Tag Archives: language

Art

The Power of Words: How to Harness Linguistics in Domain Name Selection

May 27, 2023 The Silo Leave a comment

In today’s rapidly-evolved internet landscape, finding an effective domain name can be crucial to online success. Yet have you considered its immense power when choosing words? Linguistics – which studies language structure – is an indispensable asset when selecting domain names; in this article, we’ll look into how understanding its fundamentals can assist with building memorable and effective names for domain registrations. Let’s start this discussion with an example to highlight its significance!

Real-Life Story:

Sarah is passionate about sustainable living and has launched an eco-friendly store online. Sarah spends hours brainstorming possible domain names that reflect her ideals and those of her target market audience. Finally, after extensive research and studying linguistic principles, Sarah opted for “Greenovation.com.” This domain name captures both her brand’s essence and commitment to eco-consciousness instantly – her intuitive understanding of linguistics proved instrumental as this domain name resonated strongly with customers resulting in increased brand recognition and, ultimately, business success.

History & Foundation of Linguistics in Domain Names:

Its historical context must be investigated to understand linguistics impact on domain name selection. Early internet domain names were selected based on keyword availability or company names. However, as more domains crowded the online landscape, linguistic principles significantly distinguished one domain from its competition.

Linguistics encompasses numerous components that can substantially affect domain name selection, such as phonetics, semantics, and syntax. By understanding their function, you can craft memorable domain names that elicit positive emotions among your target audience and are easily pronounceable.

Domain names need to take into account language factors when creating domain names:

Phonology: Selecting domain names with appealing sounds and easy pronunciation will make them more memorable and accessible, like CrispClean.com, which features repeated “c” sounds that create a catchy rhythm while emphasizing cleanliness.

Semantics: Words have meanings, so selecting domain names that resonate with your brand’s values and offerings can increase its overall impact. For instance, specifying EcoGuru.com as the domain name conveys both environmentalism and expertise – creating instant trustworthiness associated with eco-friendly practices.

Syntax: The arrangement and order of words within a domain name can have an enormous effect on its readability and memorability, such as ShopQuickly.com, which utilizes simple syntax making it easily understandable and memorable.

Take advantage of the large choice at Squadhelp when looking for a domain name akin to exploring a linguistic treasure trove. From playful alliterations to clever word combinations, the linguistic aspect of domain names allows businesses to craft a distinctive online identity that resonates with their target audience.

Utilizing Linguistics in Domain Name Selection:

Building an impactful domain name takes careful thought and strategy. Here are a few helpful pointers:

Research Your Target Audience: Take steps to learn about and comprehend their language preferences, cultural nuances, and values to ensure your domain name resonates with them.

Focus on clarity and simplicity: Choose words that are easy for people to remember. Avoid complex or obscure terms which might mislead or confuse the audience.

Consider Emotional Appeal: Words can evoke strong emotional responses in people. Choose words that produce this desired emotional reaction in your target audience while aligning with your brand tone and messaging strategy.

Be distinctive and memorable: Separate yourself from the competition by choosing an eye-catching domain name that conveys the spirit and value proposition of your brand or value proposition.

Other considerations also play a part in domain name selection besides language considerations, including availability and compliance with your brand’s legal requirements. Furthermore, domain extensions like (.com.net.ca or org) could provide more relevant options that meet industry or target audience demands. For the Silo, Grant Polachek.

Conclusion:

In today’s digitally competitive landscape, harnessing linguistics as part of your domain name selection strategy can give your online presence a significant edge. Harnessing their power can give them a significant competitive advantage by understanding basic linguistic principles and considering historical context when selecting domain names for online ventures, harnessing their power can give them a significant competitive advantage. Words hold power that can impact perceptions and emotions and ultimately leave a lasting, impactful memory, so make wise selections when selecting names for online endeavors to maximize their full potential and achieve maximum returns from online ventures!

Culture

Creativity Espoused By Mainstream Media Is Sadly About Machine Creativity

May 26, 2022 The Silo Leave a comment

[You may know him from the movies “What The Bleep Do We Know” and “Down The Rabbit Hole” – Two great introductory documentaries on Quantum Physics you really owe it to yourself to see. Let the Silo introduce you to a welcomed, new contributor- Dr. Amit Goswami – Author, Speaker and Scientist. Ed.]

“I am very excited about one of my recent books- Quantum Creativity. The main message of this book is this: If you are interested in creativity and in thinking quantum, you have the basics of what it takes to be creative, in fact, to be extraordinary in your creativity.

Quantum physics is the physics of possibilities. Quantum physics says reality is both possibility and actuality.

The objects of the universe are possibilities, quantum possibilities; they become objects of actuality in our experience when we observe because we have chosen actuality from the possibilities proffered. This two-level complementary reality is an important aspect of our consciousness. The unmanifest, (psychologists call it the unconscious, spiritual traditions call it the transcendent) is the realm where consciousness processes possibilities (unconscious processing) but without awareness, without subject-object separation.

The manifest (psychologists call it the conscious, spiritual traditions call it the immanent) is the domain of actualities that consciousness processes with awareness, with subject-object split.

Quantum thinking consists of this two-level processing—both unconscious and conscious. Quantum thinking understood in this way liberates you, anyone, from any assumed ordinariness. With its help, anyone can be creative.

Creativity was difficult for people of the olden days because they had to pursue it blindly, they did not know how human creativity works; they assumed it is all mystery, all arts. And today, lots of people shortchange their creativity because of their faulty mechanistic worldview.

The truth is, we cannot discuss the relevant issues of human creativity without a lot of make-belief within our current mechanistic worldview based on the metaphysics of scientific materialism—everything is matter moving in space-time and material interaction.

The science of creativity that the protagonists of a mechanistic worldview talk about, and which today you read about in the media, is about machine creativity. To a large extent it is sophistry, about how determined machines can somehow appear to be creative.

It is self-evident that human creativity requires consciousness as a causal entity with free will, freedom to choose.

It is self-evident that human creativity requires the capacity to process meaning, that human creativity involves affects (agony and ecstasy), and that human creativity begins with intuition.

Dealing with human creativity requires a worldview in which consciousness is causally potent, in which not only our physical experiences but also our experiences of thinking, feeling and intuition are validated. Quantum physics, properly interpreted, gives us that worldview. Engaging the two level complementary reality of quantum physics gives human creativity all its wonderful and mysterious attributes that material machines moving in a one-level space-time reality cannot possibly simulate.” For the Silo, Dr. Amit Goswami.

Culture

Learn To Communicate With Your Pet

June 28, 2021 The Silo Leave a comment

It’s a funny thing about cats and babies. When babies cry, we desperately try to understand why. When a cat meows on the other hand, we usually take it as if he or she’s just being…… well, annoying. To be fair, it depends on the pitch of the meow. If it’s more of a screech, well then you and I probably take that as a sign to stay away. But not with babies. Have you ever wondered why the different treatment?

Why do people put extra time into analyzing baby behaviors compared to cats?

I mean, both are obviously trying to say something to us.And we know from research that cats have a language of their own. In fact the meows you hear could be one of 20 different sounds they’re making, all with slightly different inflections and behavioral responses.

We can now learn the full range of complex emotions we previously thought were reserved only for human beings — as they are actually happening to our cat children.

Cats can have a sense of guilt, for example. And if you can spot the emotions, you’ll know exactly when they misbehave!

Cats can feel lonely, as we already pointed out. And oftentimes they’ll try and hide from you, much like a teenager who secretly needs to be consoled in some way.

Cats can even be manipulative. But you already knew that, or at least suspected it every time your cat showed you some warmth and love right before chow time!

Dog Lovers might be interested in the Bowlingual.

Dogs, in comparison, can never quite get past a five-year-old’s more narrow emotional spectrum. It’s either happy or sad for them.

Don’t believe me? Check it out and see firsthand what your cat is trying to tell you today by clicking here.

Culture

5 Ways Conversation Could Get You Punched In The Mouth

March 8, 2021 The Silo 1 Comment

Take it from the queen of verbal mishaps, there may not be a right way to start a conversation but on the wrong day, a poor choice of words could get your tongue snatched out of your mouth. Believe me when I say, you do not want that problem on your hands. So, to minimize your risks, I’ve narrowed down a solid list of WRONG ways to start a conversation, with the hopes that you’ll take heed and have more thoughtful discussions in the New Year.

I’m not condoning violence of any sort but I can tell you with absolute certainty that you are in great danger if you say any of these things to the wrong person. Choose wisely.

She was asking for it-
If somehow in your mangled mind you believe that a woman who dresses provocatively, gets drunk or “chooses” an abusive partner deserves to be assaulted, well you might just deserve to lose a few teeth. The reality is, we could all make better choices from time to time but you don’t get to be the judge of anyone but yourself. Victim blaming is never okay. This type of thinking perpetuates a culture of abuse. You’re better than that…right? Hold abusers accountable for their actions. If you can’t do that, just be quiet.

Are you pregnant?-
You know good and well I’m not pregnant. This age old attempt to body shame women has gotten many people hurt, from the ancient times of Jesus of Nazareth to the current age of the Kardashians. Taking cheap shots at a woman’s body is simply a bad idea. If you’re genuinely curious to know if a woman is pregnant, you’ll just have to wait until she announces it. If the news never comes, well there’s your answer. If you’re concerned that she could possibly be gaining too much weight, start an exercise group and invite all of your friends to participate.

The earth is flat-
You would think a person would only say this in a conversation for shock value or to be provocative but it turns out this is actually a thing. There are real people out here who refuse to believe the earth is round and this is problematic. This conversation would likely start off with laughs and jeers but quickly turn ugly when the flat-earther suggests you’re stupid for allowing yourself to be brainwashed by live footage from outer space, actual satellite images and scientific research. It’s only a matter of time before this debate transforms into a full on brawl and somebody ends up in the ER.

If you can say “nigger/nigga,” why can’t I?-
Why are we still having this discussion? I mean, really. We’ve only been talking about this for the last 60 years. You need to be more concerned about your twisted obsession with wanting to say that word. What is it in you that just cannot accept that there is a word born out of hatred that you should not use? Even more so, why does it bother you that a marginalized group of people have taken the power from an otherwise derogatory word and transformed it into a term of endearment. If you cannot understand that this does not involve you, you have bigger problems than using the “N word.” You’ve been warned.

What are you?-
What do you mean, ‘what am I?’ What are you? I’m a human being who is minding my own business and not walking around challenging other people on their ethnicity. Biracial and multiethnic people do not owe it to you to satisfy your curiosity about the realities that exist outside of Mayberry. I’m sorry if your limited understanding of the world leaves you confused and intrigued. Find a travel agent and book yourself a trip to another zip code. And while we’re on the topic , ‘no, you cannot touch my hair.’

Some accidents in life are preventable. Hopefully, this guide will help you avoid conversation calamities in the New Year.

#AskMe Tees spark thoughtful and meaningful conversations about important and fun topics but we cannot keep up with the shenanigans and tomfoolery of habitual line crossers. Simply put, there isn’t a t-shirt for every conversation. So, we created this. For the Silo, Ayanna Smith.

Ayanna Smith is the founder of #AskMe Tees, the award-winning Escape Lounge breakout games in Washington, D.C., and Ridlz. She is brutally honest, sharp-tongued, quick-witted and hard to embarrass, yet philanthropic, service-oriented and deeply compassionate. Between her budding business ventures and family, she has a lot to talk about!

Culture

Words Are Powerful. Use With Care, Media Expert Warns

June 18, 2020 The Silo Leave a comment

It’s easy to take words for granted; most of us use them as effortlessly as we breathe. But words hold power that we often overlook at our own peril, says media expert Steve Kayser.

“Language is the code that translates ideas so they can be shared. They give us an advantage in the natural world, which has enabled us to evolve as human beings,” says Kayser, author of “The Greatest Words You’ve Never Heard,” (hyperlink below).

“But in our personal and public lives, we are inundated with empty words; words that are used incorrectly; words that are drained of all meaning; and so fail to accurately convey the intended message; and words that carry unwarranted connotations and stigma.”

Words can change lives, destroy relationships and alter the course of entire civilizations, Kayser notes.

[A must read about the power of word usage via Toltec wisdom: thefouragreements CP]

He shares examples of what to avoid, what to embrace and what to reconsider when trying to make your language more effective.

• Avoid John Kerry’s “crystal clear” nugget. Back in 2016 amid the ongoing foreign policy crises in the Middle East, secretary of state John Kerry, who has a linguistic reputation for long-winded political jargon, seemed to contradict himself in a single breath.

“I want to make this crystal clear,” he said. “The president is desirous of trying to see how we can make our best efforts in order to find a way to facilitate.”

It’s this kind of language that makes people cynical about our elected officials – when a politician’s mouth is moving and producing sounds, but he’s not saying anything. Or, if they are saying something, they use words that are overused and unnecessary. Businesses, too, can be notorious for this using corporate gobbledygook to obfuscate all meaning, Kayser says.

“What people want is authenticity in language, to say what you mean and mean what you say.”

• Emulate Mark Twain, the “straight shooter,” who employed wit, charm and incisive commentary in communications. No, most people cannot pick up where Twain, arguably America’s greatest writer, left off. But language and the way in which it’s used can be highly contagious. If you want to inspire authenticity and engage employees and friends alike with genuine communication, consider styling your speech more along the lines of Twain, rather than a dry business manual:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do,” Twain wrote. “So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

• If you’re in business, there are advantages to embracing the jargon. “Can we blue sky this synergy later?” “Cascade this to your people and see what the pushback is.” … Business lingo could fill a dictionary, and in many cases, requires one! Unlike political babble, business jargon has its purpose, according to a new study from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business. Business speak is code for “upper management material,” showing that the speaker is in a company’s inner circle and is a “big picture” person, the study reveals.

“Some of the language you come across in the business world can seem absurd to outsiders; some of these phrases, however, may actually reveal ambition in an employee,” Kayser says.

“The beauty of language is that it’s a common tool for everyone to use, yet it can be tailored to an individual. My primary suggestion is to do that in a way that authentically reveals your meaning.”

About Steve Kayser

Steve Kayser is an award-winning writer, editor, publisher, former radio host and founder of Kayser Media. He has had the great fortune to interview and collaborate with some of the best minds in the business world, and his eclectic approach to public relations and marketing has been widely documented. He recently published “The Greatest Words You’ve Never Heard,” (www.stevekayser.com).

Culture

Universal Language Hopes To Bring Cultures Closer Together In New Year

December 31, 2019 The Silo Leave a comment

International migration continues to grow on a scale never seen before, bringing with it social and cultural diversity, and inequalities in living standards. At the same time, the world has seen a sharp rise in terrorism, threats of war, populist politics and significant lack of confidence in leadership. But can the arts build on its foundation of “universal language” and actually bring cultures closer together?

Survey after survey in recent years have pointed to the significant connections between strong academic achievement and arts learning.

Professor Ada Aharoni, who lives in Israel and is the founding President of the International Forum for the Literature and Culture of Peace (IFLAC), believes that education has a critical role to play in the peace process. Intercultural communication, peace literature and a peace media can substantially help in healing the urgent ailments of our global village. However, Aharoni notes, “Peace and tolerance education should be given to the teachers and the parents too. If a child goes back home after class to parents that are intolerant and violent, the child, despite his peace and tolerance education at school, will be forcefully influenced by the values, customs and traditions of his parents.” Today’s youth are living in a globalized world, and a true global citizen according to Aharoni is, “a human guardian of all the people in our global village, and not only of the country she or he lives in.”

Professor Ada Aharoni received the President Shimon Peres Award for Peace in 2012 for her peace research, her books and her work with IFLAC. She was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 2014.

Ada, in your opinion, what does it mean to be a true ‘global citizen’?

A true global citizen, in my view, is a human guardian of all the people in our global village, and not only of the country she or he lives in.

Many claim that without conflict and competition there is no advancement. If the world were completely at peace, could we develop or would the world be at a complete stand-still when it comes to new discoveries/ revolutions?

When the world one day will be completely at peace, after having thrown out of our lives, of our planet and of our dictionaries, the destructive concept and practice of war – we would develop our creativity and all our abilities at a fruitful rate the world has never seen before.

You grew up learning about other cultures. In today’s age, classrooms are becoming more diverse than ever yet people are afraid of certain cultures and religions. Do you believe that peace begins in a classroom? How important is the role of education in nurturing tolerance?

Education is the most important element in developing, nurturing and propagating peacemaking, conflict resolution, tolerance and harmony. However, Peace and Tolerance education should be given to the teachers and the parents too. If a child goes back home after class to parents that are intolerant and violent, the child, despite his peace and tolerance education at school, will be forcefully influenced by the values, customs and traditions of his parents.

“International cooperation can develop, strengthen and empower people to be both loyal global citizens and loyal patriots at the same time.” — Ada Aharoni

Are ‘patriot’ and ‘global citizen’ mutually exclusive terms? Can someone love and want the best for their country while also advocating for international cooperation?

A “global citizen” can, and should, also be a loyal patriot to his own country. International cooperation can develop, strengthen and empower people to be both loyal global citizens and loyal patriots at the same time.

Your movie talks about government accountability and the falsifying of history, especially when it comes to the origins of Jews in Israel. In what way do you see younger generations demanding accountability and transparency from their world leaders? Do you think politics are becoming more or less accessible to people?

I am glad you watched my movie: The Pomegranate of Reconciliation and Honor, and understood it so well. However, it is not the falsifying of history, but ignoring the history and the uprooting of more than half the citizens of Israel – the Sephardi citizens who were thrown out or escaped from the Arab countries, after the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.

This history is so important as it can promote the Reconciliation between the Palestinians and Israelis. When the Palestinians realize that they are not the only victims of the Arab-Israeli Conflict, it gives them back their “honor” and they become open to a reconciliation.

The Ministry of Education in Israel should teach in schools – both in Jewish and Arab schools – the History and the Uprooting of the Jews from Arab countries, and its importance as a major element to Peace Making and Reconciliation. This history, of half the citizens in Israel, should be learned and practiced also by all the leaders on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides.

In today’s volatile, uncertain world, can literature and the arts truly bring about change? What has your experience with your own work taught you?

Yes, I believe that words, communication, literature and the arts can promote peace, tolerance and harmony, and bring about a change. Our work at IFLAC has shown us this again and again. For instance, I received many enthusiastic letters and messages from Palestinians who watched my film, The Pomegranate of Reconciliation and Honor, on YouTube, and wrote that the movie had instilled hope of peace in them and had given them back their honor as Palestinians.

For the Silo, David Wine/CMRubinWorld. Featured image via news.ucsb.edu.

Sci-Tech

New App Demystifies Coding For Kids

January 8, 2018 The Silo Leave a comment

NEW YORK, NY (PRWEB)- According to the White House, by 2018, 51 percent of STEM jobs will be in computer science-related fields. However, the number of tech employees has not increased along with the number of jobs available. Why? The answer is simple: lack of relevant education. The White House maintains that just one quarter of K-12 schools offer high-quality computer science with programming and coding. In addition, in 2016, the PEW Research Center reported that only 17% of adults believed they were “digitally ready.” Technology is changing the way that we live and work, and it’s happening fast. So how do we ensure that individuals (especially girls and women) are digitally literate?

In my new interview below with C.M. Rubin (founder of CMRubinWorld), Derek Lo says he started Py because he wanted to demystify “coding”. His app does this by making coding fun. The program also avoids using any programming jargon until the learner is ready. Lo states that “gamification isn’t a hindrance to learning—-it accelerates it.” He further notes that coding “instills a greater aptitude for systematic thinking and logical decision making.” Lo recently partnered with the not for profit Girls Who Code to further reduce the gender gap and “change people’s image of who a coder is.”

“We specifically write our content using language that even young children can understand.” — Derek Lo

Why were 600,000 high-paying tech jobs unfilled in 2015 in the United States alone, or is the better question: Is technology developing faster than humans can learn to handle it?

When we look at diversity, things only get worse. In 2015, 22 percent of students taking the AP Computer Science exam were girls while 13 percent were African-American or Latino. These statistics are not U.S. specific; in 2015, Australia reported that only 28 percent of ICT jobs were held by women.

Coding has always been regarded as a mysterious field, something Derek Lo, co-founder of the new application “Py”, wants to change. Launched in 2016, the application offers interactive courses on everything from Python to iOS development. The “unique value proposition,” as Lo puts it, has been a revolutionary success. The fun-oriented application has so far resulted in over 100,000 downloads on both iTunes and Google Play.

Most parents frown when kids use their phones at the dinner table, but what if the kids were learning to code over Sunday roast? “Ok, so maybe not the Sunday roast, but seriously, could a more accessible and fun coding application make all the difference?”

The Global Search for Education is excited to welcome one of Py’s founders, Derek Lo, to discuss how Py’s revolutionary approach is literally making coding cool.

“Coding can provide people with the awesome ability of being able to create tangible things like websites and apps. It also instills less tangible things like a greater aptitude for systematic thinking and logical decision making.” — Derek Lo

People say education today is often treated as a business and that individual students’ needs have not been prioritized enough. As the number of qualified applicants increases, can individualized learning tools, such as Py, help today’s generations remain competent in our globalized world, even with “broken” education systems?

Yes. As college acceptance rates decline, more people will need alternatives for learning career-essential skills, and we believe Py will be a big part of that. Using machine learning algorithms, we’re able to adapt the user experience based on prior skill and behavior within the app, creating a tailored curriculum. Having a personal tutor in your pocket that knows how you learn and what you should be learning is powerful and why we are investing in personalization.

Py provides its users with a simple and easy platform while many other coding applications (e.g. Solo Learn) have opted for more traditional and serious lesson plans. Does making learning applications appear more serious fuel the conception that coding is a hard and scary thing to learn? Are we over-complicating the field of coding and making it seem inaccessible for people or should students really be this wary of programming?

One of the reasons that my co-founder and I started Py is to demystify “coding”. We make it easy by making it fun. When you’re dragging pretty blocks around and pressing colorful buttons, it doesn’t feel like work. Yet users are still soaking up all the same knowledge they would be by slogging through a boring textbook. We also intentionally avoid programming jargon until the learner is ready. A good example is when we teach users about loops—-we use words like “repeat” instead of “iterate”. Almost all of Py’s courses are focused on teaching the fundamental concepts using simple language and in an interactive fashion.

Also, many people are scared away from learning how to code because they hear from friends that computer science is such a difficult major in school. An important thing to realize is that there’s a big difference between theoretical computer science and making a simple website. An art major might not need to understand Dijkstra’s algorithm, but would greatly benefit from knowing a bit of HTML and CSS.

“We’re extremely excited about helping to change people’s image (and self-image) of who a coder is and actively encourage more girls to get into coding.” — Derek Lo

What would you say to skeptics who question whether a game-like application like Py can truly help people learn how to code properly?

Gamification isn’t a hindrance to learning—-it accelerates it. By keeping you excited and engaged, Py teaches you better than if you got bored or zoned out. When you’re having fun, you actually learn faster and better.

Another way to phrase this question might be, “Even if Py is fun, do you walk away having learned something from it?” The answer is yes, definitely. We’re very data-driven, constantly improving our courses by analyzing our users’ progress. We can see (and track) real progress in our users’ ability to understand everything from basic semantics to high-level algorithms and design principles.

Do you think Py’s game-like surface allows younger generations to become more involved with coding?

Yes. We specifically write our content using language that even young children can understand. In fact, a parent emailed us just the other day telling us he was using Py to teach his 10-year old son Python! Currently our target demographic is definitely a bit older than that though. We think of Py as the learn-to-code solution for the SnapChat generation.

What general skills does coding teach kids/ young adults?

Coding can provide people with the awesome ability of being able to create tangible things like websites and apps. It also instills less tangible things like a greater aptitude for systematic thinking and logical decision making.

“Once you understand how an algorithm works, typing it out should be an afterthought. The important thing is to understand it—once you do, it’s yours forever.” — Derek Lo

Py has recently partnered with Girls Who Code. Why do you think coding has been branded throughout history as a ‘male’ profession and how do you hope to eliminate this gender gap?

Historically some of the most important computer scientists are women. Ada Lovelace and Grace Hopper are considered pioneers of programming. Stereotypes aside, men and women are obviously equally capable of becoming great software engineers. We’re extremely excited about helping to change people’s image (and self-image) of who a coder is and actively encourage more girls to get into coding. We’re huge fans of Girls Who Code and we’re so excited to provide them free premium subscriptions for some of their students.

When we think of coding, we mostly envision computer screens, yet we tend to use our phones more often than we do our computers. How does Py bridge the gap between using a computer screen as opposed to learning how to code on smaller devices? Is the coding world shifting to using smartphones or is coding still a generally ‘computer’ based field?

People actually don’t need to type lots of code to learn the concepts necessary to become great programmers. We’ve built interaction types like “fill-in-the-blank” that let users quickly edit code on the fly without any typing. Recently we’ve also created a custom keyboard that allows users to type real code on their phones in a friction-less way. This is great for short programs and practicing the fundamentals, and it’s how we’re making the transition from computer to phone and vice versa easier. Applying this knowledge to create a website or app does still primarily take place on computers. But the world is seeing a wave of new mobile learning applications, and I think we’re at the forefront of that trend.

How do you envision the world of coding changing in the next 15-20 years? How will Py keep up with these changes in the field?

Coding will become less about rote memorization of basic syntax and more about high-level understanding of what’s really going on. At a minimum, programming languages have morphed from low-level (shifting bits and allocating memory) to high-level (abstract data structures and functional programming), from obtuse (assembly, machine code) to human friendly (Python, Swift).

That’s why Py focuses on high-level concepts. Once you understand how an algorithm works, typing it out should be an afterthought. The important thing is to understand it—once you do, it’s yours forever.

CM Rubin and Derek Lo — (l) C. M. Rubin & (r) Derek Lo

(All photos are courtesy of CMRubinWorld except featured image by J. Barker)

For the Silo, David Wine /CMRubinWorld with contributions by Zita Petrahai.

Culture

Affirmation Cards From Canada Moms Intended To Affect Millions

August 23, 2017 The Silo 1 Comment

Everyone knows the old saying “to know where you’re going, you have to know where you’ve been” right? This couldn’t be more accurate, and for you to truly relate to Love Powered Co. and where it came from, we feel that you might need to know a little bit about affirmation and about us first.

Our names are Anna Lozano and Lindy Sood and we would like to welcome you to the Love Powered movement. We are friends and soul sisters who realized that together, we have a powerful message to share with the world. Months ago, we started talking about what is lacking in the marketplace when it comes to personal growth products for families. How our children were most certainly gaining positive subconscious programming from stating their daily affirmations, but what about being consciously aware of the words they were speaking?

We wanted them to understand this beautiful new vocabulary. We wanted them to connect with these positive words and statements. We wanted them to link the affirmations to their own daily experiences, to their own unique feelings and emotions, and to how they interacted with others.

Our mission is to create a self-worth movement, powering the next generation of mindful leaders. A better tomorrow starts with our children, and that means we need to do the work now, healing ourselves in the process.

This is so much bigger than a product, it’s a global movement creating a better tomorrow. Welcome home, to our Love Powered family.

How Are We Different?

1. 22 POWERS

Parents & children think of examples and ‘times when’. Going even deeper, we ask ‘How did this make you feel’? By connecting their own experiences to each POWER, and remembering how they felt, it better helps our children to understand the words and statements they are saying, and connect deeper to the meaning behind them.

These are the qualities of emotionally intelligent trailblazers! The POWERS we all have within us, at times, we just need to be reminded of it.

2. CONNECTION

Instead of 1 affirmation per card, we have grouped together 3 related terms + a statement – helping our little ones to grasp the meaning of the words and how they all relate to each other. We are teaching our children a new, beautiful, positive vocabulary.

3. CONSCIOUS AWARENESS

Instead of 1 affirmation per card, we have grouped together 3 related terms + a statement – helping our little ones to grasp the meaning of the words and how they all relate to each other. BONUS! We are teaching our children a new, beautiful, positive vocabulary!

4. EXAMPLES & FEELINGS

We focus on the power of CONNECTION between parent & child. Leave the screen at the door, this is a time to be present, engaged and wholeheartedly connected.

5. AESTHETIC

These cards are so darn adorable and just oh-so-delicious, we are certain that you and your little ones will find it hard to wait to get your hands on them.

For more information, contact us here.

Politics

Economic Aspects Of Globalization In The Past Material World

January 12, 2017 The Silo Leave a comment

Questions and deliberations concerning globalization are more than a hot topic of extended cross-disciplinary focus in academia; they are also central to the long-simmering debates regarding policies and their implications that today often enter the public arena. For example, a quick perusal of broadly accessible media outlets from late 2013 and early 2014 reflects a suite of still unresolved but vibrant civic pondering: “When did globalization start” (The Economist 2013), “The dark side of globalization: why Seattle’s 1999 protesters were right” (Smith 2014), and “Have we reached the end of globalization?: (CNN 2014).

Yet can such issues really be evaluated judiciously without defining the critical elements of globalization, and then dissecting and assessing its historical scope? Given the broad temporal and spatial elements implied by the concept of “globalization”, it is not most likely that the outcomes and effects of this multifaceted process would be highly variable across time and space?

But through a diachromic and comparative examination of human connections over time, might we see some commonalities and learn relevant lessons?

Continue reading this essay by Gary Feinman by clicking here.

*Banner image of Ronald McDonald -McDonalds China courtesy of image.minyanville.com

Art

Poetic Grace Gesture Is Needed In All Art Work

August 22, 2016 The Silo Leave a comment

Dear Reader, it is difficult to deny that a side of art making is fatally concerned with the poetic grace of the gesture – it is expected that a work should exude a cosmic and ineffable air.

Regardless of your medium, I hope this glance into the minds of two established poets from very different walks of life can help dissipate the intimidating mist between process and product, as well as remind you that the transcendent and the familiar are often one in the same.

Global spectator Meena Alexander recognizes that even in the grand art of poetry is a desire to express what cannot be said through its own means. After eight books of poems and a lifetime of travel, Alexander continues to defend her craft as the most ordinary of entities, no more inexplicable than a child’s obvious and impossible sense of language or rhythm.

New York-based Eileen Myles approaches poetry from a reserved and humble perspective, with the intent of striking a tasteful balance between metaphysical grandeur and the habitual rhythm of the everyday.

Myles, a breathing artistic currency, treats poetry as an extension of the self with the potency of a movement and the collective memory of a civilization. Myles proves that common experience and abstract phenomena are synonymous when we step back to look.

If the weight of the world seems so immense that the few strands of creativity cannot unravel, the Mayer Foundation offers emergency funding for New York artists facing economic, residential or medical turbulence. Proposals may be submitted at any time, with over two thousand dollars granted to those with concrete objectives and a levelheaded art plan.

It is easy to forget that behind the polished mirror of history is a messy and cumulative reality. There is little difference between the intelligentsia of years past and the friends sitting at your dining room table. For the Silo, Brainard Carey.

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Culture

Ontario Certifies Six Nation Polytech- First Aboriginal School to Award Languages Degree

February 8, 2016 The Silo Leave a comment

Six Nations Polytechnic Aboriginal Institute to Offer Standalone Languages Degree Program

Ontario Helping to Expand Post-secondary Options for Indigenous Students

NEWS

February 8, 2016

Ontario is helping to improve access to culturally appropriate postsecondary education and training opportunities for Indigenous learners by making it possible for Six Nations Polytechnic, an Aboriginal Institute, to offer a standalone degree program.

For the first time, the province will make it possible for an Aboriginal Institute, an organization that is run and governed by Indigenous communities, to offer a standalone degree program. As of January 2016, students at Six Nations Polytechnic Aboriginal Institute in Ohsweken can obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree in Ogwehoweh (Cayuga and Mohawk) Languages.

This degree will help promote and protect Ogwehoweh languages and make it possible for students to complete their degree at one institution, closer to home. It also will help students build on their linguistic skills and cultural knowledge as well as expand their opportunities to participate in the labour market. This standalone degree also supports the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which called for postsecondary institutions to create degree programs in Indigenous languages.

Investing in the talent and skills of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit learners is one of many steps on Ontario’s journey of healing and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. It reflects the government’s commitment to work with Indigenous partners, creating a better future for everyone in the province.

QUOTES

“Our government has made a clear commitment to learn from the past, build on our success stories, and increase our efforts to help Indigenous learners get the education and training they need. Six Nations Polytechnic is committed to creating an Indigenous environment that is grounded in culture and community, language, research, and academic quality, and this new degree program will help improve Indigenous learners’ access to, participation in, and completion of postsecondary education and training programs in Ontario.”

— Reza Moridi, Minister of Training Colleges and Universities

“I want to thank Six Nations Polytechnic for the leadership and guidance they have provided. Today’s announcement provides a tangible illustration of Ontario’s journey along the path of reconciliation. We will continue to rely on Indigenous partners as we chart a way forward that will produce tangible results.”

— David Zimmer, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs

“Language preservation and protection are at the core values of Six Nations Polytechnic. That’s why we have always had the intention of having our Ogwehoweh Language Diploma Program become a language degree program.”

— Rebecca Jamieson, President Six Nations Polytechnic

“Congratulations to Rebecca and her entire team. They have worked tirelessly to bring about the expansion of Six Nations Polytechnic programming. Education is the cornerstone of the future successes of our local Indigenous students.”

— Dave Levac, Member of Provincial Parliament, Brant

QUICK FACTS

Aboriginal Institutes provide opportunities for students to start and complete postsecondary education credentials in a culturally appropriate and safe learning environments close to home and are completely run and governed by Indigenous communities.
The Ogwehoweh (Cayuga and Mohawk) Languages degree builds on the strong foundation of the current language diploma program offered in partnership with McMaster University.
Six Nations Polytechnic is an Aboriginal postsecondary education and training institute located in Ohsweken, a community on Six Nations of the Grand River Territory near Brantford, Ontario.
Six Nations Polytechnic applied for and was granted consent to offer a Bachelor of Arts degree in Ogwehoweh (Cayuga and Mohawk) Languages.
Ontario provides $1.5 million in annual funding through the Aboriginal Student Bursary Fund to help Indigenous learners with financial needs participate in postsecondary education and training.
In June 2015 the province committed stable funding of Indigenous postsecondary education totaling $97 million over three years, including an additional $5 million to support the sustainability of Ontario’s nine Indigenous-owned and operated postsecondary education and training institutes located throughout the province. In 2013-14, about 16,036 self-identified Indigenous learners attended college and university in Ontario, an increase of about nine per cent or 1,472 learners since 2009-10.

LEARN MORE

Aboriginal Postsecondary Education and Training Bursary

Aboriginal Institutes

Aboriginal Postsecondary Education and Training Policy Framework

Aboriginal Education Strategy

Belinda Bien, Minister’s Office, 647-823-5489

Tanya Blazina, Communications Branch, 416-325-2746

Public inquiries, 416-325-2929 or 1-800-387-5514

TTY 1-800-268-7095

ontario.ca/tcu-news

Disponible en français

Offre d’un programme indépendant menant à un diplôme à l’institut autochtone Six Nations Polytechnic

L’Ontario contribue à accroître les options d’études postsecondaires des étudiants autochtones

NOUVELLES

Le 8 février 2016

L’Ontario contribue à améliorer l’accès des apprenantes et apprenants autochtones à des possibilités de formation et à des études postsecondaires adaptées à leur culture en permettant à la Six Nations Polytechnic, un institut autochtone, d’offrir un programme d’études indépendant menant à un diplôme.

Pour la première fois, la province accepte qu’un institut autochtone offre un tel programme d’études indépendant. Les instituts autochtones sont des établissements exploités et gérés par des communautés autochtones. À compter de janvier 2016, les étudiants de la Six Nations Polytechnic peuvent recevoir un baccalauréat ès arts dans les langues ogwehoweh (cayuga et mohawk).

Ce baccalauréat contribuera à promouvoir l’usage des langues ogwehoweh et à les protéger. Il permettra également aux étudiants de faire leurs études dans un seul établissement, plus près de chez eux. Ils pourront approfondir leurs compétences linguistiques et leurs connaissances culturelles, en s’ouvrant à davantage de possibilités d’intégrer le marché du travail. En outre, l’offre de ce programme indépendant menant à un diplôme répond à la recommandation de la Commission de vérité et réconciliation voulant que les établissements d’enseignement postsecondaire créent des programmes d’études en langues autochtones.

Investir dans le talent et les compétences des apprenantes et apprenants métis, inuits et des Premières Nations constitue l’une des nombreuses étapes que l’Ontario devra franchir tout au long du processus de guérison et de réconciliation. Cela reflète aussi l’engagement du gouvernement à collaborer avec ses partenaires autochtones et à bâtir un avenir meilleur pour tous les habitants de la province.

CITATIONS

« Il est indéniable que le gouvernement s’est engagé à tirer des leçons du passé, à amplifier ses réussites et à redoubler d’efforts pour aider les apprenants autochtones à entreprendre les études et la formation dont ils ont besoin. La Six Nations Polytechnic s’engage à créer un environnement propice à l’apprentissage des autochtones dont les fondements sont la culture, la communauté, la langue, la recherche et la qualité des programmes. Ce nouveau baccalauréat améliorera l’accès à l’éducation postsecondaire des apprenants autochtones en Ontario et contribuera à l’accroissement du nombre d’étudiants autochtones détenteurs d’accréditations ou de diplômes. »

— Reza Moridi, ministre de la Formation et des Collèges et Universités

« Je souhaite remercier la Six Nations Polytechnic pour le leadership dont elle a fait preuve et pour l’orientation qu’elle a su donner. L’annonce d’aujourd’hui illustre parfaitement le processus de réconciliation entrepris par l’Ontario et nous continuerons de collaborer avec nos partenaires autochtones en vue d’arriver à des résultats concrets. »

— David Zimmer, ministre des Affaires autochtones

« La préservation des langues autochtones est au cœur des valeurs de la Six Nations Polytechnic. C’est d’ailleurs pourquoi nous voulions depuis longtemps que notre programme en langues Ogwehoweh mène à un grade universitaire. »

— Rebecca Jamieson, rectrice, Six Nations Polytechnic

« Toutes mes félicitations à Rebecca Jamieson et à son équipe. En effet, la diversification des programmes offerts à la Six Nations Polytechnic est un travail de longue haleine. Nous savons que l’éducation est la pierre angulaire sur laquelle repose le succès des étudiants autochtones de la région. »

— Dave Levac, député provincial de Brant

FAITS EN BREF

Grâce aux instituts autochtones, les étudiants peuvent commencer et terminer leur éducation postsecondaire dans un milieu d’apprentissage près de chez eux qui est à la fois sécuritaire et culturellement adapté. Les instituts autochtones sont exploités et gérés par des communautés autochtones.
Le programme d’études en langues ogwehoweh (cayuga et mohawk) a comme base solide le programme de langues qui est actuellement offert en partenariat avec l’Université McMaster.
La Six Nations Polytechnic est un institut d’enseignement postsecondaire et de formation autochtone situé à Ohsweken, dans le territoire des Six Nations de la rivière Grand, près de Brantford, en Ontario.
La Six Nations Polytechnic a reçu l’autorisation d’offrir un programme de baccalauréat ès arts en langues ogwehoweh (cayuga et mohawk).
L’Ontario octroie 1,5 million de dollars par an par l’entremise du Fonds des bourses pour les étudiantes et étudiants autochtones. Ce fonds aide les apprenants autochtones ayant des besoins financiers à accéder à la formation ou aux études postsecondaires.
En juin 2015, la province a pris l’engagement de fournir un financement stable de 97 millions de dollars sur trois ans pour appuyer l’éducation postsecondaire des Autochtones. Cet investissement comprend un financement supplémentaire de 5 millions de dollars consacrés à la viabilité des neuf instituts d’enseignement et de formation postsecondaires de l’Ontario exploités et gérés par des communautés autochtones. En 2013‑2014, environ 16 036 apprenants auto-identifiés comme Autochtones ont fréquenté un collège ou une université en Ontario, ce qui représente une augmentation d’environ 9 %, ou de 1 472 personnes, depuis 2009‑2010.

POUR EN SAVOIR DAVANTAGE

Bourses pour l’éducation postsecondaire et la formation autochtones

Établissements autochtones

Cadre d’élaboration des politiques en matière d’éducation postsecondaire et de formation autochtones

Stratégie d’éducation autochtone

Politics

Grand Erie Schoolboard innovates with Parenting and Family Literacy Centres

November 28, 2012 The Silo Leave a comment

Brantford ON – Grand Erie is excited to offer, for the first time, two Parenting and Family Literacy Centres (PFLCs) at Major Ballachey and Princess Elizabeth elementary schools in Brantford. These centres are places where parents and children can come to play and learn together, families can be introduced to the school system, and children can prepare for Kindergarten.

“We know that a parent is the child’s first and most important teacher,” said Brenda Blancher, Superintendent of Education. “The Parenting and Family Literacy Centres will help prepare children in these school communities for starting school and encourage families to be a part of their children’s learning.”

PFLCs are programs for parents and children of preschool age – from babies to age six. The program offers play-based learning activities that focus on the development of the child and an early love of reading and math. Children’s early learning and development are supported through play while the foundations are laid for a successful transition to school.

On behalf of the Trustees, Chair Rita Collver said she is pleased the Board will offer two centres serving parents and children in the school communities of Major Ballachey and Princess Elizabeth. Trustees advocated for a Parenting and Family Literacy Centre in Grand Erie since the Government of Ontario introduced the initiative in 2007. “Children and parents will engage in play-based learning activities that include music, story time, reading and counting,” said Collver. “Research shows that early childhood education and parent engagement help improve student achievement once children start attending school.”

The sites will be ready for parents and children early in the new year. There is no pre-registration needed and the centres are free for all families.
For more information about Parenting and Family Literacy Centres, visit the Parent Tab at www.granderie.ca

Real-Life Story:

History & Foundation of Linguistics in Domain Names:

Utilizing Linguistics in Domain Name Selection:

Conclusion:

Quantum physics is the physics of possibilities. Quantum physics says reality is both possibility and actuality.

The manifest (psychologists call it the conscious, spiritual traditions call it the immanent) is the domain of actualities that consciousness processes with awareness, with subject-object split.

It is self-evident that human creativity requires consciousness as a causal entity with free will, freedom to choose.

Why do people put extra time into analyzing baby behaviors compared to cats?

Cats can have a sense of guilt, for example. And if you can spot the emotions, you’ll know exactly when they misbehave!

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