It is better
/It is better to die well than to live badly. -Jan Hus (who was burned at the stake for heresy on July 6, 1415)
ideas that challenge / comfort / inspire
Tuesday Tech Tools: 17 Organizers
/Airtable
Manages projects and processes-weddings, movie shoots, companies, etc. Allows you to log entries in spreadsheets which can be turned into sets of data stored in the cloud. Some limitations you won’t find in tools like Trello. There’s a video explanation here.
Boomerang (formally Baydin)
Schedule Gmail or Outlook email for a later send date. Add-on for Firefox and Chrome. Free.
Buffer*
Popular social media scheduling service for posting to multiple sites at one time or later, including: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Google+. Provides analytics. Free, but $10 (and up) a month gives you unlimited scheduling so you can plan your content well ahead of time.
Evernote*
Access notes on any computer, tablet or phone. Search function lets you find a note in either text or audio format. Free for iOS and Android. For more options there is Evernote Plus $2.99 a month, while Premium is $5.80 per month.
Freshbooks
A cloud-based accounting app that helps you manage clients and projects, send invoices, and track time, expenses, and estimates right from your iPhone. Best for running a business in which you have specific projects for different clients that involve billable hours. The first three clients are free; then $20 for up to 25 clients or $30 for unlimited clients per month.
Meetways
Find a halfway point between two locations. Great for setting up meetings between people.
Nozbe
Task management system. Organizes according to the context in which they are done (online, at the office, at home, etc.) . Designed with teams in mind-which could be as simple as sharing a shopping list. Available for most devices. Works with Google Calender. Monthly fee: $8 for a single user, $16 for a family, $40 for a team.
OmniOutliner
Mac program that keeps lists and organizes outlines. Low learning curve to create rich, multi-column, collapsible outlines in many styles. Add embedded notes, images, links, etc. $40 to buy the standard version, $70 for the pro model. An educational discount of $25 and $50 is available here.
Google Now
Tracks your online behavior and uses this data to predict the information that you will need, such as local traffic or weather updates.
PinBoard
Bookmark things you find in social media. One time $9.94 cost.
Podio
Social work platform for basic project management tasks — calendar, contacts, activity stream — that helps teams collaborate and communicate. Both free and paid versions.
Process Street
Document, manage, and track your workflows and business processes. Records tasks in templates – lists which show what tasks to do and what order to do them in. A video explanation here.
Scrivener*
App that gives you a single place to dump all your ideas. Especially helpful for creating and managing complex writing projects: writing a novel, play, TV show, magazine feature, etc. Write in fragments and then shuffle scenes/chapters in a "bulletin board" mode.. throw in research notes, multimedia files, and character sketches. Allows you to slowly "grow” books, scripts, and articles. Easy to convert the document to an e-book, web page, a PDF, or Word doc. Works with Mac and Windows. Free 30-use trial. $45 for the latest version. Many writers swear it's worth it. Doesn't work on iPads though.
Trello
Organizational tool that integrations with many other apps. Tasks or projects are stored in cards which are then arranged into columns.
TripIt
Organize all your travel plans into mobile itineraries.
Ulysses
Writing app for Mac. Uses plain text or Markdown for writing, but also includes notes, exporting, organization and more. $44.99.
WorkFlowy
Digital note taking app. Excellent design, but lacks due dates, reminders of upcoming deadlines and calendar view. Free version limits you to 500 lists or "items" per month. Pro accounts can be backed up to Dropbox. Individual pro accounts ($4.99 per month or $49 per year) and Team ($3.99 per month per user, or $39 per year per user, with a two user minimum) A short video introduction here.
When to Pivot
/The common presumption is that you shift to Plan B when something isn’t working. That’s frequently the case but not always. What you’re doing now doesn’t have to be failing for it to make sense to shift.
Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha, The Startup of You
What you should prepare to do during job interviews
/Be prepared to answer:
What are your values, goals, weaknesses?
What don't you like to do?
What work environment do you NOT like?
What's your passion for life and career?
Describe yourself.
Before the interview:
Take deep breaths
Remember they want to find the right person, they want you to do well
Listen, eye contact, sit up straight, enthusiasm, confidence (sound authoritative)
The interview: 3 types
-Behavior-specific skills (ex: tell me about the time..)
-Case-specific problems (ex: here a business case for you to work through..)
-Stress (more than one interviewer firing questions, i.e. let's see how you do under stress)
The company:
Where do you see the co in the next 5 years?
How would you describe the atmosphere here? (formal or informal, etc)
How does the company support work-life balance?
Are things handled differently for in-office and hybrid workers?
How does the company determine salary levels?
The position:
Reason last person left? How long was she in that position?
What did you like about the last person in this position?
How many times has it turned over in the last 5 years? (if a lot, ask why)
Who do I report to? Who would work under me?
What are my responsibilities?
Describe a typical day.
Do you have a written job description (get a copy)
What is the potential for promotion?
What is the greatest challenge I will face?
What problems might I face in the job?
How would you describe your management style?
How soon do you hope to make a decision?
Can I take a tour of the facilities?
Why is this position available?
Do you have any hesitancy in hiring me?
Benefits:
Health benefits booklet?
holidays and vacations?
Do you have any “employee resource groups” (erg)?
"Thank you for meeting with me."
How We Approach Failure
/Current research suggests that we can approach failure with different mindsets, specifically a “growth mindset” or “fixed mindset”:
· A fixed mindset holds the belief that we all possess specific skills and talents, and that no matter how much effort we apply, we can’t change that potential. Possession of a fixed mindset means any struggle or failure is attributed to one’s incapacity for growth.
· A growth mindset holds the belief that we all have unbounded potential for growth and evolution. It makes the simple act of trying enough to move things forward. Failure is simply a pitstop where you refuel your journey and redirect your approach.
The way you interpret failure determines whether or not you keep showing up and doing the work, or whether you shut down and give up.
It also impacts the risks and opportunities that we might take to achieve success. If you believe that there are not enough opportunities or resources out there for you, then taking a risk or making a mistake can feel like a big disappointment.
Jenny Wang writing in CNBC
The Lonely Generation
/Millennials are the loneliest generation. That’s the finding of a YouGov survey. Nearly a third of Millennials say they always or often feel lonely. More Millennials say they have no friends than any other generation, according to the survey (no best friends 30%, no close friends 27%, no friends 22%, and no acquaintances 25%).
Excessive social media use may be just one of the reasons some Americans are feeling isolated. The survey suggests shyness and a lack of hobbies contributes to the lack of friends.
Happiness + Courage
/Happiness is not enough to insure a fulfilling life. It is imperative to have courage, not merely happiness. To be fulfilling, happiness must derive from the courage that leads one to face stressful circumstances and to do the necessary hard work of transforming them from potential disasters into growth opportunities.
One particularly relevant study by my research team and me showed that hardiness was more effective than optimism (happiness) in helping people cope with stresses by growing through them, rather than stagnating. This showed how happiness, devoid of courage, can be laced with naive complacency.
Salvatore R. Maddi
27 Data Science Articles from June 2022
/Google Cloud expands Earth Engine to help businesses and governments
Comparing C++ to Python (with examples)
Can synthetic data help AI get quicker results —and be less discriminatory? Here comes the fake data
OpenAI says its latest AI has learned to play Minecraft
Overcoming overfitting a model in machine learning
How space debris threatens modern life
Ranking Pandas for Python, Dask & Datatable based on their performance
The basic process of handling satellite image data for geospatial deep learning
6 Types of “feature importance” — a useful (and yet slippery) machine learning concept
The remarkable story of deploying the satellite communication system Starlink in Ukraine
Creating a simple, interactive dashboard with Panel & Python
Wanted: artificial intelligence & machine autonomy algorithms for military command and control
A visual breakdown of threats to space-based services such as Starlink & GPS
Top YouTube channels for learning data science
Some basic data cleaning issues and possible solutions
Daily Data Science stories here.
Any Fool
/Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain but it takes character and self control to be understanding and forgiving. -Dale Carnegie
The five different types of impostor syndrome
/Impostor Syndrome Archetypes
According to Dr. Valerie Young, a leading expert on the subject of impostor syndrome, these feelings of self doubt are not one-size-fits-all. Here are the five different types of impostor syndrome:
#1 Expert - You expect to know everything and feel ashamed when you don't.
#2 Soloist - You believe work must be accomplished alone and refuse to take any credit if you received any kind of assistance.
#3 Natural Genius - You tell yourself that everything must be handled with ease, otherwise it's not "natural talent".
#4 Superperson - You feel you should be able to excel at every role you take on in your life.
#5 Perfectionist - You set impossibly high standards for yourself and beat yourself up when you don't reach them.
Understanding the different types of impostor syndrome is an important first step, as each manifestation requires a unique toolkit of solutions to help overcome this common psychological trap experienced by professionals.
Read about the strategies to combat each type here.
Tuesday Tech Tools: 16 Map Making Tools
/Amcharts
Creates charts and maps. Aimed at the needs of businesses. Free version or more options with a paid for a one-time fee of $90.
Atlist
Create custom Google Map with multiple markers that are embeddable. Add markers manually or by importing address data from an Excel spreadsheet or CSV. Example. Add directions, photos, etc. to modals (modals are the info windows that pop up when you click a marker).
Batchgeo
Map creator that generally easy-to-use and straightforward. Can be embedded into a site. Video explanation here. Free trial then $99 a month.
Canva*
Canva’s graphic design tools include a mind maps for organizating concepts Free. $12 a month for more options.
Clickable Map
Creates a map that opens a link when users click a region. Easy to use. Free.
Google Maps*
A powerful tool but with a bit a of learning curve. Useful for creating custom routes (for driving, biking or walking) between these markers. Will do distance calculations and measurements. Limited styling options: you can’t change the markers size or shape. You also can’t edit the modal. Free.
MapChart
Color code countries and regions on a world map. Click the country and choose a color. Create a legend then download your map. Free.
Mapcreator
This toll will create printable maps that can be exported and can save as an image. Used by newsrooms, real estate, government and tourism companies. Good for creating maps that need to be exported as an image. Free.
Mapline
Upload spreadsheets and display them as markers and shapes and categorize them within territory boundaries to a map. It includes route planning and other powerful feature. There is a free option with paid accounts starting at $695 a year.
MapMe
A embeddable basic custom interactive map creator. Especially for real estate and travel. Free for up to five maps with limited features. Requires an account. Paid accounts starting at $24 a month.
NatGeo MapMaker
This National Geographic tool will overlay climate and political data layers on a map. There are simple tools for adding text and shapes. Free.
One Place Field
Intended for software developers and programmers, this map maker is mobile-friendly. Simple interface, cloud-based. Users can overlay shapes, drawings, measurements, asset information, and field data onto satellite imagery. Works as a collaborative toll for teams in the field. There’s a 14-day free trial with full functionality, then paid accounts starting at $49 a month.
QuikMaps
Draw lines and place markers on a Google map using only your mouse cursor. Can be embedded. Free.
Scribble Maps
A map-maker with API capabilities to use on outside websites. Create a map, publish online, embed in a document, or print as a hard copy. High-resolution imagery makes it possible to create high-quality prints and posters.Free for as many as five maps. Despite the technical tools for pros, novice map makers can make good use of it as well. More features with paid accounts starting at $14.
Visme
Create graphics and maps just for a particular platform for social-specific content. Free for up to five maps with limited features. Paid accounts starting at $15 month.
ZeeMaps
Create interactive maps, even for large datasets. Does not require an account. Free for up to five maps. Import spreadsheets and render them as the base layer of a map. More features and no branding for paid accounts starting at $19.99.
Life is
/Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. -Helen Keller
Be ready to answer these 12 questions during a job interview
/12 Common Job Interview Questions
› What do you know about our company?
Or Are you a consumer of our product?
The employer hopes to learn..
Did you prepare for this interview? Did you do your homework?
Be ready to offer specifics.
› Why should we consider you for this position?
Or Why do you think you are a good fit for this position?
The employer hopes to learn..
Are you confident in your abilities? What does the company gain by hiring you?
› What are your strengths and weaknesses?
The employer hopes to learn..
Companies expect honesty in answering this question. You should be able to articulate what you are best at and areas you are working to improve.
› What do you want to be doing 5 years from now?
The employer hopes to learn..
Are you goal directed? Or will you be satisfied with an entry-level position?
› What other jobs experiences have you had?
The employer hopes to learn..
Have you held a job before? How long have you been working? Did you get along with others?
› What people have been important influences in your life?
The employer hopes to learn..
People quick to credit others often work well with others and are not driven by ego
› Are you a self-starter?
The employer hopes to learn..
Can you work alone and without direct supervision? If not given a task, are you the type of person who will take the initiative to find something to do?
› What are your interests apart from work?
Or What’s special about you? What do you bring to the job that will help you succeed?
The employer hopes to learn..
Hobbies, activities and other interests indicate people who are well rounded and can manage time and work. It’s an opportunity to sell yourself.
› Tell me about a problem you solved recently.
The employer hopes to learn..
Insight on your problem-solving skills.
› Tell me about a goal you recently achieved. What did your initial plan look like? What worked particularly well?
The employer hopes to learn..
Can you talk in detail about a goal you have achieved—where you created your own plan and not only followed those plans but adapted to circumstances and changing conditions.
› Tell me about a goal you failed to achieve.
The employer hopes to learn..
If you take responsibilities for failing without blaming other people or outside factors. Can you admit you were wrong and willing to change your mind. This will also indicate whether you learned from your experience: can you describe in detail what perspectives, skills, and expertise you gained from that training.
› How do you handle stress
How Science Fuels a Culture of Misinformation
/Covid-19 hasn’t been just a viral pandemic, but also a pandemic of disinformation—what the World Health Organization calls an “infodemic.” Many scientists blame social media for the proliferation of Covid-related falsehoods, from the suggestion that Covid could be treated by drinking disinfectants to the insistence that masks don’t help prevent transmission. Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and other platforms have indeed propagated dangerous misinformation. However, social media is a symptom of the problem more than the cause. Misinformation and disinformation often start with scientists themselves.
Joelle Renstrom writing in OpenMind
Almost every man wastes part of his life
/Almost every man wastes part of his life in attempts to display qualities which he does not possess, and to gain applause which he cannot keep. -Samuel Johnson
The one-sided Cycle
/The ancient wisdom from Ecclesiastes that tells us that there is a time for living and dying. East and West have traditionally taken opposite positions in relation to this cycle. Eastern religions have traditionally embraced the letting-go that characterizes the ending aspect of the cycle. Western thought, on the other hand, has tried to get the most out of the other aspect of the cycle—the identifications, the embodiments, the actualizations that are associated with the transition phase of beginning again in a new cycle. This approach makes an ending into a breakdown and even a failure. To be fair, the East has its own one-sidedness too. It identifies with letting go and ending, and all the things that are produced by beginnings are dismissed as illusion. The letting go is no longer a dynamic process but a state of detachment.
William Bridges, The Way of Transition
Local TV and Radio News Survey 2022
/Takeaways from The Radio Television Digital News Association’s annual survey of local TV and radio:
Programming
A new record of 1,116 TV stations aired local news—up 18 from last year’s all-time high.
Budgets
Just 16.3% of TV stations report budget increases while 29.3% report experiencing budget cuts.
Among TV news directors who do know their department’s profitability, 75.9% report a profit.
The percentage of radio news managers reporting their budgets decreased doubled to 18.2% over the previous year.
Salaries
Despite pandemic-related pay cuts, local television news salaries, on average, increased by 3.5%, or 2.1% after accounting for inflation.
TV salaries in markets 101-150 faired the best, with salaries for most positions increasing while in the top 25 markets, salaries for most positions fell.
Average and median starting TV news salaries both rose during 2021 to the highest staring salaries in the survey’s history.
Staffing
Full-time newsroom staffing fell 6.3% in 2021.
Digital staffing, on average, was up slightly, along with the roles of photographer, producer, editor and social media producer/editor.
Three times as many commercial radio news departments cut staff as added. Public radio stations, on the other hand, were four times more likely than commercial stations to grow.
Solo Journalists
The average newsroom has fewer solo journalists than last year while smaller markets overwhelmingly rely on MMJs, and mid-markets increasingly do, but few stations large market stations send reporters out alone.
MMJs and producers remain most in demand, representing about three-quarters of new TV news hires.
Innovations
More local TV newsrooms report producing virtual town halls, specials and longer-form or digital-exclusive content.
Social Media
Facebook is the most popular social media platform for local TV and radio news, with 94% of radio newsrooms and 100% of TV newsrooms reporting they used it.
Instagram is used by nearly every TV station and a third of radio newsrooms.
Twitter use among local news has been declining for several years, with most TV newsrooms using the platform, but less frequently.
Podcasts
The typical station, measured by median, has no podcasts and the average per station is less than one half.
The typical radio news department reporting zero podcasts.
Danger
1 in 5 television news directors reported attacks on employees.
More than half of attacks occurred during coverage of civil unrest, protests, marches/rallies or riots
Acting out of Dignity
/Allow others to act out of dignity rather than forcing them to act from humiliation.
7 Free Webinars taking place in the next week: Disinformation, Data stories, Data tools, Faith in Journalism, Free Speech, Title IX, & Racism in Health Care
/Thu., June 23 - The Path Forward on Disinformation
What: With the ability to spread online like wildfire, disinformation can have a corrosive impact on civil society. This discussion will cover online disinformation, what the US government should be doing about it and how tech companies continue to assess their role in the fight against it.
Who: Brad Smith, President & Vice Chair, Microsoft
When: 9 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Washington Post
Thu., June 23 – Title IX: 50 Years Later
What: Reflections on the transformational impact of Title IX and the challenges that remain 50 years later.
Who: Catherine Lhamon, U.S. Department of Education assistant secretary for civil rights, and athletes Briana Scurry and Jasmyne Spencer
When: 11 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: National Women’s Law Center
Thu., June 23 - Uncover the Story in Your Data: Translate Insights Into Compelling Content
What: Actionable tips for mastering data-led storytelling and compelling use cases. You’ll find out: The difference between data points, observations and insights; How to derive insights from data points; Tips for utilizing insights to drive your content strategy and craft a compelling story.
Who: Nativo’s Associate Director, Content Strategy & Insights Erin Tye
When: 1 pm Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Internet marketing service company Nativo and AdWeek Magazine
Thur., June 23 - Data journalism tools for your newsroom and classroom
What: How to scrape data from web pages and PDFs and into a spreadsheet format. You also will learn how to visualize the data using the free Flourish.studio tool. Participants will get links to the tools, exercises, examples and data to practice with.
Who: Mike Reilley of Penny Press Digital, LLC
When: 1 pm Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: West Virginia Press Association
Fri., June 24 - Faith in Journalism: How news organizations can build trust with religious Americans
What: Topics include how journalists of faith navigate challenges from inside their newsrooms and from inside their faith communities; Whose faith is centered in coverage and whose is marginalized, mischaracterized, or misunderstood; Which best practices can help extend our community’s understanding of itself.
Who: Moderated by Julie Moos, the Institute’s Executive Director, Panelists include:
Dawn Araujo-Hawkins, vice president at Religion News Association
Alison Bethel, vice president of corps excellence at Report for America
Sarah Breger, editor at Moment Magazine
McKay Coppins, staff writer at The Atlantic
Aysha Khan, journalist and Harvard Divinity School student
Holly Meyer, religion news editor at The Associated Press
Bill Mitchell, publisher, CEO, and president at the National Catholic Reporter
Paul O’Donnell, editor-in-chief at Religion News Service
When: 11:30 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: National Press Club Journalism Institute
Tues., June 28 - Telling the story of racism in American health care
What: We’ll discuss strategies and examples for telling stories about inequities, disparities and racism in health care systems. We'll take inspiration from the team behind STAT's “Color Code,” a series exploring medical mistrust in communities of color across the country.
Who: Journalist Nicholas St. Fleur, host of Color Code and the show’s multimedia producer, Theresa Gaffney
When: 10 am Pacific
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: USC Center for Health Journalism
Thu., June 30 - Democracy dialogue: Free speech, hate speech, how much can we take?
What: In an age where hate has gone viral and virtual forums inspire mass killings, can the First Amendment still be viewed in the benign light of the past? How can we manage the unintended consequences of free speech? Is speech an issue society must readdress? Given the politics of the moment and ever-expanding role of the internet, what is the principled position when it comes to speech? This panel will offer a searching and provocative exploration of where the debate over free speech debate stands today, and where it should be going.
Who: Cathy Buerger, Director of Research, Dangerous Speech Project
Ben Holden, Professor of Journalism, with research and teaching emphasis on the First Amendment, Northwestern University
Martin Garbus, renowned constitutional lawyer whose clients have ranged from Lenny Bruce and Andrei Sakharov to the Public Broadcasting System and Great Britain’s Channel 4
Emerson Sykes, Senior Staff Attorney, ACLU Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project
When: 1 pm Pacific
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsors: The Renewing American Democracy project, USC Annenberg's Center for Communications Leadership and Policy, Long Island University, and Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism
Media Growth Predictions
/Here are some takeaways from the annual PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Global Entertainment & Media report:
U.S. digital newspaper ad revenue expected to surpass print by 2026.
Online TV’s ad growth (10%) will come at the expense of terrestrial TV’s ad growth, which will decrease from 66.6% in 2021 to 63.1% in 2026.
Print still dominates the book market, accounting for 77.4% of total revenue in 2021, with electronic books contributing 22.6%.
Virtual reality continues to be the fastest-growing segment of media, albeit from a relatively small base.
Global internet advertising revenue will expand at an impressive 9.1% CAGR in the next five years to reach $723.6 billion in 2026, at which point 74% of internet ad revenue will be mobile.
Teenagers are now spending more time in immersive virtual worlds like Roblox and Fortnite than they are on TikTok.
Read more here