PinnedMember-onlyHow I lost 50 pounds by doing one thingAll I had to do was count. — That’s right. I just decided to count calories. I did not change my diet or start exercising. It was about a little over a decade ago, and I weighed almost 240 pounds. I was obese. My quality of life was pretty bad. I decided I needed to change something. I…Weight Loss3 min read
Published in Geek Culture·17 hours agoMember-onlyLaunch a free website in 4 stepsFocus more on your mission and less on website hosting. — Serverless or JAMstack websites allow small businesses, side hustles, and startups to launch no-to-low-cost websites with some elbow grease. Here are some steps I used to launch a free website for a non-profit startup. Download a free or low-cost website theme Wix, EditorX, and other website builder services are nice, but they are expensive. Why pay for…Startup3 min read
6 days agoBe careful when using .env filesThis file could be a source of a cyber breach — Not even within 24 hours, a recently launched website was being sniffed for secrets. A bot was searching for a .env file where some projects store secrets. Fortunately, this website was protected by Cloudflare. What can we learn from this? The .env file should be treated as a potential source of a cyber breach. We should…Web Development2 min read
Published in JavaScript in Plain English·Sep 19Member-onlyWhen to Use ‘??’ and ‘||’ in JavaScript and TypeScriptA short guide on when to use ‘??’ and ‘||’ when checking values in JavaScript and TypeScript code. — In this short post, I want to share a simple way to remember when to use ?? and || when checking values in JavaScript and TypeScript code. When to use ?? when checking a value? The ?? is an “or” operator where the left side must be empty before returning the right side. The question mark ? is…Java Script2 min read
Published in Geek Culture·Aug 27Member-onlyFive scary Linux commands you should not run.These are commands you might have wondered how they work. — Caution: Make sure you confirm you are using the terminal in a virtual machine or a container if you decide to run these commands. Running these commands on your actual machine will be catastrophic. Disclaimer: I take no responsibility for the results of running these commands. Execute them at your…Linux4 min read
Aug 11Improve your health inside outGut health is more important than what we can see. — The “blue zones” are areas where individuals live the longest. These individuals eat a good diet, live active lifestyles, and have positive outlooks. A benefit of a good diet is a healthy gut. Let’s focus on this “inside-out” health in this post. Better bowel movements. It’s one of those things that people don’t…Health3 min read
Published in Better Programming·Jul 26Member-onlyHow to Remove Sensitive Data and Plaintext Secrets From GitHubKeep your repository clean to avoid getting hacked — Some developers love to code fast and cut corners, and I am guilty of it too! This means sensitive data (e.g., plaintext secrets, Application Programming Interface [API] keys, passwords, etc.) might accidentally get committed to your git repository. This might be fine if you are developing locally, but this can…Programming7 min read
Published in Geek Culture·Jul 25Member-onlyUse Python in Docker, not in your OSProtect your system from malware and ransomware — We can keep our computers isolated from malicious Python packages and vulnerabilities by using Docker containers. It’s like protecting ourselves from a vicious snake bite. What are Docker containers and why should we use them? Docker is a software technology that creates a container that runs on our computer. A container is like running a mini-computer within ours and restricts…Python6 min read
Published in Stronger Content·Jul 1Member-onlyIs communication your Kryptonite? Turn it into your superpower.Sometimes our perceived weaknesses are the source of our greatest strength. — When I think of challenging work and personal situations, many stem from a lack of communication. May you have had someone get upset with you for being late to a lunch appointment. I know I have. In one case, that person would have been less upset had I told him…Communication4 min read
Jun 27Member-onlyMake every push-up your first one.This simple change will make your workout more effective. — Have you noticed that the first push-up seems more complicated than the following ones? It is harder to start a push-up routine than to keep it going. There is science behind this. Some science principles. Static friction is the opposing force we must overcome to start moving something. Once the object is moving…Exercise3 min read
