when in 1776 the Continental Congress declared the 13 American colonies were no longer subject to the monarch of Britain and were now free, united and independent states. We’re excited to celebrate Independence Day and its significance, but we don’t want the fun to stop there!

After all, Independence Day isn’t just a beloved historical day in American history… it’s also a 1996 blockbuster that grossed over $817 million in ticket sales and eventually led to this fandom Wiki (which also looks like it’s straight out of 1996).

In the film, aliens use Earth satellites to signal to each other, which allows them to coordinate an attack and destroy our planet by (spoiler alert!) blowing a lot of stuff up. There’s much turmoil over the course of the epic 2.5 hour movie. The aliens are vicious, the Statue of Liberty ends up face-down in the New York harbor, and it seems all hope is lost! But then satellite technician David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) and Captain Steven Hiller (Will Smith) combine forces to upload a virus into the Earth’s satellites to infect the alien mothership and save the day. Would you expect anything less from the shining stars that are Jeff and Will?

David Levison uploads the virus that will doom the alien invaders // Credit: Giphy

Below, you’ll find Planet imagery showing the cities and landmarks where some of the most notable, explosive scenes in the movie take place.

In the extremely unlikely event that Earth satellites are hijacked for alien takeover, we’ll be ready. We’ve got our own brainy, Jeff Goldblum-ish characters on staff, ready and willing to upload a virus should the day come.

Happy Independence Day!

The White House and the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. // Imagery and GIF by Leanne Abraham, Planet

The Empire State Building in New York City // Imagery and GIF by Leanne Abraham, Planet

The U.S. Bank Tower in Los Angeles, CA // Imagery and GIF by Leanne Abraham, Planet

And last but not least: Area 51, Nevada. It didn’t get blown up, but the Independence Day film opens with it, and it’s totally iconic. // Imagery and GIF by Leanne Abraham, Planet

P.S. Aliens, if you’re reading this: Please don’t blow up the Earth. Just watch Independence Day. It will be just as satisfying. Probably more so, to be honest. It is a classic.
Today I Decided to Stop Being a Dick
By: Jennifer M. Wilson
Tags: Self Improvement, Challenge, Self-awareness, Humor, Friendship

Today I Decided to Stop Being a Dick

You’re welcome.

Photo by Afif Kusuma on Unsplash

Medium is ripe with self-improvement articles and challenges. Time to jump on the bandwagon! I decided to self-improve by no longer being a dick.

The first step is to actually improve so that I have an article to submit. This is challenge since I’m already awesome but it would behoove me to stop being a dick.

To meet that goal, I have to stop using words like “behoove”.

Nurturing friendships and reaching out during this time of social isolation seemed like a very kind gesture on my part. I called my friend Kristy because her dad has terminal cancer and she needed some cheering up. She was so elated to hear from me she barely said two words; I filled the air telling her all about my new, non-dick self and all the wonderful things I had planned. I didn’t ask about her dad’s health because that reminder would have made her feel worse, right? I felt quite altruistic, so much so that I am replacing “behoove” with “altruistic” in my vocabulary.

After the call, I felt hungry and decided my altruistic, non-dick self deserved some take out. I remembered reading how DoorDash took part of delivery drivers’ tips and applied it to their base pay. That’s a dick move, and I should know. I’m the master of being a dick. To teach DoorDash a lesson, I didn’t tip at all. Look at me outsmarting that greedy corporation! This self-improvement challenge is allowing me to make a difference for workers who barely survive above poverty level.

As I happily ate my meal, I tried to think of more ways to stop being a dick. Then I took a sip of my drink and thought, I’ve been a dick to the environment! Wasn’t there some news article that said drinking glasses can contain lead and cadmium? I’m a cheap asshole so I’m confident the stuff I bought had dangerous levels of toxins. I also had plastic bowls that weren’t BPA-free because I swiped them from the Dollar Store two decades ago. It’s horrifying to think that I was such an asshole that I didn’t even consider planet earth. I immediately threw all my lead-laced glasses and phthalates plates into the trash. Another self-improvement goal achieved: throwing out toxic tableware so that I could buy eco-conscious products and thus protect the earth.

It’s shocking how amazing I am when I stop being a dick. I was a decent human for a whopping 3 hours. I stopped because I didn’t want to over-extend and set myself up for failure.

My brief time of not being a dick really contributed to society, all thanks to this self-improvement challenge and my own awesomeness. You’re welcome.
Stronger Together: 3 DVN funds join forces to secure the blockchain with Ledger
By: Draper Venture Network
Tags: Ledger, Tim Draper, Bitcoin, Draper Network, Blockchain

“[Today] we are reaching a significant milestone in our path to build a technological giant in the promising space of cryptocurrencies…I am delighted to bring on board Draper Esprit and a truly global group of investors who will support the company as it grows rapidly” said Eric Larchevêque, CEO at Ledger, who announced a massive $75 Million Series B fundraise for the blockchain security company.

The company is not only growing rapidly, but globally. Ledger has sold over one million of its cryptocurrency hardware wallets across 165 countries, hence the “global group of investors” cited by Eric, which in addition to Draper Esprit (W. Europe), includes fellow Draper Venture Network member funds Draper Associates (Silicon Valley) and Draper Dragon (China/US) along with several other VC firms.

As the cryptocurrency boom spreads to every corner of the connected globe, so does the need for more sophisticated security. Tim Draper, who is no stranger to crytocurrency investing, said the following in his recorded message (above): “..it’s a solid, wonderful way to store your crypto assets. I use Ledger myself…and I’m thrilled to be a part of [funding] Ledger.”

Ledger’s products are underpinned by an operating system specifically designed to run on any secure hardware and to support any cryptocurrency. Yet this technology secures more than just the latest ICO’d token. It will eventually accelerate advancement in a wide variety of industries, from the internet of things to driverless cars. But for the time being, cryptocurrency has kept them plenty busy. They are soon launching a new solution for financial institutions, the Ledger Vault, which enables banks, hedge funds and family offices to manage their crypto assets.

As a global VC alliance, the Draper Venture Network is uniquely positioned to help Ledger expand in its target markets. We are eager to bring them aboard our Portfolio — as Tim says, “Go get ’em!”

[To find out more about the deal, read Draper Esprit’s blog post on Ledger]
Finding resilience post-coronavirus: How our food and farming systems need to change
By: Caroline Stocks
Tags: Food, Food Systems, Agriculture, Farming, Coronavirus

“We don’t come to robotics from a point of labour saving; our focus is on having a better understanding of crops and working with farmers to help them perform better than they could alone,” Mr Scott-Robinson says.

“There’s a lot of monitoring and analysis that can be done, from identifying when fruit and vegetables are ripe, to picking weeds and crops and understanding soils and crop performance. The potential to improve yields while farming more sustainably is incredibly important.”

Despite the potential for robotics, there are still some challenges which need to be overcome. Much of the technology, particularly in the arable and horticulture sectors, is still being trialled and teaching robots to identify crops and weeds can take a year rather than a few weeks.

Training farmers to use the technology and make use of the data it collects is another issue, although Mr Scott-Robinson says it is something his company is working hard to address through its own data platform, which will collect information from multiple sources across a farm and interpret what it means for a crop.

“Farmers have woken up to the fact that they need other solutions,” he adds. “There’s a realisation that ELMS will create new requirements from them, and they will need to run their operations in a more precise, quantifiable and efficient way.”

Future farm policy

Regardless of what measures farmers adopt for their own businesses however, it’s clear supportive policy is vital if the industry is going to be able to cope better with future challenges.

For Mr Bhunnoo, that means incentivising agriculture to take a more joined-up approach to food production, environmental sustainability and health, such as producing foods that would enable consumption in line with dietary guidelines.

“The National Food Strategy should enable a coherent approach to policy making, and the new £47.5m research initiative on transforming the food system, led by the Global Food Security programme, should provide the evidence,” he says.

Mr Brennan says the key for future policy has to be providing longevity so farmers can feel confident about investing in systems and measures which can bring long-term change.

“I think that strong, clear well thought-out policy is vital to any sector, but what is important is creating a food and farm policy that successive governments will stand by.

“Departments across government need to understand what it takes for farmers to achieve those objectives, and that’s a fundamental challenge we have to get right.”

A version of this article first appeared on the NatWest agriculture buisness hub
Finding your voice in the face of systemic oppression
By: Uju Onyishi
Tags: Book Review, World, 2 Minute Review, Books, Reading

Finding your voice in the face of systemic oppression

A heartbreaking story about women born without a voice

Image by Uju Onyishi

A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum is the story of three generations of Palestinian women living in Brooklyn, New York. It talks about their struggles with trying to adjust to life in America while maintaining their culture. It talks about the oppression, voicelessness and abuse some Palestinian women are subject to. They women are expected to get married young, stay home cooking and cleaning and have children, specifically sons.

It is a raw, honest and heartbreaking account of the horrors women experience in such a patriarchal culture, where women are treated as disposable:

“A daughter was only a temporary guest, quietly awaiting another man to scoop her away, along with her financial burden.” A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum

The book was difficult and frustrating to read, mostly due to its subject matter, but how Rum represented the strength and resilience of women made it worth continuing.

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy the writing style; the characters felt distant. It seemed as though they were used mainly as tools for the social commentary Rum sought to make. I found the plot and dialogue repetitive; the themes and message of the book were very much in your face.

Photo by Rostyslav Savchyn on Unsplash

With that being said, I admire Etaf Rum for telling this story even though she risked perpetuating the western narrative that Arab culture is backwards and oppressive. She makes it clear that the story is not intended to represent all Palestinian women.

There is a lot of pressure on authors of colour to act as a representative for an entire race or ethnic group, which is an impossible task. She told a painful story that needed to be told. She gave a voice to a group of people that are underrepresented in literature. And I hope it goes without saying that this is not the experience of all Arab/ Palestinian women.

Although the book focuses on the experiences and oppression of women in Arab culture, this oppression is present in all cultures because of patriarchy. Historically, wherever there are men, there is an abuse of power that hinder women, but culture can evolve. People are the ones that uphold tradition, so let’s keep the beautiful parts of our cultures and change the oppressive parts.
Parts of an ending
By: Charlene Winfred
Tags: California, Travel, USA, Photography

It was remarkable. Road trips through the southwest have always been. There’s nowhere like the USA, to this visitor, for enjoying a variety of wide open spaces at leisure, and in comfort. Even through the fright of the American election and what it portends.

I never want to leave the USA when my time there is at an end, though this was the first time I found myself simultaneously glad to be doing so. But I’m still drawn. Because of or despite the lack of an inside perspective, the pull is stronger than it’s ever been.
why remember?
By: Candace Woods
Tags: War, Life, America, Remembrance, September 11

The members of this generation of college freshman were only 5 or 6 years old on that day 12 years ago that we remember today. Not quite old enough to have strong memories of planes crashing into buildings or the wave of fear and pain that swept the world in the aftermath. This generation has grown up in a state of perpetual war, coming to think of it as the normal way of the world. So, how we choose to remember and teach the next generation about what happened on September 11th will shape how they understand the past and create their own future.

So, what happened on that day 12 years ago? We all know the basics: the planes, the buildings, the first responders and air traffic controllers. We know about the fear, the devastation, the lives lost and the vigils. Do we remember the whole world watching in shock? Do we remember the candles lit in Tehran, or the fact that the Taliban renounced the attack? Do we remember the reasons that Osama bin Laden gave as his justification for the attacks? The abuse of Palestinians and the US sanctions in Iraq that had killed 500,000 children? If we don’t remember these things we are not remembering the fullness of the context of 9/11. When we choose to see it as a senseless attack, and not as a response to actions our government had taken in the Middle East, we fail to understand the full context of the events of that day. Of course, I am not justifying the terrible actions taken by al-Qaeda or bin Laden, but only hoping to help us learn from that day.

If we can look at history not only through our lenses as Americans, but through our lens of humanity, we can see how war has begat war, violence and colonization has begat terror and fear. Only then can we learn from that day, learn from the past 12 years of war, learn from those lives lost. We remember that day and the context that created it and we learn. We learn how to be circumspect about the action we take overseas. We learn that our actions have consequences. We learn that in the future, we want to treat the world around us like we want to be treated. We learn that an American life is of no more value than the life of an Afghan. We learn that death is painful. We learn that if we act out of revenge, our enemies will act out of revenge and the cycle will not be broken. We learn that our humanity is the common denominator.

We remember so that we don’t have to copy the mistakes of our mothers and fathers. We remember so that those lives would not have been lost in vain. We remember so that we can create the kind of world where terror can not reign and hate cannot rule. We remember so that we might change.
By the Time I Got to Woodstock
By: Sharon Watts
Tags: Woodstock, Growing Up, Memoir, Music, Comics

By the Time I Got to Woodstock

An Illustrated Memoir of a Reluctant Hippie Chick (Part Two)

…so, when I left off, it was 1969. I was experimenting with RIT dye, reading Eldridge Cleaver, and trying to figure some things out…

The 50th anniversary of Woodstock is almost upon us. That is a milestone for “My Generation.” Who was I in 1969? A “good girl” from suburbia who had just gotten her driver’s license two days before the unprecedented cultural explosion we did not yet know would define our generation. Now I am an artist (who qualifies for senior discounts) revisiting my own long and winding road to Woodstock, armed with a sketchbook, a scrapbook, and always tuned in to quirky facts that amplify what was simply billed as “three days of peace and music.” As we now all know, it was so much more.

I will be excerpting parts of my illustrated memoir, and the book will be available late Spring. More info and updates as they happen here.
Wise Women
By: Elle Rogers
Tags: Poetry, Culture, Feminism, Love, Women

Wise women never strive for more.

They say yes and can and please.

They get down on hands and knees

and beg for things that

they’ve been told they need.

It’s been decreed —

that wise women never question why.

They simply smile and say my pleasure

and can I measure

your satisfaction

with my form and face?

Wise women give and care and love

and never shove

never raise a voice above

a pleasing hum

and they never, ever, ever

lose their minds or fall in love.
More power in Power BI with Python — Part I
By: Henrik Massow
Tags: Data Visualization, Power Bi, Data Science, Python, Tutorial

Power BI/Python

More power in Power BI with Python — Part I

Prepare Power BI for the use of Python …

Power BI Desktop is one of those “magic tools” that everyone should know who occasionally or regularly processes, transforms, or evaluates data.

Reading, transforming, analyzing, presenting and creating relationships between our data has never been easier than with Power BI Desktop.

In Power BI, a lot of tasks can be done just by drag ‘n drop or clicking, so that even those who switch from Excel can get very, very far without having to deal with the two integrated languages M and DAX .

For some time now, Power BI Desktop allows us using the script languages R and Python. Both languages are widely used in data analysis, are well documented and thus offer possibility to increase the “effectiveness” of Power BI.

So it’s time for an intro in Python in Power BI.
The Symbolic Meaning of The Garden of Opportunity
By: Kamna Kirti
Tags: History, Art, Culture, Painting, Women

This painting depicts two students who are in “The Garden of Opportunity”. The opportunity is the set of choices given to both the females to choose between knowledge and fleeting pleasures of life.

Each and every element in the painting holds relevance and symbolization. The painter Evelyn De Morgan has left the visualization to the audience whether the two girls choose the wealth offered by Folly and enjoy the transient and easy riches or realize the importance of wisdom and learning.

Wisdom and learning are portrayed on the right side of the painting. The woman represents wisdom who has a pensive gaze. She has discarded the opulence (crown, gold necklace) at her feet and chosen the path of knowledge. An owl is carved on the armrest of the bench which represents wisdom with the book on the bench. In the background behind wisdom, a medieval church has been shown which was the medieval seat of learning. The mill and the water wheel are represented behind the bench which are the basic necessities required to benefit humanity. The tree adjacent to the bench is the symbol of knowledge and the two fruits are left hanging on the branches. The two students who are the central figures in this painting have turned their back on wisdom and learning. Both of them are dressed in rich flared robes edged in fur. The dove, a symbol of peace and purpose is on the ground. The dove is opposite to the growling black lion. A contrast is depicted both in color and attitude. The students are attracted towards Folly who entices them with a silver ball in one hand. On a close look, the silver ball has a skull on one side which is disguised from the students. The skull depicts mortality and the inevitable truth, “Everyone will die.” Folly’s other hand has a branch of henbane — a narcotic and poisonous plant. The castle behind Folly is a symbol of fleeting wealth. On the stairway to the Palace of Folly, a devil peeps out to see which path the students will choose.

The painter has deliberately shown the physical identity of Folly and Wisdom similar as it is very easy for a human to fall for materialism and ignore knowledge.
Hurrah
By: Ted Anthony
Tags: Memoir, History, Civil War, Fatherhood, Cleveland

Stooped men with long white beards

and medals two generations old

shuffled through a gauntlet

of flags and gentle applause

on a crisp Saturday in 1930

when the boy my father used to be,

not yet big enough for long pants,

stood on a Cleveland sidewalk.

Before his eyes –

(after the middle-aged veterans

of Hearst’s war strode by,

after the proud collective strut

of the over-there boys,

still in their prime,

minus the occasional limb or eye)

– the Johnnys who marched home

marched by again.

It was rote by then, so many years later.

Each slower on octogenarian legs,

each soldier-boy proud

in his blue, baggy relic of belly-fire days,

musty epaulets arranged just so.

“I remember that parade distinctly,”

my father says.

When I was little, he had a joke.

He’d extend his palm and say

“This is the hand

that shook the hand

that shook the hand

that shook the hand

that shook the hand

that shook the hand

of George Washington.”

Today, in long pants,

it is he who is stooped and bearded white,

though his nearsighted eyes saw no battles.

One day, after he is gone, I will tell my children

that I am the man

whose father was the man

who saw the men

who fought Lincoln’s war.
Car Retail, Digitized at Last?
By: Danillo Almeida
Tags: Future, Cars, Industry, Trends, Design

The car enthusiast whose story you’re reading used to be thrilled to visit car dealers. Years ago, my father would gladly spend some of his hard-earned off-work Sundays not only driving around town to let me see the latest models beyond the magazines, but also going in with me pretending he was actually looking for a car. The stack of brochures I accumulated wasn’t exactly short.

Automobile Magazine sides with me: car dealers are awesome. Their potential customers don’t look for a new car all the time nor make up their mind quickly so, once they stepped inside, everything had to contribute to create a pleasant experience for them, from the greeting at the lobby to the coffee served while debating payment methods. However, no business model is effective forever.
We Are the Witnesses and This is Our History
By: Ramona Grigg
Tags: Activism, Writing, Newsletter, Publication

Photo by Sergey Pesterev on Unsplash

Hello, Indelible Ink followers. It’s been a while since our last newsletter but our writers have been busily at work writing the kinds of stories we love and are thrilled to be publishing. I hope you’ve been enjoying them all, and I hope you’ll go on seeking us out as a publication you appreciate and admire.

There are literally thousands of publications on Medium and we’re not all equal. Some will accept anything and welcome every writer with open arms. There is no editing, no judging, no help given to writers who sometimes get it wrong and need some help. Others are super-strict about their content and only accept the very best from Medium’s top writers. They expect perfection and it pays off: They’re more often curated and they almost always make more money.

Indelible Ink falls somewhere in between.

This is a one-woman operation but I care very much about the stories I publish here. I turn down many more manuscripts than I publish, but I’m not so tough that I won’t let something through that shines despite some problems. I publish many stories from writers whose native language isn’t English. Because I love what they have to say, because they bring so much to our understanding of their culture, because they’re often wonderfully charming, they’ll often get by with just the slightest editorial interference. Their stories have worth and I’m honored to give them the space here, as I am with all of our writers.

Photo by Timothy L Brock on Unsplash

I’m proud of the work here at Indelible Ink and I hope we can go on adding to Medium’s content in a way that makes us all proud. We are the witnesses and this is our history. Much of what we publish here follows my vision of personal growth and activism. The work here resonates. It’s indelible.

We’re living in trying times and we need to raise our voices in order to be heard, but we also need some R&R, so we love publishing stories that are fun and enlightening, too. We need to feel good, to engage, to remind ourselves that caring is essential in a world too often ready to crush us.

So please check out our latest stories by clicking on this link and entering our amazing village. Don’t forget to clap — 50 times if you’re feeling it— and comments are always welcome. Our writers are some of the best on Medium and I want to thank you again for reading our work and being our friends.

If you’re a writer who likes what you see and want to join our writers roster, please read our Submission Guidelines first, then email me as directed.

Until next time, my best to you,

Ramona Grigg.
Fate Expectations
By: M.R. Holland
Tags: Poetryenmotion, Poetry, Poem, Expectations, Poet

expectations are the blemish on my face

wild emotions produce this disgrace

planning and stress spearhead this fall

five looks at my phone, not even a call

controlling is described by a select few

unassuming and flow used to get me through

I hope it’s not age that has caused this pimple

I’d settle for crows feet and a weathered dimple