Gig economy

In this digital age, the workforce is becoming more mobile and work can increasingly be done from anywhere. As a result, job and location are being separated. A gig economy is a free market system in which temporary positions are common and organizations hire independent workers for short-term commitments. The term “gig” is a slang word for a job that lasts a specified period of time and it is typically used by musicians. In Gig economy, more specifically new technology-enabled kinds of work are involved. It’s also referred to as the “freelancer economy,” “agile workforce,” “sharing economy,” or “independent workforce.” Examples of gig employees in the workforce could include freelancers, independent contractors, project-based workers and temporary or part-time hires.

Components of Gig economy

The Gig economy is made up of three main components:

Independent workers – they are paid by the Gig (i.e., consumer of a task or a project);

Consumers – they need a specific service, for example, a ride to their next destination, or a particular item delivered; and

Tech platforms or companies – they connect the worker to the consumer in a direct manner, including app-based technology platforms. Companies such as Uber, or TaskRabbit act as the medium through which the worker is connected to – and ultimately paid by the consumer.

Benefits of Gig economy

They offer flexibility, freedom and personal fulfillment to the freelancers or independent workers.That means that freelancers can select among temporary jobs and projects around the world. From the perspective of the freelancer, a gig economy can improve work-life balance over what is possible in most jobs. In a gig economy, businesses save resources in terms of benefits, office space and training. They also have the ability to contract with experts for specific projects who might be too high-priced to maintain on staff. The employers can select the best individuals for specific projects from a larger pool than what’s available in any given area.

The Four Connections

Place – Disconnected from a corporate office, the people find places to work that protect them from outside distractions and pressures and help them avoid feeling rootless. Many claim their work was portable.

Routines – In organizations, routines often improve people’s workflow: keeping a schedule; following a to-do list , beginning the day with the most challenging task etc.

Purpose – For most people in our study, striking out on their own initially involved doing whatever work would allow them to find a footing in the market. But they remain with a strong will that succeeding means taking only work that clearly connects to a broader purpose. All could articulate why their work, or at least their best work is more than a means of earning a living. Purpose creates a bridge between their personal interests and a need in the world.

People – Humans are social creatures. how important other people are to our careers — as role models who show us who we might become, and as peers who help us progress by sharing our path. Loneliness might hit the independent workers and they can certainly be at even greater risk.Some freelancers are keenly aware of the dangers of social isolation and strive to avoid it. All reported having people whom they turn to for reassurance and encouragement. In other cases they’re family members, friends, or contacts in similar fields, who can’t always offer specific work advice but nevertheless help them to push through challenging times and make them to take the risks their work requires.

Summary

In the digital age, the workforce is becoming more mobile and work can increasingly be done from anywhere. Hence, Gig economy comes into picture offering mutual benefits to the worker and consumer. In Gig economy, more specifically new technology-enabled kinds of work are involved. They offer flexibility, freedom and personal fulfillment to the freelancers or independent workers.The four connections that an independent worker or freelancers have are People, Routines,Purpose and Place. Purpose creates a bridge between their personal interests and a need in the world.

Are we raising a generation of burnt-out children?

Basic things needed by a child in the childhood are the time to play and to look and explore the world through his own eyes. This is a natural thing and of course, right from a child’s mindset. But, in this busy world, Parents show greater interest in developing the talent of the children for their better future. They see the competitive world in front of them. They realize that only “The most eligible can survive” by competing with his capabilities among the sea of humans.Hence, they unknowingly put constant pressure by comparing the children with their peer groups.

Growing up with the Internet and technology meant constant stimulation for the current generation. As we know, constant stimulation affects our nervous system, and some of this stimulation can trigger our stress response without us being aware. This era of technology only became more complicated when cellphones were added to the mix. At this point, the stimulation became portable, and people could carry around devices that connected them 24/7.When they have to be away from the gadgets for a while, they become impatient and exhibit the symptoms of burnout, anxiety or depression.

The constant pressure to optimize their futures

The way teachers and parents force the students to think about their careers at increasingly young ages is quite alarming. It puts a lot of pressure on the children. In order to escape from this, they seek an outlet and get addicted to the social media or online games in mobile gadgets. In this e-learning age, children are even disturbed there by the reminders they received from their school about their assignments or projects meanwhile.

Signs of Burnt-out children

The children having a negative attitude or indifferent view is a sign of burnout. They just struggle to cope with the dynamic changes happening around them and the need to adapt to it for their survival. All the
hard work and stress can turn into overload and lead to burnout in school. And when it does, it can destroy the very motivation that keeps them working to improve. Knowing the signs of burnout in kids can help you protect your child from becoming exhausted and shutting down.
Here are seven common signs of burnout in kids:

Procrastination: Your child used to be motivated to start schoolwork right away. Now, you have to give several reminders. And your child still complains and stalls.
Fatigue: Their energy levels are depleted and fully exhausted by the burnt-out condition. These generation children are too sensitive and get burnt-out easily. They need to be kept engaged or busy, else they become restless.
Negativity: Your child’s positive attitude and curiosity has disappeared. You often hear your child say, “What’s the point?” Activities your child used to like are now viewed as unfun or boring.
Trouble concentrating: Your child seems to be restless, keeps pestering you with questions or sharing irrelevant information and can only focus for about 10 minutes before becoming distracted. It used to be for twice or more as long. They might be attention deficit and difficulty in focusing.
Irritability: Your child seems to be easily annoyed or upset by little things that weren’t a big deal in the past. They could not remain patient and wait.
Not confident: They are unable to do their work on their own and depend on others. For namesake, they involve themselves in school activities.
Avoiding situations: Their innocence is screwed up by these pressures. They do not want to mingle with others or explore new things. They just want to be like a snail within its shell.
Recognizing the signs can help you make changes at home to prevent burnout. Start by asking what kinds of emotions your child has been feeling. Explain what burnout is, and then brainstorm with your child about what might help. If it is left unnoticed, it may lead to severe anxiety and stress-related psychological disorders.
Summing up ….
Kids who learn and think differently often face more hurdles and stress than their peers. Talking about what your child is feeling is a good first step toward reducing burnout. Understandably, not every stress can be eliminated and the children should be taught to manage it with stress management techniques. You need to support them with the proper nutrition, supplementation, lifestyle and mindset. These four elements will help your children feel better , physically and psychologically.

CRITICISM is a good thing for creativity

Realistically, criticisms are hard to deal with; after all, nobody likes to be told they’re wrong. But it’s not all bad news because sometimes you can use criticism to prove yourself strongly and give you a competitive edge.

A form of communication

If someone has a criticism it means they want to give you feedback on what you’re doing for them – that means an opportunity to learn more about the person who you’re working for and how to convert them into a satisfied customer or audience member. Take a moment to think before you respond to what they’re saying and act on criticism, in the sense, both parties can work towards a better outcome. It gives a chance to get to know what your audience actually want. Using that information, we can give a better service, though it makes us uncomfortable to listen to it sometimes.

It forces you to think about how you work

Constructive criticism can guide you away from bad practices and towards good ones. It positions you in the right track. You can just feel it by trying to be objective and looking at how you’re performing as though it’s not yours. This can be particularly difficult when you’re deeply involved in a project but, if you can take a step back, you might see how to improve your way of working and avoid any undesirable or negative consequences down the road. In order to make the situation smoother, try to use positive language and turn your words into action to show that you can listen to feedback, respond in the correct way and still get the job done for them.

It’ll give you new perspective

When you’re working on the same project for long periods of time, chances are you’ll lose sight of things that aren’t performing well and there might be scope for betterment. Inviting feedback into your project will help you gain a new way of looking at those things and improve the way forward.

It’s a negative motivation or drive for your growth

Remember, giving someone negative feedback is almost as hard as being on the receiving end. You know what you’re saying is going to hurt the person but you do it anyway. You can take it in a positive stride and challenge them. Hear what they have to say – they could be the difference between success or failure.

It teaches you a lot about yourself and other people

How do you react when someone starts with negative feedback? Receiving criticism helps you learn about areas of your work that could be improved but it also helps you manage your own emotional reactions, helping you improve your leadership qualities.On top of this, you’re also gifted insight into the other person. You can observe how do they approach difficult situations. This will improve your relationship with them as you find effective ways of communicating with them and work towards shared goals.

The final thoughts….

A good professional is able to take criticism on board and not respond immediately as though it’s a personal attack. They look at the problematic situation in different points of view and outweigh the pros and cons of it. They are also able to make it work to their advantage or, if all else fails, politely conclude and leave with their reputation intact.

The Most Popular Trends In Education For 2020

The drastic growth of technological capabilities means that a variety of media and learning-support tools now exist to help students receive a high-quality education through the Internet. The teachers can see how their students have engaged with the live broadcast and recorded classes, therefore, they have a more efficient tracking system that allows them to provide more timely coaching as needed. It must involve some kind of ‘innovation’ or growth in education. For instance, virtual reality can make the learning process exciting.

Growth mindset, Personalized Learning (Mobile or blended learning), Project-based learning, Online learning or e-learning, Robotics, AI , IoT ,Critical thinking, Adaptive Learning Algorithms ,Artificial Intelligence,Soft skills traaining etc are predicted as the most popular education trends of this year.

Student trend: reduced attention spans

To hold the attention of this students, the education content presented to them must have excellent visuals and dialogue along with an interesting storyline that will hold their attention for a reasonable amount of time. This younger group cares more about the narrative and the visual nature of the content that interests them than other age groups.

This change in attention trends also has a noteworthy impact on how instructors adjust their classes and keep students engaged with the material. Teachers need to find ways to design classes that will retain the attention of their students, and adapt the course delivery method and pace. However, do not forget that when students have material in front of them that is highly visual and engaging, they have excellent potential to pay attention. These modern students want to be challenged, and they value interaction. For teachers who learn how to engage with these students, they can present rewarding opportunities for classroom growth.

Facilitating learning rather than teaching

The best teachers will be those who can help students take ownership of their learning.As teachers become more involved in the students’ learning process, they will also find themselves in a position to receive immediate feedback on their teaching effectiveness. Their ability to facilitate these skills in their classroom will become obvious quickly as the class moves through the material.Teachers who want to focus more on student development rather than simply knowledge delivery or through lectures will find this new model to be very much rewarding.

Personalized learning (Any time or self-paced learning)

The students can learn at their own pace , without worrying about the time constraints. The recorded video lessons available online can be played back any number of times till they get a good grasp on the subject in their flexible timings.Online assessments are also given , evaluated and reports are generated.

Moreover, value-added certifications offered online can enhance the employability of the students.This kind of learning can happen using mobile gadgets , as well.

Soft skills training: a major trend in higher education

In an effort to prepare students for their future careers, schools must have the training in place to help students nurture and grow in these skill areas. Their students will be more employable and have strong alumni success rates.

Adaptive Learning

Adaptive learning systems use data to adjust learning for students on an individual scale. From path to pace, adaptive learning is one avenue of personalised learning. The goal, as always, is to provide customised education to deliver the right content at the right time.With adaptive learning, teachers can create engaging, personalized learning experiences. This enables a more inclusive approach to education, meaning at risk and advanced students both get the attention they need.

As class sizes continue to grow, adaptive learning provides an effective way for teachers to guide every student through each challenging lesson without overburdening themselves.

Emerging Technologies

The goal here is to facilitate more innovative teaching methods while enabling more engaging learning opportunities. When used correctly, the opportunity here is huge. Students will have access to cutting edge learning experiences without ever leaving their hometowns, with a realistic simulation of those historical places.

Blockchain Technology – Blockchain is providing great collaboration and secure data exchange opportunities for the organizations as well as individuals. Security protocols followed in blockchain are unique and difficult to hack. This recent and innovative technology will make a significant difference in the way schools handle student credentials and certificate verification. It provides an option to store digital copies of credentials like certificates in a collaborated and the distributed environment.This avoids the cases of lost original certificate and helps with a better way of student record authentication.

Artificial Intelligence Learning – The impact of artificial intelligence in the field of education has just started to flourish.They alter the education tools used.In this tech era, there are more sites that use AI technology to assess a student’s progress. Apps like Duolingo and writing tools like No Red Ink focuses on how AI provides individual revisions and internet-based learning.They try to provide smart spaces to students to learn better and show continuous improvement in their educational standards.

Internet of Things (IoT) – IoT is helping many sectors for automation and control. Internet of Things(IoT) smart devices are gaining popularity in the market. It is likely to be used in higher education as well. Many use cases like face detection, monitoring student vehicles, analysis of machine performance can be done using IoT.

The Final Thoughts

The latest education is trending towards individualized learning. Student engagement is the primary focus and educators will continue to find new ways to customize the learning experience for each student.Technology will play a big role in this continuous process of shift paradigm. The institutions that learn how to remain on top of these changes will position themselves for growth and success. As the instruments we use advance, our approach to education will evolve into a more data-driven process. Sooner education will become more robotic, rather that teachers will be able to build their lesson plans around real-time insights into their students’ needs.

For further information on the above topic, please refer the below link :

https://brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/business-of-brands/future-shock-25-education-trends-post-covid-19/75729537

Technology Trends predicted in 2020

IEEE Computer Society (IEEE CS) tech experts present what they believe will be the most widely adopted technology trends in 2020.

The topmost technology trends predicted to reach adoption in 2020 are:

Non-volatile memory (NVM) products, interfaces and applications.

The NVM Express (NVMe) describes it as “an open collection of standards and information to fully expose the benefits of nonvolatile memory in all types of computing environments from mobile to data center. NVMe is designed from the ground up to deliver high bandwidth and low latency storage access for current and future NVM technologies.”NVMe is an interface specification for connecting storage to servers via the PCI Express bus. In basic terms, it is a faster way for SSDs to communicate with their host systems. It helps to overcome the bottleneck that occurred when very fast flash was connected to systems via the SAS or SATA connections that were originally designed for HDDs (Hard disk drives).

NVMe over Fabric connects SSDs to networks. NVM Express (NVMe) SSDs will replace SATA ( Serial ATA) and SAS SSDs within the next few years, and NVMe-oF(NVMe Over Fabrics ) will be the dominant network storage protocol in five years. Flash memories uses two technologies – NAND and NOR. Flash memory are used in modern PC and modems which can be easily updated when necessary. NOR flash provides high-speed random access, reading and writing data in specific memory locations; it can retrieve as little as a single byte. NAND flash reads and writes sequentially at high speed, handling data in small blocks, however it is slower on read when compared to NOR. NAND Flash Memory is widely used NVM. NVMe enables NAND tiering technologies and programming functions that increase endurance, enable computational storage, and allow more memory-like access to data. Emerging memory technologies such as MRAM (Magnetic RAM), ReRAM (Resistive RAMs , RRAM, and Memristor being the most common name) and PCM (also called PRAM, Phase-Change Memory ) technology will provide future higher performance NVMe devices.

Digital twins, including cognitive twins.

A digital twin is a virtual model of a process, product or service. This pairing or bridging of the virtual and physical worlds allows analysis of data and monitoring of systems to avoid problems before they even occur, prevent downtime, develop new opportunities and even plan for the future by using simulations. Industry is using digital twins to deliver more accurate, intelligent and engaging interactions.They are an exact replica of something in the physical world. It provides data-driven representations of physical systems using IoT sensors and analytics. Digital twins offer engineers virtual tools for managing assets and resources while improving performance. Companies develop digital twins by attaching sensors to their products and equipment in order to monitor systems and model system dynamics. More than a blueprint or schematic, it combines a real-time simulation of system dynamics with a set of executive controls. Serving as both an interactive simulation and a set of administrative tools, digital twins manage facilities, systems, and machines, while gathering data to drive performance.

Digital twins are data-driven learning systems.They combine data from human experts with machine intelligence to drive the evolution of work in new and unexplored ways. By detecting anomalies and automating repair processes, they can model and simulate entire procedures and processes. Most importantly, the technology enables firms to anticipate problems and prevent mistakes before they occur.Digital twins consist of three components: A data model , a set of analytics or algorithms and a set of executive controls. A key feature of any IoT implementation, this technology enables companies to simulate processes and improve operations over time. Manufacturers tend to use digital twin technology to improve operations such as plant processes and machine performance in order to optimize supply chains. Digital twins are a reality in the manufacturing industry, and major IoT platforms, like Siemens MindSphere, are supporting them. They have also become a widespread tool in complex system operations; railways and power plants have been used in cities since Jan 2019. Cognitive digital twins are in the early stages of trial and experimentation. In one example, a digital twin of an aircraft’s engine enables pilots to monitor the health of an engine in real time. Using digital twin technology to manage entire factories, companies like Siemens are simulating and testing systems at the level of individual machines. General Electric has built digital twins of jet engine components that predict their remaining life and the optimum maintenance intervals.

Summing up ….

NVMe (Non-volatile memory Express) is an interface specification for connecting storage to servers via the PCI Express bus. In basic terms, it is a faster way for SSDs to communicate with their host systems. It helps to overcome the bottleneck that occurred when very fast flash was connected to systems via the SAS or SATA connections that were originally designed for HDDs (Hard disk drives). NVMe over Fabric(NVMe-oF) connects SSDs to networks. A digital twin is a virtual model of a process, product or service.They are data driven learning systems.

Kindly refer the below link to know further :

https://www.enterprisestorageforum.com/storage-hardware/nvme-5-key-facts-about-nonvolatile-memory-express.html

AI helps in improving website USABILITY

Today, an online presence is a must for even the startups and the small businesses. And, a website is essential for it. Without a website, the business is considered simple and not doing well. Almost, all the businesses have one, including all your competitors. The question is — does it really bring about more business? Do your potential buyers or regular shoppers have a good time using your website?

All of that comes down to the user experience (UX) or usability of your website. That is, if your website isn’t user-friendly, it won’t be effective. To make it an effective one, the navigation is expected to be simple and various features can be accessible instantly. If they can’t easily navigate your website or find it not very appealing, they’ll just return back to the search engine and find an alternative website that fulfill their needs.

Website usability is a crucial factor and it plays a significant role in any business. That’s why website usability — delivering a pleasant user experience to your website visitors — should be your top priority in 2020.Now, as you probably know, artificial intelligence (AI) is making great improvements in recent years, with positive influences in various industries such as healthcare, hospitality, automotive, and even online usability (UX).

To illustrate the latter, here’s how AI can improve a website’s usability:

Semantic Search in Search Engines

Usability of the website can be improved by implementing the Semantic search in the search engines.Search bars on any website allow visitors to quickly navigate to what they’re looking for. These users have a specific intent in mind, such as finding a piece of information or shopping for a particular product.In traditional search, known as lexical search which involves character-matching wherein the results were limited to literal matches of the query words or variants of them.

That’s where AI helps — with semantic search, the search engine can figure out the intent and contextual meaning of the search query, thus improving the accuracy of search results, and consequently increasing the user satisfaction. Semantic Search is defined as the search for information based on the intention of the searcher and contextual meaning of the search terms, instead of depending on the dictionary meaning of the individual words in the search query.

Semantic search denotes search by understanding the overall meaning of the terms as they appear in the search query, to generate more relevant results. Semantic Search in search engines mean the search engine would provide relevant search results based on the intent and contextual meaning of the search terms.

Factors considered in SEMANTIC search

A smart search engine would consider several factors to provide the most relevant and useful search queries, including:

Current trend – If the world cup match finals was just over in the country and someone is searching for ‘Who won the world cup’, the semantic search system should be able to understand the query and give relevant results based on the current trend and news.

Location of search – If a person is searching for ‘what is the temperature’, the semantic search engine should be able to provide results based on the current location of the search.

Intent of the search – Semantic search engines should be able to give appropriate search results based on the intent of the search and not based on the specific words used in the search query.

Variations of words in Semantic Search –Semantic search should consider tenses, plural, singular etc and provide relevant search results for all semantic variations of the words. For example, words like device, devices, device’s etc.

Synonyms and Semantic Search – A semantic search engine should be able to understand the synonyms and give more or less the same search results on any synonyms of the word users search for. For example, try searching for “biggest mountain” and “highest mountain”. You would get pretty much the same results since both of them means the same in this particular query, even though the “biggest” and “highest” could mean different things in different cases.

Concept matching – This is a sub-set of context matching in semantic search. Semantic search should understand the broad concept of the query and return relevant results. For example, a query on “Traffic problems in a particular city” could return relevant results including the topics “narrow roads”, “nonfunctioning traffic lights”, “lack of roadside assistance” etc. because in a broad conceptual point of view, all of these lead to traffic problems.

Conclusion:

Semantic search will enable even the non-technical persons to get the more relevant results based on the intent and contextual meaning of the search terms. Bing and Google are not pure semantic search engines. However, both of the search engines incorporate many elements of semantic search in to their search algorithm to provide more relevant and useful search results.

To explore , further about this topic, please check the following link :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_search

Do we choose our problems ?

Everything in life happens by our choice. Life is a struggle and we pick something on the go and hold it as a treasure. These belongings limit us from attaining the spiritual enlightenment. Now you are at a certain point in your life and you have the liberty to make wise choices and proceed to the path of liberation.

To think about a situation or a problem as being everything, is called a worry. Worries are not easy to get rid of. Everyone experiences worries now and then. To worry is the same as taking the matter into your own hands. It is wrong to take matters into your own hands. Each and every God has said that people should not worry and that we have to leave everything to Him.You cannot experience anything amidst your worries. Experience (of God) and worrying are never together. You will have the experience once these worries disappear.

Worry is the greatest ego – Real peace should be with you forever. You cannot experience God in the presence of worries. Worry is the greatest ego. A person who believes, “I am running this, I am doing it,” will suffer from worries. The person, who does not have faith in God, will be the one who worries.

Worry is an open fire – Worry is a fire. One becomes consumed with anxieties that something bad may happen. Once in a while there arises an opportunity for a human being to become an individual with imposing values but if he wastes away his human life worrying, then he will lose the right to be born a human again. Grave indeed is the consequence of not realizing this. The path of liberation starts the moment you stop worrying. Until attaining the spiritual experience of the Lord, the fire of worries continues to burn and people burn in the fire of worries just like potatoes roasting in a fire pit. Such is the life of those who worry.

Spiritual Enlightenment – Bliss follows when worries stop. When worries no longer occur, then all entanglements will diminish. You will experience bliss in the absence of worries and in the midst of all external turmoil. It is then that you will realize that the true entanglements are gone. It will not come just like that. Bliss will only come after the spiritual enlightenment or the Eternal Spirit untangles all your puzzles, and at that point, you will experience bliss and it will remain with you. A life free from worries is a desirable one for all of us , is it not?

Nothing in this world is worth worrying about, not even for a second. Now face those entanglements and bring a solution to them.“Oppose adverse circumstances, look for solutions, but do not worry.” Double punishment for those who worry God says that there are two punishments for those who worry and just one for those who do not. If you worry about a task, you ruin it. Nature tells us to put forth tremendous effort in order to accomplish a difficult task. The one who worries takes the reins into his own hands and believes, ‘I am the one who is making it work!’ .Dependence on the non-Self (complex of thoughts, speech and actions) results in worry. You will have to leave behind all your materialistic possessions and relations when you leave this world. During this final stage in your life, no one will have the power to do anything. The only things you will be allowed to take with you are your paap (bad deeds) and punya (good deeds). To put it simply, a list of whatever rights and wrongs you have done here, will accompany you. The monetary earnings gained from those crimes will remain here and the case will continue in the next life. As a result of these accumulated karma you will acquire a new body and you will have to start afresh to pay off the debts you created in your this life. So why not wake up from the beginning? Worries actually harm your health and obstruct whatever is due to you.

The final words….

If you truly had faith in God, you would leave everything to him and sleep soundly. There is so much going on inside of you (such as digestion etc) that requires care, and yet you worry about what is happening on the outside. God is doing all the great work inside, and all the outside work is minor in comparison to this. You claim that you are doing all the work, so naturally God will feel bad! Worries arise because of this ego of ‘doership’. The person, who worries, is egoistic. Leave everything to God , Surrender yourself to HIM and stop worrying. Then you will realize God, so that your worries will be gone forever.

THE REALISATION OF LIFE

Man has every day to solve his problems and adjusting his burdens. His burdens are many, too numerous for him to carry, but he knows that by adopting a system he can lighten the weight of his load. Whenever they feel too complicated , he starts to search for a system to set everything in place and distribute the weight evenly. This search for system is really a search for unity, for synthesis; it is our attempt to harmonize the heterogeneous complexity of outward materials by an inner adjustment. All our egoistic impulses, our selfish desires, hide our true vision of the soul. For they only indicate our own narrow self. When we are conscious of our soul, we perceive the inner being that transcends our ego and has its deeper affinity with the All.

Teachings of Jesus and Buddha

When Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth,” he meant this. He proclaimed the truth that when man gets rid of his pride of self then he comes into his true inheritance. No more has he to fight his way into his position in the world; it is secure for him everywhere by the immortal right of his soul. Pride of self interferes with the proper function of the soul which is to realise itself by perfecting its union with the world and the world’s God. Jesus also says in his teachings, “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven” – which implies that whatever we treasure for ourselves separates us from others; our possessions are our limitations. He who is bent upon accumulating riches is unable, with his ego continually bulging, to pass through the gates of comprehension of the spiritual world, which is the world of perfect harmony; he is shut up within the narrow walls of his limited acquisitions.

Buddha says, It is true, that I denounce activities, but only the activities that lead to the evil in words, thoughts, or deeds. It is true, that I preach extinction, but only the extinction of pride, lust, evil thought, and ignorance, not that of forgiveness, love, charity, and truth.

Eternal Spirit – the light of a consciousness

The man of science knows, in one aspect, that the world is not merely what it appears to be to our senses; he knows that earth and water are really the play of forces that manifest themselves to us as earth and water . Likewise the man who has his spiritual eyes open knows that the ultimate truth about earth and water lies in our apprehension of the eternal which works in time and takes shape in the forces we realize under those aspects. Unlike science, this is not a mere knowledge, but it is a perception of the soul by the soul. This does not lead us to power, as knowledge does, but it gives us joy, which is the product of the union of kindred things. The man with the spiritual vision understands deeply these natural phenomena. The water does not merely cleanse his limbs, but it purifies his heart; for it touches his soul. The earth does not merely hold his body, but it gladdens his mind; for its contact is more than a physical contact – it is a living presence.

When a man does not realise his kinship with the world, he lives in a prison-house whose walls are alien to him. When he meets the eternal spirit in all objects, for then he discovers the fullest significance of the world into which he is born; then he finds himself in perfect truth, and his harmony with the all is established. Thus the text of our everyday meditation is the Gayatri, a verse which is considered to be the epitome of all the Vedas. By its help we try to realize the essential unity of the world with the conscious soul of man; we learn to perceive the unity held together by the one Eternal Spirit, whose power creates the earth, the sky, and the stars, and at the same time irradiates our minds with the light of a consciousness that moves and exists in unbroken continuity with the outer world.

“Sadhana – The Realisation of Life” is a breathtaking collection of spiritual discourses given by Rabindranath Tagore in West Bengal. To him the verses of the Upanishads and the teachings of Buddha have ever been things of the spirit, and therefore endowed with boundless vital growth;A repository of the timeless wisdom of the East, Sadhana is one of the most profound books on spirituality that you will ever read! It is highly recommended as a starter book to any seeker of spiritual wisdom.

Please refer this book to explore further on this topic – “Sadhana – The Realisation of Life” .It is available as a downloadable free e-book (in PDF format also) online.

Failure Is a Great Thing

Failures are the stepping stones to success. Mistakes help you improve. You can learn from your mistakes. It enables us to look from different perspectives and let us see the other strategies that will work.This is a growth mindset. Growth mindset make everyone powerful and adaptable. It facilitates them to develop resilience which helps them in bouncing back.It makes them to consider failure as a positive learning experience in a creative way.Though mistakes hurt you , they make you humble.

In fact, our brains grow and develop in important ways whenever failure occurs. When kids understand this concept, amazing things can happen for them (and for us).When we learn new things , our brain grows.They learn to tolerate frustration.They learn to focus on the positive aspects, patience ,social and emotional skills for their life-time.After learning from mistakes, children can help others and guide them who experience similar difficulties or failures.

Failing in some activities like exam, competitions,sports etc is a natural event or part of living .Failure can produce painful feelings such as anger, sadness, frustration, or low self-esteem in a child or adult. These emotions may be based on their age and emotional maturity.They have to be taught to recognize and deal with those feelings in a positive way.

Failing gives the children a chance to self-regulate their emotions . While children learn from mistakes, they also understand the moral judgement that comes from doing something like apologizing to the opponent or neighbour and take measures to correct the wrong thing to a right.

How parents can help children face and learn from their failures ?

Parents should praise their children for learning from a mistake. They should not be praised for not making a mistake.

Challenging experiences are the only way children learn specific coping skills and problem solving skills .If we pamper them and protect them from adversity , certain brain connections will not develop.

Children should know that winning is not an important thing. They should be praised for their efforts and attitude to take part in the challenging activities or competitions .

Children should be made to understand that the biggest mistakes teach us more courage , strength and wisdom than any success can bring.

Parents can share stories of past failures and the steps they took to get over from them . This can be beneficial for your children. It’s even more helpful by keeping your kids in the communication loop as you face challenge or adversity in the present.

Sharing current failures allows parents to share the entire thinking, communication and behavioral processes they engage in . More importantly , it delivers the message that no matter how old we are, we fail, we persist and we learn from them.

Kids who are overpraised become dependent on others for validation and may end up needing a constant flow of positive feedback to feel valued. Hence , they should not be lavishly given compliments. Parents should enlighten children by guiding them to get confidence from overcoming challenges or adversity rather than over-praising.

Encourage them to try new things – Kids naturally get inclined toward the hobbies that interest them and at which they excel. But if your child avoids trying a different activity because she’s afraid of how she’ll perform, she’ll miss or fail to broaden her horizons.

After failure , Parents should make the children to try again and understand that they are on the right track. They can suggest them to ask for help without giving up.Also, Parents can make them realise that they can become better the next time.

Conclusion:

Kids typically fear failure.But if they know that mistakes improve learning and grow their brain , they will accept the mistakes and think about different learning paths or strategies.When children are exposed to failures and by regular practice, they learn to respond to it strongly rather than merely reacting to it. Children should know that winning is not an important thing. They should be praised for their efforts and attitude to take part in the challenging activities or competitions .Children should be taught to fail with a positive approach.

Further WEB Development trends

Single-Page Websites are on the top list

A single or one page website is simply a website that only contains one HTML page. Content is fully loaded in the initial page and there are no additional pages, such as a Home or About , Features or categories and Contact Us page. The sensible approach is to create a rough sketch of your site, and outline the elements to include in the design and finalise where they should be placed. This helps to figure out if the one-page approach is appropriate.Single page websites aim to provide just the right amount of information for a user to make a decision and act on it. For starters, a single page website, that splits content into small chunks and removes User Interface or design clutter, is easy to design.

They are ideal for the busy digital customers who don’t want to waste time and offer concise and relevant content directly. Scrolling is an easy movement and it can be easily accessed across various devices .The reduced content and cost-effectiveness of these websites are making it quite popular among businesses. Another advantage of having a straightforward navigation system is that there is usually only one action to be taken by the user and it can lead to increased conversions because users nowhere get distracted by another offer.

Effective one-page sites often share certain characteristics that include:

Clearly defined sections – The more information you include on a single page, the more care needs to go into the way it’s formatted. Users click navigation links that allow them jump to destinations or different sections of the content on the same page.

Big header elements – They’re even more important that help you to capture the visitors’ attention.Here are a few examples of situations where it makes sense to use a simple one-page layout:

Portfolios – For certain services like freelancing , a single page is often enough to give potential employers a bit of information you can find out about the agency’s services, team members, past clients and projects, contact information and even include a simple contact form. The website even includes a fun chatbot you can use to get in touch instead of sending an email, which makes the page feel more interactive.

Landing pages – This type of website is all about converting users. In a nutshell, it’s a landing page designed to drum up excitement for the product. However, simple animations can be used to make the page liven up, and help you understand how it all works.

Brochure websites. If your business only needs a simple website with photos, contact information, and an introduction to your services.This is why single-page design is especially hot for brands owning exclusive sites for events or announcements with the amazing photography and simple layouts.

Drawbacks : (i).Single page websites can’t perform big on SEO (Search Engine Optimization). In fact, they could hurt your chances of ranking with Google and result in decreased conversions and user engagement. With so little content, target keywords often get neglected on single page sites. The good news is that there are workarounds, such as using the expandable div to include descriptions and additional imagery.(ii).Additionally, the single page website isn’t the ideal candidate for a growing brand, as its ability to scale is limited.

Minimalist Web Design Principles Create Maximum Impact

A simple website carrying fewer design elements and offering good User experience can improve user interaction and drive conversions. Most developers are experiencing how applying functional minimalism principles to a website can create a huge impact on the visitors and business outcomes.Consequently, most developers are adopting the less-is-more approach to improve their site’s composition and engage their visitors.

Modular design

Modular design allows developers to reuse components and modules to create a web page rather than creating it using a restrictive template. Visually, modular design is a step up from templates. Developers can use it to create content blocks to display information in a powerful way.

However, creating a modular design web page is like each piece should interlock with one another without worrying how to rebuild the shape of the lego piece.Of course, when each of these pieces is combined, developers build a web page that makes sense and this leads to faster and cheaper development but a similar end-goal product.

Motion UI and impressive websites

The internet is massive and that it affects the average person’s attention span; The better way to grab the attention of a user is with a captivating motion UI. As you scroll down the page, it changes and adapts to keep the visitor engaged. With functions, such as loading spinners, attractive CTAs, CSS animations, and subtly-moving elements, motion UI is a raving trend among modern developers. This animation technology allows businesses to own impressive web pages that reduce the time between clicks and conversions.Finally, resources like the Motion UI library offer various design elements that allow developers to animate design elements that work with any JavaScript or jQuery framework, the applications of GIF animation and motion UI will grow further.

The final words:

Compared to multi-page websites that are used in e-commerce websites, single page websites are highly used by busy digital customers for Portfolios , landing pages , brochure services and is especially hot for brands owning exclusive sites for events or announcements .Modular website design , Motion UI and minimalistic design principles too create a greater impact and will set a niche trend in the years to come.

Kindly check the below link to futher explore the above topic :

https://www.computer.org/publications/tech-news/trends/8-web-development-trends-to-watch-out-for-this-year

Content marketing , Social Media and Email Marketing strategies

Content marketing

Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.

Content marketing and creation is an art form that requires the ability to design creative and interesting content that connects with a targeted audience. It’s an educational material that helps the reader, answers a question, or solves a problem in a way that is entertaining to read, watch, or listen to.Content should engage someone with valuable, engaging, and relevant information.

Visual Content : In addition to video , there are other forms of visual content your audience may find valuable – pictures, presentations , tables , charts , graphs and GIFs. Embedding visual content into your blog articles can create a significant impact.There are several mediums through which they make these connections such as blog posts , social media posts , emails and video.Blog articles – They remain one of the most effective and versatile types of content. The key is that you need to publish regularly inorder to have them bring in traffic.

Audio – Podcasts are great ways to share the content for those who prefer audio.

E-Books – They are more detailed than blogs and as such are great for a learning-oriented audience.

Videos – Visuals can say a lot with a combination of data, and they’re also super .

Your first step is the research stage, in which you can use advanced analytics,social listening and search intent modelling to gain the necessary insights into your audience and opportunities. Keyword research can be done to create great social content. Content gets the supreme position when it comes to social media marketing. Make sure you post regularly and offer truly valuable information that your ideal customers will find helpful and interesting. The content that you share on your social networks can include social media images, videos, how-to guides and more.

SOCIAL Media marketing

The use of the major social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, and Snapchat for marketing the product or a service is called Social Media marketing.The Five Core Pillars of Social Media Marketing are as follows .

Strategy – The first step is to think about your social media strategy.Some businesses use social media for increasing their brand awareness, others use it for driving website traffic and sales. Social media can also help you generate engagement around your brand, create a community etc .

Planning and Publishing – The content to be published to social media must be planned before hand and it is as simple as sharing a blog post, an image, or a video on a social media platform.

Listening and Engagement – You will want to monitor social media conversations about your brand for positive and negative comments . Depending on that , you get a chance to surprise ,delight them or you can offer support and correct a situation before it gets worse.

To measure brand awareness: visitors, page views
To measure retention: subscribes/unsubscribes, bounce rate
Engagement: Likes, shares, retweets, comments

The key here is really engagement and brand awareness. You can tell how valuable your content is to your audience by how well they’re engaging. So, comments, mail list signups, and social shares are examples of them.

Analytics – The social media platforms provide more in-depth analytics information of how it’s marketing is performing.

Advertising – Social media ads allow you to reach a wider audience than those who are following you.You can create target audiences based on their demographics (location), interests, behaviors, and more.

Social Media for Content Promotion — Social media marketing is a perfect channel for sharing your best site and blog content with readers. Plus, great blog content will help you build more followers.

Sharing Curated Links —It’s also an opportunity to link to outside articles as well. Curating and linking to outside sources improves trust and reliability, and you may even get some links in return.

Using different social media for Social Media MarketingFACEBOOK : Facebook’s casual, friendly environment requires an active social media marketing strategy. Start by creating a Facebook Business Fan Page with the visually appealing layout, as it is a key aspect of it. Consider a cost-effective Facebook ad strategy, which can have a big impact .

Google+ : Google+ won’t work for everybody, but some communities are very active on Google+. Also take advantage of Google+ circles, which allow you to segment your followers into smaller groups, enabling you to share information with some followers .

Pinterest : Pinterest is one of the fastest growing social media marketing trends with an image-centered platform . Pinterest allows businesses to showcase their product offerings with unique pinboards. When developing your Pinterest strategy, remember that the social network’s primary audience is female. Twitter : Twitter is the social media marketing tool that lets you broadcast your updates across the web. Using Twitter as a social media marketing tool revolves around dialog and communication, so be sure to interact as much as possible to build upon your following.

LinkedIn : LinkedIn is one of the more professional social media marketing sites. LinkedIn Groups is a great venue for entering into a professional dialog with people in similar industries and to share content with them. It’s also great for posting jobs and general employee networking. Encourage customers or clients to give your business a recommendation that makes your business appear more credible and reliable for new customers.YouTube : YouTube is the place for creating and sharing video content, and it can also be an incredibly powerful social media marketing tool. Focus on creating useful, instructive “how-to” videos that have the added benefit of ranking on the video search results of Google , that shows the power of video content.

Paid Social Media Marketing is a highly cost-effective way to expand your reach.

Email Marketing

Research shows that email marketing is consistently one of the top choices for digital marketing and has a higher Return On Investment when compared to other platforms. An email list consists of subscribers who have signed up to receive news about your brand, service or product. MailChimp and Constant Contact are popular customer relationship management systems, and email marketing on those platforms is free or low-cost until a certain number of subscribers are reached, at which point the fees increase.

Summing up….

With digital marketing, you’re looking for engagement and conversations that are a two-way street. Content creation is an art form that requires the ability to design creative and interesting content that connects with a targeted audience. Keyword research can be done to create great social content. Content occupies the supreme position when it comes to social media marketing.

Kindly refer the following link for further information:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Content_marketing

What Color is your Personality ?

The five fingers in our hand are different . So , are we human beings. What is it that makes us different ? It is PERSONALITY , the difference maker and it is in your Genes. It creates the involuntary behavioral patterns necessary for you to function and to survive , and represents both your genetic coding and the outward direction you will take in life. Your personality affects all aspects of your life : your lifestyle , your work habits, your relationships, your stress responses , and your health.Your personality has two aspects : traits and characteristics. Traits are the result of inherent genetic coding that determines the way your brain functions around mental processing , which is how you gather and process information and make decisions.Characteristics are the flexible parts of personality that allow you to adapt and survive.It is driven and controlled by the boundaries predetermined by your personality traits.

There are four distinctive personality styles : RED , ORANGE , YELLOW and GREEN.

Red Personality (Red stirs the senses and passions )

Hard work is the hallmark of reds – they make things happen.They are hardworking , ambitious people who are driven to conquer. Reds are rapid-fire thinkers and become impatient with too much planning. They are fiercely competitive .In their rush to win , they may simply push others aside or run over them.With a conservative approach to life, they live more in the past than the present , and are concerned with personal safety and security.They are firm-minded, practical, stubborn , and assertive.It represents aggression , passion , strength , and action . The color red excites and represents the blood of life.Reds move the world.

Orange Personality ( Social color of service to mankind)

They are , by nature , caretakers. They are more solicitous , more sensitive or more concerned about basic human emotional needs .They are devoted , considerate , and ever-so-helpful team players.They make decisions based on how they feel about things. Orange energy seeks harmony and cooperation between people , and focusses on family and on the building of relationships that are mutually beneficial . They live more in the present than the past and plan for the future. They are jealous and protective of their things and the people they care about. They have a strong need for personal praise and seek social acceptance. They are friendly , welcoming , and approachable.

Yellow Personality ( Color of intellect , innovation )

Yellows are self-confident personalities. They are intuitive and challengers. They challenge the way things are done , and they challenge authority.They are both conceptual and analytical thinkers who pride themselves on their ability to solve problems. They live in both the present and the future. Yellow in the energy system reflects intellect and is a synthesis of both linear thinking and creativity. They are stimulated to explore new directions. Emotionally , from a positive perspective , yellow represents optimism and joy. They are idea people who have the capability of turning ideas into reality.Negatively , it represents lack of courage and fear of criticism.

Green Personality (fresh emblem of well-founded hopes)

They are open and receptive to new ideas.They are continually looking for new interests .They are expansive in their thinking – idea people who thrive on change and are constantly seeking new experiences. They are continually hopeful and optimistic that they will find their place in society , since they need conflict-free environments and relationships , and are driven by their need to be liked.Greens seek energetic social contact and approval. They live in the past and future. They are continually impatient with the present because it is too slow to catch up with their futuristic thinking. They have a deep longing for spiritual fulfillment. They continually seek to understand what their life’s purpose is , the significance of life itself , and also mental , emotional , and spiritual expansion.They are most interested in the extrasensory and the supernatural.

The final words….

New scientific evidence in the fields of behavioral and energy medicine is supporting the premise that the real cause of illness lies in our thoughts and emotions.Personality ties behavioral and emotional responses to the body. The body responds by creating weak sites predictable by personality color.If we have the knowledge and understanding of our personality colors, we have an increased awareness of the vulnerability of our state of wellness.

Kindly check the book titled

“What color is your PERSONALITY ?” – Carol Ritberger, Ph.D.

Top 7 Web Development Trends To Watch Out In 2020

Digital revolution sets up new trends in technology , programming languages etc. And , people are eager to know about the latest trends and to keep them in sync with it (without getting outdated) and to get ahead of the rising competition .Some of the recent web development trends are as follows.

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)
Chatbots
Web Assembly
Single Page Applications (SPAs)
Motion UI
Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)
JavaScript and Python.

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)

A progressive web application is a web app that makes use of the latest web capabilities to provide an app-like experience. Progressive web apps are being considered as the next big thing for the users of the mobile web. They are replacing native mobile Apps.A progressive web app combines the best of both web and mobile apps. You can consider it as a website that acts and feels like a mobile app. Experts define progressive web apps as responsive, connectivity-independent, safe app-like web experiences.

It offers an app-like experience, allowing faster loading time and improved conversion rate in comparison to native apps.
It costs less than the native option.
It allows users to continue browsing even in the absence of a network.

Significant features :

Progressive internet apps are website pages that appear like mobile applications for users. Then your individual can access them without any internet connection if they’re preloaded on the device. The feel will be got by the users of using an application as opposed to the website.The purpose of these Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) is to produce a experience that is native-like the users on all platforms. It combines the very best associated with web and native applications providing a feel that is great the users.The brand identity will probably be noticeable in a more powerful way.

The publisher shall have the complete liberties of these push notifications, and additionally they can deliver them when necessary directly to the user’s mobile. This way users will be able to also link to your website whenever they want, permitting them to re-engage with your website. This is usually extremely hard with normal websites. Users will manage to share this site content for any apps which are present on the mobiles. The sharing isn’t only confined to apps like Twitter or Facebook. Users will be able to do all these plain things with no data connection via PWAs. This is among the best reasons why you should rely on PWAs.

It is fast, can work online or with a poor internet connection, and is relatively low cost. A PWA supports interactions, allowing users to enjoy a high-end experience without ever realizing that they are still using the browser. These modern web applications load like regular web pages or websites but have a high level of functionality. They can load instantly, regardless of the network state and browser choice because they’re built with progressive enhancement, a strategy for web design that emphasizes core web page content first.It can be shared via a URL and can re-engage users with web push notifications.

Examples

Here are some of the world-known companies that have already built a PWA and leverage its benefits for their business: Alibaba , Forbes , Twitter ,Pinterest, Uber, and Flipkart . In a nutshell, PWA is a website which, however, offers functionality traditionally available to native apps (e.g. push notifications, offline access, hardware access).These companies mark the following results from PWA strategy adoption: increase in conversions and a decrease of load time.

Technology to Use

If you want to follow the latest web development trends and build a PWA, here is the list of popular technologies for this purpose: Angular , React and Polymer .

CHAT BOTS

Chatbots can give online support to the users of their website , with which it is integrated. They can address customer support requirements quite effectively and you can count on bots for 24/7 assistance. There is no need to hire a full-time online customer service representative.These programs are made to interact with people. Integrating these with your websites will assist in generating increased traffic and making the site even more attractive. Chatbots are creating a larger effect than one may expect. Users these days want quick solutions and aren’t interested to waste their time. The thing that is best as you are able to do in this situation is integrating your internet site with a chat bot. These chatbots will answer questions that customers have. They always focus on supplying better engagement of users on the website and providing them with a experience that is good. The latest AI and machine learning will additionally produce a difference that will add much more capabilities to this.

Huge B2C companies already use the technology to serve their customers – official page chatbots inside Facebook messenger , WhatsApp and Skype. A bot could also be integrated into PWA , regular website etc.A chatbot is a piece of software that processes and simulates human conversation. It allows people to interact with devices, apps or websites. A chatbot can be just a basic program that replies to a simple query or it may be a complex piece of software that can provide a high level of personalization to users.

To deliver responses to requests, chatbots make use of natural language processing (NLP), artificial intelligence and machine learning (ML). For businesses, chatbots enhance operational efficiency and save money. As many customer queries can be easily answered by chatbots, businesses require less number of customer service professionals.

We shall cover the remaining web development trends in the next article.

Summing up :

Progressive web applications provide less website loading time and works with poor or no Internet connection , if data is already pre-loaded from the site. They are like native apps but much more friendly and provide push notifications , It is cost-effective compared to the native mobile applications. Chatbots provide online support to the visitors of the website and 24/7 assistance. They use AI , machine learning and NLP and answer simpler to more complex queries instantly and engage the website visitors.

For further information, please refer the link given below.

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/4221621

Techniques and Applications of AI

Intelligence requires knowledge. Intelligence is the ability to store , retrieve and act on data – efficiently and effectively. Knowledge is a collection of ‘facts’. To manipulate these facts by a program, a suitable representation is required. A good representation facilitates problem solving. Artificial Intelligence enable computers to recognize the knowledge , reason ( questioning it to find out the logic) and act upon it. It is quite difficult to define the characteristics of Knowledge correctly. It differs from data by being organized in a way that corresponds to its application.

Learning is not very different from perception, they both find out about the world based on experience. Perception is the short time scale (where am I?) .Learning is the long time scale (what’s the coefficient of friction?).An AI technique is a method that exploits knowledge and captures generalizations that share properties, are grouped together, rather than being allowed separate representation.AI Techniques tell us how we represent, manipulate and reason with knowledge in order to solve problems. Some of these techniques employ an agent whose job is to use sequences of percepts to estimate the missing details in the world of dynamics.

Different techniques in AI are as follows :

Branch and Bound :

Here, the domain is classified into sections. Knowledge is stored in decision trees . Tree of decisions is formed ( conditions with “yes” or “no” branches). It is a semi-transparent technique. With large problems , it becomes difficult for human interpretation.

Application : Insurance fraud detection & Credit assessment of the loan application for processing bank loans.

Guided search :

It is mainly used in the Optimisation (maximization) problems . Here, the domain is described by a function and optimisation techniques do not actually produce only local optima.This does not search previously visited point. Therefore , it will not become stuck or get into a loop forever.

Application :Finding the optimal solution with maximum weight , Machine learning applications.

Heuristic search :

A heuristic is a way of trying to discover an idea. Heuristics are rules of thumb and they do not guarantee a solution to a problem. Heuristic functions are used in some approaches to search or to measure how far a node in a search tree seems to be from a goal. Heuristic technique compares two nodes in a search tree to see if one is better than the other, i.e. constitutes an advance toward the goal, and may be more useful. These algorithms appear to be really intelligent because they perform better. Heuristic algorithms are more efficient because they take advantage of feedback from the data to direct the search path. This search technique is a weak one but can be effective if applied correctly and it requires domain specific information. Heuristics are knowledge about domain, which help search and reasoning in its domain. Heuristic is a function that, when applied to a state, returns value as estimated merit of state, with respect to goal. Heuristic evaluation function estimates likelihood of given state leading to goal state. Heuristic search function estimates cost from current state to goal, presuming function is efficient.

Inference Engine : This technique uses efficient procedures and rules . It is essential in deducting a correct, flawless solution. In case of knowledge-based ES, the Inference Engine acquires and manipulates the knowledge from the knowledge base to arrive at a particular solution. In case of rule based ES, it − Applies rules repeatedly to the facts, which are obtained from earlier rule application. Adds new knowledge into the knowledge base if required. Resolves rules conflict when multiple rules are applicable to a particular case. To recommend a solution, the Inference Engine uses the following strategies − Forward & Backward Chaining.

Forward Chaining – It is a strategy of an expert system to answer the question, “What can happen next?” Here, the Inference Engine follows the chain of conditions and derivations and finally deduces the outcome. It considers all the facts and rules, and sorts them before concluding to a solution. This strategy is followed for working on conclusion, result, or effect. For example, prediction of share market status as an effect of changes in interest rates.

Backward Chaining -With this strategy, an expert system finds out the answer to the question, “Why this happened?” On the basis of what has already happened, the Inference Engine tries to find out which conditions could have happened in the past for this result. This strategy is followed for finding out cause or reason. For example, diagnosis of blood cancer in humans.

Genetic programming : Genetic programming is an automated method for creating a working computer program from a high-level problem statement of a problem. Genetic programming starts from a high-level statement of ‘what needs to be done’ and automatically creates a computer program to solve the problem. Supervised learning is the machine learning task of inferring a function from labeled training data. In supervised learning, each example is a pair consisting of an input object (typically a vector) and the desired output value (also called the supervisory signal ).

Neural Networks – Backward Propagation :

Neural Networks model a brain. Nodes represent neurons .They are linked to other nodes via connections ( representing synapses). Nodes send messages to their output when a threshold from their inputs has been reached. Neural networks typically take a vector of input values and produce a vector of output values. Inside, they train weights of “neurons”. Neural networks use supervised learning, in which inputs and outputs are known and the goal is to build a representation of a function that will approximate the input to output mapping.

This approach is learning by example―given a set of right answers, it learns the general patterns. Reinforcement Learning learns by experience―given some set of actions and an eventual reward or punishment, it learns which actions are good or bad.It is a “Black Box” technique.

Applications : Modelling of industrial systems , Speech recognition programs.

Expert systems :

It is a transparent technique.It becomes difficult for human interpretation with very large problems – above 1000 rules, the logic chain becomes huge.

Applications : Process monitoring and control in medical fields , chemical industries etc.

Summing up….

An AI technique is a method that exploits knowledge and captures generalizations that share properties and can be grouped together. AI Techniques tell us how we represent, manipulate and reason with knowledge in order to solve problems.These techniques have practical applications in almost every field. It forms the basic foundation of the new revolutionizing technology – Intelligent connectivity.

Kindly check the following link to explore further about the topics :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence#Tools

Pay-Per-Click Advertising – A Digital marketing strategy

Digital marketing are all marketing activities for a product or service that use an electronic device or the Internet.In this article , we shall look at the PPC (Pay-per-click) strategy extending to affiliate advertising or marketing .

Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC)

PPC, or Pay-per-click, is a form of advertising on search engines, like Google and Bing. Basically, it’s the process of buying visits to your site. Pay-per-click marketing deals with paid search results on Google (i.e) It’s a way of moving to the top of search engine results pages by paid means (sponsored) unlike optimizing the website for organic search ,as in SEO. It’s called PPC because your ad account is charged every time one of your advertisements is clicked. The cost of each ad, or CPC (cost per click), depends on your industry ,the quality score of your website and the keywords to be targeted. This type of digital marketing demands a thorough analysis of keywords, especially those that are relevant to your business. You can use the Google Keyword Planner and Google AdWords to carry out your research and arrive on a set of keywords that are popular yet cost-effective for you.

When you put out a PPC ad, there’s usually little to no upfront cost. If a customer clicks on your ad, you pay a minimal cost. If no one clicks on it, then you pay nothing. This makes it attractive for small businesses who are on a limited budget. PPC is sort of like a paid version of SEO. You actually bid for advertising space for certain keywords on search engines. The bidding process involves few aspects that the advertiser should prioritise: Bid amount , Quality of advert , Formats (video , display advert , including various extensions) and Expected clickthrough rate (CTR). These combine to give advertisements an ‘Ad Rank.’ The Ad Rank is compared to competing advertisements to determine where the advertisement is placed.

How it Works

PPC is one of the types of paid search. It’s similar to SEM (search engine marketing) but can also include display advertising (cost-per-click based), and affiliate advertising.

Through tools like Google AdWords, PPC works on finding keywords that your website will perform well, and dependent on the competition, CPC is determined. Through bidding on keywords, against competitors, your ad appears in relevant search results and will charge you if a user clicks on your ad.

Both SEO and PPC campaigns can be tracked or measured using the supremely handy Google Analytics tool.

Strategy

Many of the businesses use both short-term and long-running PPC campaigns. PPC campaigns can be a short-term solution, and many use it to shift products or seasonal deals, as a way to boost revenue. SEO work is about your ranking being ‘earned’, but in PPC your ranking on the first page is bought. Small businesses may not be able to go for this digital marketing method, especially for longer periods.

PPC can also extend to affiliate marketing and ads on other sites.

Influencer/Affiliate Marketing

It is a type of online advertising through networking which includes influencers to endorse and make reference to your products. The concept of affiliate marketing is similar to the sales based on commission. Organizations provide custom links to their affiliates. Affiliates earn a specific commission every time someone purchases products through their custom link. Influence marketing could be considered a modern way of affiliate marketing.

A fantastic way to increase your audience is to get someone with a following to endorse your brand. If you can get a celebrity or a well known personality person to endorse your brand online, you will create a pathway between their audience and yours, creating an interest among their audience to investigate your product or service further. Affiliate marketing involves a partnership with an online retailer where you earn a commission from every sale or lead (chance of becoming a potential buyer) that you bring in. The two most common ways of doing this are:

Offering a unique discount code to their readers/followers
Linking to your website from their content website

Whenever a user plugs in the discount code or clicks on the link, you pay your affiliate partner for the website traffic/sale. The most popular affiliate network is Amazon Associates, but there are also affiliate marketing programs with eBay, Shopify, and other e-commerce sites.It’s a win-win in most cases. You outsource some of your marketing, reach a new target audience in niche communities, calculate and discuss your cost-per-click/sale , and only pay for actual conversions. In return, your partners get to earn a passive income with no upfront cost and very little stress.

Affiliate marketing refers to the process of paying for conversions. This means there is no upfront cost to affiliate marketing. Many bloggers or e-commerce websites use affiliate marketing.

Influencer marketing is among the newer types of digital marketing. Influencer marketing uses people with an enormous online reach considered experts by your target market to drive traffic and sales.Influencer marketing is popular on social media channels like Instagram and Snapchat. Companies hire Instagrammers with large followings to promote their brand by posting one or more photos with the product. Always make sure to do your research on an influencer before you decide to do business with them.Many companies work with such influencers to create brand awareness and convert at least some of their huge fan following into profitable leads for themselves. Many others let affiliates or brand representatives reach out to a varied demographic and generate sales.

Display Advertising :

This form of advertising refers to the process of advertising a product or service through visuals like images and videos on networks of publisher websites such as the Google Display Network and Facebook etc.

Display ads are placed on relevant third-party websites in the form of banner, image and text ads. Display advertising is pretty much a blanket term that includes every visual ad placed on a website. A display ad, or banner ad, is the box or ‘banner’ on a website that stands out from the rest of the website and looks distinctly like an ad. For example, it often features a product image, brand, and call-to-action (CTA).Display ads can range from simple static image banners , GIF ads , animated HTML ads to videos and interactive applications. But one thing remains the same: when clicked on by a viewer they link back to a company’s website, or a dedicated landing page. The main purpose of display advertising is to deliver general advertisements and brand messages to site visitors.

Conclusion :

PPC is one of the types of paid search. It’s similar to SEM (search engine marketing) but can also include display advertising (cost-per-click based), and affiliate advertising. Many bloggers or e-commerce websites use affiliate marketing. Display ads can range from simple static image banners , animated ads to videos and interactive applications.Depending on the budget and the type of business, this marketing strategy can be used for a shorter or longer term.

Please do check out the following link to explore further about this topic :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pay-per-click

Finding inner PEACE through spirituality

Spirituality can be defined broadly as a sense of connection to something higher than ourselves. Many people search for meaning in their lives in the realization phase . The seeking of answer to the questions – “Who am I ?” ,” The meaning and purpose of my life”. Ofcourse , spirituality gives a convincing answer to these questions. It definitely helps us to find the means and purpose in a rapidly changing world.The spirituality guides you on the way towards enlightenment. In simple terms , it is a journey to our personal awareness using our sixth sense.
Spirituality can be considered as a sacred dimension and to be more precise , the “inner dimension”. It is really the “deepest values and meanings by which people live” , such as a belief in a supernatural (beyond the known and observable) realm religious experience etc. It is the quality or the feeling of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things. This implies , that spirituality has to do with the spirit, as in the essence of being human — your soul or your inner life. Religions usually have defined beliefs, rituals etc; spirituality is more specific at an individual level.

Seeking a meaningful connection with something bigger than yourself can result in increased positive emotions. Transcendent moments are filled with peace, awe, and contentment—fusion of emotional and spiritual wellbeing , like most aspects of wellbeing. Other emotions related to transcendent moments are compassion , gratitude ,appreciation ,inspiration ,admiration, elevation and love. These emotions have a particular capability of bonding individuals together and are linked gradually with the higher levels of spirituality.
Spirituality is universally connective in the realization that suffering is a part of human existence. Religion also promotes human virtues such as honesty, forgiveness, gratefulness, patience, and dependability, which help to maintain and enhance social relationships. The practice of these human virtues may also directly increase positive emotions and neutralize negative ones.

SPIRITUALITY Benefits : It reaps many benefits for stress relief and overall mental health. It provides you with a
• Feeling of a sense of purpose : Cultivating your spirituality may help uncover what’s most meaningful in your life. By clarifying what’s most important, you can focus less on the unimportant things and eliminate stress.
• Connection to the world : The more you feel you have a purpose in the world, the less solitary you may feel — even when you’re alone. This can lead to a valuable inner peace during difficult times.
• Release of authority : When you feel part of a greater whole, you may realize that you aren’t responsible for everything that happens in life and become stress-free.
• Higher levels of psychological resilience, positive emotions, and improved immune response have all been linked with spirituality.
• It enables us to have the most productive days of your life! Also , it increases the motivation and live every day with joy, passion and excitement.
• It provides us with the long lasting energy that keeps us moving even , when faced with setbacks.
The final words…
This global pandemic cause more uncertainties and fear among us and we all turn to religion and spirituality for support. Humans all over the world are desperate to make sense of the tragedy and psychological pain that is being experienced. Many of our religious and spiritual traditions have been poised to respond to times of crisis since time immemorial.
Staying connected to your inner spirit and the lives of those around you can enhance your quality of life, both mentally and physically. The complete wisdom of spirituality is attained depending on the maturity level , age and life experiences . Spirituality forms the basis of your well-being, helps you cope up with stressors and affirms your purpose in life.With appreciation, love, self-compassion, gratitude, and kindness, we might have a chance to shift into a state of improved wellbeing. We ought to be responsible with your thoughts and your emotions. Also , we need to be responsible in the way you treat others and to find ways to limit your intake of things that can disturb your peace.

Please check the following Wiki link to know further about the spiritual practices and other web sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirituality

The fusion of 5G , IoT and AI leads to “Intelligent connectivity”

Developments in 5G, artificial intelligence (AI) and IoT technologies are leading towards what is being hyped as the era of intelligent connectivity. Rapidly advancing new technologies like mobile, cloud computing, big data or the Internet of Things (IoT) are drivers of this environment of high digital density.
Intelligent connectivity vision
Intelligent connectivity is the combination of high-speed, low-latency 5G networks, cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI), and the linking of billions of devices through the Internet of Things (IoT). When these three revolutionary technologies combine , this hyperconnectivity will enable the undisturbed mobile broadband and the number of connected devices communicating with one other to be virtually limitless. This is the prime enabler of intelligent connectivity to bring in a structural change to improve performance and efficiency and provide a personalised experience.
The digital information is collected by the machines, devices and sensors that make up the Internet of Things(IoT) network. It is analysed and brought into suitable context by Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies . They can be used to automate existing processes by removing manual steps to achieve cost reductions, for prediction or recommendation purposes, and to customize the preferences for a given customer.This would both improve decision-making and allow delivery of personalised services to the users, resulting in a more fulfilling or effective interaction between people and the environment surrounding them. This gives it a clearer path to have a higher rate of productivity too. The ultra-fast and ultra-low latency connectivity provided by 5G networks, combined with IoT and AI technologies will enable new transformational capabilities in virtually almost every industry sector and the way we live and work.
Today, personalised experience is the key to any business and every company is working towards it. It is supposed to have a significant and positive impact on individuals, industries, society and government to transform the way we live and work.

Getting Intelligently connected – Different sectors:
The smart digital possibilities that the industry is working on are as follows:
Transportation & Logistics
Connected Transport Sector : AI driven connected navigation facilitates smoother traffic flow, increased level of road safety and efficiency. While in the logistics sector, intelligent connectivity has the potential to improve efficiency and flexibility in the delivery of goods, making: logistics faster and cheaper.
Deliveries by unmanned vehicles : 5G networks will be able to support high volumes of unmanned delivery robots and drones, and allow operators to precisely coordinate their movements, avoiding collisions with other unmanned vehicles, buildings or other static obstacles along their path. Drones, for example, are already a very promising means of delivering goods in a fast and secure way. Drones are particularly convenient when the end location is characterised by challenging terrain or congested roads, and they have a lower cost than current human-based delivery systems.With the ongoing development of unmanned connected delivery, you will be increasingly able to order shopping from your mobile device and receive it swiftly and securely.
Entertainment
Live streaming : Intelligent connectivity will bring the possibility to deliver 4K and 8K ultra high-definition videos, 3D videos, holograms, augmented reality and virtual reality applications for gaming and immersive TV for the entertainment industry. This means live sports coverage could be broadcasted with a 360- degree view from your favourite players’ perspective. You can be a part of a live music concert without being at the concert physically. This combination of augmented reality and virtual reality will change the way we perceive entertainment in the future.
Advertising : They will become more personalised. Sensor embedded cameras will detect the user’s age and gender to display appropriate product recommendations. The individual’s buying patterns will help companies to analyse and deliver customised purchasing options. Each customer will be treated personally to improve the relevance of advertising.

Workplace productivity
The Internet has made the world a small place today. Intelligent Connectivity will make it smaller and more real. 5G video conferencing can bring together people from anywhere and everywhere – in meetings from home, regional offices, head offices or even remote locations.
Factory automation and remote control of industrial robots : 5G’s high data-rates, ultra-low latency and high reliability can expedite the automation of industrial processes and the remote control of machines and robots. For example, machine learning algorithms can use data collected from sensors and cameras along a supply line to immediately alert an operator of any inconsistencies in the process so that the system could automatically correct the mistake in real-time. 5G would also enable human operators to monitor and adjust the actions of industrial robots from a remote location and interact with them in real time using visual feedback enabled by connected tools such as touch-sensitive gloves and virtual or augmented reality (VR/AR) headsets. Remote inspections and maintenance, and worker’s training is also possible .

Healthcare :
Intelligent connectivity can facilitate surgeons to perform remote diagnosis and remote surgery using specialized robots, potentially revolutionizing access to medical care that today is limited to the geographical location of medical experts.
Smart living :
Driverless cars: Intelligent Connectivity can help every person and every vehicle to communicate with everything else in the vicinity to make road transport safer, efficient, and without collision.
Smart cities: Governments are trying to incorporate sustainability in the form of smart cities where every factor can be monitored, controlled, and conserved. Street lights, traffic signals, electricity, and water can be effectively handled to avoid wastage. Even crime can be handled digitally where sensors-enabled CCTV cameras can analyze behaviors and immediately alert the nearest police station and further assist with the criminal’s facial recognition, digital marking, and electronic tagging of the criminals to keep their activities under control.
Intelligent education: The Internet has broadened the horizons of education from textbooks to global knowledge. Intelligent Connectivity can do more by bringing in a holistic way of learning with augmented reality in classrooms. On a broader level, in areas such as healthcare, engineering, and the armed forces, people can learn hands-on skills from anywhere across the world.
Smart Home applications: Washing machines operating on voice command, homes readjusting itself to your preferred temperature before you step in, or refrigerators that stop cooling – these too we already know of. But the future of smart living can enable home and entertainment appliances and devices to operate beyond imagination by amalgamating with 5G connectivity and IoT. And these will see an unprecedented rise with the inception of 5G of some form of smart devices and energy controls appliance such as thermostats, lighting, or smart home access device like smart door locks, etc.
The final words….
Intelligent connectivity can bring in a structural change to improve performance and efficiency and provide a personalized experience. While this fusion of technologies has the potential to change the way we live and work, there are still uncertainties and challenges that need to be addressed before the benefits can be realized.

Kindly check the below link for the further reference about this article.

https://iot-analytics.com/how-5g-ai-and-iot-enable-intelligent-connectivity/

How 5G, AI and IoT enable “Intelligent Connectivity”

MATLAB for beginners

Similar to Python , MATLAB is a mathematical and graphical software package used for mathematical computation, analysis and visualization . It can be used in modeling of different kinds of Systems , Simulation of complex objects etc. It helps in presenting the Scientific and engineering graphics . It facilitates in the algorithm and Application development, including Graphical User Interface building.
MATLAB can be expanded as MATrix Laboratory . MATLAB is a programming language developed by Math Works. Let us see its features in a greater detail.
MATLAB features
MATLAB is an interactive programming environment. The basic data element is an array that does not require mentioning the dimension details. This allows you to solve many technical computing problems in less than a fraction of the time to write a program in a scalar non-interactive language such as C or FORTRAN. It can be used for the following tasks.

Computing support : To work with vectors ,matrices and polynomials as vectors and variables using statistical or math-oriented packages.
Programming capabilities : To use and to write scripts ,classes and functions for programming using external language and library interfaces, including Java, C, C++, .NET, and Web services. MATLAB has object oriented capabilities that can be implemented with m-script . It can be used to write interactive programs .It can be run both under interactive sessions and as a batch job.
App Building : It is used to develop apps interactively using App Designer, or programmatically using MATLAB functions.

Software Development Tools : It facilitates debugging and testing, organizing large projects, source control integration, toolbox packaging etc.

Graphs and plots : It is used to plot graphics and save them in PDF and jpg formats . You can run your analyses on larger data sets, and scale up to clusters and clouds. It supports plotting, printing, graphing etc and widely used for the below types of plotting.

• Two- and three-dimensional Plots ,images ,animation etc
• Polar Plot
• Semilogx or Semilogy
• Log log
• Bode Plot
• Nichols Plot
• Nyquist Plot
Tool Boxes : MATLAB features a family of application-specific solutions called toolboxes. In version 7 , there are a lot of toolboxes.
Symbolic Toolbox
Image Processing Toolbox
MATLAB Compiler
Legacy Toolboxes
GUIDE (allows the creation of interactive user interfaces).
Simulink (for modeling, simulating and analyzing systems).
Psychtoolbox (set of tools that aid in vision research).
The Distributed computing toolbox (set of tools that aid in distributing models over a cluster).
The optimization toolbox (includes various algorithms for minimization).
Other areas in which toolboxes are available include signal processing, control systems, neural networks, fuzzy logic, wavelets and many others.

MATLAB code can be integrated with other languages, enabling you to deploy algorithms and applications within web, enterprise, and production systems.

MATLAB is supported on Unix, Macintosh, and Windows environments. MATLAB is available for a number of environments: Sun/Apollo/VAX station/HP workstations, VAX, Micro VAX, Gould, PC and AT compatibles, 80386 and 80486 computers, Apple Macintosh, and several parallel machines.For many students in mathematics, physical sciences, engineering, economics, and other fields with a heavy numeric component, MATLAB is their first introduction to programming or scientific computing in general.
Summing up
Python is designed as a general purpose programming language and it supports numerical computing, graphics etc using standard libraries . Whereas , Mat Lab is a numerical computing environment.MATLAB is a proprietary tool and it is very expensive outside the academic setting , for teaching and research. Fortunately, many alternative open-sources like GNU Octave , NumPy (library in Python) ,Sci-lab and Sage are available to address this issue and perform the various functions.

The Power of being mindfulness

Recently , mindfulness has evolved as a way of treating children and adolescents with conditions ranging from ADHD to anxiety, depression , stress etc. And the benefits are proving to be enormous. It can be used at home and in school and the role mindfulness can play is significant .
Mindfulness can be defined simply as “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally.” To explain that in a more elaborate manner , mindfulness is a meditation practice that starts with paying attention to breathing in order to focus on the here and now—not what might have been or what you’re worried could be. The ultimate goal is to keep you a little bit away from disturbing thoughts and emotions to be able to observe them without immediately responding to them.
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Benefits of using Mindfulness….
They were less emotionally reactive and more able to handle daily challenges and choose their behavior. Stress reduction and self-acceptance are two of the major elements of mindfulness and are particularly important during the drama and turmoil-filled teen years. “Regulating the emotions, learning how to calm one’s mind— are the invaluable skills.”
The children of this generation are almost restless and it is difficult for teachers to hold their attention for a reasonable amount of time. They get distracted easily and are unmanageable and out of control. But with mindfulness , the students behavior get regulated and they focus more on learning activities in the classroom.Being socially responsible , we feel that there is a need for some positive changes in the society and the Education system . In this current scenario ,Mindfulness is meaningful to almost everybody.
Learning to control their focus : The children learn how to calm themselves and get to a place where their mind is settled and that is of course a great tool to have. The children who seemed to worry about everything and have trouble focusing on the moment. The mindfulness brings them back into the present moment so they can learn.
The kids feel that they can actually calm themselves even just through breathing. The ultimate goal is self-awareness and self-regulation. They are learning self-awareness and then making choices based on that self-awareness.
Creating calmness in the classroom : Both the terms Yoga and Meditation are closely associated with mindfulness. It creates a calmness in those classes. Students learn how to self-regulate their behaviors and are avoiding conflict, avoiding situations that might get them into trouble.Kids who have the most difficulty with self-control are the ones who most benefit from a mindfulness-based program.
Helping kids manage stress : Mindfulness is enormously helpful to children and adolescents for dealing with the everyday difficulties of today’s highly stressful school age kids-life.A mindfulness-based social and emotional learning curriculum help kids gain tools for stress management at an early age that would transfer into teenage years and adulthood. The hope is to help kids manage their own stress as they turn into grownups.
The concept of mindfulness can be extended to Parenting as well.
Mindful Parenting
The Mindfulness techniques can be used to take stress and anxiety out of raising kids by giving a better perspective and some strategies to implement. If there is not enough downtime , the situation can become worse.The guided mediation , body scan, and breathing exercises can help them slowing things down, stepping back and observing their own reactions to effectively restructure the family’s morning routine.Slowing life down in general seems to be a common theme . When parents become stressed ,that stress becomes contagious and children come to know about their parents temperament. Parents often forget what their children need in their busy lifestyle. To take a breath and listen to what their children are trying to tell them with their behavior.Mindful mornings may be less efficient, but they’re more pleasurable.
Parents are able to make peace with their imperfections and begin to regulate their emotional state, so that they can be calmer and more present for their kids and cultivate some self-compassion.It can be proven that taking a deep breath and staying calm when your children are pushing you to the edge actually causes positive changes in the brain.
Making home a safe environment
Your calm response helps kids calm down and make them trust that their parents are in control . And, this is a safe environment. And they feel more secure . So that’s another benefit of parents practicing it on their own.
Mindfulness involves paying close attention to whatever you are doing in the present moment—breathing, eating, feeling your feet on the ground and smelling the air if you’re outside taking a walk. It can be achieved through meditation and it can be achieved by paying close attention to daily activities .Meditation is the best way to get there.The whole point of mindfulness is not to do away with particular thoughts, including negative ones, but to develop a different, non-judgmental relationship to them—to understand that they are feelings but they are not you.
It means that they then have choices about how they want to engage with or react to that thought and that’s very powerful clinically because they actually feel that they have control. It really has incredible benefits in terms of their happiness, their ability to get a better night’s sleep etc.And that is the ultimate goal of mindfulness. It provides you with a psychological and emotional buffer where previously there was none.Mindfulness teaches you how to respond wisely instead of reacting blindly. That is a super power.
The final words….
Mindfulness seems to be closely associated with Emotional intelligence, Yoga ,Breathing exercises and Meditation .The combinatoric therapy is supposed to work well for children with behavioral issues .Of course, Parents too can benefit from it by regular practice. The ultimate goal is self-awareness and self-regulation. Mindfulness teaches you how to respond wisely instead of reacting blindly. That is a super power.

If you would like to read and explore the topic further , please check the following link :

https://www.verywellmind.com/mindfulness-meditation-88369

Getting Started with Mindfulness

A basic guide to land in a dream job in Game industry

With the myriads of electronic gadgets , the genres of games available are immense. The strength of players ( getting addicted to PC games, online games through browsers, mobile games, video game consoles etc) increases multi-fold. Henceforth , the game industry is thriving and reaching its heights.
Definitely a decent job in Game industry with good expertise will be a lucrative one.
Intro to Game Development …
Some of the real world events are not in our control. Hence, changing the reality is always not possible. Creating a new reality is an interesting aspect of Game development.
Games are produced through the software development process , as a video game is software with art, audio, and game play. Game development is a process that starts from an idea or concept . Creativity and an open mind is vital for the completion of a successful video game.
Independent games or indie games are produced by individuals and small teams with no large-scale developer .Most modern PC or console games take from three to five years to complete.], where as a mobile game can be developed in a few months.
Components involved
The different elements involved in Game Development can either be handled by a single developer who is individually creating a game or normally by a team of multiple people.

Story: Everything has a story and that is equally true for video games!!! Your story may be relatively easy. The main point is that there should be an interesting story to captivate your players!!!
Characters: After the story, the characters are a fundamental part of any video game. You have to decide the looks and personalities of the characters, what should be manners and characteristics etc.
Audio: It is the backbone of video games!!! There are various sounds in the game world like player sounds, background music, etc. that together create a realistic situation effect ( being in a forest , ocean etc) .
Art: It is very important as it decides the feel of the game. Normally art in video games can include various things like the game texture, 3D modeling of characters and objects, particle systems to create fire, fog, snow, etc.
Lighting or rendering: All the lighting in video games is obviously artificial and very important for mood setting. Less lighting can be used in association with horror or thriller games while increased lighting can denote more adventure or fun games.
Levels: All good video games have various levels that increase the difficulty as time goes on. Levels can be denoted in games by multiple floors, different buildings etc.

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How to Start Learning Game Development?
Game development involves bringing games from the conceptual phase, through development, and into reality. Initially , the beginner shall try to develop a new concept or idea , modify it and get a final draft as high concept .Then, he can develop its summary and later, the detailed game description ( feature list, setting and story, target audience, hardware and software requirements , time schedule, and finally staff and budget estimates ) at the conceptual level. Prototypes (miniature model of a game) are often meant only to act as a proof of concept or to test ideas, by modifying some of the features. Below are the steps given to start learning Game development.

Learn Computer Programming: The final game is all created using Computer programming. You need to know programming in case you want to enter this world! Most commonly used languages here are C++, C#, HTML 5 , Java, JavaScript etc.
Choose a known Game Engine: As you are a beginner in Game Development, it is best to start with a known Game Engine. They are quite useful in general as they provide 3D and 2D graphics rendering, audio support, animation etc.

UNITY
• The most popular Game Engine is Unity as it is quite easy to learn, and also has the personal edition which is free!
• It is a game development platform first and foremost with a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface.
• It is possible to make 2D, 3D and VR (virtual reality)games with it
• It has an extensive asset store with a lot of assets and plugins
o There are also a lot of assets available for free
• A big community that can help you with the development issues
• Many tutorials provided by Unity and the community
• Supports export to every relevant platform (and more)
Unreal Engine

Another popular Game Engine is the Unreal Engine . You don’t need to write any code to make a game . It has a system called Blueprints. Instead of writing code, you can use their visual scripting system to build the logic of your game. It is easier to learn compared to learning a new scripting language. However, you still need to learn the logic behind it to understand what is going on. You can quickly come up with own features and mechanics. It can be used to create games for the system Windows, Android, Linux, Mac OS and iOS.
Godot Engine
This open-source engine is completely free to use. It supports 2D, 3D, and VR games. There is an active community that contributes to the engine and also provides tutorials.
CryEngine
The CryEngine a powerful platform for making games. It is free to use until you start to ship a game, similar to Unity and Unreal.
Construct 2
A powerful visual environment for developing 2D games. It has wide capabilities and several settings for events and behavior. It is simple and games for Android and iOS can be created quickly using this game engine.
Android Studio
Android Studio is the “official” tool for Android game development. This tool comes directly from Google and supports Java and Kotlin as the primary programming languages.
Unlike Unity , Android Studio is much more of a traditional IDE and coding knowledge or experience is needed for game development.

Create a Basic Game: With this basic idea ,you can create a basic game. Try to keep your project around a week or so because the most important thing now is that you understand the basics and make sure that the game has a clear objective and endpoint.
Learn 3D Graphics and high Math skills: And most of the famous games today require 3D graphics which provides a realistic feeling to the game. So if you want to become a Professional highly skilled Game Programmer, you should know computer graphics and also the mathematics behind it (linear algebra,matrices etc).

Different Job roles in Game development
There are different kind of roles in Game development.
Designer
A game designer is a person who designs game mechanics , user interface, characters, graphics , rules and structure of a game. They are the main visionary of the game. One of the roles of a designer is being a writer, often employed part-time to conceive game’s narrative, dialogue, video game packaging content, hint system, etc.
Artist
A game artist is a visual artist who creates video game art. The artist’s job may be 2D oriented or 3D oriented. 2D artists may produce concept art, sprites, textures, environmental backdrops and user interface. 3D artists may produce models, animation, 3D environment, and cinematics.
Programmer
A game programmer is a software engineer who primarily develops video games or related software (such as game development tools). The game’s code base development is handled by programmers. Individual programming disciplines roles include: (i).Physics including simulating collision, object movement, etc.; (ii).AI – such as rule-based decisions, etc. (iii).Graphics – the production of graphics engine, integration of models etc.(iv).Sound – integration of music, speech, effect sounds into the proper locations and times. (v).Scripting – development of high-level command system for various in-game tasks, such as level editor triggers, etc.(vi).UI – production of user interface elements, like option menus, help and feedback systems, etc.(vii).Network communications – the managing of data inputs and outputs for local and internet game play.
Level designer
A level designer is a person who creates levels, challenges or missions for computer and/or video games using a specific set of programs.
Sound engineer
Sound engineers are technical professionals responsible for sound effects and sound positioning.
Tester
The quality assurance is carried out by game testers.
The testers ensure that the game falls within the proposed design: it both works and is entertaining. This involves testing of all features, compatibility etc.
Summing up….
Game industry is a promising field and it has a lot of scope for growth and sustain. Game playing is not mandatory for game development. Using Game engines, mobile games can be developed within months ( without much programming experience) compared to games for wider screens .Online courses and tutorials are extensively available in the Internet to master it.

To know further details about this topic, please check the following links.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_development

The Beginners Guide to Video Game Development

IQ Versus EQ

IQ (Intelligence quotient or Cognitive intelligence)

IQ, or intelligence quotient, is an inborn ability and it measures the general intelligence. They can learn, understand and implement knowledge, perform logical reasoning and abstract thinking. IQ is the intellectual ability to manage ideas, knowledge and thoughts.IQ represents abilities such as: Visual and spatial processing , Knowledge of the world ,Working memory , Quantitative & logical reasoning.

EQ ( Emotional Intelligence)

EQ is… Self Awareness , Self Confidence , Interpersonal Skills and Social Competence

EQ is the ability to manage relationships with other people.EQ is centered on abilities such as:

Identifying emotions
Controlling one’s own emotions
Perceiving how others feel
Using emotions to facilitate social communication
Using Empathy – to relate to others

EQ refers to an individual’s level of emotional intelligence, which is represented by scores obtained in a standardized test. It is a learned and improved ability.

Measurement of EQ

Meanwhile, EQ assessments test different aspects of emotional intelligence: emotional literacy, empathy, intrinsic motivation and how we navigate emotions. Some school counsellors may suggest an EQ test for a child who is struggling socially, to determine which skills to work on.Just like with IQ scores, an EQ score of 100 is considered average; 115 is awesome, but 85 indicates there are some challenges.

There are a number of instruments that seek to “measure” emotional intelligence, including the Mayer, Salovey, Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test or MSCEIT.

Unlike IQ, which is static, EQ can increase. But to really develop and master those skills, a child may need explicit teaching and practice.

5 Components of Emotional Quotient

When considering emotional intelligence, we look both internally and externally. EQ considers how we think about ourselves and how we think about and act toward others.The three internal hallmarks of emotional intelligence pertinent to self are:

Self-awareness is the the ability to identify your own emotions and their impact.
Self-regulation is the ability to control or redirect disruptive impulses and moods to suspend judgement and think before acting. In practice, it is your ability to influence your emotional clarity.
Motivation is to go beyond the external drive for knowledge to pursue goals with energy and persistence.

Externally, EQ is a measure of what goes on between you and others.

Social-awareness is the ability to recognize and understand the emotions of others and react appropriately Social-regulation is your ability to influence the emotional clarity of others through a proficiency in managing relationships and building networks. relationship management (the ability to influence and connect with others).

Emotional intelligence is measured using 5-major components and 15-subcomponents:1. Intrapersonal Skills (ability to understand and apply personal emotions) – Self Regard ,Emotional Self Awareness ,Assertiveness , Independence ,SelfActualization

2. Interpersonal Skills (people skills) – Empathy ,Social Responsibility ,Interpersonal Relationships ,3. Stress Management (ability to handle challenges) – Stress Tolerance , Impulse Control

4. Adaptability (Ability to react quickly, appropriately, and efficiently to change) – Reality Testing , flexibility ,Problem Solving,5. General Mood – Optimism To a great extent, each of the five domains represents sets of habit and responses that are learned, and so can be improved with appropriate effort

Exemplary qualities of people with high EQ

They are called as “people smart” for their extra-ordinary interpersonal skills and are good communicators.The emotionally intelligent child is also one who can verbalise her own emotions accurately, regulate them and control reactions to them( think of ways to defuse her feelings rather than throw a book against the wall.) A child with a high EQ can also handle more complex social situations and build meaningful friendships, in part because of that ability to relate to or empathize with peers.

As a kid grows into a teen and then an adult, EQ becomes tied to internal motivation , governs how emotions impact decision making, to make her cope with stress, solve problems and pursue goals.

Many companies hire for entry-level positions based on IQ, then promote people based on EQ. You need to have a brilliant IQ to be a good engineer, but to be a leader of engineers, your EQ matters more than your IQ.People with high emotional intelligence are likely to be doing well, to be effective at work, to have strong relationships, good health and a high quality of life.

What matters is how you’re able to “connect with, understand and inspire other people”. He believes emotional intelligence enables you to demonstrate humility, making people naturally inclined to help you succeed. It also fosters resilience and grit, which empower you to overcome fear of failure and take risks for future success.

When you have the IQ to make good intellectual decisions and the EQ to build relationships with those around you, the sky is the limit.Leaders, Captains, Managers and people with social challenges tend to be more emotionally intelligent. high-EQ students are more co-operative and make better leaders in the classroom. get along with people in progressively collaborative workplaces.

Raise your EQ?

EQ can be raised by recognizing and naming the emotions we feel , understand why you feel that way , and distinguish between feelings and actions . It can also done by motivating oneself when considering how to productively harness your feelings, practice some emotional self-control ,recognizing emotions in others and sensitive to other people’s feelings and listen well.

It is a good practice to manage emotions and accept your feelings, but find a balance between over-sensitivity or over-expression and emotional suppression .While handling relationships – Being perceptive, applying conflict management skills instead of ignoring conflict, and being considerate and cooperative . Lighten up the situation by learning to see the humor in difficult situations and use it to smooth over differences. It can be done by resolving conflict positively by choosing your arguments, staying focused in the present, and be prepared to forgive or end conflicts that can’t be resolved.

Can Emotional Intelligence Be Learned?

Some strategies for teaching emotional intelligence include offering character education, modeling positive behaviors, encouraging people to think about how others are feeling, and finding ways to be more empathetic toward others.

Emotional literacy is the term used to describe the naming and managing feelings and learning to respond to others’ emotions appropriately.“Kids learn to understand the social world through storytelling—it helps them relate to a situation and learn how to handle events and emotions,” it’s learning to be aware of their own feelings, to express those feelings, to be able to get along with other kids, to be responsible”

Modelling EQ begins at home

Parents begin teaching emotional literacy to their kids from infancy. “One of the things that’s really important in the early years is for children to be able to understand how they’re feeling and to be able to put words to those feelings rather than acting out,” says Chapman.

Emotional intelligence can be developed over time, free of age limit, with the condition that it is provided the necessary attention and effort to it. It is vital for overall success and is a flexible skill set that can be nurtured, it seems prudent for parents to teach emotional literacy to children from infancy.

The final words :

Researchers have shown that our success at work or in life depends on Emotional Intelligence 80% and only20% of intellect.IQ makes up only 20 percent of the factors that determine life success, while other forces, such as EQ, wealth, temperament, family education levels and pure luck make up the balance. That means cognitive skills—verbal comprehension, memory, reasoning and processing speed—will help academically, but they will only get a person so far in life. To really go the distance, those IQ traits should be rounded out with social-emotional skills like motivation, perseverance, impulse control and coping mechanisms .

To gain extensive knowledge about this topic, please check the following link

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_intelligence

Social Intelligence vs. Emotional Intelligence and how making the distinction can help you lead

Improving Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

The electronic media greatly affects the reading habits of children

“There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all “. Also , another proverb says , “There is no better friend than a book”. These proverbs insists on the significance of book reading habit. Book reading habit widens the reader’s knowledge and of course, his world. At times of boredom , books can be our best friends .Ample reading enhances your imagination power. The detailing of “the character” or “the place” in your novel helps you to picture the whole scenario. This develops your creativity. It can also help you to develop your own innovative style, and hence your writing skills. It helps you to build your personality. This point demonstrates the phrase ‘you become what you read’ perfectly. A good book can make you a better person. It can enhance your emotional well-being, social involvement and imparts knowledge.
We all know that reading books opens the door to a vivid imagination, expanded vocabulary and the ability to succeed academically. Reading a good book is the perfect way to reduce stress and have a quiet, peaceful time without leaving the comfort of your home. Reading makes our world big.For a child, reading books nurtures them to form their own ideas and help in brain development while when a grown-up reads they can calm their mind, instill focus and broaden their outlook with each book. Reading lets us contemplate which is essential to our lives and we must find time to read each day for our own betterment. After all, a book is a man’s best friend!
“Reading maketh a full man; writing an exact man, and conference a ready man.” Reading is an essential basic skill building activity. One’s language fluency is determined by the quality of reading. Besides, vocabulary enrichment, different types of writing styles, speaking fluency, etc, all depend upon reading. Schools, colleges, and other academic institute use reading as a major tool in imparting education to students.

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Evolution of Internet and related digital technologies
With the evolution of Internet and other digital technologies – electronic gadgets ( smartphones, tablets etc) , the everyday citizen get caught by it swiftly. And our affinity towards mobile devices grew, we started to walk down a path of new discovery which attracts us by giving more information , entertainment and pleasure. Slowly but surely we started to understand these technologies as they became an inseparable part of our lives. On their part – mobile and internet technology offer advanced leaps & bounds to the world in our palms.

The down side of Technology…

Nowadays, children, youths and adults alike are inclined to use technology for getting faster , accurate information, entertainment and pleasure. The emergence of Internet has created an extraordinary change in the reading culture. Presently, because of the Internet revolution, reading sources have been transformed diversely into web sites, web pages, e-books, e-journals, instant messaging blogs and other multimedia documents. Nowadays, Internet surfing enables people to navigate a world full of interconnected information, to discover new sites, to get up-to-date information and to download things of interest. Consequently, modern people have accepted Internet browsing as their daily habit and surfing the Internet has become a kind of addiction to the new generation.

Hearing without paying attention, looking at screens while having conversations is commonplace now – we are not really ‘present’ in the present anymore.
They are thoughtlessly and uselessly wasting their precious time on Social media , Internet and networking sites. The youth of today is only and only wasting time on chatting, messaging, uploading photographs and modifying profiles. However, in the modern times, the reading activity is being ignored.

How parents can control the electronic media usage & encourage reading habit ?

Parents should ensure that the usage of Internet to search and retrieve information is limited . Otherwise , it may lead to long unwanted searches and waste of time.
Dictionary usage should be taught and encouraged at an early age to build the vocabulary of the language .
The benefits of reading habit must be stressed and reinforced from time to time. Since there are many distraction (entertainment media platforms – YouTube , display advertisements) in reading a book using an electronic media ( e-books etc) , the physical book is a good solution. The children can be encouraged to read bed time stories or at least 10 pages of a self-development book of their age.
Children should not be allowed to use social media ( Facebook,twitter) before entering the college level ( till they get the maturity to handle social contacts and networks).
They must be taught that the time spent for entertainment & pleasure using them is not productive and it is ineffective as it does not increase our intelligence.
After finishing the academic activities , Children may be allowed to play with the smartphones for a limited period , under their supervision ( by using password control).
Parents must formulate a strategy either to curb or completely stop its fast growing negative influence on the minds of our youth.

Summing up…..
Forms of readership had changed and not the habit. Digital books on the internet were popular and saved not only time, money but also environment. Conventional libraries may have gone out of fashion but the internet based reading material continued to be popular with the younger set. We must not allow the wonderfully beneficial activity of reading being killed by Internet , social media and other networking sites. We must preserve it at any cost!

Book review : Anxiety & Depression Workbook FOR DUMmIES

Title of the Book : Anxiety & Depression Workbook FOR DUMmIES

Authors : Charles H.Elliott, Ph.D. and Laura L.Smith, PhD
Introduction
This book is uniquely comprehensive and thoroughly covers the scientifically validated treatments for depression, including behavior therapy, medications, interpersonal therapy, and cognitive therapy. The authors have also included promising ideas based on mindfulness and positive psychology. Research-based strategies and plenty of practice opportunities are given to help you defeat depression and overcome anxiety.
You’ll be well paid if you spend some good amount of time doing the “work” part of the workbook in the form of increased life satisfaction and reduced emotional distress. And the work is actually rather interesting because you discover new ways to live your life and get what you want.

Summary of the Book
Part I: Analyzing Angst and Preparing a Plan This part is all about helping you identify your problem(with anxiety or depression) and take the ﬁrst small steps toward recovery. The quizzes (The negative thinking Quiz, The Distraught Behavior Quiz, Personal Style Questionnaire (Thinkers, Doers, Feelers, Relaters), etc)
help you see what they do to your thoughts, behaviors, feelings, and relationships.
Thinkers require Thought Therapy, Doers need Behavior Therapy, Feelers require Physical Feelings and Relater need Relationship Therapy.
The Emotional origins ( from blood relations) , Physical contributors (genetics, drugs, illness) , The stressors in my world are sorted out. Change sometimes makes people feel overwhelming. The Fear of Change Quiz, The Unfair, Unjust Belief Quiz, Change-blocking belief, etc addresses self-sabotage and helps you keep moving forward by becoming more aware of your thoughts. Self-sabotage describes the things you do to keep from addressing and correcting your problems. Some people self-sabotage by telling themselves that change is impossible. Others defeat themselves by ﬁnding reasons to put off working on their issues.
Part II: Thinking About Thinking: Thought Therapy helps you become a thought detective to examine your thoughts for distortions. It then tells to prosecute those distorted thoughts, find out all possible causes & the Percentage of your Responsibility.
Life-lenses are the broad themes or assumptions you live by. These themes directly inﬂuence the kinds of thoughts you have and, in turn, how you feel about what happens to you.
Certain core beliefs darken and distort your view of yourself, your world, and your future. Tools are included for regrinding your life-lenses so you see things more clearly. Finally, you have the opportunity to practice mindfulness and acceptance — more techniques for handling troubling thoughts and preparing the Action strategy. Thank You Mind Exercise, Embracing Present Moments, Eating Mindfully, etc are some of them.
Part III: Actions Against Angst: Behavior Therapy – how you take direct action against the natural tendency to avoid what makes you depressed or anxious. It helps you to face those feelings by avoiding avoidance. When you’re depressed or anxious, few activities sound like fun, for reintroducing pleasure into your life. Finally, helps you tackle life problems that grow out of your emotional distress.
Essentially, obsessions are unwanted images, impulses, or thoughts that ﬂood the mind. These thoughts may take the form of excessive worry about contamination by germs, chemicals, radiation, etc. Other obsessions include concerns about whether doors were left unlocked or appliances were turned off.
Part IV: Phocus on Physical Pheelings Addressing the physical side of distress is as important as addressing the mental or emotional side. Excessive stress associated with anxiety and depression produces hormones that ravage the body by increasing blood pressure and contributing to stomach problems, weight gain, and heart disease. Therefore, relaxation techniques play an important role in alleviating anxiety and depression. You ﬁnd a variety of exercises for reducing tension and stress. Because the medication is an additional option for many people who are depressed or anxious, guides you through the decision of whether or not medications are the right choice for you. Compulsions are undesired actions that people ﬁnd themselves doing over and over in order to temporarily reduce anxiety. Common compulsions include excessive hand washing, overcleaning, arranging objects in a particularly rigid manner, checking and rechecking things (such as locks), etc.
Part V: Relationship Therapy Depression and anxiety can spill over and contaminate your relationships like sewage dumped into a river. Good relationships offer support in dealing with emotional distress. This therapy finds out if your relationships are suffering and guide you in improving the quality of your relationships. It lifts the Mood through Exercise and tells you to fight de-motivating thoughts. It facilitates identifying Pleasurable Activities, Poisonous Pleasures, Pleasure Busters, etc.
Relationship therapy – It enables you to reveal the Emotion-Relationship Connection, by enhancing it through delightful doings and to deal with relationship loss. It helps to smoothen Out Conﬂict by Overriding Defensiveness, Softening the blow through buffered and unbuffered concerns.

Part VI: Looking Beyond Anxiety and Depression – Unfortunately, like the ﬂu, you can catch depression or anxiety more than once. It helps you develop positive habits that lead to a more joyful, meaningful, and connected life.
When people are emotionally distressed, many situations seem overwhelmingly difﬁcult. They make even small problems appear insurmountable because emotional pain interferes with clear thinking.
We have a way of breaking problems down and ﬁguring out what to do with them. We call the plan S.O.C.C.E.R. so that it’s easy to remember. Here’s what S.O.C.C.E.R. stands for:
S: Situation, meaning the nature and causes of the problem as well as your beliefs and feelings about the issue.
O: All possible options for addressing the problem.
C: The consequences or results most likely to occur with each option.
C: Choosing which option to go with.
E: The emotional plan for dealing with distress associated with the solution you choose.
R: Running and reviewing your plan. Afterward, sit back and evaluate how well it worked; you may be pleased with the outcome, or you may want to revise your plan.
Part VII: The Part of Tens recommends resources for getting help in dealing with your depression and anxiety.
Relaxing the Heart and Soul by Breathing Tension Away. You may not realize it, but the way you breathe can either increase or decrease your tension. It can mellow your Muscles. Sleep-Sabotaging Thoughts & Sleep-Inducing Thoughts are listed out. Medication Indication is given.
Promoting Positives – Focusing on Gratitude by maintaining a My Gratitude Diary . It improves your mood to Making the World a Bit Nicer – letting go & forgive.
The way to use this book :
This book is meant to be written in. Writing enhances skills and commits the readers to take action. It is strongly encouraged that the readers do the work required for improving their moods and recovery by writing out their answers in the forms and worksheets.
Conclusion :
Spending Time with Self-Help Books, Browsing Helpful Web Sites, Sharing with Psychiatrists, Leaning on Family and Friends, Mellow with Music – Sound inﬂuences the mind and body. Pacify with Pets, Distract Your Distress When you’re upset is usually the only best thing to do.

To read the full content of the book , please use the below website links.

https://www.pdfdrive.com/anxiety-depression-workbook-e33698922.html

Click to access Anxiety_and_Depression_Workbook_for_Dummies.pdf

NoSQL Databases

In Relational database management systems, data is organized as tables (called relations)in rows and columns. A table contains data about only one entity ( real-world object – employee details, patient details, book details, etc). Each table should have a primary key and the tables are linked by primary and foreign keys. The tables are created using SQL. SQL constraints ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data within the database. Database normalization is the method by which data is efficiently organized in the database. Eliminating redundant information, as an instance, storing the same data in more than one table. This reduces storage and increases the complexity of the system.ACID stands for Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and durability property of RDBMS.
A NoSQL ( referring to “non-SQL” or “not only SQL” or “non-relational”) database store data in a non-tabular format compared to relational databases. They store the relationship information as well by allowing related data to be nested within a single data structure. Doesn’t use data normalization or complex features like query languages, integrity constraints, ACID property, etc.
BASE features of NoSQL Databases
( Basically Available, Soft state, Eventual consistency)
• Basically, available means the data is guaranteed to be available all the time. There is a response to any request ( can be a failure too).
• Soft state means even without an input; the system state may change over a period of time.
• Eventual consistency means that the system will become eventually consistent over time (maybe, once it stops receiving input).
The term “eventual consistency” means to have copies of data on multiple machines to get high availability and scalability. Data replication may not be instantaneous as some copies will be updated immediately while others in due course of time. These copies may be in due course of time, become consistent. Hence, the name eventual consistency.
Query Mechanism tools for NoSQL
The most common data retrieval mechanism is the REST-based retrieval of a value based on its key/ID to get the resource.
Shared-nothing architecture
In a shared-nothing design, Multiple NoSQL databases can be executed in a distributed fashion. Each server node in the cluster operates independently of every other node. The processes don’t share memory or disk among them. The system doesn’t have to get consensus from every single node to return the output data to a client. Queries are fast because they can be processed and the output is got by the node which received it. It typically involves sacrificing consistency across the cluster for performance.
Features of NoSQL
• Offers auto-scaling (both vertical and horizontal).
• Only provides eventual consistency.
• Shared Nothing Architecture. This enables less coordination and higher distribution.
Need for NoSQL Databases
NoSQL databases are especially useful for working with large sets of distributed data. NoSQL databases are widely used in many modern applications such as mobile, web, and gaming that require flexible, scalable, and high-performance.
Applications are moving to the cloud platform and big data is becoming bigger.
The concept of NoSQL databases became popular with Internet giants like Google, Facebook, Amazon, etc. who deal with huge volumes of data.
Tesco, Europe’s No.1 retailer, uses NoSQL for e-commerce services and other applications.
GE and Marriott are also deploying NoSQL Database systems on a large scale.

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Types of NoSQL Databases
There are four major types of NoSQL databases. They are document databases, key-value databases, wide-column stores, and graph databases.
Document databases store data in documents similar to JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) objects. Each document contains pairs of fields and values. The values can typically of types including strings, numbers, booleans, arrays, or objects.
MongoDB is consistently ranked as the world’s most popular NoSQL database and is an example of a document database. Other examples are Couchbase, CouchDB, IBM Domino, etc.
Key-value databases are a simpler type of database where each item contains keys and values. Key-value databases are great for use cases where you need to store large amounts of data but you don’t need to perform complex queries to retrieve it. Common use cases include storing user preferences or caching. Redis and DynanoDB are popular key-value databases.
Wide-column stores store data in tables, rows, and dynamic columns. Wide-column stores provide a lot of flexibility over relational databases because each row is not required to have the same columns. Wide-column stores are commonly used for storing Internet of Things data and user profile data. Cassandra, Hypertable, and HBase are two of the most popular wide-column stores.
Graph databases store data in nodes and edges. Nodes typically store information about people, places, and things while edges store information about the relationships between the nodes. Graph databases are used in applications s where you need to traverse relationships to look for patterns such as social networks, public transport links, road maps, and recommendation engines. Neo4j and JanusGraph are examples of graph databases.
The final words….

Since the NoSql databases often sacrifice the ACID property for its scalability (and does not support constraints), it cannot be used in transaction management like SQL and Relational databases. NoSQL offers limited query capabilities. GUI mode tools to access the database are not flexibly available in the market ( as NoSQL is an open-source software). Some databases store data that are quite large (BigData) and having descriptive key names actually increases the document size and it is very difficult to handle.

To know further about NoSql Databases, use the below link :
https://www.couchbase.com/resources/why-nosql
https://www.oracle.com/in/database/technologies/related/nosql.html

Artificial Intelligence & Driverless cars

Artificial Intelligence ( shortly abbreviated as AI) is the technique used to create machines or devices that work and behave like humans. AI is the science and intelligence of making intelligent machines. AI is a broad domain that encompasses many subdomains within it – computer vision, machine learning, neural networks, deep learning, natural language processing, image processing, etc.

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AI will provide human-like interactions with software and offer decision support for specific tasks. The simple memorizing of individual items/procedures is known as rote learning and is relatively easy to implement on a computer. More challenging is the problem of implementing what is called generalization. Generalization involves applying past experience to analogous new situations.
Machine learning is where a computer system is fed large amounts of data, which it then uses to learn how to carry out a specific task, such as understanding speech, etc. A subset of machine learning is deep learning. The brain kind of neuron network structure is simulated and created to solve deep and complex problems using neural networks.

Computer vision relies on pattern recognition and deep learning to recognize what’s in a picture or video. When machines can process, analyze, and understand images, they can capture images or videos in real-time and interpret their surroundings. Natural language processing (NLP) is the ability of computers to analyze, understand, and generate human language, including speech. Using these technologies, computers can be trained to accomplish specific tasks by processing large amounts of data and recognizing patterns in the data.

Types of AI Systems

Based on the intelligence simulated in the machines, they can be classified as Artificial Narrow Intelligence(ANI), Artificial General Intelligence (AGN), and Artificial Super Intelligence.
Narrow AI is what we see all around us in computers today: intelligent systems that have been taught how to carry out specific tasks without being explicitly programmed how to do so. Interactive voice recognition is the most-widely used AI technology in the business today. Voice Assistants like Microsoft Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant, Microsoft Cortona belong to the first category (weak AI or ANI system).
Apple’s Siri is one of the most well known personal assistants that comes with the iPhone and iPad. The friendly female voice assistant can interact daily with the user. She assists us to get the needed information from the Internet by searching, get directions to local destinations, send messages, make voice calls, and add events to the calendar.
Tesla is one of the best automobiles available until now. The car has several fascinating features like self-driving, predictive capabilities, updation of its knowledge based on past experiences, and make future decisions smarter by continuously applying them. The vision-recognition systems on self-driving cars come under Narrow AI. And, it is powered by its deep learning algorithm and they are fully autonomous vehicles. In general, the vehicle would be pre-programmed with a map of the area being driven. This map would include data on the approximations of street light and curb heights in order for the vehicle to be aware of its surroundings.

The Amazon go shop is another example of this kind. There are a lot of sensors around the shop and only self-service facility is available for the shoppers. There are no workers in the shop ( except for arranging the items and stock them). After the purchase, the bill amount is directly debited from the customer’s card instantly before they check out from the shop.
IBM’s Watson software is used to recommend customized treatment options for the patients according to their health conditions.
Strong AI aims to build machines that think. A flexible form of intelligence capable of learning how to carry out vastly different tasks is the feature of Artificial General Intelligence(AGI).
Superintelligence can be defined “as any intellect that greatly exceeds the cognitive performance of humans in virtually all domains of interest” is expected some 30 years after the achievement of AGI.
Summing up:
Though, technology is a boon to specially challenged people in some circumstances. It may reduce job opportunities in some sectors. Since it has the ability to constantly update its knowledge, there is a risk that it surpasses human capabilities.

For further detailed information on Artificial Intelligence, please check the following links.

https://www.britannica.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/Is-strong-AI-possible

https://www.sas.com/en_in/insights/analytics/what-is-artificial-intelligence.html

Python – the most versatile programming language

Python is an easy-to-learn and easy-to-use programming language that offers simple and interactive coding, making it powerful enough to build versatile applications. It has a large developer community that makes application development easy even for a novice user. It is very productive. YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest are all built-in Python.
iPython offers a powerful and interactive programming platform. Output can be readily seen as in a calculator with the execution of a single line of code.
Some of the noteworthy features/applications that can be created easily using Python are :
• Python for physicists: Calculating the Altitude of a satellite, mass and moment of inertia of objects in Planetary orbits, the wavelength in the light spectrum, Arithmetic mean involving logarithms, etc.
• Creating and Modifying PDF Files, Extract Text or pages From a PDF using PdfFileSplitter Class Concatenating and Merging, Encrypting and Decrypting.
• Scientific Computing and 2D, 3D Graphing using NumPy (for Matrix Manipulation) and SciPy , PIL ( Python imaging library) & matplotlib library for Plotting Graphs.
• Designing Graphical User Interfaces – Add GUI Elements With, Introduction to Tkinter , Working With Widgets . Example App: Text Editor.
• Interacting with the Websites using the urllib module, get the web page’s HTML source and then use regular expressions to parse Text using an HTML Parser to Scrap the required information ( from the website content).
• The comprehensive libraries supported by Python helps in solving optimization, signal processing, statistics, interpolation, linear algebra, polynomial problems, etc.
• It can deal with large data from PDF,CSV,XLS,JSON files etc. Advanced big data toolkit like Pandas or PyTables can be used to easily connect to the Database. They can handle heterogeneous tabular data structures with labeled axes (rows and columns) of multidimensional size and mutable type. Normalization and standardization of data can be done with ease. This again proves the versatile feature of python.
• Speech recognition application can be easily created using python.
• Multithreading using GIL ( Global Interpreter Lock) and message passing interfaces between processes can be implemented using Python. It can be done using POSIX interface. Not all these services or features are available on all platforms. (especially Windows/Mac).
• Generators can be added to Python to allow computation with sequences without having to actually create a data structure to contain the values of the sequence. This can give you large savings in memory.
• Regular expressions- Python include matching characters, pattern matching using the search options, finding out the multiple instances, and backslashes.
• Used to design network components, web servers, perform socket programming, encoding/decoding of a message, Encryption, and cryptography.
• Used to perform distributed computing with multiple machines.
• Python facilitates performing Exploratory data analysis by visualizing the data to assess patterns and identify data characteristics using Univariate and multivariate data visualization, correlation functions.
• Python supports web-based application frameworks such as Django, Turbogears, Pylons, etc. Web programming can be done using CGI scripting.
• Other Python libraries such as TensorFlow, Keras, PyTorch, and OpenCV are used in data science, machine learning, etc. It’s also used to create Neural networks in Artificial Intelligence.
Drawback: It is not ideal for mobile app and game development .This is because it consumes more memory and its processing speed is slow.
Conclusion :
Python is feature-rich and helps the user to build versatile applications productively ( in less time) and with ease.

For detailed and reliable information on python , you can refer this source by clicking on the link (https://www.python.org/doc/).

Why ETHICAL Hacking is needed?

Hacking is an attempt to access valuable information from a computer system without
any permission or approval from the owner of the system or organization. In simple terms, it looks like a mischievous act but it actually needs a lot of intelligence and expertise to break into the computer system or network. It is a process of identifying the weakness or vulnerabilities in the system and exploiting it for their personal gain. For instance, like cracking (discovering) the system password, penetrating into the networks, and interrupt the network services to steal the online bank account or card details transferred through the Internet. The people who perform hacking are called as computer criminals or cybercriminals.

Classification of Hackers

Generally, hackers can be classified into 3 types. The first category, Black hat hackers try to find loopholes and weaknesses in the system and hack to take control over it for their personal benefits. They can destroy ( by introducing bugs or viruses), steal ( transfer money from bank accounts), or sell valuable information about the system. This is illegal or malicious hacking.
The next category, White hat hackers are hackers who identify the system vulnerabilities, fix them, and keep the data secure and more hackproof. We shall discuss these ethical hackers in greater detail, a little later.
The final category, Grey hat hackers include those curious people who hack for fun. They may both fix and exploit the vulnerabilities, but usually not for financial gain. Even if not malicious, their work can still be illegal, if done without the target system owner’s consent.

Ethical Hacking

Ethical Hacking ….?
Ethical Hacking is about improving the security of computer systems and/or computer networks. This process is fully planned, approved, and legal.
Importance of Ethical Hacking
Information is one of the most valuable assets of any industry or organization. Keeping information secure is vital to protect an organization’s image(trust) and save an organization a lot of money.
Hacking can lead to loss of business for organizations that deal in finance such as banks and payment systems like PayPal. Ethical hacking gives them a competitive edge over cybercriminals who would otherwise lead to the financial loss of business.
Ethical Hackers
They are certified cybersecurity experts ( CEH – Certified Ethical Hacking Professional). They are usually employed by the target system’s owner and are typically paid for their job. Their work is not illegal because it is done with the system owner’s consent. They use the same methods and tools used by Black hat hackers. They attack the system to look for the potential loopholes in the system and make efforts to perfectly fix those security holes. They may also perform Penetration Testing and vulnerability checks to test the system’s defense network.
Ethical hackers usually get written permission from the owner of the computer system and/or computer network before starting the procedure. They safeguard the privacy of the organization being hacked. They give a detailed report clearly specifying all the weaknesses spotted out in the computer system to the management. If needed, they communicate to the hardware and software vendors too.

Skills needed to become an Ethical Hacker
Programming skills (HTML & scripting basics) are essential to becoming an effective hacker.
Network skills and SQL skills are also essential.
Full-fledged Knowledge of using the Internet , Operating systems ( Windows, Mac, Linux, etc) is needed.
Tools used
Hacking tools are programs that simplify the process of finding out and exploiting weaknesses in computer systems.
Netsparker, Acunetix, Intruder, SaferVPN, Burp Suite, GFI LanGuard, HP WebInspect, Medusa, Nessus, etc to name a few.

Conclusion
Ethical hacking comes with a price and is well suited for bigger firms. The below few tips might be useful for startups. A two-way firewall setup may be used. The operating system must be updated with security patches regularly. Browser security settings must be increased. The software must be downloaded from trustworthy sites.

How to find out or develop a passion that gives a fulfilling life?

Parents have to guide their kids to find out the true passion to lead a fulfilling life. In this regard, they have to be super supportive in helping the teenager to find it out. This helps them to move in the right direction towards higher studies and or careers. Here are a few ways that parents can support them in recognizing or developing his own passion:
Start With the Right Perspective
Firstly, the teens should believe that a fulfilling work exists and it can be found out by identifying one’s passion.
Initially, Parents can initiate the process by giving teens time and space to think about the childhood activities he likes to do. Hobbies or objects he’s chosen for his room may spark ideas. The teenager can talk to the persons in their family who know him very well and make a list of the ingredients that truly mattered the most in his peak moments in his life. This will help them to rekindle his childhood passions and mine his talents.
It’s important for your teen to figure his passion out on his own. To become his own true, authentic self.
Talk about meaningful & fulfilling work
At this stage, the parents can have a conversation about how following a passion can create a meaningful, rewarding life. Your teen should know that he can do something that he loves and gets paid for it – an absolute win-win! By showing your teenager how you engage in those passions and how rewarding they are to you, he’ll learn that doing things that are meaningful is a worthwhile, fulfilling endeavor.
Work out what you hate doing
College is a great place to explore new subjects and potential interests – and they may change over time. And in fact, the students who enter college with an undeclared major gets the freedom to explore freely and follow interests as they arise.
The parents can let the teen rate each interest-say, from 1 to 10. Some may suggest careers — a useful list for the student to a specific course in the college or vocational school.
Ask him to list the jobs or tasks that you absolutely loathe. Once you have eliminated these options, his true passion may become more clear. Therefore, it can be cross-checked and a significant level of clarity will be got.

Combine the mediocre skills together into talents

Even if they don’t possess exceptional skills at any one thing, most people have lots of expertise that they are “okay” at.
If you fuse your mediocre skills together, you’ll find your passion.
For instance, an average artist, with a decent sense of humor, could be an awesome cartoonist.
The most successful people, the ones that are most passionate about their work, are almost never defined by a single skill. They are a combination of skills, often not even exceptional skills, but they’ve made their fusion exceptional.

Encourage your teen to try out lots of different activities
If any of your nearest and dearest have hobbies that interest you, ask to spend some time helping out, or give them a try.
Check out online courses, clubs, internships, activity centers, and part-time jobs to find out what might spark an interest. And then…participate! The more exposure your teenager has to different activities, the better understanding he’ll have. It’s all a great learning experience.
This exploration is a great way to find activities that might really drive her. Discuss unique talents and abilities with your teen.
Explore your artistic side. You may have a wonderful artistic side without even knowing it. To explore your artistic side, you can try painting, writing, acting, singing, or designing clothes, just to name a few things.
Play an instrument. Maybe you loved playing the piano or keyboard when you were a kid and stopped. Give it another try.
• Write. Try your hand at penning a poem, short story, or even a fiction or non-fiction novel.
• Act. If you just have fun staging a play with a few friends or try to join a media-related course.
• Sing. If you’ve always had a passion for singing but never had time to share on your social media networking websites or channels. Then, it is the right time to get their feedback and to take up further training to excel in that. The same applies to draw, painting, etc using online tools available.
Pick up a new hobby: Whether you want to pick up a new language or a new sport or craft, any new hobby you pursue can turn into a real passion for you. Here are some hobbies you can consider:
• Learn a new language. You can pick up a language just for fun. Convert this to a passion by working as a translator or getting so absorbed in the foreign language that you read and watch movies only in that language or even move to a foreign country because of it.
• Cooking. If you already love cooking, start watching more cooking shows, reading food blogs, and sharing your recipes with your friends and see if you can make your love for tasty cuisine into a full-time passion.
• Birdwatching or pet grooming: Maybe you’ve always loved pets — now is your time to turn your hobby into a full – time passion. Or maybe you just want to spend more time connecting with your own pet by writing blogs, uploading videos, etc. That’s great too!
Do as Much Research as Possible
Know as much about your passion as possible. Notice what you love. Notice what makes you feel like a kid. Notice what you long to have more time for.
Make time for these things, to whatever extent you can and watch. Your life starts to change. It’s really magical. This can really transform your life.
Conclusion :
The child’s passion may develop early in his life or later. But the role of the parents is the same. They need to be supportive and have to bear in mind that ultimately the child, on his own, should find his passion for his career and fulfilling life.

An insight into VEDIC Mathematics

Vedic Mathematics is the name given to an ancient system of calculation that was “rediscovered” from the Vedas between 1911 and 1918 by Indian mathematician Jagadguru Sri Bharati Krishna Tirthaji Maharaj (1884-1960) and published his findings in “Vedic Mathematics Book by Tirthaji Maharaj”. Veda is a Sanskrit word which means ‘Knowledge’.
Much of the mathematics contained within the Vedas is found in works called Vedangas of which there are six. Of the six Vedangas, those of particular significance are the Vedangas Jyotis and Kalpa (the fifth and sixth Vedangas).

Vedic Mathematics ….?
Vedic Mathematics is a collection of Techniques to solve mathematical arithmetics in an easy and faster way. Techniques are also called as Formulas or Sutras. It consists of 16 Sutras (Formulae) and 13 sub-sutras (Sub Formulae) which can be used for problems involved in arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, conics. Perhaps the most striking feature of the Tirthaji system is its coherence.

Vedic maths is a calculation improvement program. Vedic Maths consists of higher arithmetics.
Perhaps the most striking feature of the Vedic system is its coherence. The whole system is beautifully interrelated and unified: the general multiplication method, for example, is easily reversed to allow one-line divisions, etc .And these are all easily understood. This unifying quality is very satisfying, it makes mathematics easy and enjoyable and encourages innovation. Vedic Mathematics manifests the coherent and unified structure of mathematics and the methods are complementary, direct, and easy.
The complement of a number, Vinculum Process, or Vinculum Numbers are the very basics of Vedic Mathematics. Vinculum Numbers is a concept used in Vedic Mathematics and are those numbers which have at least 1 digit which is negative (having bar over them). Also called as Bar Numbers.

What parents can do to help children with Vedic Maths?
Vedic Math is really a great section that is to be explored and taught to children. It enhances their calculation speed which improves their brain. If schools do not teach it, parents can do so. They can help their children in learning from websites, youtube videos in their free time.
It can start from age 4 onward and Vedic maths has got nothing to do with brain development. Vedic Mathematics is a compilation of tricks that help in solving mathematical calculations quite easily. From Class 6th onwards, one can start learning Vedic maths.

Benefits of VEDIC Mathematics
 Using regular mathematical steps, solving problems sometimes are complex and time-consuming. But using Vedic Mathematic’s General and Specific Techniques (applicable to all or specific sets of given data), numerical calculations can be done very fast.
 Eradicates fear of Math completely. So If your child is fully scared and worried about Maths, High-Speed Vedic Maths is a Fun-Filled way to do Math and arises interest in your child.
 Much Improved Academic Performance in School and Instant Results.
 Sharpens your mind, increases mental agility and intelligence.
 Increases your speed and accuracy. Become a Mental Calculator yourself.
 It improves memory and boosts self-confidence.
 Cultivates an Interest in you for numbers.
 Develops your left and right sides of your brain hence using intuition and innovation. It has been noted that Geniuses have been using the right side of the brain to achieve exceptional results.
 Easy to master and apply. It lessens the load of remembering a large amount of information because it requires you to learn tables up to 9 only. When compared to the conventional methods, it enables faster calculations.

VEDIC mathematics versus ABACUS
Apart from mental maths, abacus improves all the subjects.
Abacus is a brain development program and is based on a concept called visualization. Whereas, Vedic maths is a calculation improvement program.
Abacus covers 4 basic operators such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. While Vedic Maths consists of higher arithmetics.

Summing up :
Once the mind of the student develops an understanding of the system of mental mathematics it begins to work more closely with the numbers and becomes more creative. The students understand the numbers better. Vedic Mathematics is very flexible and creative and appeals to all groups of people. It is very easy to understand and practice.

SEM Strategy in Digital Marketing

SEO ( Search Engine optimization) displays the search results in such a way that websites with rich content and has relevant keywords that match the user’s search query. The websites get a ranking based on the above factors( top search results). The most important factor to remember about SEO is that it is “organic” or “free”. The businesses need not pay any money when the website is listed in the search results in SEO. Those websites occupy the central part of the search page.
SEM

The websites displayed at the top of the page and the rightmost end are paid ones (marked as Ad – advertisement). This is called Pay per click advertising or marketing ( PPC). The combination of SEO and paid services together is called SEM ( Search Engine Marketing). Nowadays, it solely refers to the paid search. When the user takes any action, either make a call or click on the link, then the businesses have to pay for it.
Steps in SEM

The keyword research is conducted and the most relevant keywords related to their product or service are chosen ( keyword planner tools can be used too). The particular geographic location to display the ad is finalized (especially, the special discounts for locals). A text-based ad to display in the search results is created. The brand or businesses bid on a price they are willing to pay for each click on their ad.
The ABCs of SEM

To drive more traffic to the website, the businesses take part in AUCTIONS (to position their website) and bid for their keywords. They purchase ads on search engines ( Yahoo !, Bing ) using keywords that are relevant to their website visitors. When their website ranking is high, it appears in the top search results ( above the organic or free search results). The active buyers will immediately click on the link and reach the landing page of the website or make an instant call. They can browse the products in different categories, add it to their shopping cart and purchase it online using the web-based payment software. During peak time, the companies have to bid for a higher price. They have to see that it is within their affordable limit – BUDGET. Therefore, SEM gives immediate results whereas SEO gives long-lasting results. SEM offers commerciality.
Paid Ads: These advertisements must be clear and concise, to the point. They can consider several factors – depending on the location, specific time duration, etc. They enter a topic or main headline, text for the body of the advertisement, a call-to-action, and a URL for the hyperlink.
A click-through event happens whenever a visitor in a search engine clicks on a displayed ad from the search result.CTR or Click-Through-Rate is calculated based on the clicks and converting it as a percentage. The PPC network fixes the minimum CPC that the businesses need to bid before the ads can run or show up on the publisher site as paid search results.CTR and CPC are the important performance indicators that a brand or advertiser uses for deciding future marketing investment.
PPC Networks: Google Adwords, Bing Ads, Yahoo! Search Marketing are the top three PPC networks in use.
The big companies afford to advertise in large Ad networks and startups stick to small Ad networks. The conversion rate is expected to be higher in SEM compared to SEO. The success or failure of a search engine marketing campaign depends on how products or service companies create and classify keywords. They attract targeted traffic and are more likely to convert them into potential customers or clients.
We shall discuss social media marketing and content marketing later.

Programming languages in great demand in 2020

The programming language is a way to communicate with electronic devices in digital format. They enable us to develop online solutions such as- mobile applications, web applications, and games which people use in their daily life. Computer programming will remain in existence forever as it is one of the strongest tools for problem-solving and helping people get what they want.
Computer Programming …?
Computer Programming is the process of designing, writing, testing, debugging, and maintaining the source code or computer programs. It is written in any of the programming languages (such as C++, C#, etc.). Its purpose is to create a set of instructions that computers use to perform specific operations. The process of writing source code often requires expertise in many different subjects – knowledge of the application domain, specialized algorithms ( data structures), system software, and logical reasoning skills.
We are living in the digital era where the new advancements in technology are blooming non-stop and the use of electronic devices is growing exponentially worldwide. Hence, it is almost guaranteed that there are going to be endless lucrative jobs in the computer programming industry.
Here are a few programming languages recommended for coders who want to achieve bigger in 2020.

Python – the most versatile programming language
Python is an easy-to-learn and uses a programming language that offers simple and interactive coding, making it powerful enough to build versatile applications. It has a large developer community that makes application development easy even for a novice user. It is very productive. YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest are all built-in Python.
For instance, Python gives powerful toolset for Statistics, and Computational Science with various open-source libraries like NumPy, Pandas, SciPy, Scikit-Learn. For back-end web development, the Django framework is used which is feature-rich. Other Python libraries such as TensorFlow, Keras, PyTorch, and OpenCV are used in data science, machine learning, etc. It’s also used to create neural networks for artificial intelligence.
Drawbacks :
It is not ideal for mobile app and game development due to the consumption of more memory and its slow processing speed.
Python’s database access layer is primitive and underdeveloped in comparison to JDBC and ODBC technologies.
Kotlin – The JAVA alternative
Kotlin is an easy-to-learn and open-source language for Android app development, web development, and server-side development. It runs on JVM (Java virtual machine) and offers the developer productivity close to Python’s. Due to this, it is now the main language for android app development.

It effortlessly combines object-oriented and functional programming features within it and completely interoperable with Java. For instance, brands like Coursera and Pinterest have already moved to Kotlin.
Some Java issues addressed in Kotlin
Null Safety – Kotlin through the type system eliminates NullPointerException and helps in boosting data consistency.
Data classes – App developers now can add data in front of the class, which will work as the model class. This model class without any getters and setters will be able to reach out to the members on its own.
Clean and compact syntax – To be more precise, Kotlin can get things done with fewer lines of code that make it more reliable with fewer errors, than Java.
It supports functions that can be extended and operator overloading too.
It offers Type inference for variable and property types and Declaration-site variance & Type projections.
Drawbacks:
Kotlin does not have checked exceptions, static members,non-private fields. Also, it provides no support to wildcard-types and Ternary operator ( a ? b: c). undefined

3.Java – “Write Once, Run anywhere”
Java is one of the most popular programming languages used for developing server-side applications. It is a practical choice for developing Android and iOS apps, web applications, etc.
This object-oriented programming language does not require a specific hardware infrastructure, is easily manageable, and has a good level of security. No wonder, most of the companies rely on Java for their desktop applications and backend development projects.
Drawbacks :
Java does not have Extension functions, Null-safety, and Data classes.
It does not offer Separate interfaces for read-only and mutable collections and Operator overloading support.

4.JavaScript/ NodeJS – Making websites interactive
JavaScript (also known as NodeJS) is a popular language for server-side and client-side programming (interactive front end apps – browser side). It is compatible with several other programming languages and is extremely versatile, allowing you to create feature-rich applications, etc.
Owing to its high speed, Netflix, Uber, etc use JavaScript to create dynamic web pages that are secure and fast.
JavaScript is omnipresent in today’s digital environment. Hence, learning this language makes complete sense.
Drawbacks:
The copy or equivalent method is absent. It allows only single inheritance.
Might be interpreted differently by different browsers.

5.TypeScript – ‘ Javascript that scales’
TypeScript, a superset of JavaScript is an object-oriented language. Further, it is well-structured and easy to learn. Its extended toolbox makes application development quick and is used for developing large applications with a strict syntax.
It is essentially JavaScript, but less complex. Also, it allows static types (for easier error identification) and provides improved functionality without reducing its effectiveness, making it a great choice for new programmers.

6.Go
Go is fairly a new system-level programming language that has a focused vocabulary and simple scoping rules. It blends the best aspects of functional programming and object-oriented styles. Go is the fastest-growing language on Github, meant to replace languages like Java and C++.
This speed advantage has made Go a critical component of cloud infrastructure.

7.Swift
Swift is a general-purpose compiled programming language developed by Apple that offers a simple syntax and is fast, secure, and easy-to-learn. Owing to its versatility, it replaces Objective-C the main language for Apple-related applications.
Swift is the premiere coding language that helps developers create iOS apps within a short time.
Summing Up
Knowing which languages are gaining popularity can ensure better career growth and help job seekers prioritize learning them first.
Now if a school, and college students learn to code as early as possible, it will greatly help them to create next big things like WhatsApp, Google, etc that can create greater impact and change the world.

Is chatting worsening our children’s writing skills?

Human beings communicate with one another either using verbal or non-verbal communication. Excellent verbal skills refer to good reading and writing abilities.
At a young age, the students have to be encouraged to read at least a book daily. Good writers tend to be avid readers and there is a reason for this. The more a child reads, the more they will be exposed to a new set of words (vocabulary), construct different sentence structures, grammar usage, spelling, and the more words they will learn. This facilitates them to use writing skills for communication. Good writing skills allow you to communicate your message with clarity and to reach a far larger audience with ease than face-to-face or telephone conversations. The ability to write meaningful sentences, lines, paragraphs which a reader can easily understand is termed as Excellent Writing Skills. It is a perfect way to write & express your views on the topic you want to address your audience & listeners.
Chatting – Modern communication
Rapidly advancing technology ( Chatting through social networking tools, WhatsApp, etc) makes communication more accessible, simpler, and more convenient than ever before.
The problem is that the modern writing and communication make students learn habits (at a crucial age) that help them pick the perfect emoticons ( happy, sad faces, etc) or gif for a social situation or short forms or abbreviations (b4 for before, etc), but it won’t help them learn the appropriate forms of “your,” “you’re,” and “yours.”

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Improving writing skills :
Elementary school is a crucial time in a child’s development, and the pace at which students grasp things and learn is exceptionally fast. Writing is a complex intellectual task that involves many component skills. These skills involve, among other things:
o Reading comprehension
o Analytical skills
o Writing skills – (i). grammar, sentence structure, spelling, etc. , (ii). communicating ideas clearly and concisely, (iii). constructing arguments supported by evidence & (iv). organizing ideas effectively.
You are most likely to need writing skills as part of a course of study, whether at college or university.
You may, for example, need to write essays, a report, a literature review, a research proposal, or a thesis. These pieces of work are often very long and need careful structuring and writing.
Writing goes beyond school purposes: A child must bring together vocabulary, grammar, and mental processing, and then rely on the physical aspect of handwriting or typing out the words. Moreover, writing also facilitates a person to think better. When student learn how to write, he or she becomes more capable of analyzing what they read, interpret, and think. This ultimately increases awareness, improves memory, makes you sharp, and increases your creativity and imagination.
Be it any field or any profession, writing skill is required in some part of the journey in life. A well-written CV or resume with no spelling or grammatical mistakes is essential to get a new job. Businesses require candidates who can write and communicate effectively. Even the digital age has not reduced the need for writing. Be it emails, blogs, faxes, or website updates all these require excellent writing skills.

PARENTS CAN HELP THEIR CHILDREN TO HONE THEIR WRITING SKILLS….
Schools can make students read one another’s work and provide feedback to their peers in the form of “reader responses.” Just as in the classroom, teaching your kids writing skills at home is essential because it shows your kids multiple methods and ways to write. Parents can make a huge difference in how their children’s writing skills improve when writing at home and to reinforce the writing tactics learned in school. Use the child’s words to suggest better phrasing and/or help them pinpoint what they are trying to say through their writing. This makes it easier for ideas to be expressed better.
Here are a few ways parents can help at home:
• Make your child write the instructions for taking care of the family pet, operating an electronic appliance, etc (a computer system, microwave oven, washing machine, etc).
• Dictate to your child the items that you need on your shopping list and have them write the items down.
• Have them spend five minutes after school either to journal a newspaper article or about their day.
• Write an online review of something they like ( the product purchased, movie watched, the place visited, etc).
• When doing writing exercises with them, try to make it fun with markers to highlight the important points.
• Children need to understand that a perfect sentence doesn’t just come out in the first attempt, it develops through a back and forth process as the writer writes, reviews, and revises his or her text.
• Allow the use of spell and grammar checks. It’s not advisable to use technology- readily available apps for that purpose. But spelling and grammar feedback can actually be extremely helpful for a child who is learning how to write or trying to improve.
• It doesn’t matter what they are writing about, it’s just a good idea if it becomes a regular activity. Parents might suggest keeping a personal diary with a journal entry a day resulting in a special treat at the end of the week.
• Copying or memorizing favorite poems, quotes, etc can help children focus their attention on form, use and meaning and incorporate new structures into productive use. Borrowing sentence structures for your own ideas is how children learn to improve their writing.
• You can help kids build background knowledge through reading, field trips, and family outings. Talk about what kids are learning before, during, and after the outing. Just meeting new people and trying new things improves background knowledge, too.
Checklists can also help kids to check the overall quality of their work. They can look for the clarity and organization of their ideas, spelling, grammar mistakes, etc.
Tips for good writing
Make simple, short & precise sentences that are easy to read & understand. Pay attention to grammar & spellings. Brush up on the basic principles of writing skills by writing anything roughly and regularly. Do good research on the topic you need to write. Accept your mistakes as the first attempts are mostly not the best. Try to imitate your favorite writers & authors. Outline, edit, simplify & improve your writing tasks. Develop your skills & abilities by reading more & more. Ask your friend to read what you’ve written and also provide you with feedback. Review your previous work & examine how you’ve grown up your skills till now.

Understanding the browsing in Incognito mode

On a shared computer in colleges, and offices, there is a need to protect the user’s online activity from other users of a shared device. Hence, the private browsing feature called Incognito mode was introduced. It addresses the former issue completely. Also, it protects them partially from the visited websites and not at all from the ad networks or Internet service providers.
Browsing in private mode: Apple’s Safari browser was one of the first major web browsers to include this feature earlier in 2005 as “Private Browsing”. Later, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Microsoft Edge supported this feature. On a shared computer, if you don’t want the Chrome browser to remember your online activity, you can browse the web privately in Incognito mode. This feature can be activated in the Chrome browser of the Computer system, Android phones, Apple iPhones, and iPads.
“Go Incognito” can be added as an extension in Chrome. In Safari, the address bar is shown in black ( to indicate the incognito window).
Starting from Mac Operating systems, Windows and Linux OS also support them. Incognito mode can run in a separate window from your normal Chrome windows. Further details are clearly shown in the below picture.
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What browsing details are not stored?
When operating in such a mode, the browser creates a temporary session that is separated from the browser’s main session and user data. Free screen recorder windows 10.
Chrome will not save your

browsing history,
cookies and
site data, or
information entered in the online forms.
Private Browsing mode (PBM) is not always private, really ….
There are some limitations to that. The files that you download and bookmarks you create will be saved. It still saves your search query, geolocation details, etc and you are not free from malware or viruses.
Your online activity isn’t hidden from the websites you visit, your employer or school, or your Internet service provider (ISP). For security or legal purposes, and from the employer’s perspective, it is not hidden from them. ISPs may compile browsing statistics across many users that the ISP can use or sell.

In private (incognito) mode, your browser works a bit differently. Your search history ( web addresses – URLs) won’t be stored locally. This is great for hiding your browsing history from anyone else who’s using the same device, such as when you’re looking at products in an online shopping portal, reviews of latest movies, health information search, etc.
Health information search
Your health is your business. You might not even want to let family members know that you suspect something is an issue. Incognito mode can help you learn without having to explain before you understand.
Unbiased searching
Your search history can always influence what you see in the search results. If you want completely unbiased searching, based on an empty search history (and no cookies), incognito mode can let you do so without using the existing history for regular work.
Work in multiple accounts or profiles
If you want multiple windows open in multiple accounts (FaceBook login), sometimes profiles can get confused. With incognito mode (especially if you also use a guest window), you can keep each profile separate. And let’s say a friend wants to borrow your computer to quickly check his Facebook page; he could do that in incognito mode and log in to his own Facebook account without first having to log out of yours.
Screen recording
If you want to record a screencast, you probably don’t want all your own browsing info cluttering your recording. Incognito mode is a great way to do a clean recording.
As a new visitor to the e-commerce site
Sometimes what online stores present to you (along with the prices) are influenced by what you’ve bought before. If you want to see it all without history influencing, both incognito mode.
Helps you save money
Another surprising benefit is that users could save more money under PBM. Many web sites collect the user’s interests by storing one’s browsing session information. For example, through a user’s search history, an airline may rise up the price next time he/she searches it to persuade him/her to make the purchase now.
Preventing website tracking
Websites use trackers to collect information about browsing. They use it to show advertisements according to the user’s browsing preferences and behavior.
Tracking Prevention can be set from the Settings menu (Basic, Balanced or Strict options). Always use “Strict” tracking prevention when browsing InPrivate to “on.”
While using personal systems (iPad or Android phones etc) , it also helps to remove the local trace of viewing of adult content and hiding those kinds of stuff from the other family members, siblings, children, etc.
Conclusion :
Incognito Mode allows the user to go undercover when they are browsing the internet. Any searches or websites visited in Incognito Mode won’t show up in the Internet search history later.

SEO strategy in Digital Marketing

In the previous article , we saw the introduction to Digital marketing , its assets and different strategies.
Search: A user uses the Internet ( exactly , the search engines) to collect information about his/her queries.
A search engine ( example , Google , Yahoo!, Ask , Bing etc) is a computer-based system that indexes websites using some dedicated tracing software. A browser like Chrome , Firefox, Mozilla etc can be used to access the search engine. The software used is known as Internet bot, Web crawler or Web spider, and periodically tracks the Web looking for new content or modifications on sites. The search engine processes Web tracking, while it uses its own algorithm to classify websites and offer its results, as well as their order, depending on the search terms used to access the desired content. Google innovatively introduced the PageRank algorithm which gives marks to each page depending on the quality of their incoming links and the results are more closely adjusted to Web searches.
This simple process of using the search terms is currently the most important pathway to access online content, while it becomes the marketing base for SEO strategy .
Keywords : They are the terms or phases that users use to search something on Internet. They are the search criteria matching a specific website. When trying to positioning a site using some search criteria, several words are used for each keyword, avoiding generic terms at all times.
Search result may vary as per the keywords used by the searcher.
Tools to Select Keywords : In order to select the keywords, a manual list is prepared with some useful Web services. Google AdWords is a advertisement management platform and this includes a keyword measurement tool called Keyword Planner. Keyword Planner offers information on the potential performance of a term list with data regarding the average monthly searches or SEMRush to monitor competitors for those keywords.
How Search engines like Google formats and showcases the search results ? To understand this, we need to understand SEO—Search Engine Optimization SEO .
SEO refers to a set of techniques applied on a website—structure, code, content and links—to improve positioning in the organic results of a browser .
SEO is a system of generating traffic to your website through organic search. For e.g: Blogs, personal website pages are optimized by following the right guidelines creating a user friendly website, rich content with relevant keywords. All this will help in ranking your website on top search results .This helps search engine to showcase the best possible result to a user. The most important factor to remember about SEO is that it is “organic” or “free”. The website owner need not pay any money when the website is listed in the search results in SEO . When a user runs a query on Google, the results brought up on the page are a mix of website, blog, video, image, news depending to the keyword used.
How to Use SEO Techniques : SEO positioning is improved by undertaking actions to improve content, code aspects related to the website .Regarding this, keywords must be adapted to the website and included on:
• Title tag: the website title, visible on the top of the browser.
• Meta tags: meta tag description is very useful, both for Web crawlers , as the content of that tag is used in the browser results.
• Links: using keywords on friendly URLs.
• Content: keywords must be within the content of the website. With the latest update of Google’s algorithm, content has become more important. Offering original and quality content is one of the recommendations by Google for those who want to get started in the optimisation for Web searches. Apart from selection and use of keywords, improving Web positioning requires the development of other actions on the website’s structure and code. For example, having a sitemap helps Web crawlers index the website. A sitemap is a file with different URLs that make up the website. Another action in this line is to indicate to Web spiders which content is relevant and which is not, so that they trace it (or not) and index it (or not).

SEO produces Organic results. Results are always shown at the centre of the screen as in the below figure.

undefined Local SEO: Local SEO is done to promote your business in a local area. If your business has multiple branches or even if it’s a small business/service it is essential to provide your address/location, phone number, timings etc. The idea is to make the user connect with your business easily and effectively.
On the other hand, external SEO focuses on incoming links (coming from other websites), with the goal of gaining popularity and higher quality of the links. This technique is known as link building and can be implemented through concrete actions such as: • Exchange of links between different websites sharing themes and content. • Links from social networking sites such as forums or social networks, adding the link to the message or the content shared.
Search is not subjected to just web pages. We now also have more features like voice search & visual search that have simplified ways to look up information.
Voice Search: Information can now be retrieved by our voice commands . Siri, Google voice, Cortana are some of the common digital voice assistants . we can directly speak by clicking the microphone , near the Google search text box and ask the question to get the required information.
Visual Search: Earlier we mentioned about optimizing images. This is because search engines do not understand imagery. Hence renaming an image, adding description and alt text are important. Search engine crawlers understand text-based information given in the images and presents it in a visual form to the searcher. For instance , by opening the Google Assistant and pointing at a company logo , the company details will be shown up.

We shall discuss about the remaining Digital marketing strategies later.

Data Science Simplified : )

undefined Data Science is the process of gathering, analyzing, and visualizing large voluminous amounts of data to gain some insights or knowledge about it to make better decisions. If needed, machine learning algorithms ( clustering, Neural networks, etc) and NLP are also used. The data used here can be structured ( 6 digit pin code, dates, credit card numbers) or unstructured ( audio files, videos, email messages, etc). Data science helps us to find and express solutions to business problems. Hence, we can say that Data science enables the creation of data products.
Some of the real-world applications are :
The recommended movies and products displayed to us in the online sites ( Netflix, Amazon, etc) are implemented with the help of Data Science. It is also used to predict the demand for particular brands based on customer preferences and shopping behavior. It is widely used in the shipments industry to calculated the optimized routes etc.
undefined The Data Science process: It typically consists of six steps. They are 1) Setting the research goal, 2) Retrieving the data, 3) Data preparation, 4) Data exploration, 5) Data modeling and 6) Data visualization.
Setting the research goal: Data science helps us to find and express solutions to business problems. It is usually applied in the context of organizations. A project charter is prepared that contains information about the research – data and resources needed, benefits, timetable, and deliverables.
Retrieving the data: With the evolution of the Internet and smart technologies, data is grown as Big data. Sometimes, the data is extracted from the web using web scraping methods.
Data preparation: The collected data ( .csv, .pdf, or .txt formats) is cleansed to remove the outliers (data that does not fall within the range or boundary), bad data, etc. The database system used for loading the data is MySQL or PostgreSQL.
Data exploration: Statistical & predictive modeling methods and probability distributions are used to explore the patterns in data. This step is often called Exploratory data analysis ( EDA, in short). PYTHON or R programming is extensively used in Data Science. Jupyter, Spyder, or Pycharm integrated development environment can be used for writing the coding in Python language. It offers interactive coding ( My goodness, what an amazing feature it is !!!) with Jupyter Notebooks which enable intermixing of code, module outputs, plots, and charts, all within one seamless notebook.
Data modeling or Model building: Either the predictive modeling techniques or Machine learning algorithms can be used to build a model. It involves selecting the variables for the model, model execution, and diagnostics.
Data visualization: For midsized data, the standard libraries supported by python is used for presenting the data distribution in a visual form. Tableau, Microsoft Power BI can also be used for visualizing them.
We shall discuss the amazing Python language features in significant detail sometime later.

DIGITAL Marketing Basics in a Nutshell

Skill Development for the students in the 21st century

A skill can be defined as personal excellence in academics or any other field or domain.

The primary education teaches the foundation and basics of the language and other subjects. And, the secondary and higher secondary education follows an academic-centric model. At this stage, skill development and education should go hand in hand for skilling to take wings.

There are different categories of skills needed to survive and excel in this competitive world. The first and foremost is LIFE skills. As we all know, “Change is constant “. Change is the only thing permanent in this world. Everything around us keeps changing or evolving into a better shape.

Problem-solving & positivity skills: In a constantly changing world, the students should be taught to look out for the positive things and to get adapted to them to handle the life challenges and situations efficiently. This helps them to overcome the negative mindset or the disappointments they come across while facing everyday practical difficulties. At an early age, they learn to train their mind and understand that life will not be a smooth journey always. Life skills help them to manage the uncertainties and remain successful in their lives. Hence it is rightly said that “Practice makes us perfect”.

Communication skills: Thanks to innovation, a wide variety of gadgets are available. The students make use of them to improve their cognitive(intellectual) skills. They must be taught to communicate effectively (i.e) in an organized manner and to resolve the conflicts that arise while trying to solve the real-world problems. In this way, it bridges the gaps in sharpening their collaboration or team skills.

Creativity and Innovation: New Innovations have improved our lives significantly. The students should learn to look at things from a different perspective or dimension. There is no limit to imagination and the human mind can make wonders with the available resources. Demonstrations showing the useful products made out of waste, science exhibition using related technology (software), etc can be conducted in schools regularly to hone their creative skills.

Technological skills: These skills can be learned with regular practice. Learning how to operate a computer system, making it work for us through different available software ( programming, multimedia, database, networking, etc) are some of them. New advancements emerge so fast and one must keep himself updated with them consistently. He /She has to upgrade himself regularly or they will be outdated. Out of their own self-interest, these can be mastered with self-help books, online courses, coaching centers, etc. These can be evaluated using a qualifying test or certification.

Conclusion :

When the above employable skills are taught in school at an early stage, the students have ample amount of time to explore, select & undergo training or college studies and build up their careers. It eases the transition from the student phase to the professional phase.

The Gig economy is made up of three main components:

Independent workers – they are paid by the Gig (i.e., consumer of a task or a project);

Consumers – they need a specific service, for example, a ride to their next destination, or a particular item delivered; and

Tech platforms or companies – they connect the worker to the consumer in a direct manner, including app-based technology platforms. Companies such as Uber, or TaskRabbit act as the medium through which the worker is connected to – and ultimately paid by the consumer.

Benefits of Gig economy

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It forces you to think about how you work

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Student trend: reduced attention spans

Adaptive Learning

Emerging Technologies

The Final Thoughts

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Semantic Search in Search Engines

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Motion UI and impressive websites

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Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.

Audio – Podcasts are great ways to share the content for those who prefer audio.

Strategy – The first step is to think about your social media strategy.Some businesses use social media for increasing their brand awareness, others use it for driving website traffic and sales. Social media can also help you generate engagement around your brand, create a community etc .

Planning and Publishing – The content to be published to social media must be planned before hand and it is as simple as sharing a blog post, an image, or a video on a social media platform.

Listening and Engagement – You will want to monitor social media conversations about your brand for positive and negative comments . Depending on that , you get a chance to surprise ,delight them or you can offer support and correct a situation before it gets worse.

Analytics – The social media platforms provide more in-depth analytics information of how it’s marketing is performing.

Advertising – Social media ads allow you to reach a wider audience than those who are following you.You can create target audiences based on their demographics (location), interests, behaviors, and more.

Paid Social Media Marketing is a highly cost-effective way to expand your reach.

Email Marketing

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Strategy

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Modelling EQ begins at home

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