As a Laravel developer, I’ve spent a lot of time learning from some of the best Laravel developers. Do names such as Adam Wathan, Colin DeCarlo, Jason McCreary ring a bell? They should. If they don’t, here is a quick fix. My list of 12 fantastic talks that you could learn a ton from.
An excellent intro into TDD. TDD seems easy until you need to talk or test DB queries, generate PDF, deal with APIs and so on. He will lear you how to do all those stuff. Even better and more it depth is his course. A must-watch for every developer who doesn’t know where to start practising TDD.
Matt talks about different patterns that we don’t think about when building an application. Then, he dives into picking better code patterns by reviewing code bases.
Writing code that survives the test of time and self-judgment is a matter of clarity and simplicity. This is a talk about growing, learning and improving our code with calisthenics, readability and good design.
Somehow lengthy title, however still worth watching. Colin DeCarlo talks about some ideas on cleaning up code in your application gained from “fire tweets” on twitter.
There is never enough controllers. From @dhh tweet: More controllers doing less work obviates the need for any other fancy patterns. In this talk, Adam shows how you can move code from one controller into multiple ones.
Why is it OK that a User can be saved? Because according to Adam, methods are affordances.
Furthermore, don’t be afraid of facades, he says. But, to be fair, I think this statement was more relevant in 2018 than today. I think facades are well accepted nowadays.
Having the correct tools is not the same as using the tools correctly. Learn how to use Laravel tools correctly. Some more tips on how your code could be better and more readable.
This talk is about how to avoid overengineering and why you ain’t gonna need it is good.
Jason also has a BaseCode course. It is about code refactoring. Do check it out.
A field guide containing real-world practices to help you write code that’s less complex and more readable.
If MySql and not your thing, you can learn a lot here. Even better, Jonathan shows how to write more complex and optimised queries with Laravel Eloquent. Finally, if you like the talk, here is an entire course dedicated to it.
Happy watching & learning.
Disclaimer: nobody paid me to promote those courses here. I bought and watched all of them. And I learned a lot. I generally think those courses are worth paying for.
The last few years have seen the introduction of a number of interesting .22 caliber revolvers. Among them are the Ruger Wrangler and the Heritage Barkeep. These affordable wheel guns are well suited to general carry and recreational use.
The latest entrant in the affordable .22 revolver race is slightly more expensive, but this one is a double action revolver with an interchangeable swing out cylinder.
The Sidekick’s cylinder release is incorporated into the ejection rod.
When I was growing up it seemed almost everyone including my grandfather owned a Double Nine. When you wanted protection, but didn’t want a center fire with its greater expense and recoil, the High Standard Double Nine was a popular choice.
The Diamondback Sidekick (top) and the Ruger Single Six
Designed to look like a traditional single action or cowboy gun with its plow handle grip and large trigger spur, the Double Nine was a double action revolver with a swing out cylinder. It was immensely popular and missed by old time shooters.
Today we have an alternative that may be a better gun. Modern manufacturing has given us an improved .22 revolver with much to recommend it.
The Diamondback Sidekick may be a clone, but it stands strong on its own merits. The revolver features a swing out cylinder with nine chambers. The cylinder release doubles as the ejector rod. Pull the ejector rod forward to release the cylinder. Load, close the cylinder, and you are ready to fire.
The double action revolver may be fired double action with a simple pull of the trigger or in single action by cocking the hammer and applying a light trigger press.
The Sidekick is smooth enough in double action for an economy revolver. The best means of managing the double action pull is to stage he trigger; press until the hammer almost falls, pause to get a solid sight picture, and then fire.
The single action trigger pull breaks at a very clean, crisp four pounds. That invites single action shooting and most shots fired with a Sidekick will probably be while plinking or informal target practice. The double action trigger is pleasant enough to make for good double action training.
The traditional plow handled grip with GFN checkered scales fits most hands well. There is no step in the handle required to stabilize the hand for double action fire with the .22’s modest recoil. The hammer spur allows for easy thumb cocking.
The barrel is 4.5 inches long, but expect other options to be offered down the road. The sights are the usual post front blade and grooved rear sight as you’d expect on a six nine shooter like this. The sights are well regulated for the six o’clock hold at ten yards. The finish is Cerakote.
A great option the Sidekick gives you is the use of interchangeable cylinders, one in .22 long rifle and one in .22 Magnum. Both will ship with the revolver. This isn’t something that’s been offered often with double action revolvers as fitting the crane is more difficult than simply using a base pin in a single action revolver.
The bolt holding the cylinder crane is spring-loaded. I used an old pen shaft to depress the latch and pull the cylinder away. Depress the shaft again and snap the other cylinder in place. The system is simple. After changing the cylinders headspace remains tight.
A simple groove in the top strap and a post front sight may not makes for gilt edged accuracy, but the sights are properly regulated for 40 grain loads. I used a mix of various makers 40 grain RNL loads to test the wheel gun. Five Remington Thunderbolts produced a 2.0-inch group at 15 yards. The Sidekick is more than accurate enough for informal target practice, plinking, and small game hunting.
The .22 Magnum cylinder offers a crackerjack option for larger pests. I wont get into the .22 Magnum for personal defense debate, but if you want a rimfire for easy critter control at a relatively low expense, the Sidekick is as good as any.
A natural comparison most will make here is the Ruger Wrangler, but the comparison isn’t really fair. The Wrangler and the Sidekick are about equally accurate. The Ruger, however, doesn’t have a .22 Magnum option. It’s also a single action gun with a six shot cylinder that loads via a loading gate.
The question then becomes, are those difference worth the extra outlay for the Diamondback revolver. I would gladly pay the difference for the Sidekick. They won’t hit retailers until next week, but I think Diamondback has a winner in this revolver.
Ergonomics * * * * *
The heft and balance are excellent. This classic revolver handles well and the grip is comfortable. There’s a reason the Colt SAA has been so popular for the last century and a half.
Accuracy * * * * *
For the price and compared to the Ruger Wrangler and Heritage Rough Rider the Sidekick is quite accurate. Soda cans and milk jugs should be afraid. Very afraid.
Reliability * * * * *
The Sidekick never failed to crack off 240 .22 Long Rifle cartridges and 27 .22 Magnum. The only problem you may have in terms of reliability with this gun will be due to the rimfire ammo that goes into it.
Value * * * * ½
There are less expensive similar guns that are also fine for plinking and taking small game. But they don’t have all the features of the Sidekick. You pays your money and takes your choice.
Overall * * * * *
I love the Sidekick. It’s a fun gun that will take game and guard the homestead quite well and it’s very high on the fun-to-shoot scale.
Mark McCloskey gets into it verbally with a protestor outside the courthouse in Kenosha. (Photo credit: Fox News)
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While jurors deliberate inside the courthouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin in the Kyle Rittenhouse case – the outcome of which promises to be important for gun owners everywhere – Mark McCloskey is outside arguing with protestors. Why? Because there’s never a dull moment in what has been a circus of a two-week trial.
Mark McCloskey, the St. Louis lawyer who made national headlines last year when he carried a gun on his property near a social justice protest in his neighborhood, argued with a protester outside the Kenosha County Courthouse on Tuesday afternoon.
“It really hurts me that you would have that much hatred,” the protester told McCloskey.
“There is absolutely no hatred involved in what I did,” McCloskey responded. “They came in, storming through my gate, broke down my gate, stormed toward my house, and I was afraid for my life.”
If the jurors can’t reach a decision in the case, Judge Bruce Schroeder will be polling them to find out if they want to continue deliberating. Is McCloskey helping by grabbing another fifteen minutes of fame – or would that be infamy? – on the courthouse steps? Seems unlikely.
Here’s part of the exchange between McCloskey and a protestor.
” package by beyondcode. This package allows you to get the total number of milliseconds the application takes to bootstrap, execute and run.
Add Server-Timing header information from within your Laravel apps.
Step 1: Install the package using Composer
First, you will have to install it using composer using the command below.
composer require beyondcode/laravel-server-timing
Step 2: Add the Middleware Class
To add server-timing header information, you need to add the \BeyondCode\ServerTiming\Middleware\ServerTimingMiddleware::class, middleware to your HTTP Kernel. In order to get the most accurate results, put the middleware as the first one to load in the middleware stack.
Sometimes you might also add additional requirements by using the code below. By doing so you will be able to know how long the codes take to execute and whether it requires more optimization for speedy performance.
ServerTiming::start('Running expensive task');
// do something
ServerTiming::stop('Running expensive task');
Optional: Publish the configuration
You can also publish the configuration by running the code below.
Database and Eloquent ORM: New features and improvements since the original Laravel 8 release (1/2)
In this series, I show you new features and improvements to the Laravel framework since the original release of version 8. Last week, I wrote about the Collection class. This week is about the Database and Eloquent features in Laravel 8. The team added so many great improvements to the weekly versions that I split the Database and Eloquent features into two blog posts. Here is part one!
I got most code examples and explanations from the PRs and official documentation.
v8.5.0 Added crossJoinSub method to the query builder (#34400)
Add a subquery cross join to the query.
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\DB;
$totalQuery = DB::table('orders')->selectRaw('SUM(price) as total');
DB::table('orders')
->select('*')
->crossJoinSub($totalQuery, 'overall')
->selectRaw('(price / overall.total) * 100 AS percent_of_total')
->get();
v8.10.0 Added is() method to 1-1 relations for model comparison (#34693)
We can now do model comparisons between related models, without extra database calls!
// Before: foreign key is leaking from the post model
$post->author_id === $user->id;
// Before: performs extra query to fetch the user model from the author relation
$post->author->is($user);
// After
$post->author()->is($user);
v8.10.0 Added upsert to Eloquent and Base Query Builders (#34698, #34712)
If you would like to perform multiple “upserts” in a single query, then you may use the upsert method instead of multiple updateOrCreate calls.
v8.15.0 Added support of MorphTo relationship eager loading constraints (#35190)
If you are eager loading a morphTo relationship, Eloquent will run multiple queries to fetch each type of related model. You may add additional constraints to each of these queries using the MorphTo relation’s constrain method:
use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder;
use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Relations\MorphTo;
$comments = Comment::with(['commentable' => function (MorphTo $morphTo) {
$morphTo->constrain([
Post::class => function (Builder $query) {
$query->whereNull('hidden_at');
},
Video::class => function (Builder $query) {
$query->where('type', 'educational');
},
]);
}])->get();
This method allows you to directly order the query results of a BelongsToMany relation:
class Tag extends Model
{
public $table = 'tags';
}
class Post extends Model
{
public $table = 'posts';
public function tags()
{
return $this->belongsToMany(Tag::class, 'posts_tags', 'post_id', 'tag_id')
->using(PostTagPivot::class)
->withTimestamps()
->withPivot('flag');
}
}
class PostTagPivot extends Pivot
{
protected $table = 'posts_tags';
}
// Somewhere in a controller
public function getPostTags($id)
{
return Post::findOrFail($id)->tags()->orderPivotBy('flag', 'desc')->get();
}
The sole method will return the only record that matches the criteria. If no records are found, a NoRecordsFoundException will be thrown. If multiple records were found, a MultipleRecordsFoundException will be thrown.
Laravel automatically assign a class name to all of the migrations. You may now return an anonymous class from your migration file:
use Illuminate\Database\Migrations\Migration;
use Illuminate\Database\Schema\Blueprint;
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Schema;
return new class extends Migration {
public function up()
{
Schema::table('people', function (Blueprint $table) {
$table->string('first_name')->nullable();
});
}
};
Since the array cast returns a primitive type, it is not possible to mutate an offset of the array directly. To solve this, the AsArrayObject cast casts your JSON attribute to an ArrayObject class:
// Within model...
$casts = ['options' => AsArrayObject::class];
// Manipulating the options...
$user = User::find(1);
$user->options['foo']['bar'] = 'baz';
$user->save();
If you would like to override all items within the $with property for a single query, you may use the withOnly method:
class Product extends Model{
protected $with = ['prices', 'colours', 'brand'];
public function colours(){ ... }
public function prices(){ ... }
public function brand(){ ... }
}
Product::withOnly(['brand'])->get();
Cursor-based pagination places a “cursor” string in the query string, an encoded string containing the location that the next paginated query should start paginating and the direction it should paginate. This method of pagination is particularly well-suited for large data sets and “infinite” scrolling user interfaces.
use App\Models\User;
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\DB;
$users = User::orderBy('id')->cursorPaginate(10);
$users = DB::table('users')->orderBy('id')->cursorPaginate(10);
v8.12.0 Added withMax, withMin, withSum and withAvg methods to QueriesRelationships (#34965, #35004)
In addition to the withCount method, Eloquent now provides withMin, withMax, withAvg, and withSum methods. These methods will place a {relation}_{function}_{column} attribute on your resulting models.
v8.13.0 Added loadMax, loadMin, loadSum and loadAvg methods to Eloquent\Collection. Added loadMax, loadMin, loadSum, loadAvg, loadMorphMax, loadMorphMin, loadMorphSum and loadMorphAvg methods to Eloquent\Model (#35029)
In addition to the new with* method above, new load* methods are added to the Collection and Model class.
// Eloquent/Collection
public function loadAggregate($relations, $column, $function = null) {...}
public function loadCount($relations) {...}
public function loadMax($relations, $column) {...}
public function loadMin($relations, $column) {...}
public function loadSum($relations, $column) {...}
public function loadAvg($relations, $column) {...}
// Eloquent/Model
public function loadAggregate($relations, $column, $function = null) {...}
public function loadCount($relations) {...}
public function loadMax($relations, $column) {...}
public function loadMin($relations, $column) {...}
public function loadSum($relations, $column) {...}
public function loadAvg($relations, $column) {...}
public function loadMorphAggregate($relation, $relations, $column, $function = null) {...}
public function loadMorphCount($relation, $relations) {...}
public function loadMorphMax($relation, $relations, $column) {...}
public function loadMorphMin($relation, $relations, $column) {...}
public function loadMorphSum($relation, $relations, $column) {...}
public function loadMorphAvg($relation, $relations, $column) {...}
v8.13.0 Modify QueriesRelationships::has() method to support MorphTo relations (#35050)
Add a polymorphic relationship count / exists condition to the query.
public function hasMorph($relation, ...)
public function orHasMorph($relation,...)
public function doesntHaveMorph($relation, ...)
public function whereHasMorph($relation, ...)
public function orWhereHasMorph($relation, ...)
public function orHasMorph($relation, ...)
public function doesntHaveMorph($relation, ...)
public function orDoesntHaveMorph($relation,...)
Example with a closure to customize the relationship query:
// Retrieve comments associated to posts or videos with a title like code%...
$comments = Comment::whereHasMorph(
'commentable',
[Post::class, Video::class],
function (Builder $query) {
$query->where('title', 'like', 'code%');
}
)->get();
// Retrieve comments associated to posts with a title not like code%...
$comments = Comment::whereDoesntHaveMorph(
'commentable',
Post::class,
function (Builder $query) {
$query->where('title', 'like', 'code%');
}
)->get();
With increasing restrictions in regards to firearms on YouTube and other social media platforms, new gun owners and those who are interested in building out their first AR are finding it harder and harder to find reliable and simple instructions for their first AR-15 build. Brownells and the living legend Roy Hill are excited to […]
U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)- On day six of the Kyle Rittenhouse trial in Kenosha, Wisconsin, November 8, 2021, the court video captured a particularly dramatic moment.
Gaige Grosskreutz has given testimony as a prosecution witness. He is being cross-examined by Corey Chirafisi, a defense attorney. It occurs about 2 hours and 27 minutes into this trial video on November 8, 2021. Over the next few minutes, there is this exchange:
Defense attorney Corey Chirafisi:
So, your hands are up, and at that point he (Rittenhouse) has not fired. Correct?
Gaige Grosskreutz:
No he has not.
Defense attorney Corey Chirafisi:
Do you agree at this point, you are dropping your hands, you are loading up your left foot, and you are moving toward Mr. Rittenhouse, at that point, True?
Gaige Grosskreutz:
Yes.
Defense attorney Corey Chirafisi:
So, When you were shot; Can you bring up the photo? Do you agree, and now wait, how close were you, in the… How close were you, from the background.
Gaige Grosskreutz:
Three feet. If I was five feet before, so
Defense attorney Corey Chirafisi:
At this point, you are holding a loaded chambered Glock 27 in your right hand, Yes?
Gaige Grosskreutz:
That is correct, yes.
Defense attorney Corey Chirafisi:
You are advancing on Mr. Rittenhouse, who is seated on his butt, right?
Gaige Grosskreutz:
That is correct.
Defense attorney Corey Chirafisi:
You are moving forward and your right hand drops down so your gun, your hands are no longer up, your hand has dropped down and now your gun is pointed in the direction, at Mr. Rittenhouse, agreed? I will give you another (exhibit?), and maybe that will help.
Defense attorney Corey Chirafisi:
So Mr. Grosskruetz, I am going to show you what has has been marked as exhibit #67.
exhibit #67 from Rittenhouse Trial
That is a photo of you, Yes?
Gaige Grosskreutz:
Yes.
Defense attorney Corey Chirafisi:
That is Mr. Rittenhouse?
Gaige Grosskreutz:
Correct.
Defense attorney Corey Chirafisi:
Do you agree your firearm is pointed at Mr. Rittenhouse? Correct?
Gaige Grosskreutz:
Yes.
Defense attorney Corey Chirafisi:
Ok. And, Once your firearm is pointed at Mr. Rittenhouse, that’s when he fires, Yes?
Gaige Grosskreutz:
Yeah.
Defense attorney Corey Chirafisi:
Does this look like right when he was firing the shot? (#67, moment of Rittenhouse’s shot)
Gaige Grosskreutz:
That looks like my bicept being vaporized, yes.
Defense attorney Corey Chirafisi:
And it was vaporized at the time you are pointing your gun directly at him?
Gaige Grosskreutz:
Yes.
Defense attorney Corey Chirafisi:
When you were standing 3-5 feet from him, with your arms up in the air, he never fired? Right?
Gaige Grosskruetz:
Correct.
Defense attorney Corey Chirafisi:
It wasn’t until you pointed your gun at him, advanced on him, with your gun, now your hand is down, pointed at him, that he fired? Right?
Gaige Grosskreutz:
Correct.
The camera is pointed at Gaige Grosskreutz, We cannot see the prosecutor’s table. The camera then shows Kyle Rittenhouse for a few seconds. Then it shows the prosecutor’s table. A dramatic image is captured, which will probably become an iconic graphic of images you do not want to present at court.
Prosecutor’s table, Kraus, left, Binger with glasses, right
Of interest, Gaige Grosskreutz showed significant function in his right arm and hand. He was able to hold and raise a water bottle, and the microphone easily, with considerable fine motor control in his fingers.
Becky Sullivan, National Public Radio (NPR) reporter and producer, who misreported information about a critical juncture of the shooting of Joseph Rosenbaum, in the Rittenhouse trial, had this take on the Gaige Grosskreutz testimony. From NPR:
Gaige Grosskreutz, the only person who survived being shot by Kyle Rittenhouse last year at a chaotic demonstration in Kenosha, Wis., took the stand in a pivotal moment in Rittenhouse’s homicide trial. In three hours of dramatic testimony Monday, Grosskreutz, 27, acknowledged that he was armed with a pistol on the evening of Aug. 25, 2020, but said that his hands were raised when Rittenhouse raised his rifle at him and that he feared for his life.
Ms. Sullivan failed to mention Gaige Grosskreutz testified he was pointing his pistol at Kyle Rittenhouse when Kyle shot him.
The trial has had another day, where the prosecution witnesses appear to be defense witnesses.
Complete Live Trial Video:
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30-year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
Stetson has made some of the best and most desirable hats since the 1800s. Their cowboy hats are beloved, though some can cost up to $5000. Business Insider provides a look at Stetson hat factory to see what makes these hats so special. One big difference is that the produce their own felt in-house.
With increasing restrictions in regards to firearms on YouTube and other social media platforms, new gun owners and those who are interested in building out their first AR are finding it harder and harder to find reliable and simple instructions for their first AR-15 build. Brownells and the living legend Roy Hill are excited to […]
