fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Let’s Build a Fun “Like” Animation in Swift
By: Pavel Vaitsikhouski
Tags: Programming, iOS, Animation, Core Animation, Xcode

To understand what the animation is, let’s take a look at the animation in slow motion.

As you can see, it consists of four elements:

The heart (empty at the beginning and full at the end of the animation)

A red circle that grows.

A white circle that grows into the red circle.

Fireworks.

The animation has several steps:

Fade out the heart. Grow a red circle. Grow a white circle. Fade in the heart view. Blow up fireworks.

To create these elements and achieve this animation we’ll use Core Animation.

You need to know what CALayer , CAShapeLayer , CAReplicatorLayer , CABasicAnimation , CAKeyframeAnimation and CAAnimationGroup are. I won’t be explaining these layers and animations. If you want to know more, read some articles and documentation, and come back to this article when you’re done.

Now, let’s create our layers. First, we need to create a full and empty like (heart) icon . To create these likes, we need to add icons to our assets.

After that we can create the like layer.

As you can see, we write the changeLikeState(isFilled:) method. This either adds a filled like or not to the layer depending on the isFilled parameter. Note that we use mask property, so we can change the icon color.

Let’s move on. Now, we’ll create circles.

At first, we write the createCircleLayer(with:) method. This creates CAShapeLayer and a circle using UIBezierPath , which is added to the path property of the layer. In the end, we use this method to create the redCircleLayer and whiteCircleLayer .

We’ve done the simplest part. Now, we need to create the firework. Let’s take a look at that.

The fireworks consist of large and small circles. To create a circle, let’s write a method createDotLayer(radius:) . This method has a radius parameter that defines the size of a circle.

Next, we need to create an array of circles. This array consists of two circles: small and big. Then we’ll multiply them using CAReplicatorLayer .

So, the movableDotShapeLayers property contains two circles: small and big. Next, we need to create the CAReplicatorLayer . To do this we write the createDotsLayer method.

So, we’ve created the CAReplicatorLayer and add the small and big circles as a sub-layer. Next, we use the instanceCount property to determine how many circles there will be in the layer. We calculate the distance between them and store that in an angle variable. To stretch the circles we use the instanceTransform property of the layer. To give the circles different colors, we use the instanceBlueOffset property. There are two more properties that we can use, instanceRedOffset and instanceGreenOffset , but I only use instanceBlueOffset .

Let’s look at what we have.

Now our circles are under each other (the small circles are under the large ones). Let’s fix that. To do this we add transform for the CAReplicatorLayer . It’s pretty easy.

The result will look like this.
§16 “Get your haircut!”: Uncovering Kingsley’s domestic comedy
Tags: Martin Amis, Humor, Kingsley Amis, Terminator, Humour

Of the many contributions of reality TV to contemporary culture, one is the humorous exchange that can take place in domestic settings and between ordinary people. Outside of the heavily stylized and increasingly staged ‘reality shows’ such moments are rarely captured and must therefore be saved from falling into oblivion.

The following excerpt is one such moment. It is taken from Martin Amis’ memoir Experience (2000). It is a sign of Martin’s ability to identify the comedic quality in his father’s (Kingsley Amis) curmudgeonly commentary: *

‘ — Get your hair cut, said Kingsley doggedly. Get your hair cut.

There was no one else in the room, but he wasn’t telling me to get my hair cut. Over the years Kingsley must have told me to get my hair cut ten or twelve thousand times. But he wasn’t telling me to get my hair cut. The year, now, was 1984. I was newly married to an American academic called Antonia Phillips, and there was a child on the way. I didn’t need to get my hair cut.

— Get your hair cut … Get your hair cut.

This suggestion was being offered to the television set, more particularly to the actress Linda Hamilton every time she appeared on screen. We were watching a tape of The Terminator (again). An old science-fiction hand, Kingsley was a great fan of The Terminator, and seven years later he would make no secret of his admiration for Terminator 2 (‘a flawless masterpiece’), which I took him to at the Odeon, Marble Arch.

— Get your hair cut … Get your hair cut.

In Terminator 2 (1991) Linda Hamilton wore her hair up or back. In The Terminator, on the other hand, she was decidedly “full-maned, as people were then, in 1984.

— Get your hair cut … Get your hair cut.

— I hope you’re going to stick with this, Dad, I said. I hope you won’t weaken if anyone accuses you of being boring or repetitive.

— Get your hair cut … Get your hair cut.

— Because there are some who might point out that this film has already been made. Even if Linda Hamilton could hear you, and even if she thought it was a good idea, she couldn’t go back and get her hair cut.

— Get your hair cut … Get your hair cut.

— But don’t listen to them, Dad. You’ve set your stall out. Now it’s up to you to see this thing through.

— Get your hair cut … Get your hair cut.

After a while, when the action started and it became clear that Linda Hamilton wouldn’t have time or leisure to get her hair cut, Kingsley stopped telling her to get her hair cut.’

(Martin Amis, Experience, 2000: pp. 54–55).

To appreciate the tone of the monologue, see this video of Martin re-enacting the living-room TV experience by reading it out loud.

/Fred Weibull

* For an account of Kingsley’s life see L.A. Times obituary from 1995
wonder woman
By: D. Levolt
Tags: Relationships, Literally Literary, Poem, Breakups, Poetry

I wanted to write something

really intense

about my last serious

girlfriend,

how she was tall for a woman,

strong from exercising

six days a week,

long black Alanis Morrissette hair

that she hated wearing down

but I would always steal her hair clip

so it fell and swayed,

meeting her extended family

and as far I could tell

they accepted me

even liked me,

when she wanted to

take time for herself

and I didn’t realize she was serious

for two days

then when it hit me

I shed tears over a woman

and it took me over three decades

to finally do that,

but beyond stirring my libido,

and going through the motions

of a relationship,

I can’t think

of a particular time

where we really talked

to each other

really connected

our hearts and brains,

and that’s probably why

there’s a different guy

in her profile picture

today.
Culture Rules Everything Around Me
By: Mark Karake
Tags: Startup Lessons, Ecosystem, Nairobi, Africa, Silicon Savannah

Culture Rules Everything Around Me

Is Silicon Savanna quicksanding it?

Does Silicon Savanna have the cultural ingredients required to deliver on all the noise and promise?

Put another way, how many single minded, devoted, purists like Ken Njoroge can we expect? Just as there was only one Steve Jobs, he is likely a singular character. Startups are demanding mistresses requiring total and complete devotion. Side hustle, short term mentality simply don’t cut it. Very few people can do a Ken, staying steady over years without a vibrant supportive ecosystem to undergird their efforts.

So where does that leave all the high expectations of Silicon Savanna?

For a reference point take a look at this documentary on the what drives the Tel Aviv ecosystem making them the #2 destination for venture capital after Silicon Valley. A territory of 8M people with no immediate market to sell into, their market is thousands of miles away in North America. Notice the cultural ingredients that have earned Israel the moniker of “Startup Nation”

Does Nairobi have the cultural ingredients in her public life required to create a vibrant, company building ecosystem? Not on the evidence of the recent Endeavor report. Something needs to change, and its not more capital!
Memories of a Baby Bird
By: Paroma Sen
Tags: Love, Mothers, Memories, Self Love, Poetry

I have the memories of a baby bird

warm inside an egg, snug inside a nest

Secure in the belief life will always be benevolent,

relaxing in the folds of mama bird’s underbelly

Held exactly in the spots where I need to be held

Just the right temperature, just the right attention

No self-affirmations or external validations needed,

because love is aplenty. I soak, I swim, I dip, I bask in it

I don’t know why,

I have the memories of a baby bird

When I look up at blue sky, it reminds me

of my mama bird’s blue belly, sinking into me.

Protecting me.
Why Do We Need a Mediator?
By: Kimberley Payne
Tags: Jesus, Christianity, Religion, Atonement, Hope

The role of a mediator is to bring two parties together with the intent of reconciling them to settle their differences

In real estate, we have a lawyer who mediates between the seller and the purchaser.

In the workplace, the union supervisor mediates between the employee and the employer.

We have mediators in our every day lives, but we also need one in our spiritual life.

When we sin against God, we need a mediator. Our sin separates us from God. When we sin, we fall short of the glory of God.

Job understood the need for a mediator. He cried out for a go-between, “Oh, if I had a mediator to stand between me and God. Someone who would get a hold of God for me so I’d make it through.”

He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him,

that we might confront each other in court. If only there were someone to mediate between us,

someone to bring us together,

someone to remove God’s rod from me,

so that his terror would frighten me no more. Then I would speak up without fear of him,

but as it now stands with me, I cannot. (Job 9:32–35, NIV)

We need a mediator

We can only get to God through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the One who came to bring God and man together.

For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. (Hebrews 9:24, NIV)

Jesus represents us. He pleads for us. He makes intercession for us. He prays for us.

Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. (Hebrews 7:25, NIV)

There is a hymn that we sing in church that captures our need for a mediator and how Jesus filled this need.

WHEN HE SEES ME

Looking down through the ages God beheld the dying soul,

Sin had brought separation, nevermore could man be whole.

There must come a Lamb, one who’s blood alone redeems,

Bringing gifts to the Father of our souls made white and clean.

CHORUS:

And when He sees me, He sees the blood of the Lamb.

He sees me as worthy and not as I am.

He views me in garments as white as the snow,

For the Lamb of God is worthy and He washed me, this I know.

So He left that holy city, travelin’ on to the cross.

Just to bridge the gulf to glory and to rescue all the lost.

By His blood He entered into the throne room of our God,

And on the mercy seat He placed it, salvation for us all.

Recorded by The Greenes WHEN HE SEES ME

@1986 The Greenes @1986 Riversong Records

The blood of Christ is the atonement for us. We are guaranteed the joys of Heaven because of what Jesus has done for us.

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father — Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2, NIV)

This is good news indeed!
Beginner’s Guide to Research and Due Diligence for Hodlers
By: Ivy Riane
Tags: Blockchain, Bitcoin, Investing, Tutorial, Finance

Researching investments takes time and consideration. Photo by Helloquence on Unsplash

I am part of several crypto groups on FB and an avid Twitter user so I see a lot of posts from newbie investors asking for advice on the cheapest coin to buy that will go to the moon. I am begging you to stop that!

Because about a week later, I see posts from the same individuals stating that they now hold a bag of worthless coins or they sold a coin that was plummeting so they lost all of their investment money. For some, this is their savings or they took out a loan in order to buy crypto coins.

So, before we continue, let me preface by saying that you should never invest money into cryptocurrency that you cannot afford to lose. And please do your own research and due diligence, especially if you are planning on hodling the coins for the long-term.

Step 1: Look for the Cons First

Pick a coin and if it interests you then start doing preliminary research but look for the cons first and don’t waste your time doing more research if the cons start to present themselves.

And don’t ignore the cons of the coin in the research just because everyone in a Facebook group seems to be investing in it. Maybe they haven’t done their research or maybe the coin is right for them based upon their investment standards but it may not be right for you.

Step 2: Preliminary Questions to Aid in Your Research

· What problem is this cryptocurrency working to solve?

· How big is the market that this problem is trying to solve?

· Have other companies attempted to solve this problem before?

· Why did those companies fail if they did so?

· Are there other ways that the problem could be accomplished?

· Are the alternative ways more efficient?

· Read the whitepaper. What does it specify and what does it seem to leave out?

· Is this company centralized or decentralized?

· What are your beliefs about centralized versus decentralized coins?

· Does the company make the reason for the coin clear or does their mission seem to be vague or unclear?

· Is there a viable product or service available at this time?

· How much of the value of the coin is based on current business operations and how much of the value is being promised by future developments of the company?

The last most important question is “does this coin or company solve a problem that I believe in?” Because if you cannot support the company or purpose then you are not likely to hold a coin long term when the market becomes volatile or rumors start to spread via social media that may scare the hell out of you.
№45 Bi-weekly technical updates | Asia Trip |Kanban Testnet|Matching mechanism
By: Fab Info
Tags: Blockchain, Technical Update, Abs, Exchangily, Kanban

EXCHANGILY Biweekly Summary: The current development of the eXchangily Decentralized Exchange is progressing rapidly and is expected to be released at the end of July this year.

# From June 1st, the eXchangily Decentralized Exchange will begin accepting applications for listing. Projects will be reviewed by the professional lawyer team and will be launched with eXchangily at the end of July 2019. Please send an email to info@exchangily.com for listing applications.

# KANBAN team in the past two weeks made the adjustment for the smart contract was partially revised to meet the overall design specifications of the matching mechanism.

At the same time, the KANBAN part continues to improve the calling and reading functions of smart contracts. Report the transaction information to the FAB foundation chain.

The WEB page front-end part will be completed before the end of July. Mobile development and UI are also progressing smoothly, and the wallet creation, import, and development of pages such as assets have been completed. And has realized the trading functions of FAB, BTC, ETH.

# Currently KANBAN Testnet implements smart contract testing and other KANBAN functions in continuous deployment. Global Dapp developers will be able to deploy smart contracts through the FAB network.

At the same time, the interactive functions of the Web API and KANBAN nodes are further improved, in order to allow other global developers to create applications more conveniently.

# During the past two weeks, the development team strategically fine-tuned the smart contract order matching for the trading engine function. The eXchangily base test version will first log in to the limit order feature. This feature is currently being tested.

eXchangily CEO Dr. Dora Tang promoted Asian events last week, including Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Taipei. Interacted with many industry elites at the Asia Blockchain Summit 2019 (ABS) conference in Taiwan. The participants of the conference included Zhao Changpeng, founder of Binance, Arthur, CEO of BitMex, Sun Yuchen, founder of Tron, Charlie Lee, founder of Litcoin, FBG Vincent Zhou, CFO Chris Lee of Coke Group, and many economists and leaders from financial supervision departments. The eXchangily team will further update more business trends.

eXchangily CEO Dora Tang with CNBC

After strictly review for more than two years, the key technology solutions for the Canadian FAB (Fast Access Blockchain )supported are approved by the US Patent Office.

eXchangily’s total technology solution will meet the needs of users with performance such as liquidity, order matching, and transaction depth. eXchangily is committed to developing a fully decentralized digital asset management network, namely democratic autonomy. No team or individual has the privilege to share revenue, and EXG holders have control and management rights.
How to Get Adopted by the Perfect Kitten in the Wild
Tags: Life Lessons, Humor, Cats, Ideas, Self

Operation Kitten Hunt — BEGIN!

Time to see if you are the chosen one.

Phú after a nice bath, credit by author.

1. Forward planning is crucial

I would suggest preparing fully for the situation that may unfold. Your window of opportunity could be very small, there may be more than one human competing for the attention of this feline.

Your preparation could be the difference between you coming home with your special friend and that weird guy down the road that wears his baseball cap the wrong way round, has a mullet, plays extreme Frisby and will almost certainly feed it nasty food like Whiskers, and we all know how cats feel about nasty food, don’t we? They love it… So we can’t let that happen.

Like the Brownies teach you — Be Prepared!

Tools for your mission:

A tin of tuna or other smelly food is a good bet, you might want a fork and something to put said tuna tin in.

Please note; I once tried to store an open tin of tuna in the kangaroo pocket of my rain poncho whilst hiding in a bush, out kitten hunting. The results of what followed, with my other cats, when I returned home and tried to remove the poncho were not ideal. I would advise against this particular method, I didn’t even return with a kitten, I wasn’t their human, I was in that bush in the pouring rain in my stinky tuna poncho for hours.

I digress - back to the tools required for your mission:

You will need a good pair of ears for hearing and eyes or appropriate assistance tools/aids. Would advise against a guide dog for this particular activity.

Some kind of jingle toy or feathers on a stick are often helpful

A disguise for fence scaling and under-car crawling is ideal, but not essential (depends on your reputation as a mad cat person and whether you want to elevate or hide it)

Now you must seek out the noise, important to note that they can smell you before you can see them, so they may know you are in the vicinity and might stop wailing so they take a good hard look at you and see if you are someone that looks appropriate to their needs.

You may have to wait some time until the meowing starts again. Patience in this situation is a prerequisite.
Retrieve Your Api Key & Secret - Bittrex
By: Dan Crisan
Tags: Bitcoin, Exchange, Bittrex, Cryptocurrency, Crypto

Liked this post? Please clap and follow, it helps this knowledge spread so others can benefit of it!
6 Form-Related HTML Tags You Might Not Know About
By: Albert Walicki
Tags: Programming, HTML, Software Development, UX, Html5

1. Progress Bar

How to quickly prototype progress bars for multiple use cases. By Steven Douglas.

When you create a form and there is a file upload input, you should show how much of the file has been uploaded. This is a big UX (user experience) improvement. Your first thought might be “I will create a div and animate the background while the progress is changing.”

And that’s OK. But we have a special HTML tag to display a progress indicator! <progress> was added with other HTML5 elements. Let's take a look at it:

As you can see, there is a simple layout with basic CSS. Also, there is some JavaScript code to fake a file upload. On <input type='file' /> change, I initialize a fake progress function in setInterval . After five seconds, our fake upload is completed and we have a “success” text. This is the ultimate simple usage of the <progress> tag.

You can read more about styling <progress> on CSS-Tricks.

Unique Attributes

This element includes two attributes:
The Art of Letting Go
By: Salitha Nirmana Meththasinghe
Tags: Letting Go, Life Lessons, Life, Zen, Buddhism

In Buddhist context that incident can be interpreted like this.

Simply put, the sole purpose of a Buddhist should be to end the cycle of birth. This is known as attaining nirvana. And to attain nirvana, one has to get rid of all the defilements (desire, hatred and ignorance) that cause the impurity of mind. That’s what called enlightenment in Buddhism.

In here, the sack filled with food items represents these defilements. So, when asked about the essence, Qieci drops it on the ground meaning that it’s all about getting over every defilement and being enlightened.

But when asked about the actualization of Zen, he picks up the sack again and begins to continue his usual routine. Qieci silently conveys a very important thing in this gesture.

The significance of Zen is getting rid of every defilement. But having this epiphany doesn’t magically erase every reason that causes reincarnation.

The clever disciple is aware that he should let go of the sack. But he has to carry it for a while till he reaches his ultimate goal eventually. In this case, he should empty the sack first.

This teaching is also applicable in the secular context. Often, humans have to deal with stuffs that steal their comfort of lives. Be it a physical or a mental illness, be it a toxic relationship, the distress can come in many disguises. And almost every time, we humans have the mental capacity to identify the roots of the issue and become aware that once we got rid of the problem, this discomfort will be gone. In other words, we have to let go of certain things to regain our comfort.

However, the common mistake most of us make is rather than working towards the solution with patience, we tend to act desperately with the intention of getting things done as fast as possible. And this type of behaviour very often leads us to frustration when things don’t go our way.

No doubt everybody deserves happiness and our minds crave serenity. There’s nothing wrong with that.

Yet the day you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit. And most importantly it’s always worth the wait.
Analyzing credit card transactions using machine learning techniques — 3
By: David Vassallo
Tags: Data Analysis, Machine Learning, Data Mining, Data Science, Data Visualization

Introduction

In a previous article, we explored how PCA can be used to plot credit card transactions into a 2D space, and we proceeded to visually analyse the results. In this article, we take this process one step further and use hierarchical clustering to automate parts of our analysis, making it even easier for our hypothetical financial analyst to find anomalies within their data set (for a review of the data set being used, make sure to check out the first article in our series).

Clustering

Clustering is an unsupervised machine learning method … Read more at David’s Blog
Detritus
By: Jenine Bsharah Baines
Tags: Spirituality, Enlightenment, Poetry On Medium, Haiku, Poetry

Detritus

I misspoke your name –

accent on wrong syllable.

A certainty trashed.

What delusion’s next?

Let the treasure hunt begin.

Pearls birthed from debris.

One ruby of Light.

Most truths, like stars that guide us,

succumb to themselves.

©Jenine Bsharah Baines 2020

Enlightenment — and its resultant humility — can strike when you least expect it.

Like when you are watching the movie Tenet with your son. A character used the word “detritus.”

“She pronounced it wrong!” I said. “Or maybe that’s the British way.”

As you’ve already guessed, her pronunciation was everybody’s way. My ‘star’ of truth was actually a ‘black hole’ of ignorance.

Another opportunity to shed certainty’s arrogance. And wouldn’t you know this epiphany arrived via a film called Tenet?
I Will Not Be Defined by a Word
By: Katie Brydon
Tags: Equality, Advocacy, Respect, Special Olympics, Education

A Testimony by Sam Piazza, Global Ambassador for Best Buddies International. Sam is an executive board member of the University of South Florida Best Buddies chapter, an amazing self-advocate, and a friend.

Sam Piazza sharing his story at the Best Buddies Challenge in Hyannis Port, May 2017

Please don’t call me “retard.” That word does not define me for who I am.

People like me have amazing gifts and abilities. We are good friends, work hard, and we are leaders.

I don’t understand why anyone wants to limit me. I want you to listen to me. To really hear me today!

I am a cool person. I have the same dreams and goals just like you. My name is Sam and I was born with Down syndrome. I’m 27 years old.

Growing up, I have been hearing the R word so many times but Best Buddies changed all of that.

I want to be accepted for my abilities. I want you to see me as a friend. I want you to see me as a hard worker.

My manager says I am one of his best employees.

Today, I am a leader helping to change the world. I can work hard, earn a paycheck and be myself.

See me for my abilities and who I am. The “R” word does not define me.

If you have a story, video, photo, poem, essay, guide, dance, (or anything else) to share with the world, follow the three easy steps in this link or publish your story on Medium and email it to spalumbo@specialolympics.org. If you prefer, you could also put your story into a word document, let us know whether you would like it published under your name or anonymously, and email it to spalumbo@specialolympics.org.

Pledge your support to end the R-Word here.
Lemon Crescent Biscuits
By: Cooking At Home
Tags: Food, Recipe, Baking, Dessert, Cooking

Cooking at Home

These lemon crescent biscuits have a scone-like texture with a light fragrance of freshly grated lemon. This recipe requires a few pantry staples and is prepared in one bowl. The dough requires gentle kneading and rolling to create an elegant pastry cut crescent. The idea of kneading, cutting, and rolling this dough may sound daunting, but it is simple to do with the step-by-step instructions below. These crescent biscuits are soft and crumbly with a light sweetness and make a delicious breakfast, snack, or afternoon delight, especially when accompanied by coffee or tea. With Christmas fast approaching, they are an impressive addition to any family brunch or afternoon tea. You can top these biscuits with jam or butter. They make an irresistibly delicious treat and are a definite crowd-pleaser!

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Baking Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Yields: 8 large crescent biscuits

Ingredients:

3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

⅓ cup of sugar

¾ cup milk

⅓ cup olive oil

1 egg

1 ½ tablespoons baking powder

1 grated lemon

Icing sugar (dusting)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Line a 13 x 18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and baking powder. Add egg, olive oil, grated lemon, and milk. Incorporate ingredients with your hands form into a dough. On a floured surface, gently knead and roll dough into a log. Divide the log into 8 equal parts and form into balls.

Photo by: Cooking at Home

7. With a rolling pin, roll out each ball and, using a pastry cutter, make vertical lines down the dough, leaving the end on one edge intact.

Photo by: Cooking at Home

Photo by: Cooking at Home

8. Begin rolling with the edge intact to form a log and gently shape into a crescent.

Photo by: Cooking at Home

Photo by: Cooking at Home

9. Place crescent biscuits onto a lined baking tray with parchment paper.

10. Bake for 20 minutes until lightly golden.

11. Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Dust with icing sugar and serve. Top with jam or butter if desired.
Global Impact Week
Tags: Global Impact, Gtb Global Citizenship, Corporate Citizenship, Gtb, Outreach

We believe in doing what matters for people. Because of this, we are proud to have spent a full week giving back to the communities that support us every day.

Last summer we kicked off “Global Impact Week,” an agency-wide initiative dedicated to giving back. From beautifying shared spaces to creating opportunities, our team worked with community organizations fighting educational inequality, poverty and homelessness.

This year our team members worked with 37 community partners around the globe dedicated to giving back. Some of us built bikes to help kids get to school in Thailand, while others put their new skills of laughter therapy to the test in hospitals in Mexico. Our team in London used their social media know-how to bring awareness to local soup kitchens, and our Shanghai office raised money for an organization that sponsors children for heart surgery. Team members in North America cleaned neighborhoods and beaches, served meals to the hungry, turned plastic bags into shelter-safe sleeping mats, painted murals, and connected with people. Around the globe we did so much more!
How to Build Your Own Software Development Learning Curriculum
By: Madison Hunter
Tags: Programming, Data Science, Software Development, Education, STEM

Questions to ask before building a personalized curriculum.

While you can go ahead and follow my curriculum exactly using online resources (I’m sure it would be relevant for many of you), you may want to consider a few things first.

What programming languages are relevant in my location (or future location)?

A quick Google search of the top programming languages for your location will likely be different than the top programming language sought after in a different country. It’s important to structure your curriculum around learning languages that are often used by the companies and firms in your area to avoid becoming redundant.

However, there are a few staples that you can’t go wrong with learning, including Java, C#, JavaScript, Python, SQL, Ruby, and basic HTML and CSS.

What skills do I already have / what do I need to learn?

In short, what skills do you already have that are transferable to this new endeavor, and what do you need to learn going forward?

For example, if you already have a working knowledge of HTML and CSS, don’t spend hours taking courses on what you already know and are comfortable with. Or, if you are already proficient in business communication, you can rest assured that you’re not lacking in that specific skill area.

You will also need to determine specifically what you need to learn. This requires making a list of programming languages, technical skills, and soft skills that you need to make part of your curriculum. This can be done by looking at job ads and seeing what employers are looking for.

What is my preferred learning style?

It’s important to decide in advance how you’d like to learn how to code.

From my personal experience, I find it easier to learn when I have someone discussing the code as they’re writing it. This means that for me, I enjoy following along with videos. On the other hand, blog posts have been really instrumental to learn simple topics that can be easily understood from reading descriptions and looking at source code.

For those just starting with learning how to write code, I would suggest using a variety of sources early on so you can decide quickly which one works best for you.

Medium, StackOverflow, Youtube, Coursera, Codecademy, Udacity, and freeCodeCamp are generally the best sources in the game.

Do I have the necessary interest in completing this curriculum?

It’s easy to get swayed by the promise of a six-figure salary, a tropical work environment, and the relative guarantee of a job for life.

However, if those are the only reasons you’re learning to code, you’re in it for the wrong reasons. Ask yourself if you’re going to be happy working as a software developer before you invest the time and effort to developing and following your curriculum.
Old lady, Searching for her grandson?
By: Somsubhra Banerjee
Tags: Literally Literary, Love, Grandmother, Thoughts, Poetry

As the slow-motion tramcar meandered through the busy streets,

my eyes perched on the houses that keep moving behind me, in a whisker,

I see this sweet and old lady, probably, very old, her skin saggy and crumpled,

her eyes fixated towards me, kind, blue eyes, almost too unreal to be true,

and then a sudden smile slipping off her lips; was it towards me, I wondered,

looking around, I tried to figure out, if there’s someone else, smiling back to her,

but no, it was for me, and so I smile the best smile I could conjure, so much happy,

having received such a warm and gentle smile from a complete unknown.

Did she mistake me for someone else, or did she see in me, her grandson, whom she,

she missed dearly, maybe he stays far, far away, and her lonely heart wants a glance,

a glance at her grandson, wants to ruffle his hair, or plant a kiss on his cheeks,

oh the pangs of the heart, the pain of long distances that stings like a bee,

every day, every single day, every single hour, every single second.

Maybe she keeps searching for her grandson in everyone she encounters, smiling,

wishing for a smile back, to unburden herself of her feelings that cloud her brain,

and that return smile probably fills her heart with that little ray of hope,

the hope of reuniting with her grandson, wherever he is present now,

soon, very very soon.
PharmaChain: Proof-of-Concept
By: Kevin Leyssens
Tags: Blockchain, Hyperledger, Medical, Clinical Trials, Prototyping

The process of discovering a potentially new drug until it becomes available to patients takes on 15–30 years. And on average brings a cost of 1.3 billion euros. Boehringer wants to speed up and optimise part of this chain. Clinical studies. Because 80% of the clinical trials are delayed.

By working on digitisation and focusing on the patient, Boehringer is convinced that this process is more efficient and therefore faster. The patient owns his own data, enabling him to submit and confirm additions and changes himself. This will increase transparency. The patient knows at any time which data is available and can be viewed by the parties involved.

Digitisation will increase efficiency because information flows to all parties more smoothly and reliably. In case of important new information for the safety of the patient, it can be taken, confirmed and signed directly via the smartphone or tablet, for example. The reliability and data integrity will be increased by blockchain technology. This results in faster and better recruitment.

Find the right hospitals for the right study in an instant and thus recruit the right patients and get the medicine to the patient more quickly.

Not only does this have enormous advantages for the patient, but hospitals can also jump on the boat of digital transformation. By keeping hospital and anonymised patient profiles on the blockchain, it is easier to find the right hospitals for the right study in an instant and thus recruit the right patients and get the medicine to the patient more quickly.

Current process: Paper

Before trials can be executed on humans, they need to run through a complex and intensive process. This process will not be discussed. We’ll start when the trial is verified and accepted for execution by all involved parties.

Boehringer sends out the requirements to conduct the study to several hospitals, after a CDA (Confidential Disclosure Agreement) is signed by those hospitals. What equipment they need, how many doctors, how many patients, etc ….

When a hospital fulfils all the requirements, they can start patient recruitment. After the recruitment, patients fit to participate in the study are selected. These patients need to sign a paper Informed Consent (IC). It explains the whole process, risks, schedules, etc. It needs to be signed with a doctor, so patients can ask any question they have. This Signed Informed Consent (SIC), which is paper, is kept at the hospitals.
A Zombie’s Meaning of Life
By: David B. Clear
Tags: Comics, Humor, Zombies, Philosophy, Life

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Self Love Is the Greatest Self Empowerment
By: Darshak Rana
Tags: Poetry, Spirituality, Self, Weekly Prompts, Poetry Sunday

I know what it feels to be frail,

because I wasn’t always strong.

It is very complex to explain self-love,

To find the perfection that we seek.

Just before hugging the light,

I was drowned deep in the darkness,

When my only company was my negativity,

And I hardly knew a way out.

My tears had dried,

and my will was weak,

I was broken to bits,

and had known nothing but the pain.

But soon came the dawn,

I had the thought, sudden,

“What do I want from the world,

If I don’t want myself?”

Since then, the world has changed.

As the courage and strength returned.

My heart began to beat.

With a drop of self-acceptance.

We forget to appreciate love,

until we have been hugged by hate.

We can never find a place of our own

if we self-disown.

If we accept our flaws and stains,

We can use it like armor,

That none can damage and destroy,

And invade our mental kingdom.
Bitcoin Price Review: Week 52–2020
By: Bitcoin Binge
Tags: Investing, Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency, Crypto, Finance

Bitcoin Price Review: Week 52–2020

Bitcoin finds new support.

Bitcoin continues to touch new all-time highs as we close out 2020. Despite ongoing bullish sentiment throughout the industry though, bitcoin did see a correction over the weekend.

As of writing, the price of bitcoin is $22,913.

Bitcoin is down about 4% in the last 24 hours

Bitcoin is up almost 19% in the last week

Bitcoin is up about 23% in the last month

New Support at $22,000?

Bitcoin might have found support at $22,000.

After reaching new all-time highs above $24,000, the world’s largest cryptocurrency by market cap fell over the weekend.

Following a drop to the low $22,000s, bitcoin quickly bounced back, settling around $23,000. Because bitcoin held above $22,000 amidst the pullback, we are watching to see if new support exists there.

We cannot, however, rule out a further pullback to previous support at $18,500. If we see that significant pullback, $17,500 also remains in play.

More Regulation Coming

Last week, the U.S. Treasury Department proposed new requirements that would force banks and exchanges to maintain and submit customer information for any cryptocurrency transfers to “unhosted” wallets.

What does this mean?

In short, if you use a crypto wallet that has not required you to provide any personal identification in order to use it, you may soon have to do just that.

There’s a lot of details to be ironed out. Read this Bloomberg story that breaks down the proposed regulations.

The Silver Lining

More regulation means that mainstream adoption is real. We’re at a point where progress seems inevitable.

The Crypto Purist Take

On the other hand, more regulation and know your customer regulations diminishes the entire point of why bitcoin and certain cryptocurrencies exist.

MicroStrategy Adds BTC

MicroStrategy bought bitcoin… again!

CEO Michael Saylor announced via Twitter that the company bought another 29,646 BTC for a total of $650 million.

That’s an average of roughly $21,925 per BTC.

MicroStrategy now #HODLs 70,470 bitcoins purchased for $1.125 billion at an average price of $15,964 per bitcoin.

The company bought the dip, reaffirming long term bullish sentiment held by a growing list of large cap bitcoin holders.

MicroStrategy and others continuing to double down on their faith in bitcoin is promising for 2021 price action. We previously mentioned new calls for a $100,000 bitcoin within the next year.

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[GEEKY] Mac will be discontinuing support of Java
By: Pito Salas
Tags: Blogbridge, Technology, Programming

This is a weird development. Java is a super well established language, why would Apple decide to stop developing it:



“Apple’s announcement that they would be ceasing future development of their version of Java for the Mac has generated concern amongst Java developers.” (from: Steve Jobs Comments on Apple’s Java Discontinuation — Mac Rumors.)



N.B. Apple is not saying they are ceasing support of Java, but development of Java. I guess on other platforms (Windows etc.) the Java support and the Java code provided all comes from Sun/Oracle.



Up to now Apple has been on the forefront of providing a strong Java implementation on OS X. This presumably was because Apple felt strategically that they needed to have a strong Java, and that Sun/Oracle would not be providing it, presumably² because the OS X installed base was not large enough to justify it. So in summary:



Apple previously believed:

OS X can’t be credible if it doesn’t have a strong Java implementation. Sun will think that OS X is not a big enough market to justify the investment.

And now Apple believes:

OS X no longer needs Java for credibility Perhaps the tables are now turned, and Sun/Oracle will need to have OS X to be credible going forward.

Interesting…



p.s. I just saw this blog post where James Gosling comments on Java on Mac and other recent developments.
Is There Such A Thing Like Black Privilege?
By: Rebecca Stevens A.
Tags: Black Privilege, White Privilege, BlackLivesMatter, Racism, Diversity And Inclusion

In all other areas, i.e. looking for a job, taking the bus, or even simply minding my own business, I don’t benefit from any bit of privilege — it’s more that I am underprivileged instead.

But maybe, I’m being too dismissive of the question: do black people benefit from privilege? Maybe I should go much deeper here. Some of my colleagues infer that as a black woman, I have an advantage when it comes to getting hired and promoted. They say:

“Companies are looking to hire and promote more black people, especially women, you have an advantage, you are black and a woman, go for it”.

But I wonder, is that really an advantage? Is simply filling a diversity and inclusion quota really a good thing? When you think of it, no it isn’t. It’s rather exploitative — using someone’s color, gender, or sexual orientation to pretend that one — in this case, companies, are doing something about a serious social issue.

It is misleading and disingenuous because more often than not, it’s surface deep. The company hasn’t done the work to educate its entire workforce not to be racist, sexist, homophobic, or transphobic for that matter, and yet they expose a representative of either or several of these groups to the masses — or a better analogy would be: it’s like putting a zebra into a den full of lions. Can you imagine what would happen? Could you imagine how that would feel like?
Island of “Pathetic Chickens” and Fake Gothic Castles
By: Slava Shestopalov
Tags: Berlin, Architecture, History, Photography, Travel

The island turned out to be very close to the mainland. I could clearly see its miniature structures. It took the ferry only 3–4 minutes to do a trip from one bank to the other. I was thinking, “Why ferry? It could have been a bridge!” But probably a ferry helps to preserve this site intact being simultaneously an attraction and additional barrier.

Pfaueninsel ferry

Unlike ferries that are part of Berlin’s public transport and use the single trip ticket, this one requires extra payment including the entrance fee.

Castle and the first peacock

When I stepped on the island, I couldn’t decide where to go first so simply selected a random path to the nearest historic building. In a couple of minutes, I met the first feathered citizen.
XYO World Lowdown — Annotated Rules of Primary Minting
By: Maryann Cummings
Tags: Blockchain, Ethereum, Staking, Xyo, Cryptocurrency

Geotokens are offered by automated auction, which begins as soon as a geotoken is created from its parent.

“A new bid can be any value that is higher than the current (or starting) bid, but must be at least 8% higher. Given the high cost of gas for ETH transactions, we wanted to prevent users from out bidding by a small amount to just get the other user to not follow up with a bid.

When someone is been over bid, they lose the gas that they spent on making their initial bid. Giving them a slight gain from the new bidder allows them to recover some or all of that cost. This also significantly reduces the downside of bidding early, allowing for more activity early in the auction.

Auctions will never be less than 3 days and can be as long as 40+ days. If all the auctions had the same duration, then they would synchronize and all the auctions would end around the same time, barring mint-it-now activity to change that. This allows us to have auctions that have their end times spread out over time.

The random number generator creates numbers on a curve with peak frequency at 8 days, but with a long tail on the right side, which pulls the mean out further than the median. Our goal is to have the majority of auctions lengths spread out over 14 days, but also allow for some interesting, long auction times.”

— Arie
Congenus
By: Lyondhur Picciarelli
Tags: Poetry, Sil

in In Fitness And In Health
Oct.05 Bybit Analysis：A slow week for BTCUSD and ETHUSD
Tags: Market Analysis, Cryptocurrency, Eth, Btc

Today I will go through BTCUSD and ETHUSD 4H charts which have both been struggling this week with a lack of momentum…

BTCUSD

Firstly, we have the BTCUSD 4H chart showing that the pair has broken and retested a medium-term trendline at point [1], we also have support at point [3] from the ascending supportive trendline. I am expecting a move up to 6650–6700 in area [2], which is where the major daily descending trendline is. After this we will monitor the price action closely to see whether we get a break above or a bounce back to the downside of that major trendline.

ETHUSD

Next, we have the ETHUSD 4H chart showing the pair has broken a triangle structure shown by [1] and [2]. To be honest, this week the movement on this pair has been very slow and had sideways with hardly any direction; we may hopefully get the much anticipated bearish momentum over the weekend or at the beginning of next week. I expect the Fibonacci ABCD to play out as shown in orange with the D-target being 170.

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