One that reflects the change of the algorithm to relational
During my first year on Medium, I saw that writers adjusted to various changes, including updating the user agree to give Medium greater discretion over content distribution on and off the website. I suspect that most of us (myself included) still don’t know the full implications of this means.
There has been a monumental change in the compensation scheme away from claps to reads. Now that we’ve had some time to adjust to the read-based compensation system, it seems obvious that written content is made to be read. …
The limits of nonverbal communication
My participation in the online writing world is a little over a year old. I have discovered Medium and other platforms that have opened up a new world of expression for me. In this world, I have a not only found a voice but destinations for my forays into various styles and genres of writing.
Some of these writing destinations actually pay me. Now that I have this voice, I know that I can never give it up. I trust it is not verging on toxic positivity to say that in this regard, the pandemic has not only not been…
Clues from the animal kingdom.
ethology: the study of animal behavior usually with a focus on behavior under natural conditions
My friend, Nick, is an avid naturalist spending much of his leisure time hiking, camping and practicing photography in nature. He recently invited me for a day trip to Ontario’s Algonquin Park. We packed a lunch, found a great hiking trail and had an enjoyable late winter outing. In order to get his most prized views and photos of nature, he related that he camps overnight in the most remote areas of the park.
As we hiked, he advised that we continue our conversation loudly…
Metrics signal both usefulness and absurdity
When discussing the use of applied statistics or Moneyball in pro football, the conversation eventually turns to the intangibles of star players that appear immeasurable. Pro football heaps glorious accolades on its winners and stars usually with reference to wins and titles as opposed to numerical milestones and statistics. Moneyball has yet to bring about a paradigm shift across the NFL in the same way that the Oakland A’s success changed MLB.
The explosive success of fantasy football, however, has changed the way fans watch the game. This phenomenon has led to the casual fan becoming an “internet general manager”…
Stop the blood flood!
The story behind the investigation
Our platform’s founder Ev Williams has released a torrent of blogflation on the Medium world with a round of $500 bonuses. Not only will this drive up the cost of claps, follows and comments, a consumer price index spike is surely to follow. I could go on about how this cash injection will work its way through the economy like free drugs through a nightclub but I’m here to champion a much more important cause today — me.
A Bad Case of Bonus Envy
Seemingly, I am the only person in the Medium universe who didn’t receive the $500 bonus. And no, I am not OK…
RACIAL JUSTICE
The wrongful arrest and detainment of the Romilly brothers.
On May 14, 2021, Vancouver police questioned, detained and handcuffed eighty one year old, retired Provincial Supreme Court Judge, Selwyn Romilly. Trinidadian born Romilly was walking on the Seawall in Vancouver’s Stanley Park. Police were monitoring the park when reports came in of a brown complexioned man punching, kicking and spitting at people on the Seawall. The correct suspect was eventually arrested and was roughly half Romilly’s age. Romilly was released shortly after by Vancouver Police.
The incident has drawn international attention with media coverage in the UK and US. Romilly’s detainment has put police treatment of Black Canadians back…
Unearthed for Medium
Serious music fans appreciate Canada’s rich contribution to popular music. With a sparse population and world class recording artists in almost every genre, we have produced more than our share of great music enjoyed by audiences on every continent.
Celine Dion, Justin Bieber, Gordon Lightfoot, Bryan Adams, Avril Lavigne, Alanis Morrissette, Anne Murray, Bachman Turner Overdrive, The Guess Who, Rush, Nickelback, The Tragically Hip, Drake, Paul Anka, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young enjoy worldwide recognition and need no introduction.
Outside of Canada, music lovers are largely unaware of our more nationally and regionally loved artists whose work is no less…
The perils of industrial blogging disease
When the algorithm changed the Medium compensation scheme to one based on reading time at the expense of claps, it was a major adjustment for the platform. I changed my reading habits accordingly. If claps weren’t factoring in to a writers’ income, there was no need to overexert yourself clapping to support other writers.
A plethora of blog posts shaming one clap readers followed. Since that evolution, it has been reinforced that while clap counts don’t contribute to earnings, they can influence the algorithm’s placement of an article in your feed.
Fellow Medium members questioned my tepid clap counts for…
Black women are beautiful as is - full stop.
Stuart Grant
disparate parts coalescing toward a greater meaning in the pursuit of a fully realized life
