Undetectable.ai outputs

**Headline: Turn Your Backyard into a Grocery Aisle—Zero Guesswork Required.** **The Gardening Assistant for Your Yard and Climate.** *** **Tired of dead plants and wasted weekends?** Don’t let your lack of horticultural knowledge to get in the way of your growing your own fresh vegetables. Whether you have a large suburban garden or a couple of raised beds on a patio, SproutPlan will help you to grow and harvest your own fresh, organic produce within a season or two. **How SproutPlan Works:** * **Create Custom Planting Plans**: Choose from a variety of vegetables and fruit and create a custom plan for your yard. You can choose the specific plants you want to grow and the space where you want them to grow. The SproutPlan algorithm will then choose the best companion plants for you and place them in the optimal locations in your yard for maximum growth and pest prevention. * **Hyper-Local Planting Calendars:** Our planting calendars are tied to your local weather station and let you know when it’s time to plant, as well as when it’s time to take specific plants inside to protect them from frost. We send you automatic push notifications when it’s time to sow seeds or to transplant seedlings. * **Daily Smart Care Tasks:** Your vegetable garden needs daily care. Get smart daily care tasks like, "Water the lettuce (dry spell incoming)" or "Prune tomato suckers today" – on your phone whenever you need them. *** **"I killed three tomato plants last year. This year, my family hasn't bought salad greens in two months. SproutPlan made it foolproof."** — *Elena R., First-Time Gardener* *** **Fresh Food is Just One Click Away.** Stop searching through overfilled online forums for confusing information with SproutPlan! This powerful tool in the palm of your hand will supply you with the exact steps you need to continue growing and harvesting produce from your garden from seed to table. Save money on groceries, eat cleaner food, and fall in love with the easiest hobby you've ever started. Start your Free 14-Day Trial of SproutPlan today! No credit card required. We support planting zones 3 through 11. **[Start Your Free 14-Day Trial]** *No credit card required. Ready for planting zones 3 through 11.*

Take your craft to new heights with the definitive standard for accuracy. Our Precision-Milled Stainless-Steel Ruler is designed for the serious professional who demands the very best. Nobody does accurate better than this ruler. Our ruler is made from premium tempered stainless steel to ensure it does not corrode, warp or break. The edges have been expertly CNC-milled to be as sharp as possible in order to draw straight lines on any surface and to cut accurately. Unlike inferior rulers that have been stamped out and have the markings wear off, our ruler has fine imperial and metric measurements that have been deeply laser etched. The ruler has a glare-resistant satin-chrome finish that makes it easy to read measurements whether you are in a bright studio or outside in the sunlight. The zero edge ruler is designed to enable measurements such as flush and butt joints. The weighty balance of the Precision-Milled Stainless-Steel Ruler ensures that the straightedge stays precisely where you want it – resting confidently on wood, paper, fabric or metal – without wobbling or sliding. Whether you are an architect requiring precise measurement details for your blueprints, a woodworker creating intricate joints, or engineer requiring exact tolerances, this ruler delivers the highest level of reliability. Use the Precision-Milled Stainless-Steel Ruler as an upgrade to your workspace for years to come – Measure with Absolute Confidence!

# Grow your own vegetables, one small step at a time To grow vegetables, you don’t need a big yard, a green thumb or books on gardening. In just a few clicks, **SproutPlan** turns a sunny corner of your backyard into a garden you can take care of. Tell us your location, the space you have to work with, and what you want to grow, and SproutPlan builds a customizable and easily manageable plan, complete with a variety of vegetables to grow in your area, a simple garden design, and a week-by-week guide to getting started and managing your garden. ## A garden plan that fits your life **Grow in whatever space you have.** Don’t have a lot of space? No problem. A small bed, several containers or even a narrow strip along a fence can be enough to start growing your own vegetables. **You are reminded when it is time to water, harvest, etc.** If you have a busy schedule, SproutPlan’s reminders ensure you still have time for gardening! **You learn as you grow.** The instructions are very simple and written in plain language. You get better at tomato planting with every step of the way. **Make room for what matters.** Choose vegetables your household will enjoy, then adjust your plan as you learn what works. Your first season may not be perfect (last season’s lettuce did amazingly well, but surprisingly poor was the carrots) and you will discover things about yourself that you may not have realized. For example, you may find that 5-10 minutes outside in the afternoon or evening after work becomes one of your favorite times of the day. We do not offer you a huge spread sheet or allow you to wonder whether or not you planted in time. We provide you with a simple step-by-step guide to creating your very own homegrown harvest! Ready to see what your backyard can grow? **Create your free garden plan** and start gardening today. You can start viewing your garden plan before you even buy seeds or dig your first hole! It’s that easy! All you have to do is provide a few bits of information and show some interest in gardening. Your garden is waiting!

There is no reason why public art and public infrastructure need to be considered as mutually exclusive. The provision of roads, water supply, sidewalks and public transport all serve to keep people safe and to connect them together. Art can be used to make the most of the spaces created by these services of basic provision and to make them more pleasant, to recall great moments in a community’s history and to celebrate the diversity of the community. To be clear, a city must never prioritize the installation of public art over essential repairs and safety needs. However, once a city has identified its capital projects, it can opt to reserve a small portion of the overall budget to support art and design of public spaces created by those projects. For example, tile work designed by local artists can be included in the construction of a new transit station as part of the original build out. It will actually cost less to include art in the initial construction of a public space than it would to add it later as a separate after-thought project. Community priorities should drive decisions regarding capital spending.Public meetings, accessible surveys and paid consultation with artists and residents from affected neighborhoods can help to prioritize spending on capital projects that the community is interested in having artwork on. Budgets for artwork should also include funds for maintenance to ensure that artwork does not deteriorate into an eyesore similar to neglected infrastructure. In addition to determining whether basic services are improving, cities should periodically assess whether the artwork funded is located in underserved neighborhoods, creates opportunity for local artists, and produces lasting value by encouraging use of public spaces. Strengthening essential services while recognizing that there is more to building a community than asphalt and pipes is key to finding a sound balance in public spending. However, that spending should also foster a sense of belonging and civic pride.

Elevate your line work with a precision ruler. Carefully milled from stainless steel for extreme accuracy and durability, our ruler is perfect for tasks that demand precise layout, detailed drafting or sharp workshop work. And with a quality metal ruler in hand, you can’t help but feel confident in your work. Use the ruler to mark a line for cutting, to check a dimension, to guide a pencil, or to keep drawings aligned. The slim line of the ruler ensures that it sits flat against the surface that you are working on. The ruler is a very useful tool for any number of tasks and sits very neatly on a desk, workbench or in a project kit. Ideal for makers, designers, students and anyone who likes a clean line this precision ruler will sit nicely next to your pens, sharpener, marking knife or any other tool that you use to draw lines and make marks in your notebook, on your workbench or wherever you work. A useful addition to your daily routine.

# Introduction: Small-Scale Regenerative Agriculture in the Literature In order to achieve food security while minimizing environmental impacts, new agriculture production systems are needed. Although there has been considerable progress in increasing the production of crops per ha over the past century (Roberts, 1982), agriculture has a number of negative environmental consequences, including soil erosion, depletion of soil organic matter, decline in agricultural biodiversity, contamination of freshwater resources and the contribution of agriculture to greenhouse gas emissions (FAO, 2006; Fitzgerald, 2003; Foley et al., 2011; Monteith, 2000; Montgomery, 2007). The term of regenerative agriculture has not yet been fixed to a single definition. In general, regenerative agriculture refers to a set of agricultural practices that aim to regenerate ecosystem services. These practices can be characterized by their goal of increasing soil health, enhancing biodiversity, preserving water resources, and increasing agricultural resilience. Common agricultural practices used in regenerative agriculture are cover cropping, no- or reduced-till agriculture, crop rotation, composting, agroforestry, and managed rotational grazing (Newton et al., 2020; Schreefel et al., 2020). Even if more and more farmers apply these practices, critics doubt whether regenerative agriculture is more than a label to market products that have ecological benefits (Giller et al., 2021). Therefore, an empirical assessment of the evidence is necessary. When discussing agriculture on small scales, it is essential to recognize the contribution that smallholders and small farms make to global food production, particularly in regions of the Global South (Lowder et al., 2016). Often farming in diverse, resource-dependent ways with high levels of labor input, small-scale farmers can easily adapt to the requirements of agriculture that is regenerative in orientation and utilize their existing experience and knowledge of ecosystems. However, small-scale farmers experience a number of constraints, including lack of capital, insecurity of tenure, limited market access, and high labor requirements during the transition period. The review focuses on three main themes relating to small-scale regenerative agriculture: ecological outcomes, socioeconomic aspects, and obstacles to implementation. For the ecological aspects, studies were selected that discuss effects on soil carbon, biodiversity and yield of small-scale regenerative agriculture. For the socioeconomic aspects, studies were selected that discuss aspects of profitability of regenerative agriculture as well as the impact on livelihoods of farmers and their knowledge networks. Finally, for the obstacles to implementation, studies were selected that analyze the institutional and structural conditions that affect the adoption of different types of agriculture. The review also highlights methodological limitations and research gaps, especially with regard to long-term studies on small-scale agriculture. **Word count: ~400**

Interest in small-scale, regenerative agriculture is growing as means to increase production of food to feed the world’s population while rebuilding ecosystems that agriculture has destroyed. A wide array of practices or techniques are commonly associated with the term regenerative agriculture; the review draws mainly on literature that treats agriculture in this manner as being largely focused on building soil health, supporting agricultural biodiversity, promoting effective cycling of nutrients, and reducing reliance on external resources and inputs, including irrigation. Practices commonly used by farmers include adding organic compost or manure to crops, growing a sequence of crops either in space or time that makes use of remainder organisms, using cover crops, and agroforestry. Use of reduced tillage, conservation tillage, or no tillage and farm-integrated production systems with appropriate livestock are additional common practices. Research into farming practices that have regenerative properties for ecosystems focuses on various elements of the farming system. Improved soil health through increased soil structure, higher levels of organic matter, greater numbers of beneficial organisms, and enhanced resilience to drought and to extreme events such as flash floods are typical features described. There is also potential for increased diversity and in turn new markets and products for the farmer, and reduced use of external inputs such as purchased fertilizers and pesticides. However, elements of the farming system, such as soil type and climate, affect the degree to which practices have these desired properties, and the time it takes for positive change to occur, as well as other factors. As a result research on large-scale commercial farms or in controlled environments may not translate to small farms with complex plots of land, operated on a limited budget by the farm owner and their family. Barriers to adoption of novel agricultural practices are well documented (Saha and Smith, 2014). There are numerous skills, resources (e.g. equipment), and means of labor that farmers must invest in order to practice in novel ways and to see immediate gains from farming in novel ways. While some constraints to adoption are universal, others are farm-specific. In general, secured tenure to land is seen as a key factor to continued practice of new agriculture (Saha and Smith, 2014). Support from extension services and programs that provide affordable credit, as well as supportive policies and markets that can provide a fair return to farmers for products of novel agriculture are also seen as important. There are constraints to continued practice of new agriculture by smallholders that are specific to their circumstances and to the novel agriculture that they are attempting to practice. For instance, farmers with smallholdings are sensitive to failure of a single crop. Losing an entire season of production on a single crop can have dire effects on household livelihoods. The concept of ‘regeneration’ is often still contested and needs to be critically assessed by agronomic as well as socio-economic research. Different definitions are used for the concept of regeneration of ecosystems and in addition, various success indicators are measured such as soil carbon stocks, crop yields, biodiversity, farmers’ income as well as their well-being. Claims on climate change mitigation or agricultural production increases therefore have to be analyzed carefully based on the used baseline, the time frame of the studies as well as on trade-offs. The review therefore aims to bring together current knowledge about small-scale regenerative agriculture and to highlight gaps as well as possibilities for farmers, researchers as well as for policymakers in order to develop viable and effective approaches for small-scale farmers.

Dear Hiring Manager, Thank you for posting this freelance documentary editor work opportunity. I really love taking true stories and making them into films that are real, engaging and memorable. Your project sounds like a wonderful opportunity for me to do what I feel is most important as an editor: to find the core of any abundance of information and create a meaningful narrative for the characters in the film as well as the audience watching. First, I try to understand what the contributors are trying to say. Once I have listened to all of the footage, interviews, and production notes, I start looking for a structure. It is very important to me that the film does not get forced into a shape that it doesn’t want to take, but rather that it gets to develop naturally into a compelling and engaging story. The way that I achieve this is by paying close attention to the pacing, the transitions between scenes, the dialogue, the images and the sounds. And throughout it all, I keep the central question of the film close at hand. As a freelance editor, I am used to being both a collaborative and self-motivated editor. I would ensure clear communication throughout the editorial process, the organization of any amendments and the timely delivery of all versions of the edit. Furthermore, I am open to feedback from directors and producers, testing different approaches to scenes and offering alternative solutions to problems. I am also confident in knowing when to step back and allow the strongest parts of the edit to breathe. Why Documentary Editing is My Favorite Kind of Work to Do: I love a strong cut, to create tension and clarity and feeling, and I have the greatest respect for the real people featured in documentaries. I try to work with all colleagues in the greatest respect as well, handling sensitive material with the greatest care, flagging up any questions that I have, and generally trying to be as nuanced as possible. I also believe that when a story takes a different turn in the edit, it is an opportunity to see where the material that you have been given takes you. I would bring to this project curiosity, patience and a very critical eye to ensure the best story possible. I can adapt to your workflow and editors’ tools as well as maintain a regular schedule for the work needed for the documentary. I can also provide different versions of an edited sequence as needed and maintain clear versions for the team’s review. Thank you for your time to consider my application for the Freelance Documentary Editor position. I look forward to speaking with you about the project, my goals for the film and how I can be of service to your team. Sincerely, [Your Name]

Publishing a self-illustrated picture book can be a very rewarding experience. As the author and illustrator of a self-illustrated book you have full control over the creative process. Here is a step by step guide to publishing your own book. ### 1. Master the Picture Book Format Standard picture books have 32 pages, 8 pages to the spread. So you must first plot out your story in the form of a 32-page ‘dummy’ or model for the book. That means your artwork for each spread does more than illustrate words. It illustrates what is between the words too – emotions and even humor. The word count in picture books for young children is below 500 words, and generally under 500. ### 2. Create the Artwork Once you’ve developed a solid story and thumbnail illustrations for your book, move on to create the full-sized art. Take time to ensure consistency in how your main characters look. This means that regardless of how you draw them, they will appear the same from every angle. Use watercolor or gouache if you’re working traditionally, and then scan in your artwork at high resolution (at least 300-600 DPI). If working digitally, such as with Procreate or Photoshop, work within the CMYK color model to ensure that the colors you see on your screen will look the same when printed as they do on your monitor. Remember to add a 0.125-inch bleed to the edges of your illustrations so that none of the artwork will get cut off when printed. ### 3. Choose Your Publishing Path You have two primary routes: * **Traditional Publishing:** Traditionally published author/illustrators are represented by literary agents who have connections at various children’s book publishing houses. Most publishers have an art director who reviews dummies (half-sized mock-ups) of proposed books. Research these individuals and create a professional online portfolio, with a PDF version of your picture book dummy, to send along with your query letter to appropriate agents. Here’s how the process would work with a publisher: You write and illustrate the text and then submit your work to a publisher. If they like your book, they pay you an advance and then print, distribute and market your book to gain sales. You receive additional money for each book that is sold. This can be a very profitable route for talented writers and illustrators, but it requires a tremendous amount of work to set up the initial submissions and to develop your network of literary agents and art directors. * **Self-Publishing (Indie):** Keep full ownership and achieve your publishing goals faster with Print-on-Demand services. You can find suitable options for self-publishing author-illustrators on Amazon KDP (for paperback publishing and global distribution) as well as on the platform of IngramSpark (for beautiful hardcover editions and inclusion in bookstore catalogs). This option requires you to purchase ISBNs (Bowker in the US, for example) if you wish to get your published book distributed more widely than through Amazon. ### 4. Layout and Production Use your chosen software to combine your artwork and text and to select appropriate types of text. Export your book interior as a print-ready high-resolution PDF file. It’s also a good idea to create a cover spread file (front and back cover, including spine). Export this file separately as well (e.g. front and back cover, and spine). ### 5. Launch and Promote Most printed books are checked for color, cut edges, etc. before they are sent out to the public. This is called a “proof” copy. Always order a proof. Then, distribute your newly published book to local bookstores for readings, to parents and teachers on social media, and to book bloggers for reviews.

**Introduction** Agricultural systems have contributed significantly to negative global environmental trends such as climate change, loss of biodiversity and soil degradation. The twentieth century saw an increased reliance on agricultural input use to enhance crop production. However, the continuation of such agricultural systems is unsustainable and increased attention is now being given to agriculture that not only is sustainable but also actively attempts to restore key ecosystem services. Practices that enhance soil biology, increase carbon storage, increase water retention and support biodiversity are increasingly regarded as key elements of agriculture that seeks to restore ecosystem services rather than continuously extract value from the environment. The majority of work in this area has, to date, focused upon the potential of larger scale mechanized agricultural systems however there is an increasingly recognized niche for small-scale farming systems which are particularly adept at implementation of a range of knowledge-intensive agricultural practices. Research indicates that the relationship that human beings have with the land on which they farm has the potential to facilitate regenerative agriculture practices. Small farms that have low acreages of land, high labor-to-land ratios and engage in direct marketing to consumers can implement a host of advanced agricultural practices such as growing multiple species of crops as cover crops, managing animals on gradually increasing amounts of land as they are able to handle more, and employing techniques of bio-intensive no-till and other forms of no-till as well as agro-forestry that is integrated into farming practices. Such ecological agricultural practices on small farms are being hailed as the key to developing and implementing the means to create local food systems that are sustainable as well as having the potential to address climate change through means of agriculture that are local and able to be implemented in decentralized ways. Research on small-scale farming for regenerative agriculture is slowly accumulating but so far remains quite fragmented. While many studies are looking at the local ecological benefits of such agricultural practices, other research is stressing the many socio-economic constraints faced by small farmers, including insecure land tenure, high labor requirements for complex agroecological practices, and low food prices in industrial agricultural markets. Recently there is also growing fear of co-optation of the word ‘regenerative’ by large corporations with interests to get their input-intensive industrial agricultural systems labeled as ‘regenerative’. Many initiatives and agricultural practices are already labeled as ‘regenerative’, however in most cases these practices are being implemented by small-scale farmers and/ or indigenous communities and are being threatened by corporate interests. This literature review examines current scholarly work on small-scale regenerative agriculture. Rather than categorizing studies by discipline, this review seeks to understand how the body of literature collectively treats several interrelated topics: the biophysical dimension of soil health in small-scale agriculture, socioeconomic dimensions of viability, and the array of institutional constraints on a transition to small-scale regenerative agriculture. Given the enormous need for a transition to an agrarian system capable of sustaining life on earth into the future, this review aims to identify gaps in existing research with potential for partial fulfillment through structural interventions that support the work of small-scale practitioners in many locations around the world.

# Grow Your First Garden. Without the Guesswork. ## A Simple Way To Grow Your Own First Garden Whether you can envision a lush bed of ripening tomatoes or a small container of fresh basil on a windowsill right outside your kitchen door, SproutPlan will guide you in planning and caring for your first vegetable garden. We will guide you as to how much sun your garden will need and when to plant individual vegetables throughout the growing season. No more questions - SproutPlan has got them all answered for you, to help you grow your very own garden as easily as possible! --- ### Your Garden, Designed in Minutes Based on your zip code and yard space, SproutPlan generates a customized plan and maps out the best types of vegetables for your climate. The plants are properly spaced to ensure healthy growth and are grouped with other companion plants that will assist in the growth and health of your garden. ### Know Exactly What to Do, and When Our personalized calendar lays out the simple steps you need to take to grow your plants. Reminders for watering, fertilizing and more will pop up at the right time, and alerts about frost dates will keep you from losing a batch of seedlings to early snowfall. ### Fix Problems Fast We know plants can get sick too – Yellow leaves? Strange spots? Help me fix my plants by uploading a photo and receive organic & chemical-free treatment solutions within minutes. ### Built for Beginners, Loved by Growers - **Smart plant recommendations** matched to your skill level - **Weekly checklists** that take 15 minutes or less - **Harvest tracking** to see what worked and plan next season - **Budget estimator**: estimate the cost of starting a new garden. --- > "I'd killed every plant I'd ever owned. Three months with SproutPlan and I'm giving zucchini to the neighbors." — Dana R., first-time gardener --- ### Start Free for 14 Days No credit card required. Start your 14 day free trial and begin planning your garden today. Start Your Garden ($6/month after your 14 day free trial). **[Start My Garden]** Plans from $6/month after your trial. Cancel anytime. *Your backyard is ready. Let's grow something.*

I first became interested in Human-Computer Interaction when my grandmother had a medical emergency and had to use a telehealth application to call for help. Despite the technology being there to save her life, the interface ended up alienating her in a moment of high panic. The contrast was too low, the icons were unclear, and the navigation was confusing. It was a life or death situation and the technology, which was certainly advanced enough, was not able to assist her. It was clear to me that the most advanced technology in the world is completely useless if it does not also take into account the human experience. Through a variety of coursework, as well as independent projects, I have become familiar with both the software and the human aspects of interactive systems. While completing a mobile application for local transportation, I witnessed the balance of efficiently written code and completing user interviews and making user journey maps as well as redesigning the information architecture in order to make the most viable and effective tool for the user. Technology needs to adapt to the complexity of the human experience and not vice versa. My desire to complete a graduate degree in Human-Computer Interaction comes from a place of wanting to tap into technology’s power and in turn fill a void in utilizing human emotions in order to create more meaningful interactions with technology. Many new interfaces are emerging such as voice interfaces, multimodal human-computer interaction and AI in ambient environments, many of which are inaccessible to the average user. In a near future where AI will dominate much of the interactions we have with technology on a daily basis, interaction design that is thoughtful, ethical and above all inclusive of human diversity is imperative. The HCII program will provide the perfect balance of user-centered research methods and advanced technical development to explore how adaptive interfaces can support underserved users such as the elderly and those who are digitally literate but not proficient. My hope is to design systems that are so intuitive that users will not even realize that they are using technology, and in doing so, empower them to reach their full potential.

**Generative AI: How to Use It to Improve Knowledge Work** Generative AI is rapidly changing the landscape of knowledge work by enabling the mass production of documents, summaries of research, code and analytical reports. It is feared by many that as AI is able to perform these functions so quickly and with such high accuracy that it will render humans redundant and ‘out of work’. And whilst there is certainly some merit in this fear it neglects a key point. In knowledge work there is often a huge difference between producing an answer and being accountable for it. The repetitive and time-consuming tasks often associated with knowledge work should not be underestimated. The majority of the work lawyers, marketers, software developers and others undertake are grounded in routine processes and tasks of administration. However, they can also consume considerable time which can be far better spent elsewhere. In fact, once certain routine tasks are removed, they can actually allow for greater productivity overall as workers are able to apply themselves more rigorously to explore new avenues of thought and endeavors which may offer greater reward. Just because AI has churned out some text, doesn’t mean the AI’s output is accurate, or that it won’t sometimes disseminate hidden biases, to devastating effects. To avoid large-scale errors due to employee acceptance of computer-generated output, a company’s best practice around use of generative AI would be strict rules for verification of work, strict rules around confidential information, and strict lines of accountability – particularly where decisions made in reliance of AI will have significant impacts on humans, including to their health, finances, rights, and livelihoods. Furthermore, automated work could actually kill opportunities for new talent to enter the workforce and develop the necessary skills to work autonomously and in highly complex environments, provided that large parts of the tasks are removed from the learning process of new employees without them being replaced by alternative learning tasks. It is therefore very important to make sure that new, junior employees are not only able to use automated work for the type of reporting typically written by analysts but also to criticize it and test it, i.e. to identify potential shortcomings of automated work and to verify it. Where AI’s benefits do lie, they will not be evenly distributed. Rather, those with strong domain knowledge will be able to extend their capacities with the new technology, whilst those without the basic skills to understand the outputs of generative AI will struggle to spot basic errors in the automatically produced work. Inevitably, the role of knowledge workers will change as Generative AI takes over many of the routine tasks that they currently complete. But that change can be for the better or for worse. The tools will release workers from dull tasks, allowing them to concentrate on higher value adding work, only if, employers use them to cut labor costs rather than to boost productivity and create more jobs and career paths for skilled workers.

# 10 Tips for Mechanical Keyboards for Typists Writing. Coding. Endless email. Mushy laptop keys can be very, very bad for typists. A mechanical keyboard is the perfect solution – and a real treat for your fingers. Ultimate speed. Beautiful desktop sculptures. Ready to upgrade? See our 10 Tips for Getting the Ultimate Typing Experience with a Mechanical Keyboard. ### 1. Embrace the Tactile Bump One such type are the ‘linear’ switches, such as Cherry MX Reds. Gamers are fond of them and in truth, they’re very sensitive. Instead, many typists prefer ‘tactile’ switches such as Cherry MX Browns or Gateron Pro Browns, for example. The former feature a slight bump when pressed which is great for training up your fingers and stopping short of a key ‘bottoming out’. ### 2. Think Twice About the "Click" Blue switches are super popular to listen to in sound tests but are actually really loud in real life. So, if you share an apartment or work in an office, it’s best to look for something other than clicky switches — unless you’re actively trying to get your coworkers to be mad at you. ### 3. Choose the Right Layout Full-sized keyboards are so very huge. A typical typist usually doesn't need the ten key area and actually can benefit greatly by using a 75% keyboard or even Tenkeyless (TKL) model which keeps the arrow keys and required navigation keys but has the rest of the keys stripped off. This allows the mouse to be directly in front of the typist instead of being off to the side. ### 4. PBT Keycaps Are Worth It Another thing to consider is the material used for your keycaps. Most cheap keyboards are made with ABS plastic keycaps. The shine from ABS keycaps will wear off in a few months and get all greasy and gross. But PBT keycaps are a different story all together. They have a very textured, matte finish which feels incredible in your fingers. And PBT doesn’t wear out like ABS does, so they’ll always look great. ### 5. Get a Wrist Rest A simple wooden or foam wrist rest sitting between your hands and the underside of the board will have your hands in perfect alignment and take most of the pressure from typing. ### 6. Hunt for Hot-Swappable Boards Don’t know which switch to go for? Then get a hot-swappable keyboard so you can swap them out at your leisure. It’s as simple as removing the switch with a tiny tool and replacing it with another of your choosing, all without ever having to touch a soldering iron. ### 7. Try a Deeper Profile As for keycaps, there are the various shapes referred to as profiles, such as the standard OEM profile, the old Cherry MX style and even highly sculpted profiles that have deep curves to house your fingertips. These types of profiles will help you reach home row naturally. ### 8. Use a Desk Mat A large mousepad or a felt desk mat are also great to have lying around. These will help in dampening the low-frequency sounds of your keyboard typing and also make it look better. ### 9. Don’t Sleep on Low-Profile These newer, “lower-profile” keyboards like NuPhy Air can be a great stepping stone to get used to a true mechanical typing experience without having to commit to a full tall board first. ### 10. Learn to "Float" These keyboards require a different touch then you are used to typing with. Try to ‘float’ over the keys. Typing speed will increase as well as your joints will thank you later. Happy typing!

Much of what we do in our daily lives is affected by technology. In many cases, however, technology fails to meet the needs of individuals who are trying to use it. I encountered this situation a few years ago when my grandmother had trouble using a banking app on her smartphone. She is intelligent, organized, and, when she wants to do something, she dedicates herself completely to the task at hand. As I watched her struggle with a seemingly simple task, I realized that she was not failing at using technology; rather, technology was failing her. It was then that I became interested in Human-Computer Interaction. Since then, I’ve tried to apply my interest in programming to better understand the relationship between humans and computers in other ways. Volunteering to re-design the website of my university club’s website was a really fun way to apply what I learned in the intro programming courses that I took. Involving the rest of the club members in the re-design process by interviewing them about their current way of accessing information about the club and how they currently complete tasks such as event registration was incredible. Seeing how something as simple as re-organizing the content on a single webpage could enable members to sign up for events within minutes as opposed to hours was really cool and helped solidify my interest in studying Human-Computer Interaction. The human-computer interaction discipline uniquely incorporates many of the other disciplines that I am interested in: psychology, design, engineering, and ethics. Much of the work in human-computer interaction centers around technical questions that are simultaneously human questions, such as: (1) How do we design systems to be accessible to people with disabilities? (2) How do we design intelligent systems that are transparent and are trusted by their users? (3) How do we design technology that does not seize control of people's attention and devour their wellbeing? As technology has spread, it has gone from screens to many modalities of interaction, including voice, gesture, and even immersive environments. Therefore, questions of human-computer interaction are becoming more and more salient. I hope to further study HCI in a more in-depth academic setting, in which I can become familiar with a variety of research methods and gain a deeper insight into human behavior and cognition, all while learning from the best HCI researchers and becoming acquainted with fellow students of diverse academic backgrounds. My long-term goal is to design and build inclusive technologies to enable people to do things they want to do. This could be in industry or in research. Currently I am studying Human-Computer Interaction to build on my previous experiences and to gain the rigour of academic research, methods and faculty in the field.

# How to Publish a Self-Illustrated Picture Book Publishing your self-illustrated children’s book can be more than just sending off your completed artwork with your written manuscript. First you create a good book for your audience, and then you decide on the distribution method that suits you best. **Develop the story.** Read current stories for different age ranges and get a feel for what makes a successful story for your particular audience. Go through several revisions to get your text to read well aloud, and then use the dummy to see how the text and images work in terms of pacing and page turns. **Step 6: Complete Artwork for Your Children’s Book** – Ensure consistent use of all main characters in your children’s book, and maintain consistency with regards to all details within each scene. You can prepare artwork traditionally and scan or photograph in order to check specifications that your publisher or printer requires. Digital artwork should have the appropriate dimensions, be saved at the appropriate resolution, be created with the correct color profile, and be prepared with the correct amount of bleed (additional artwork which will be cut off by the trim of the finished book). Be sure to leave ample space between the text and the edge of the page so that neither will cover important parts of the scene. **Choose a publishing route.** This depends on whether you want to pursue traditional publishing or self-publishing as an author-illustrator of picture books. Research which agents and publishing houses are interested in publishing books by authors and illustrators, and follow their exact submission guidelines for manuscripts, dummies, sample spreads and even a link to a portfolio of your work online. Self-publishing, on the other hand, means you can publish your book on your own schedule and retain control over the final product. However, you will also be responsible for production and for finding buyers for your book. Compare printers (including print-on-demand services) by ordering physical proofs of sample books, and check the paper, color, binding and price that you will have to charge to cover your costs. **Publish the book.** Work with an editor (or seek critiques from experienced authors or illustrators) and be sure to do a separate proofread of the final laid-out book from the manuscript. Create a cover and book description and decide whether you need to obtain an ISBN for your book. Order a proof before approving a print run and thoroughly inspect every page. **Spread the Word.** Establish a realistic budget for printed copies, shipping, promotions, school visits, etc. Create an author-illustrator website to display examples of your work and order information. Send mailings to local bookstores, libraries, schools and venues of interest holding family-focused events. Outline specific offerings for each age group and discuss terms and conditions with potential hosts before accepting. Finally, maintain all of your files, contracts, etc. in an organized fashion. These and a well-checked out final proof and a good solid plan for the publication of your picture book will serve your book better than anything else - even the best of promotion and publicity - if you publish it responsibly.

**Precision Without Compromise: The Stainless-Steel Ruler** With our Stainless-Steel Ruler, makers, machinists, engineers and designers can measure once and cut once. We have created this precision tool for use in the shop, studio or lab. Each ruler is carefully CNC-milled from a single bar of premium 304 stainless steel. It is then finished with a satin brushed surface to repel glare and fingerprints. Rather than printing the graduations, they are etched deep into the ruler for a permanent marker. Ruler markings are accurate to within ±0.01 inches and are shown as imperial and metric measurements on opposing sides of the Ruler. Fine 1/64” and 0.5 mm graduations are also marked on the Ruler allowing for accurate layout work. Alternatively, bold numbered markings provide immediate and accurate measurement readings. The perfectly flat and square ground edges of the Stainless Steel Ruler make it an excellent straightedge for scribing, marking, and cutting. Its cork backed surface will not slip off of any surface and a hole in one end of the ruler allows it to be hung from a nail or hook on your workbench. Made from corrosion-resistant stainless steel, this ruler is the ultimate durable precision tool that will last for years to come. **Features:** - 12-inch / 300 mm length - Etched dual scales - Cork non-slip back - Rust-resistant 304 stainless steel Precision you can trust, for life.

# 10 Tips for Mechanical Keyboards for Typists If you type for long periods of time during the day, then the keyboard that you use for typing is most likely your best coworker. This article lists and describes 10 tips for choosing and setting up a mechanical typing keyboard. **1. Switches.** This is the part where people go into all the details about switches. Find out about the different kinds like Reds (linear, very smooth, very quiet), Browns (tactile, lightly bumping) and Blues (clicky, like a tiny typewriter). Sometimes there are demos online so you can try them before you buy the whole board. **2. Actuation force** It’s not all about the weight, but lighter switches need less force to activate them. Thus they can be less fatiguing to type with for long periods of time. Of course, there are heavier switches for those who want to type with more force in the hope that they will not press the wrong keys as often. **3. The right size for you.** As mentioned earlier, full-size keyboards have the full number pad. TKL and 75% keyboards on the other hand are great for saving space on your desk. If you never enter numbers while working then a compact keyboard will help keep your mouse closer to your body which can help improve your posture. **4. Think about your office.** The switches you choose will be louder than you think. Clicky switches are really really fun to type with, but they can be really annoying to have in the office with other coworkers. Consider getting quieter switches for the office, or try to add O-rings and foam dampening to your current switches. **5. Use a wrist rest.** There are lots of great wrist rests made of padded material that keep your wrists in a neutral position. This is extremely important for your wrists after thousands of keystrokes. **6. Choose appropriate keycap material.** PBT keycaps do not get sharp edges and last long. ABS on the other hand is smooth, but breaks and wears faster. Some also have a low profile which might be worth checking out if you come from using a laptop. **7. Split it!** Just try an ergonomic layout for a few weeks. You know, split up the keyboard to release your shoulders. It looks kinda strange at first, but trust me. It will work. **8. Hot-swappable switches are a big deal** – if your board has got hot-swappable sockets, you can swap out your switches over and over again without having to do any soldering. That means that even if you do manage to pick the ‘perfect’ switch, you can still try loads of other ones in case you find something even better. **9. Clean your board** – Regularly remove any finger gunk, pie crusts, croissant crumbles, or peeled Nixon-sized layers of grot of unknown origin. Though wiping it with a damp cloth should do, most would recommend removing the caps and brushing out any grime before wiping them down with a soft cloth. **10. Customize your layout.** A programmable keyboard is handy if you can also program the keys. Remap keys that you do not normally use to your most frequent phrases or program in the most typical shortcuts for you such as copy, paste, etc. ## Final Thoughts Remember the main thing: find the keyboard that feels right. Don’t let the discussions on the forums and the huge amount of products and variations keep you from starting to type happily. Start with a solid and reasonably priced keyboard and go from there. Your fingers will thank you for it, and soon you’ll look for opportunities to type even more. Happy typing!

# Generative AI Will Reshape Knowledge Work, Not Replace It The discussion about generative AI in knowledge work appears to fall into one of two camps: There are those who believe that large parts of the work of analysts, writers and programmers will soon be automated and those who do not believe in the hype of a simple autocomplete function. The reality will be much more far-reaching: Generative AI will transform knowledge work by making routine cognition cost driven, while at the same time raising the value added by judgment, taste and accountability. Again, it is worth detailing out what these systems can actually do well prior to discussion their limitations. Generative models are surprisingly good at a range of different tasks, including writing short documents (e.g. emails, reports) summarizing long documents, and completing simple code files by filling in large blocks of boilerplate code. Even more surprisingly, they can produce serviceable “first drafts” of just about any longer document. One study of writing with ChatGPT found that users who wrote with AI support completed writing tasks 40% percent faster and rated them as higher quality than work written without AI support. As a similar example, in GitHub repository where developers use Copilot to complete programming tasks to complete tasks to complete programming tasks so far a median of 10-15 minutes faster than developers without access to AI support for the same set of tasks. While it is true that the tasks of the analyst, writer or programmer will change in a world where generative AI becomes more powerful, and soon, a large part of the tasks they normally perform will be automatized. However, this new environment will bring about the possibility of a new set of tasks emerging that go way beyond simple verification. The verification responsibility is a fundamental part of knowledge work, in a world where generative models can be mistaken, and even so, give a very credible appearance of rightness to their wrong answers. In the immediate term, AI presents the risk that inexperienced knowledge workers will struggle to get enough practice in order to become truly proficient. In the past, much knowledge work has functioned as an apprenticeship: junior analysts write memos under the guidance of senior ones; junior software developers fix small bugs for more experienced ones. If all such tasks are rapidly automated by AI, how will people have learned to become experts to guide these systems? Many believe that, as capabilities proceed at such breakneck pace, even the most judgmental tasks will be automated in due time. But the history of automation has always been to change the job instead of removing it. No, accountants haven’t disappeared with spreadsheets. Instead, they now spend most of their time analyzing rather than calculating in numbers. My prophecy of change here – like any powerful tool – can be good or bad depending on who wields it. I hope those at the helm of organizations sooner rather than later start to consider what kinds of skills will complement Generative AI to add value at the higher end of knowledge work. Until then, problem framing, critical evaluation, domain expertise and training those who work in knowledge-intensive roles in these areas will remain wise.

**Digital Privacy Laws Face a Borderless Data Economy** Digital privacy laws promise users greater control of their data online but implementing and exercising these rights when data is spread across apps, advertisers, data brokers and governments is far from simple. Many countries including the EU and California have set out in laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation and the California Consumer Privacy Act what information companies have to disclose to consumers about their data practices and what rights consumers have over their personal information, such as the right to access, correction, deletion etc. Current data protection regimes differ as to the extent to which users have the right to have their data removed from different services. In most cases deleting data from one service does not lead to all copies of that data being deleted by third parties. But other factors also mitigate the impact of the consent granted in private and in public contexts, such as the lengthy notice of the terms of use of a service online, which are not always easy to compare with each other, and the various interests that can drive a person to access online a service which he/she/it needs for work, school or for many reasons of daily life. Additionally, it is challenging for governments to monitor rapidly evolving systems, in many cases spread over the world. Because companies with large legal and compliance departments have a heavy burden placed on them, smaller companies are at a disadvantage. By the time severe action is taken by authorities, data has already been collected and shared, and been compromised. New technologies are constantly being developed to process data about individuals. For example, the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to analyze datasets comprising apparently innocuous information, raised fresh concerns regarding the processing of personal data. Meanwhile, data brokers who process thousands of datasets comprising a myriad of information about individuals may be unknown to the data subject and the scope of personal information held is not easily determinable. But all the rights and restrictions on the use of information now pledged to respect individuals’ privacy are of little use when the basic conditions for their effective exercise are not met, especially when information can multiply without bounds when digitized and spread among various services in the form of default settings designed to extract information in greatest quantity and of widest variety. The main debates today revolve around whether more emphasis should be put on placing more obligations on organizations to limit and protect data, as opposed to relying on individual rights and the need for consent in advance of the use of personal information. Digital privacy laws – even at their best – are a frail defence against information that travels far and fast, multiplying to disclose secrets that the donor never intended to be revealed.

# How to Publish Your Self-Illustrated Picture Book ## 1. Perfect Your Manuscript Typically a picture book is 500 words or fewer and 32 pages long. In writing, try to be very concise, read your manuscript aloud many times, and get feedback from children. Also, remember that your illustrations can tell a great deal of the story, so be sure to not describe what the reader will already see. ## 2. Create a Storyboard and Dummy Turn your rough sketches into aStoryboard – laying out the illustrations for all 32 pages in the most logical order. Create a Dummy of your story – a rough mock-up of the actual book, including Space for Gutters and checking the flow of the text and illustrations across the center fold. ## 3. Choose Your Publishing Path **Traditional publishing:** Typically an author-illustrator would submit a complete manuscript, a storyboard/dummy, and two or three finished pieces of art to potential literary agents and/or publishers. Queries must follow the exact guidelines for each literary agent and/or publisher. Many wait long periods of time to hear back, and most get rejected. The SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) is a great resource for searching for publishers who accept submissions. **Self-publishing:** While dealing with production, costs, and promotion, you keep creative control and higher royalties. This is a great way to create a book fast and reach your very specific target audience. ## 4. Prepare Final Artwork (Self-Publishing) Work in CMYK (or in your printer’s preferred color mode). Your art should be created at a high resolution (min. 300 DPI). Include 0.125 inch bleed on all pages. Utilize standard book dimensions (for example 8.5 x 8.5 in., 8 x 10 in., etc.). Leave sufficient space between text and primary art components (min. 0.5 in.). ## 5. Handle the Details - **Editing:** Get a children's book editor, or trade with other writers (i.e., exchange manuscript critiques for feedback on your work). - **Typography:** Use readable, child-friendly fonts and strong contrast. - **ISBN:** Purchase your own ISBN(s) through Bowker (US) and list yourself as the publisher. - **Copyright:** Register your work with the U.S. Copyright Office. ## 6. Select a Printing Platform Print-on-demand services (e.g. Amazon KDP, IngramSpark) can print and distribute individual copies of your book as orders come in, without requiring you to pay for upfront printing. For harder cover editions and lower unit pricing for large orders, consider using an offset printer. Always order a print proof to check for accurate color reproduction. ## 7. Market Your Book Build your author/illustrator website and email list well before your book launches. Contact local school librarians, indie bookstores, and parenting bloggers and writers to ask for review copies. Set up reading events, school and library visits, and offer printables of activities connected to the book on your website. You may even want to consider a crowd funding campaign to help cover printing costs and to gain exposure to potential readers. ## 8. Keep Creating Success in the picture book field typically comes to those who are able to build a catalog of work. Use the sales from and feedback of your books to begin writing your next. With patience, polish, and persistence, your illustrated book can find its way to children all over the world.

**How Privacy Laws Are Struggling to Keep Up with Today’s “Data-Devouring” Technology** As countries around the world celebrate the passage of landmark privacy legislation, the reality on the ground is far from meeting the ideals of protecting people’s information. Despite progress being made and many new rights and freedoms granted to the information holder, in reality significant gaps remain in terms of how information is actually protected. New regulations that grant individuals greater access to their information and the ability to limit its use have been established by European and California laws, as well as by the laws of other countries and states. However, these laws are largely symbolic and do not provide sufficient protection of personal information, critics say. Most current privacy frameworks rely on consent for their implementation. Users are presented with lengthy privacy policies and disclose how their data will be used after they have given their consent. Unfortunately, most users do not read the lengthy privacy policy and even if they do, most users do not understand the policy and hence cannot make an informed decision. In many cases the lengthy privacy policy is hidden behind a consent banner that is designed to influence the user to click on the ‘accept’ button. Enforcing these right is also an issue for two reasons: There are way too many companies to monitor and, more importantly, there are way too few people to do so. It takes years to complete an investigation by now. The fines that are awarded in the end of such processes can be high in absolute numbers but usually only amount to a fraction of a company’s average daily revenue. Thus, treating fines as just another business expense seems to be the most appropriate response from a company’s point of view. The fact that information online is shared across the globe within a split second means that it is also restricted by the borders of the internet. When a company is based in one country but holds the information of people from another, it can prove difficult for regulatory bodies to assert their legal authority. New forms of personal data, such as inferences drawn from analytics about individuals’ health, financial situation, political views, etc., often generated by algorithms within organizations, raise critical questions regarding legal sufficiency as these inferences are not provided by users themselves. Rather, these potentially highly sensitive aspects of personal information are generated through use of data, which may have been originally collected with adequate protection under applicable privacy laws. These problems are compounded by categories of information collection that exist entirely outside the purview of current law. For example, data brokers amass profiles on individuals using a variety of sources of information including public records, information about use of particular mobile applications, and information purchased from other companies. Commercial data is increasingly also becoming subject to government requests for information that would otherwise require a search warrant or other process to compel. Advocates for privacy are urging a move from trying to get individuals to opt-in to certain uses of their personal information to placing restrictions on the information that can be collected by companies and how that information can be used. Efforts to restrict data collection range from banning the sale of location data and other sensitive information to data minimization proposals that seek to ban certain practices outright. Many industry groups believe that data protection laws will stifle innovation. These same organizations recognize that large corporations can probably absorb the costs of privacy but fear that smaller start-ups could be halted in their tracks by overly cumbersome rules. Many argue that we are leaving the protection of individuals’ privacy in the hands of people who are not equipped to do so adequately. Experts suggest that until there are more effective privacy protection measures in place, individual protection of their own privacy will continue to be a major challenge.

Many cities struggle to balance the funding needed to support public art with the infrastructure needs of a growing city. Important services such as clean water, safe streets, and adequate utilities are fundamental to any city and must be the base of a responsible civic structure. Yet, it is also possible to include public art as part of the capital improvements needed to grow and maintain a healthy city and maximize return on investment. One of the most effective ways to integrate public art into a municipality’s capital improvement plan is by incorporating art into larger public works projects through the “Percent for Art” policy. Instead of funding public art through a separate budget, the municipality allocates a percentage of funds allocated to large public works projects to art. In this way, public art does not draw from the money allocated to maintain our basic infrastructure; instead, it humanizes it. Moreover, art has the power to generate tangible economic and social added value. Vibrant public spaces increase foot traffic and foster tourism and trade. The resulting increase in the tax base can then be used to finance further infrastructure projects. Furthermore, art has the ability to generate a sense of place, safety and civic pride and can transform neutral architecture into a living community. So while it is true that infrastructure builds the physical structure of a community, public art gives it soul. If we treat public art as more than an additional program after a project has been designed and we include it as a key design component of the overall built environment then we can ensure that as we address physical needs of a community we are also creating inspiring and durable space for all.

While safety must be the top priority, investments in public art and infrastructure should be viewed as complementary in community building. First, ensure the basic infrastructure required to sustain life and support economic development is in place and maintained (water systems, roads, bridges, emergency services etc.). Only after addressing any issues of deferred maintenance that threaten safety should consideration be given to how to support public art using available funds. Incorporate public art in important projects by designating one to two percent of the funds for a public art component. People are surprised at the modest amount of additional funds that thoughtfully designed public art can cost as an add-on to, say, a new bridge, a major transit station, or a major plaza redevelopment. In all of these cases the artistic design should be an integral part of the capital budget for the project. If you commit your residents to be part of deciding how their dollars will be spent, using open budget hearings and clear criteria, then they will be more supportive of the resulting public art if it contains references to local history and their values. Then you can make sure that basic infrastructure needs are met as well. Use multiple funding sources. Use grants, donations, business sponsorships, and a community arts endowment fund. Utilize temporary works of art and utilize community murals for low-cost options. Funding essentials, including meaningful sets-asides in capital projects to include art in public buildings and spaces, the pursuit of outside funding (grants, private donations, business sponsorships, etc.), and neighborhood input regarding priorities for public art will sustain both the core of a community and the full richness of cultural life there.

[Your Name] [Your Phone Number] | [Your Email Address] [Your Portfolio/Vimeo Link] | [Your Location] [Date] [Hiring Manager's Name or Search Committee] [Production Company / Project Name] [Company Address / "Remote"] Dear [Hiring Manager's Name or "Documentary Production Team"], I would like to express my interest in the freelance Documentary Editor position for your upcoming documentary feature, (Project Title or production company name here for a link). I have been following the work of your team because of their commitment to high quality storytelling that focuses on characters and tells impactful stories. I am a seasoned and highly experienced Documentary Editor with over [Number] years’ experience specialising in editing Documentaries (Features, Shorts, Docu-Series), transforming vast amounts of raw, grainy vérité footage and lengthy interviews into a cohesive three-part narrative; creating a Final ‘Written’ Script around the natural narratives within the footage and ensuring that the natural voices of the subjects lead the audience through the Film. I have just finished working as the lead editor on a recent *[Title of a Recent Project]*, a [feature/short] documentary document that explores [brief topic, e.g. environmental justice or the legacy of an artist]. This work consisted of shaping the narrative of the documentary using over 150 hours of untranscribed footage, creating the temp soundscape for the film and work with the director of the documentary to help hone the films thematic rhythm. The documentary went on to *[*achievement*]* at the **[Film Festival Name]**. A full-remote setup is not an issue, and I will provide links and access as required. I am fully proficent in all the main video editing software platforms – Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro, and DaVinci Resolve – with in-depth knowledge of multi-camera edits and library archival work. Most importantly though, I am a collaborative film maker, working in an intimate documentary edit is an ego-less space, where I provide solutions to narrative staling points and act as a sounding-board to the director. I am a good communicator, a pro-active problem-solver who is used to working to very tight deadlines. Thank you for your consideration of my application. I look forward to reviewing the assembly of “[Project Title]” or to discuss further the required work to tell this most important story. Sincerely, Sincerely, [Your Name] [Link to Showreel / Website]

# 10 Tips for mechanical keyboards for typists Looking for a mechanical keyboard that will make your long hours of typing a bit more comfortable? Sorting through all of the many switches, keyboard layouts, and types of keycaps can be very overwhelming. Here are 10 basic things to consider in finding your perfect mechanical keyboard setup. **1. Start with how you type.** Are you a writer? Do you send lots of short emails? Maybe you type for a while and then play some games? Start by figuring out your primary use of the keyboard and then look for specific features to serve that purpose. **2. Find your ideal switches through a switch tester**. Learn what linear, tactile and clicky switches feel like. Most keyboard shops have a switch tester where you can test all available switches on a keyboard before buying it. **3. Expect louder switch types to sound better. They don’t!** Yes, the click of your switches can be satisfying. However, that satisfying sound will have to do while you’re on a video call with work, or while others are trying to sleep. A good case with good sound dampening will also keep your switches from sounding too loud. **4. Choose the correct size to fit your working space** Full-size keyboards are typically supplied with a number pad attached to the right of the main keyboard area. The tenkeyless or compact versions of keyboards remove the number pad area and relocate the keys that would normally be found there to the home row. Note however that some typists miss a few keys when using these versions. **5. The shape of the keycap(s) affects your typing experience.** Most keyboards have different height profiles. A typical stock keyboard has tall, uniformly deep, short linear, tall cube and so on. So, if a keyboard feels too tiring for you, it may not be the switches, but rather the keycaps. **6. Find the right height**. This is probably the most important thing to consider when buying a keyboard. Avoid steep keyboards that force you to work with your wrists up. Opt for the flatest surface possible and take regular breaks from typing. **7. How are the stabilizers?** Stabilizers are used for the large keys (spacebar, Enter, etc.), and they can sometimes rattle or feel flimsy. Sometimes these problems can’t be fixed with the switch itself, and they have to be looked at separately. **8. Consider if you can get a keyboard with hot-swappable switches.** Hot-swap sockets are great for enabling easy switch change-outs without having to solder. Although, often switches alone can make for a great keyboard for typing and you may never need to experiment. **9. Everyday conveniences are important too.** Lots of keyboards offer wireless, removable cables, media keys and software to remap your own keys. The feature is only useful to you if you’re actually going to use it though. **10. Set a budget—and save room for surprises.** This tip is actually very simple: You don’t need an expensive custom keyboard. After buying your first Mechanical Keyboard you might want to upgrade some parts. But for that, you don’t have to spend a fortune. A good Mechanical Keyboard for typing can cost between 60$ and 200$. After that, it’s up to you, how much you’re willing to spend to get your perfect typing gear. In conclusion, every typist is unique and there is no single ‘best’ mechanical keyboard out there. I strongly recommend going to physical computer stores to try out a few keyboards for yourself after 1 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, etc. and go with whatever feels comfortable for the most part to type on.

Dear Hiring Team, I am writing because I would like to apply for the Freelance Documentary Editor position listed. I have 8 years of experience working with Nonfiction as an assistant editor for feature length documentaries, and as a freelance editor of shorter documentary forms that air on television, stream online, and play at film festivals. My first experience in documentary film was as an Assistant Editor to a feature length documentary, ‘Coast’, a film about people whose lives are being affected by coastal erosion and the displacement of communities by development. I spent over 200 hours logging all of the footage for the film’s director, which formed the basis of the assembly edit that we used to secure further funding for the film. The projects that I have worked on vary greatly from a short 8 minute web documentary, to a 90-minute feature length film that premiered at a regional film festival. I have worked in Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve, and have a good working knowledge of Avid Media Composer where a project calls for it. I am also happy to do basic color correction, audio clean up, and motion graphics in order to keep costs low and meet a tight deadline. Archive-heavy documentaries require large media management, as well as organizing of archival materials, and I have strong knowledge of film licensing, and frame rates, shot in mixed formats. My best quality as an editor is my ability to work collaboratively with Directors. Each Director has a very different relationship with their footage and I strive to make sure that I am working in the best manner possible for each individual. I make sure that my review versions are clear and organized. I welcome all feedback, whether it be positive or negative, and am always in touch regarding structural problems or opportunities in the narrative of a film. I have received feedback from Producers that I always meet my deadlines and point out potential problems before they become huge issues. A recent short I completed, ‘The Baker’ documenting the life of a third generation bakery owner for a Non Profit Client was a really rewarding edit to work on. The raw material was scattered and emotional in parts, however re-structuring the documentary to follow the owner of the bakery through his single busiest morning of trade created an intimate and quiet film that gained entries into two festivals and raised significant donations for the Non Profit Client on release. As a freelancer, I work remotely and can easily and adaptively incorporate into a new team. I have an effective, current editing suite complete with secure back-ups and can work off of any file-sharing/reviewing platform of choice. I’d look forward to speaking with you about whether or not my experience would be a good fit for your future projects. I have included a link to my portfolio and reel below, and would be happy to provide references as well. Thanks again for your time and consideration. Sincerely, [Your Name] [Phone Number] | [Email Address] [Portfolio Link]

I am interested in studying human-computer interaction. Recently I had the opportunity to sit next to my grandfather as he tried to book a medical consultation online. After what seemed like an age we finally managed to complete the online booking. During this time I realized that the website did in fact contain all of the information my grandfather required; however the online interface contained small text, confusing menus, and vague error messages that made a seemingly simple task extremely difficult. I am interested in technology because it should make our lives easier, and I am interested in finding out why technology does not always have this effect. What I find most fascinating about Human-Computer Interaction is the interplay of technical problem solving and human centered design. A system can be really fast and efficient but fail to deliver because of tiny design choices that make it hard for users to understand what is going on. I’m interested in how designers arrive at the decisions they do and how different methods and techniques are used to gather information about users and their problems, and then to design solutions to those problems. One of the biggest interests I have within the field of human-computer interaction is accessibility. The experience I described above shows just how much one seemingly minor design decision can affect a person’s ability to use a service. In studying human-computer interaction, I hope to explore methods of including people of all abilities, backgrounds, and levels of experience with computers in the design process. This means learning to listen to users and to test solutions outside of the classroom or lab. On a more positive note, I am very interested in the creative side of this field. Designing interfaces to improve human interaction with computers is all about asking questions and testing out different solutions. Even when those solutions fail, there is always something to learn from them. Human-computer interaction could be a field that I am particularly interested in because I can help design technology that is more respectful to the people who use it. This could be to design healthcare services, educational tools, or other technology that can help make people’s lives easier. The ultimate goal for me is to help design technology that is clear and inclusive for people of all backgrounds and abilities. My goal would be for my grandfather to be able to do online something important to him in a way that is easy and he feels confident that he completed the task online and that he can do it again online in the future.

**The Illusion of Protection: Why Digital Privacy Laws Are Failing the Modern Web** **Digital Rights Watchers Say Existing Privacy Laws Don’t Adequately Deal With Reality of Modern Technology** Unlike previous illegal ways of collecting data online by large corporations, current privacy laws ban explicit, unauthorized data collection but are unable to stop more advanced ways of online tracking currently used by corporations. There’s a bigger issue with the current system of privacy laws, though: the ‘notice and consent’ model, which was established decades ago and has had the effect of creating ‘consent fatigue’ — the bulk of online tracking is enabled through terms and conditions that users don’t read, and which most users click through to access a website. New research from the University of Oxford suggests that in excess of 80% of online tracking is accepted by users simply in order to access a web page online. The notice and consent model is thus failing to ensure the protection of individuals’ privacy online. Data brokerages, however, are operating outside of current Privacy Legislation in order to create highly detailed user profiles using an aggregation of non-sensitive data points that would normally not be considered PII, such as a user’s battery levels, their typing speed and even their location-based data from daily activities across the globe. Profiles can then be used to deanonymize users with up to 99% accuracy. But it is above all the rapid development of generative AI models that has uncovered a huge chasm between current laws and their practical application. These models are training on billions of web pages, sometimes illegally scraped from the web, in many places without a specific instance of privacy violation having occurred. In this way huge amounts of digital footprints of individuals are permanently absorbed by black boxes and processed for unknown purposes. The practical enforcement of data protection and privacy laws is even more infeasible today. National Data Protection Authorities (DPAs) have only limited financial means at their disposal. Mega-corporations from the trillion-dollar club can afford to reproduce fines of this kind as “business expenses”. This means they simply won’t be deterred from their notorious data exploitation strategies. "20th century law for 21st century predictive behavioral control" According to Elena Vance, a digital ethics researcher at the Open Tech Institute, while legislation that seeks to ban the collection of personal information is effective in respect of ‘direct’ data, it will have no bearing on ‘inferred’ information. Yet as more countries draft their own digital rights laws, most in the technology community concur that these laws will not bring about significant improvements to online privacy unless all digital business models are banned. In other words, online privacy will remain a purely legal fiction.

**Title:** The Great Elevation: Why Generative AI Will Augment, Not Erase, Knowledge Work This shift to a new generation of AI is rapidly reaching new heights and sparking fear of a new robot apocalypse – a number of commentators have predicted that human intellect will be rendered obsolete in various professions in the coming years. Lawyers, programmers, doctors and writers will all be made redundant by large language models developed to produce work of a high standard within seconds. However, viewed through the economic and technological lens of history, the rise of the generative AI is likely to have the opposite of the observed effect and actually increase the amount of knowledge-based work – boosting it up and releasing humans from drudgery, leveling the playing field between novices and experts and making higher order human thinking and feeling even more valuable than it is today. Historically, automation transforms, rather than reduces, the amount of work that needs to be done by humans. When spreadsheets were first developed in the 1970s, for example, the number of accountants increased dramatically – not because companies were hiring armies of new number-crunchers, but because the work of the accountants was transformed from drudgery of laborious, error-prone, manual calculation to high-value added activities such as financial strategy. Generative AI will do something similar for knowledge workers, automating tasks such as the collection of information, the initial draft, and data analysis, freeing them to be as productive as possible by doing what they are best at: thinking. Generative AI is also leveler of ability to create high-end content. Such content in the past required specialized human resources or very high financial endowment of manpower. Hence one highly educated single knowledge worker equipped with a suite of tools of generative AI can now match output of an entire department. This leads to huge increases in productivity of knowledge workers, and to huge increases in potential for entrepreneurship by those with special expertise. This means that while a machine can process information, recognize patterns and even produce work of reasonable quality based on pre-existing examples, it is incapable of higher-level human insight and cannot replicate the full breadth of complex human decision-making in the real world. AI will not be able to replace human knowledge workers in fundamental ways, because of the unique way in which people approach and solve problems. Solving the hard problem of human insight is itself the solution to the larger problem that has become so familiar: will I lose my job to a machine? Most importantly, there is a massive misperception as to what knowledge is. Knowledge is not repeating patterns. It is applying knowledge in purposeful, relevant, and ethical ways to real human needs. The era of generative AI is not the end of the intellectual and professional, but rather the start of a massive new renaissance – to explore, to apply, and to grow and innovate in ways previously impossible.