text:
EconomyEditor's PickBMW 520i Sport: Executive decision

November 7, 2021

IT’S HARD to argue against the BMW 5 as the quintessential executive sedan. In fact, perhaps the only thing missing from its cache of C-suite goodies is a clip-on tie. It’s an exaggeration, of course, but it’s accurate to say that the 5 is the de facto poster boy for corporate titans.

Sure, there are higher numbers in the BMW portfolio, but the 5 continues to be the more realistic, (and, really, more reasonably priced) aspiration for those who seek to convey that they’ve arrived. What also distinguishes this vehicle is that it does not call attention to itself, but rather commands it naturally without having to resort to bells and whistles.

The variant I got a chance to test was the 520i Sport, which now bears a discounted price of P3.49 million (from P4.29 million). Yes, that’s a whole lot of savings that you can even buy a reasonable mass market car with.

Underneath the hood of this 5 is a 2.0-liter BMW TwinTurbo four-banger serving up 184hp and 290Nm. It’s mated to a smooth-shifting eight-speed auto with Steptronic. Suffice it to say that there’s a lot of performance you can extract from this engine. Executives do need to overtake on demand, you see. There’s nary a sniff of turbo lag to be found. And for the times you get bogged down in traffic, the 5 can get downright miserly through an automatic start-stop system.

Whether you choose the driver’s seat (which methinks is the best seat in the house because, well, it’s a Bimmer) or any of the passenger spaces, there is ample room for your extremities and for collecting your thoughts and memories of the journey. If you’ve ever been cooped up in a claustrophobia-inducing, headroom-deficient ride, you know what I mean.

Aside from being spacious, the cabin of the 5 is tastefully appointed. While the piano black surfaces only too readily show dust and fingerprints, engineers and designers deserve style points for the legible, intuitive controls — which includes grippy dials for the AC. There’s also a laudable measure of restraint in how technology complements the driving experience and not overwhelms it. The so-called BMW Live Cockpit Plus allows access and control to key functions via the now familiar rotary controller, along with the touchscreen and/or voice control. And while there’s a learning curve to be surmounted, it’s a lot easier to hurdle compared to the previous system.

But I digress. Learning every single thing to customize and control to your liking is gratifying. For instance, you can choose from (count ’em) 11 color schemes for the cabin lighting. Speaking of hues, the amber color the instrumentation takes at night is just signature BMW; it will bring tears to your eyes. And while the gauges and such are digital, they depict good-ol’-fashioned analog. Very tasteful, indeed.

The automatic (and very adequate) two-zone air-conditioning with extended contents should make short work of hottest of days. But just in case, there’s a nifty electric roller sunblind for the rear window, and mechanical roller sunblinds for the rear side windows. The driver and front passenger both benefit from electric seat adjustment — with a memory function for the driver. The system also gets Apple CarPlay, from where you can choose to blast music through the high-fidelity system.

A mix of highway and city driving (and remember that urban congestion is steadily going back to pre-pandemic levels) yielded at least eight kilometers per liter or better — not bad at all.

The Sport trim gets well-bolstered seats in Dakota leather, 19-inch V-spoke-type alloys with 245/40s in front and 275/35s in the back (all of which are also run-flats). Further good news (depending on your preference): the 5 still has the more normal interpretation of BMW’s kidney grille — unlike the polarizing “lungs” expected to creep into the lineup.

There’s a whole slew of safety features in the 5: air bags for the driver and front passenger (plus head and side bags), head air bags for the back, side impact protection, Isofix child seat mounting, anti-lock brakes, dynamic stability control, crash sensor, passive protection for pedestrians, automatic lock when driving away, and the aforementioned runflat tires with run-flat indicator.

On the outside, the BMW 520i Sport is fitted with LED headlamps, LED fog lights, park distance control in the front and rear, rear view camera, comfort access system, automated tailgate, and expanded exterior mirror package.

And because executives are also adept at sniffing out the best deals, BMW Philippines also features its now-standard five-year/200,000 warranty on the 5 Series.

So, if you’re ready for the effortless attention, and the trappings of success, then the 5 Series ought to be in your consideration set.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Disclaimer: SmartPeopleMail.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

Copyright © 2021 SmartPeopleMail. All Rights Reserved.

Subscribe for FREE today and get your daily shot of smart news about the Economy and Investing.
We are dedicated to keeping any data we collect from you — safe and secure. Here you can read our privacy policy.


Content-Type: application/http; msgtype=response

WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: text/html

WARC-Type: response

text:
12 Free Tools to Check Website Safety and Avoid Scams and Security Risks

Imagine that you just simply’ve discovered an net shopping for web site, and it has a product that pursuits you. It’s in the marketplace for a small worth as efficiently, albeit for a restricted time. You begin to marvel if the supply is simply too good to be true… Or let’s say you’re looking for freeware software program program program. The search engine offers you with hyperlinks. However, there’s one issue shady with regard to the URL. Would you menace shedding cash or compromising security? Probably not. Instead, it is important to research one of the simplest ways to check out web site security.

You can under no circumstances be too cautious on-line. There’s no want to share important private data on platforms you don’t notion. Some websites attempt to imitate fashionable portals so as to get your login credentials. Is there a fail-proof approach to check out web site recognition and keep away from scammers?

Good data! There’s nothing troublesome about checking an net web site’s recognition. And you’ll shortly uncover why.

Below, you’ll uncover out about among the many finest methods to check out the authenticity of any on-line portal. Also, we’re going to introduce you to helpful rip-off web site checker gadgets.

Proven Ways to Check a Website’s Safety

The Internet is getting further and further harmful for anybody involved about data security. You can expose delicate information and private credentials in varied methods. Especially currently, with over new 1.5 million phishing web sites making their approach into the Web each month.

An widespread worth from data breaches due to phishing reached a staggering $3.92 million in 2019. You ought to know that rip-off web sites are inflicting monumental factors for people and enterprises alike. Based on Wombat’s current State of the Phish report, more than 76% of businesses in the US have develop to be victims of phishing assaults.

That’s why it’s essential to check out web site security each time a portal rises even the slightest suspicion. How to guarantee safe attempting of the Internet?

Here are some confirmed methods to confirm in case you’re on a secure web site.

Set up an net browser

All of the favored browsers have default safety gadgets. You merely have to comb by the use of their safety settings to allow them. There, you’ll uncover varied safety choices.

Do you need to keep away from harms of faux and rip-off websites? Then, take into accounts turning off automated pop-ups and downloads, blocking webcam and microphone entry, and disabling Flash content material materials supplies.

The majority of Google’s merchandise (together with Chrome) present security decisions to make sure primarily essentially the most secure attempting expertise. Additionally, it’s essential to use safe web browsers like Brave or AVG Secure Browser. Browsers like this have a built-in pretend web site checker. They furthermore present additional decisions like adblockers and completely different safety extensions.

Firewalls and browser extensions

Let’s not neglect about fundamentals. Do you do not neglect that Windows, Linux, and Mac working strategies have built-in firewalls? Don’t underestimate their effectiveness. Keep them turned on when attempting uncharted expanses of the World Wide Web.

It wouldn’t damage to use additional safety decisions that notify you about web site recognition. There are furthermore good Antiviruses and browser extensions which can check out web site security on the go.

Are you to hear additional about them? Don’t fear. We’ll concentrate on it in a second.

Watch out for indicators

Picture this: you enter a mannequin new web site. An on-line shopping for portal, for instance. All of your security gadgets and extensions hold silent. Is this web site secure, then?

Don’t rely upon it. You ought to under no circumstances entrust your security utterly to software program program program and on-line companies. Follow your instincts and frequent sense. Does one issue on this web site tick you off?

Here are fundamental indicators it is important to listen to so as to confirm web site authenticity and security.

  • HTTP and HTTPS Does the positioning’s take care of begin with a HTTP or HTTPS? You might marvel what’s the excellence. HyperText Transfer Protocol is the software program program that exchanges data between the web site and your browser. The “S” in HTTPS stands for “secure” and signifies that the portal makes use of an correct SSL Certificate. If an net shopping for web site doesn’t have acceptable encryption measures – nothing can assure the protection of your personal information or cost credentials.
  • Padlock icon Most of the browsers stage out if the portal is verified or not by the take care of bar look. Be cautious in case you see a red-colored take care of bar or a badge stating that the platform is “not secure.”
  • URL itself Many pretend web sites have spelling errors of their URLs. That’s due to phishing websites attempt to trick you by replicating addresses of classy companies. For event, scammers change or skip letters (g0ogle.com, paypai.com, b1ng.com) to idiot you into coming into your login data. Furthermore, it’s atypical for getting platforms to use .web and .org domains.
  • Site’s content material materials supplies Notice any spelling or grammar errors on pages? Are footage poorly resized of copy-pasted from inventory galleries? These are indicators of an apparent rush job and a vibrant crimson flag signaling that this web site is pretend.
  • Redirects, spam, pop-ups It’s fairly easy. An net web site bombards you with commercials, pop-ups, and makes an attempt to direct you to completely completely different portals? Consider an net web site security check out full and get out of there with no second thought.
  • Brand imitation No revered vendor would promote replicas or duplicates of classy merchandise. One cautious look on a product like that’s greater than ample to spot a knockoff.
  • Discount timers Limited provides are one among many important manipulative strategies designed to encourage folks to convert. However, on-line scammers tend to overuse this technique. And you presumably can check out it with little effort. First, research what variety of merchandise have “restricted presents” on this web site. Then, go to the same URL from completely completely different gadgets and take a look at the remaining low worth time for a similar product.
  • Legal information It’s good to double-check contact information earlier than making a purchase order order order. Navigate to a web sites’ “About Us” or “Contacts” sections. Notice the corporate’s full authorised decide and particulars with regard to the proprietor. Now attempt calling utilizing offered cellphone numbers. No one choices or quantity is solely not in service? We suppose you discover what this implies.
  • Privacy safety Go to the “Privacy” half while you desire a full image of the positioning’s legitimacy. It’s often situated on the underside of the house web net web page. And it’s presumably larger to depart an internet site in case the privateness safety half is nowhere to be discovered.

Scam web site checker gadgets

There are easier methods to check out web site security. Link checkers are on-line gadgets that analyze standard-length and shortened URLs. They offer you a warning throughout the event that they uncover potential ransomware or malware.

Fake web site checkers are furthermore good at figuring out phishing web sites and on-line shopping for scams in a matter of seconds. And we aren’t exaggerating.

Keep discovering out to research one of the simplest ways to check out web site recognition and legitimacy on the go.

12 Tools to Check Website Safety and Authenticity

Do you need to carry out a precise web site security check out in a matter of clicks? These gadgets will help you confirm URL security to keep away from on-line traps.

1. WHOIS (ICANN’s area lookup)

ICANN’ sWHOIS permits you to see particulars about any area. All you would possibly want to do is enter a URL and click on on on “Lookup.”

You’ll get particulars with regard to the date of creation, nameservers, registry expiration date, in addition to to distinctive area ID. Want to uncover out is that this web site secure or not? Then, we’ve excellent news for you. WHOIS reveals contact particulars about web site house owners (if it’s publicly in the marketplace) so that you just presumably can double-check its legitimacy.

2. VirusTotal

image 31

VirusTotal is a free pretend web site checker that filters portal by the use of dozens of antiviruses and blacklisting companies.

With this software program program, you get instantaneous experiences with regard to the protection of any web site. It provides a bunch rating, which reveals you if any registered prospects vouch for this portal. VirusTotal furthermore provides exhaustive particulars with regard to the positioning’s house owners. And if that’s not ample, this software program program permits you to scan specific particular person recordsdata for malware.

3. Google Transparency Report

image 33

Where would we be with out Google? Google Transparency Report is a fundamental nevertheless atmosphere pleasant hyperlink checking service software program program. It can warn you about insecure web sites that threaten your data privateness.

Something contained in the URL appears suspicious? One of the presents on an net shopping for platform is an excessive amount of of a steal? This software program program will permit you to understand how unsafe it really is.

4. TalosIntelligence

image 34

TalosIntelligence is a implausible thread detection group and area recognition middle.

This software program program analyzes web sites for various threats. It offers an in depth report, which accommodates related particulars with regard to the positioning’s background. TalosIntelligence furthermore reveals recognition rating, blacklist check out outcomes, and area information.

5. Kaspersky VirusDesk

image 35

Kaspersky is an environment friendly supplier of safety decisions with over 30 years of impeccable monitor doc. And it furthermore has a pretend web site checker and virus scanner. Just paste an take care of of the world in query and get ends in just a few moments. Additionally, you presumably can drag and drop suspicious recordsdata to check out for dangerous software program program program.

Kaspersky VirusDesk checks web site recognition and reveals you if the hyperlink is unsafe or malicious. But that’s not it. Kaspersky’s software program program understands that commercials can bombard you in opposition to your will. That’s why it reveals URLs which have varied pop-ups and spam.

Also, this web site checker notifies you if there’s no in the marketplace data with regard to the portal. It’s up to you to select if the go to is worth a menace.

6. Norton Safe Web

image 29

Another pretend web site checker for a revered antivirus enterprise. Norton’s SafeWeb is a fairly easy hyperlink checker in case you’ve been paying consideration up to this stage. Enter a URL, click on on on “Enter,” and you’ll get particulars about web site security. This comes common as a part of Norton 360 as efficiently.

NortonLifeLock system compiles a report based mostly on the portal’s recognition, security, and potential problems with security. Apart from that, this software program program has a bunch contemplate half. You can research what others say just some web site. It’s helpful while you need to keep away from ads-heavy platforms.

But wait. That’s not every half Norton has to present to guarantee your web attempting safety! You might want to listen to the following two utilities in case you’re a fan of Google Chrome.

7. Norton Safe Search (Norton’s Chrome Extension)

Want to keep away from dangerous websites utterly? You can obtain that with Norton’s Safe Web Chrome extensions. It is accessible with out spending a dime at Chrome Web Store.

Norton’s Safe Web defends you from phishing websites and scams on each nook of the Internet. It has a draw once more, although. This software program program makes Norton Safe Search your default search engine.

If that’s not an issue for you – then you definitely definately definately’ll positively like this rip-off web site checker. Safe Web notifies you about harmful shopping for portals and provides security rating for each last end result whereas marking the harmful ones.

8. URLVoid

image 36

URLVoid is a very fashionable pretend web site checker software program program from APIVoid. It can scan any portal on malware and phishing threats utilizing superior software program program program (together with over 30 blacklist engines).

This software program program offers web site abstract, area data, and completely completely different publicly in the marketplace data. URLVoid furthermore provides detailed blacklist experiences for each engine that analyzed the web site.

Do you want this web site checker software program program? Then be joyful to attempt completely completely different APIVoid’s merchandise like URL reputation checker and IP address scanner.

9. Sucuri

image 37

Found a perhaps scummy web site? Check web site security with Sucuri. It’s a free and understandable safety and malware scanner. They furthermore present premium companies for web site house owners to safe their very private websites as efficiently.

Enter an net web site take care of and give it just a few seconds. Sucuri analyzes portals for viruses, errors, spy software program program program, and suspicious code. This software program program ranks the protection of an net web site on a scale from “Minimal” to “Critical.”

For the doc, you presumably can contact the Sucuri group while you need to carry out an exhaustive evaluation.

10. PhishTank

image 38

We’ve gone by the use of quite a few pretend web sites detectors already. PhishTank, however, focuses solely on safeguarding you from phishing websites. It’s a wonderful free software program program for individuals who need to protect their login credentials safe.

How does it work? PhishTank checks a URL in query by the use of myriads of blacklisting engines and databases. You’ll get fast notification if it turns to be a phishing hyperlink.

What if it’s not in any of the databases? In that case, this software program program creates a monitoring quantity to take a look at that useful helpful useful resource ultimately.

11. ISITPhishing

image 39

Want to be sure to’re not coming proper right into a phishing web site? With ISITPhishing, you possibly can be optimistic your monetary establishment card data stays safe.

As chances are you’ll depend on, it’s so simple as earlier than. Copy the URL and click on on on “Check” to carry out fast web site evaluation. This software program program notifies you in case the hyperlink is compromised.

You may additionally like ISITPhishing’s widget. You don’t have to be an IT educated to implement it in your web site. Simply copy a generated code into your web site’s HTML. That approach, completely completely different folks can take a look at URLs for phishing threats straight out of your portal.

12. Desenmascarame

image 39

Online counterfeiters love to forge merchandise from prime producers. And producers adore Desenmascara.me for the sheer variety of scammers it revealed over time. This pretend web site checker has detected over 61000 of fraudulent portals.

Desenmascara.me is a will want to have software program program for individuals who love shopping for. Want to keep away from on the lookout for pretend merchandise? Plenty of clicks are all you want to confirm a portal’s authenticity and keep away from potential scams.

Found Fraudulent or Scam Website? Report It!

We hope that our article helped keep away from dangerous and pretend portals. But why not cease for a minute to assist others?

Let’s take into accounts that you just simply’ve noticed a deceitful web site with methods or rip-off checker gadgets we talked about above. You shouldn’t be hasty. Take your time to warn the remainder of the Internet about it.

Don’t fear. It gained’t take too extended. You can do the next to report rip-off or phishing web sites:

  • Contact an Anti-Phishing Working Group about phishing sources.
  • Forward phishing emails to [email protected]
  • Notify the Internet Crime Complaint Center or Federal Trade Commission about rip-off web sites.
  • Report related model holders in case you uncover counterfeit merchandise or pretend on-line retailers.
  • Phishing and fraudulent portals is also reported to a National Fraud Reporting Centre here.

Final Thoughts

It’s an related time to fear about your personal information. With over 1.5 million new rip-off web sites each month, you presumably can under no circumstances be too cautious. It’s largest to take it as a rule to ask your self: “Is this web page safe?” earlier than clicking on a mannequin new URL.

By now, it is important to know all about how to check out web site security. There are quite a few confirmed strategies to spot them manually. You might even make use of assorted free gadgets we talked about. In any case, your security is in your fingers. Quite a lot of additional clicks is all you want.

Read More

warcinfo:
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2022-49
publisher: Common Crawl
description: Wide crawl of the web for November/December 2022
operator: Common Crawl Admin (info@commoncrawl.org)
hostname: ip-10-67-67-92
software: Apache Nutch 1.19 (modified, https://github.com/commoncrawl/nutch/)
robots: checked via crawler-commons 1.4-SNAPSHOT (https://github.com/crawler-commons/crawler-commons)
format: WARC File Format 1.1
conformsTo: https://iipc.github.io/warc-specifications/specifications/warc-format/warc-1.1/


text:
Heels Watch: Runway Shoe Trends

By: Brooke Herigon

With Fashion Week officially over Instagram feeds were flooded with the seasons hottest trends from head to toe (literally). From outrageous knee highs to kitten heels, the shoes of fashion week did not disappoint. Here’s a rundown of a few of our favorites:

Kitten Heels

Kitten heels aren’t just for your grandma anymore! This trend has been everywhere this season off and on the runway on celebrities and Instagram influencers alike. Bonus? You get the look of a heel without the height. Ta ta sore toes!

Knee high boots have become increasingly popular over the last few years and this trend isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. From intricate designs to crazy colors, models stomped the runway in these boots that are surely made for walking. Knee highs are here to stay!

Bling, Bling

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, right? This season’s shoe styles did not fall short on the glitz. Designers like Dolce & Gabbana used intricate jewels to embellish gladiator sandals while Chistroper Kane went for an edgier approach.

Purple Rain

Embed from Getty Images

Designers did not shy away from color this season . With bold hues and colors that pop, this vibrant purple is sure to make a statement. Consider this an easy way to transform an outfit from Winter drag to Spring fab!

Shoes with purpose. This season there were countless kicks that packed a punch from female empowerment messages to romantic cursive poetry.

Consider your shoe crash course complete! No matter your heel height or comfort level preference, this season is full of knockouts. Move aside Uggs, you’re getting upgraded!

Brooke Herigon

You May Also Like


text:
SNAP's Ifugao Project Undergoes Public Hearing for Envi Clearance

Posted on October 14, 2016

SN Aboitiz Power’s proposed Alimit hydroelectric power plant (HEPP) in Ifugao underwent public hearings recently, as part of the requirements to secure an Environmental Compliance Certificate from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The hearings were held for the four municipalities to be affected by the project: Lagawe (September 27), Lamut (September 28), Mayoyao (October 10) and Aguinaldo (October 11). A total of 1,226 community members (220, 190, 313, and 503, respectively) attended the proceedings facilitated by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the DENR.

The Alimit HEPP project is composed of the (1) Alimit Dam, Reservoir and a 120-MW power plant; and the (2) Olilicon HEPP composed of the Ibulao Weir, Pond, Diversion tunnel and a 20-MW power plant. They will be located in the municipalities of Aguinaldo, Lagawe, Lamut, and Mayoyao, in the province of Ifugao.

The hearings were held for community members to learn more about the projects and raise concerns on social and environmental impacts, which will be part of the basis for DENR’s review or recommendations for improvements of the proponent’s environmental study. Concerns discussed during the hearings included irrigation supply, river health, and biodiversity.

“We learned a lot from the local government units, communities and indigenous people groups over the course of these public hearings and we are thankful for their participation. As a responsible developer, SNAP values their inputs and we will factor these as we review the final design and mitigation plans for the project to minimize impact,” Chief Operating Officer Joseph S. Yu said.

SNAP is completing its feasibility study requirements, mandated by the Department of Energy and the company shareholders, as part of the conditions of the energy contracts granted in 2014. The project is also undergoing the Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) process, a separate permitting process required for the protection of indigenous peoples’ rights.

SNAP is a joint venture of SN Power of Norway and AboitizPower. SNAP-Benguet owns and operates the 105-MW Ambuklao and 140-MW Binga in Benguet HEPPS while SNAP-Magat owns and operates the 360-MW Magat HEPP at the border of Isabela and Ifugao. Construction of an 8.5-MW power plant at the Maris Canal in Isabela is also on-going.


text:
Data Engineering

Data engineering training and consulting from an expert with 20 years experience in data and Python.

Is your data platform broken, slow, or expensive?
Let’s fix it.

  • KPI and GTM evaluation
  • Eliminate data errors
  • Lower reporting lags
  • Faster product development
  • Hire effective data teams
  • Cloud cost reduction

Schedule a free call

Data Engineering Strategy

In-depth gap analysis of business goals, existing data platform, and in-house skills. Developed callaboratively and delivered as a data architecture plan and roadmap.

Fractional Data Architect

Help technical teams scope projects, design solutions, and review code.

Data Office Hours

Weekly open topic / open attendance call, including outside research and follow up by Slack or email.

Advanced data training for busy people

  • Small group classes
  • Direct instructor access
  • Offline learning resources
  • Class video and transcript
  • Affordable pricing
  • Single and multi-day formats

Schedule a free call

On Speed in Software

An introduction to bandwidth and latency

Pete is an absolute rockstar, and if you’re looking for a solutions architect to help you think through architecture, ops, and/or engineering pipelines for your org or product, you can’t find a better thought partner. He is amazing at storytelling and teaching - I recommend him highly!

Suman Giri
Global Head of Data Science and Analytics,
Merck Human Health

Pete has a rare blend of deep data engineering knowledge & business acumen. He provides practical implementation guidance that actually works for messy, real-world data. From virtual classrooms to ad hoc advice, Pete helped our team expand their knowledge & tackle hard data problems.

Emily Kruger
Product Executive

Pete helped us sort out the mess that our data pipeline was in. His advice was essential in making smart technology choices, which let us redirect energy and resources spent on data engineering towards business analysis and product development.

Jonathan Lange
Principal Architect,

Contact me

Join the waitlist

Contact Me

I’ll get back to you shortly


WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: application/xhtml+xml

text:
Seeded Bread Sticks#BreadBakers

These are super crispy bread sticks, perfect accompaniment to soups. These will turn good and crispy even with all purpose flour.

165 Grams Bread Flour
½ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Instant Yeast or 7 Grams Fresh Yeast
A pinch of Sugar
120 Ml Water
25 M l Olive oil
2 Teaspoons Mix Black and White Sesame seeds
In a bowl add the flour salt, yeast, mix well then add the water , mix it with a spoon till it forms a dough add the oil and mix again. Take the dough on to a work surface and knead till it forms a smooth dough.
Keep this to rest for 40 minutes or until double in size. Deflate the dough and roll it into the smooth ball.
Then roll this dough into a rectangular into .02 inch thick.
Then spread the seeds and press it with a rolling pin, then turn the dough and again spread the seeds and press it with a rolling pin.
Keep this dough covered with a damp cloth for 20 minutes.
Now cut into ½ " bread sticks breath wise.
Twist them keep this in a lined baking tray. Cover with a damp cloth and let is rest for another 10 -12 minutes.
Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 18-20 minutes.
Crispy bread sticks are ready. Enjoy them with a soup or even as an snack.
Labels: Breads, Bread Sticks, Bread Bakers, Sesame seeds, Healthy, Soup Accompaniments

The Blurb: #BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

The Badge:
Sneha's Recipe
Sneha's Recipe

Happy Home-maker and culinary enthusiast.

  1. What a clever way to get the sesames seeds stuck into the top of the bread sticks, Sneha!

  2. Beautiful twists Sneha! I love anything sesame and crunchy.

  3. Beautiful breadsticks, Sneha! Wish I could taste them.

  4. This is like sesame seeds crisps my mom used to make. Love these crispy breadstich and will be a perfect one chai time.

  5. There is something so appealing about the mix of black and white sesame seeds, I just love them together.


text:
Panda Poe Green

Regular price $39.99
Tax included.
Panda Poe Green

Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting....yaaahh!!

Lets be honest, who doesn't love a bit of Panda? They aren't only the cutest, most adorable animals of the world, but hello they are naturally Monochrome, which we all love!
Inspired by no unisex superhero, Po is the perfect match for the unknown gender pregnancies. With the option of gorgeous Grey or Green Bamboo shoots and no nasties whatsoever , you can be confident when your little human be-friends Poe as their bestie.

~ Organic GOTS Filling
~ Organic GOTS Fabric
~ Organic GOTS Satisfied Ink & Water Based Eco Ink

Postage prices for international are airmail untracked. Tracking is an option but this is quite expensive, but I'm happy to post this option at customers expense. Please email me in regards to this prior to purchase.

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram for all updates @snugÏpops

Colors and patterns featured on blanket, may differ slightly with each order

Please note this is a pre-order item - we want you know that we are very excited to get this to you as soon as possible - and appreciate your patience! For more information, please view our 'Terms of Service'.

Related Products


text:
Saturday, April 23, 2011

You Know Who ELSE Scrubbed The Memory Hole?

Any similarities to fascist dictators living or dead is entirely coincidental:
Kyl statement stricken from the record

Jon Kyl's statement that 90 percent of Planned Parenthood's activities are related to abortion -- which drew mockery when he explained it was "not intended to be a factual statement" -- has been stricken from the Congressional Record. From POLITICO Pulse:
Sen. Jon Kyl has quietly removed his infamous comment that 90 percent of Planned Parenthood's business is abortion from the Congressional Record. Senators are allowed to revise and extend their comments in record and his statement now simply says: "If you want an abortion you go to Planned Parenthood and that is what Planned Parenthood does." Kyl's office could not be reached for comment.

As more than one person has already pointed out, trying to scrub the memory hole in the age of the internet is beyond foolish. It’s pathetically out of touch. Just like Jon Kyl’s policies.


text:
Aleve – 50 Pouches of 1 Caplet Each

This box contains 50 single-caplet, single-dose brand-name Aleve packets. Great for traveling, the car, homes, offices, schools, and more. Only $19.95!

Pain reliever/fever reducer
naproxen sodium tablet, 220 mg
2 Aleve can provide all day relief!, Trail size packs, for travel, pocket or purse, 50 pouches of 1 caplet each.

#122150 50/box

Weight 0.6 oz


text:
ASP.NET 5 deployment issues RRS feed

  • Question

  • User278851470 posted

    Hi All,

    I would like to know how to deploy ASP.NET 5 TO a windows server running IIS 8.5.9600. Is there any document where I can follow to get this work?

    What I have on my development machine:
    .NET Framework 4.6.1
    ASP.NET 5 MVC 6
    IIS Express
    Windows 7 Pro SP1

    What I have on the server machine:
    .NET Framework 4.6.1
    Windows server 2012 R2
    IIS 8.5.9600

    I following this link: http://docs.asp.net/en/latest/publishing/iis.html to try to deploy to IIS however, it shows the following message after deployed:

    Service Unavailable

    HTTP Error 503. The service is unavailable.

    Friday, December 4, 2015 10:09 AM

  • User278851470 posted

    At the end I've resolved the problem. It was because I did not install the latest .NET Core to the server. After installed the .NET Core, I was able to run the web application.

    • Marked as answer by Anonymous Thursday, October 7, 2021 12:00 AM
    Tuesday, December 8, 2015 7:08 AM


text:
Tracking Social Media ROI

Tracking Social Media ROI

Google Anaytics

It can be difficult to measure the exact return on investment (ROI) of your social media marketing, but you will see residual effects of your efforts. This post also includes a tutorial on how to use Google Analytcs to track you ROI. Your social media channels are the face or your company. Your customers may look into you on social media before making a purchase, attempt to ask you a question or simply use it to learn more about you. While tracking teh exact ROI of social media isn’t an exact science, the below will give you some idea.

– Coupons and Offers – You can post a coupon on your social media channels as well as an Offer. Facebook recently announced that they are doing away with offers as the conversion rates on those are not high.

– Tracking Phone Numbers – You can implement tracking phone numbers that will be attributed to your social media channels. You should receive a report as to how many calls came to you through those numbers.

– Google Analytics – Google Analytics is a powerful tool that allows you to measure web traffic and the sources it comes from. You can set up goals on your Thank You pages and attribute that traffic from a social media site.

Tutorial – Social Media ROI Using Google Analytics

Below is a simple Google Analytcs Tutorial to track Return on Investment of social media. Currently, I am trying to build my subscriber list. I use Google Analytics to track which articles earn me the most subscribers, which allows me to optimize my website and concentrate on those subscribers as potential customers.

Step 1 – Creating Your Goal

We’ll need to setup goals in Google Analytics. If you do not have Google Analytics setup for your website yet, you can create an account here. Once your account is setup, to set your first goal,

– Click the admin button at the top right.

– Click All Website Data

– Click the Goals Tab

– Click Create Goal

There are different types of goals that you can setup. In this case, we are going to set up a destination goal. You can choose any name that you like. One you have chosen a name and selected destination, hit next.

roi social media b Step 2 – Finalizing Your Goal

This goal will measure how many visitors end up on your Thank You Page or Success page. The destination in this example measures every time someone hits that page. The only way they can hit this page is if they subscribe to my blog. You can also assign a monetary value to to this goal.

– When you are done filling out this portion hit create goal.

roi social media a

Step 3 – Analyzing Your Goal

Now we want to analyze all your incoming traffic and the sources it came from. To get to this page

– Navigate to Traffic Sources>Sources>All Traffic

You should see a list of traffic sources in the main window. You can measure any traffic source that you like, but for this example, we’ll look at Facebook.

roi social media 1

Type in Facebook in the search box to the right. It should come up with Facebook and Facebook Mobile. You can also Set the date range for the dates you would like to measure at the top right of the entire window. I am measuring Jan 1, 2013 – June 12, 2013.

roi social media 2

Now that we are drilled down to all the web traffic from Facebook, we can look at our goal.

– Click Goal Set 1

roi social media 3

After Clicking Goal Set 1, you’ll see a new column with all your goals. The Subscribe Goal, which is the one i set up for our test and the goal I already had in place, which is the Subscribe Thank You Goal.

roi social media 4

To drill down to which specific pages or posts earned you the most subscribers, you can so just that.

– Click the secondary dimension tab

– Expand the Traffic Sources Menu

– Click Landing Page

roi social media 5

The below view is of all the landing pages that have earned me a subscriber. Remember, this is just for those who subscribed to my blog after coming to it from Facebook. This allows me to see what type of posts I should be writing to earn me subscribers. Whenever I have run a contest, that is when the most people subscribe.

Instead of measuring subscribers, you can use this same tactic to see if someone bought something from your website. Your goal URL would be the checkout page. This is how you use Google Analytics to measure your social media return on Investment.

roi social media 6


text:
Menu Close

IObit Unlocker for Windows

IObit Unlocker icon

App Preview

App Name

IObit Unlocker

Description:Remove any file you want without Windows restricting you for no apparent reasons by simply unlocking the desired files and deleting them
Version:IObit Unlocker
File name:unlocker-setup.exe
File size:
2.4 MB
Operating System:Microsoft Windows
Requirements:Windows 10 32/64 bit
Windows 8 32/64 bit
Windows 7 32/64 bit
Windows Vista 32/64 bit
Windows XP 32/64 bit
Updated on:February 24, 2022
Downloaded:41,102 times

Click to rate this App!

More Apps

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


text:
SoHo Weekly News
Everyday Life in SoHo

Small Town Rag

The other day, I was going through issues of The SoHo Weekly News for a research request and I came across the very first issue, Volume One Number One from October 11, 1973. I thought it merited a closer look, that it could tell us something about what our neighborhood looked like 44 years ago and also give us a glimpse of what the startup newspaper and its editor, Micheal Goldstein, had in mind at the very beginning.

The front page headline reads “SoHo Wins Landmark Fight,” announcing that SoHo had officially become the first commercial district in the world to become a landmark. The area is protected because of its large concentration of cast iron buildings dating back to the mid-19th century. Due to its landmark status, the exteriors of buildings in SoHo cannot be altered without permission from the Landmarks Preservation Commission. The article includes a humorous cartoon of what appears to be Abe Beame as Alice being asked by a faceless voice “Now let’s go over that part again, Alice, where you slipped and fell into the rabbit hole.” Beame, then City Comptroller, had reluctantly voted for landmarking the district, as he had many backers from the real estate industry in his bid for Mayor. The article states that, “The effect [of Landmark status] should be to restrict harsh tourist glitter and restrain speculation in the 26-block area, which in turn will be a protective buffer to neighboring warehouse blocks.” Perhaps it did have that effect momentarily, but we all know how that turned out. Inside the paper, there is an editorial note that lays out what the paper will be:

On the next page, in his very first “Keeping Aloft” column, Jim Stratton questions the need for the publication:

Does SoHo need a newspaper? I’m doubtful, but I’m still open. The previous effort, the SoHo Statement, failed because it attempted to sell SoHo to the Village the way the Village Voice sells the Village to the rest of the world. We didn’t need that then we don’t need it now. If the effort of this newspaper is confined to selling a neighborhood to itself, as I’m told it will be, there may be more basis for its existence.

In the end, The SoHo Weekly News took us into the 80’s, ceasing publication in March 1982. This issue of the paper includes a listings section called “Galleries, etc.” and for the record, the following galleries were listed:

From "In and Around"

Warren Bendek
Leo Castelli
Paula Cooper
Cunningham Ward
J.H. Duffy & Sons Ltd.
Andre Emmerich
First Street
John Gibson
55 Grand
Green Mountain
O.K. Harris
Nancy Hoffman
Hundred Acres
Max Hutchinson
Let There Be Neon
Levitan I and II
Louis K. Meisel
55 Mercer
The Open Mind
Prints on Prince Street
Paley and Lowe
Prince St. Gallery
Rabinovitch and Guerra
SoHo 20
Winter Gallery
James Yu

Illustration from "Notes from a Dirty Old Man

There is also a gossip column of sorts, a bold face names section entitled “In and Around” that reports tidbits of news about local residents and businesses, including that “JOHN CHAMBERLAIN’S favorite fantasy is to open the largest bar in Soho on the order of Le Cupole (sic) in Paris.” Then there’s the section called “Notes of a Dirty Old Man” that features a characteristically funny/strange short story by Charles Bukowski entitled “The lady, the skeleton, the drunk and Monk” that appears to also be illustrated by Bukowski.

Then there is the form you can use to sign up for a subscription, $8.00 for one year or $13.00 for two. But what’s interesting about this is the short classifieds-style blurb surrounding the form with the headline “Husbands Wanted!!!!!!” You will just have to read that one for yourself, it’s too difficult and bizarre to paraphrase.

Also included are a book review, an exhibition review, and an article about neon signs and symbols by Rudi Stern, neon artist and founder of the gallery Let There Be Neon.

The thing about this issue that gives me the deepest sense of the SoHo vibe in October 1973, however, is the advertisements from local businesses.

Fanelli’s with it’s old-school telephone number CA 6-9412:

O.K. Harris. Need they say more?

Remember the Ballroom?

Since we didn’t have any grocery stores, Pioneer boldly advertises that they will deliver to SoHo:

And of course the industrial businesses:

When it comes down to it, The SoHo Weekly News started out as a small town paper. Local news, gossip, listings, ads, coupons (and a classified call for husbands from a polyandrous Tibetan woman). Because that is what SoHo once was, a small town that tried to restrict harsh tourist glitter and restrain speculation. Ahem, speaking of rabbit holes…


text:
About us

Akuo is an independent global renewable energy power producer and developer. the company is present across the entire value chain, including project development, financing, construction and operation.

At Akuo we are convinced that our actions are right and we pursue them with passion. Tackling climate change is essential and we have elected to take part in this process by supporting the expansion of renewable energies in all sectors. Today, we need to go further: developing tailor made solutions for each activity sector.


text:
This is No Trick: ‘Loki’ is Coming to Disney+ Two Days Early

The show marks another entry for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, following the renowned trickster and bro to Thor. In it, well see Loki getting picked up by the Time Variance Authority simply after he teleported away with the Tesseract in Avengers: Endgame. The company will attempt to make Loki go back and remedy all the timelines hes previously tinkered so that reality is “broken” no longer.
through CNET

In between Wandavision and The Mandalorian, Disney+ has actually trained us to reserve Fridays in the name of entertainment. A recent announcement mentioned that new episodes of its upcoming show, Loki, will air 2 days early on a Wednesday.
The statement can be found in video kind and features Tom Hiddleston, who plays the programs name character, stating “Wednesdays are the brand-new Fridays.” Get your pencils and conserve the programs brand-new premiere date– Wednesday, June 9.


text:
N00201496.jpg was taken on 2013-02-02 15:27 (PST) and received on Earth 2013-02-03 11:40 (PST). The camera was pointing toward Saturn-rings, and the image was taken using the CL1 and CL2 filters. This image has not been validated or calibrated. A validated/calibrated image will be archived with the NASA Planetary Data System

For more information on raw images, checkout our frequently asked questions section.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute


text:
“If I cease searching, then, woe is me, I am lost. That is how I look at it – keep going, keep going come what may.” ― Vincent van Gogh, The Letters of Vincent van Gogh

Numerous companies we now consider household names arose out of recession, depression, or pandemic. As with other uncertain times in our history, the aftermath of COVID-19 may usher in the greatest entrepreneurial opportunity since the end of the great depression. Leaders in all industries are ready to win and as such, are ready to work with the people and companies who can help them get to “what’s next” for their organizations. We can emerge from this pandemic with improvements and all manner of innovation if we will decide today to take action and “keep going.” As a professional Pivot Planner, I get to work with clients who are leveraging the effects of the pandemic as opportunities to reassess their businesses, pivot, and strive for a new level of greatness and innovation. I am proud to be the guest speaker, in partnership with the City of League City, TX., and The League City Regional Chamber of Commerce from 9:00am to 11:00am on Dec. 1st to explore the subject. If you are in need of entrepreneurial inspiration, register today and plan to join us!

Remember, nothing said is everything, but everything said is something…. Charles Pulliam. Until next time…

If you know anyone in need of our Pivot Planning expertise, contact us today!

%d bloggers like this:


text:
If you love gardening as much as we do, then you'll love these 12 clever gardening hacks that will not only save you time, but also a ton of money too! Gardening can become quite expensive after a while, so anything you can do to cut down costs, is a great thing! Plus, with these clever gardening hacks, you'll have that much more time to focus on new plants!

12 Clever Gardening Hacks

#1. Make Your Own Garden Markers

garden markers

Fabricate your own garden markers using stones you found outside! All you need is a sharpie and maybe a little bit of paint. Get creative!

#2. Soak Seeds in Warm Water for 24 Hours Before Sowing

soaking seeds

Soaking your seeds in warm water before planting them ensures that your plants will take root much faster and grow strong and healthy.

#3. Self Cleaning & Sharpening Tool Holder

gardening tools in sand

Keep your gardening tools sharp and clean by sticking them in a clay pot filled with abrasive sand.

#4. Use Coffee Grounds to Keep Pests Away

coffee grounds in garden

Coffee grounds make for great soil compost and enriches the soil too, but did you know that sprinkling some coffee grounds near your plants also prevents pests?

#5. DIY Herb Garden

boxed herb garden

Grab that old box that's been sitting in your shed for years and put it to good use! Fill it with some potting soil and go ahead and plant some herbs!

#6. Diapers Keep the Soil Moist

diaper in garden

It may sounds strange and gross, but laying diapers (absorbent side up) in your pots will keep your soil super moist!

#7. Use Old Boots to Make a Unique Garden

boot garden

If you happen to have old boots laying around, fill them with soil and plant some beautiful herbs or flowers. Not only does this look great, but will also save you a ton of space!

#8. Place Eggshells in Your Garden

eggshells in garden

Crush eggshells and place them around your plants to protect them from insects and enrich your soil!

#9. Keep Herbs Fresh by Freezing Them

frozen herbs

Chop up your favorite herbs, add a little bit of olive oil and place them in an ice cube. When you're ready to cook, pop one out and it'll be as fresh as when it was first harvested!

#10. Use Leftover Beer to Kill Slugs

beer to kill slugs

Got some bottom beer from last night's party? Don't waste it! Place it in a bowl to attract slugs that may be in your garden. They'll drink it and die off.

#11. Use a Cardboard Drink Holder for Starting Seeds

cardboard drink holder for seeds

You don't need a fancy seed starting holder to start seeds. A simple cardboard drink holder works wonderfully!

#12. Give New Life to Old Pots

painted pots

Give your old pots a new look with some tape and paint! Do any design you like – your garden will look 100x better!

Happy Planting!

clever gardening hacks

0 0 votes
Article Rating


text:
Notes on Napkins

musings for songwriters

1 Comment

Special Event Pitch: Staff Writer for a Day!

Between May 1st and June 30th 2020, is running a special event: Staff Writer for a Day.  This is an opportunity to pitch your songs for a chance to see what it would be like to be a staff songwriter which includes getting set up by our guest publisher for a CO-WRITE SESSION with a hit songwriter!

If you aren’t sure what the term Staff Writer means, you’re not aloneWhen I moved to Nashville in the early 1990’s and got serious about my songwriting, many of my peers were hoping to become a full-time paid songwriter for a music publishing company (aka a staff writer). The concept was so strange to me that I had to wonder if I ever had the chance to be a staff writer, would I even like it? At the time, I questioned whether I would really enjoy writing songs on demand, on a timetable, with a quota, being “set up” on blind co-writing dates, writing to make the creative director at my publishing company happy, and asking their permission to demo songs.

After about four years of engrossing myself in the Music Row experience of constant writing, re-writing, networking, co-writing, over-coming performance fears, sheepishly meeting with ASCAP reps and music publishers who would listen to my songs, and politely or not-so-politely tell me that I wasn’t quite “there” yet, I built a strong catalog of songs. By then, the idea of being a professional songwriter had grown on me. One day, miraculously, I was hired by a little music publishing company called Zamalama Music as their first staff writer (cue the Rocky theme song).

It turned out that this job gave me valuable lessons in how to prepare myself mentally every morning to “show up and write” whether I was feeling creative or not. I made sure to arrive at those blind date co-writes with lots of potential titles and ideas to jump start our meetings. I learned to leave my ego at the door and do what was best for the song. Most importantly, I found an inner confidence that only comes when your songs have been rejected so many times, you can laugh and moooove on! Here’s a picture of the bay window of the Zamalama writers room on Music Row where I eventually co-penned a hit song!

Check out the staff writer experience for yourself:

A SPECIAL EVENT PITCH – STAFF WRITER FOR A DAY! This is your opportunity to be selected by Kirby Smith, Creative Director of WinSongs Music Publishing, for a chance to find out what it’s like to be a professional staff songwriter for a day, including a meeting with Kirby and a CO-WRITING SESSION with hit songwriter, Sandy Ramos! Read about our guests.

For details about how to submit your songs between May 1st – June 30th 2020 for a chance to win STAFF WRITER FOR A DAY! Go to the Pitching area of

2000 ASCAP Awards. Connie Bradley, Kacey Jones, Sharon Lane, me,

Leave a comment

10 Facts About Music Licensing That Will Put You In a Good Mood by Diona Devincenzi

Let me introduce you to my friend, Diona Devincenzi (isn’t that one of the lovliest names you’ve ever heard?).  I met Diona, a talented singer-songwriter, in the early 1990’s when we were both fairly new to the “Nashville thing.” Perhaps she’ll remember the story about how back in the day, when we were all pretty broke, she invited Danny and me for a dinner at her place. Having gotten used to eating a lot of vegetarian Pot Lucks with friends, I was shocked that she and her fella, Jerry, served us a REAL meal…appetizers, main dish with meat, dessert…the whole kaboodle! She chuckled at my delight. Ah, those fond memories of being a starving artist.

Diona has remained on the cutting edge of the songwriting business, traveling back and forth from Nashville to the West Coast.  I’ve always admired what a hard worker and go-getter she is. Here’s one of my favorite articles from her blog Savvy Songwriter. You can find out more about her (besides that it’s grand to be invited to her house for dinner) at her website

I’ve been hearing and reading a lot of doom and gloom about the music industry lately. Articles which lament the demise of the value of music and the dwindling earnings from making and selling it. So I wanted to present a different perspective in an area of the music business that is actually thriving: MUSIC LICENSING.

Here are 10 facts about music licensing that will put you (or should put you) in a good mood.

Yes, you actually can. You’re not going to get rich with just one placement, but if you are a prolific writer with many songs that are placeable, you can make some decent money. BUT, be prepared to be patient because it won’t roll in over night.

According to IMDB (Internet Movie Database) there were over 2,000,000 opportunities to place your songs in film & television just last year alone.

Those years are past me and many others I know in the music licensing business, but that doesn’t matter because what people need desperately are songs to place with their visual production. And they don’t care how old you are. They only care how good your song is and how it might fit their project.

In fact, it’s the only part of the music industry that is growing, besides touring. Need we talk about CD sales? No, already done. But as content is king, so are songs.

If you want to, you can write in every genre imaginable, and even some that are new hybrids. If you want to write a pop/rock song, go for it. If you want to tackle a Bollywood tune, no problem. You get to write whatever you want, as long as it’s commercial.

Many times a music supervisor (decision maker) will ask for and use the instrumental track versus the vocal one. Well, no problem, you literally have 2 songs – one with both lyrics and music and one with just the music. You double your opportunities as well as your catalog. And that’s just a side benefit.

We all see the writing on the wall when it comes to CD sales. It’s all about streaming these days. If you’re writing for the music licensing opportunities, then you’re at the forefront of where music will be in the future. Sure, no one can really tell the future. But with all of the cable channels and new networks and “screens” popping up to enjoy content, there is a growing marketplace for usage of songs. If you’re not thinking about music licensing then you’re out of the game.

Middlemen are disappearing in the music industry, much like a lot of other industries. There are more and more opportunities to pitch your songs directly to the gatekeepers, thanks to technology allowing for direct access.  You couldn’t do this 20 years ago. So welcome to the directness. Just make sure you are prepared when you do pitch your songs though, because as the saying goes, “You only one chance to make a first impression”.

I scoured the four corners of the earth to find out all I could about music licensing when I started getting involved. I still consume all things music licensing in the way of books, blogs, articles, podcasts etc. In fact, I’m in the process of writing an e-book right now on it.  And thanks to Google search and the like, all the stuff you need to know about music licensing is at the tips of your fingers.

We all write songs because we love it. Well, this part of the glory of your hard work is really gratifying. ‘Cuz you get to tell all your friends and family about your latest rockstar placement.

Diona Devincenzi is a songwriter/producer born in San Francisco and hanging her hat in Nashville. Check out her blogs at Savvy Songwriter .

Why Are Most of the Pitch Leads Country?

Image-2-2015-BillboardChartWe’re often asked why so many of the pitch leads for original songs are for the Country genre. The reason is a fairly simple one: Country is one of the rare popular genres of music in which many of the major artists are open to recording “outside” songs. What does that mean? It means that they are willing to listen to and record a song that they did not write or co-write themselves.  My friend, song plugger Jeffrey Nelson, regularly compiles a list of major-label Country artists who have recorded outside songs. In the last part of last year, he counted 27 Country artists who recorded 50-100% outside songs on their albums, and another large group who recorded at least one or more outside song. Some of those songs were written by songwriters who hadn’t previously had a major-label artist record their songs. In other words, there are still many big Country artists who believe in the power of a great song no matter where it comes from. Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw, George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Martina McBride, and Faith Hill are all notorious for recording great outside songs. Thus, they all can boast an incredible number of hits.

This is in sharp contrast with most of the Pop and Hip-Hop stars, who create their hits in the studio together with a group of other musicians and songwriters who contribute beats/tracks, topline melodies, lyrics, and hooks. Often these major artists rely on only the hottest hit makers and producers like Max Martin or Dr. Luke or Pharrell, making it much more difficult for an untested songwriter to insert themselves into their projects.

Justin Timberlake talks about working with Pharrell, Timbaland, Max Martin

Admittedly, some of the iconic pop singers like Barbra Streisand and Whitney Houston, for example, always depended on great outside songs, as have some of the more current pop stars such as Rhianna. And while this year’s Shawn Mendes’ hit song “Stiches” was written by Daniel Parker, Teddy Geiger, and Daniel Kyriakides, and Selena Gomez didn’t write her hit “Same Old Love”, major-label pop opportunities are decidedly tougher to come by. Rock/Pop bands tend to build their reputation on the strength of their own sound and their own self-written songs and unique vibe.

If I don’t write Country, how do I get my songs recorded?

Where does that leave you in terms of pitching if you’re writing Pop, Rock, Hip-Hop, Electronic, Retro, Americana, Classical-Operatic, or a variety of other valid genres?

1) Independent Artists.  – If smaller indie artists cut your song on their album, it probably won’t net you much (if any) income, but there are still many advantages. First, it’s simply flattering that your song speaks to an artist so much that they want to sing it and record it for their audience. Also, it’s a good way to get a new recording (demo) of your song that you can use to pitch to bigger artists. In addition, it’s exposure for your song. Songwriter Jon Ims, for example, tells the story of how a local band had recorded one of his songs on their album and took it to Nashville in hopes of landing a record deal. While in Nashville, they played it for a big record producer. That producer, Garth Fundis, had no interest in signing the band, but loved the song Jon wrote called “She’s In Love With The Boy”. Fundis decided to record that song on his new act, Trisha Yearwood. Needless to say, “She’s In Love With The Boy” became Trisha’s breakout single and launched a stellar career for her AND for songwriter Jon Ims (who after moving from Colorado to Nashville that same year had another hit single “Fallin’ Out of Love” for Reba McEntire).

2) Placements in Film/TV/Media. – Films, TV shows, commercials and other alternative media always need music but don’t want to pay top dollar to get big hits by by big stars. That leaves the door open for you if you’re writing songs that have a certain “sound” or specific genre that they just happen to need. We had several members get Country songs placed in the TV show “Nashville” for example. But the song needs are as vast and varied as the media itself. If you’re writing in any genre, there’s a chance to get your song placed.

  • At we offer regular opportunities by our guest music supervisor, Nancy Peacock, who will give us current leads from her contacts with production companies. She’s taken our members’ songs for specific leads, but also for a non-exclusive contract to pitch on comp tapes that she sends out when there is a need (i.e. love songs for Valentine’s Day commercials that can also be used for background music in a movie or TV show).
  • The occasional unexpected opportunities come along too. Through an odd encounter I had at the Jersey shore, I was able to put up an exclusive listing for our members to submit their songs to the music supervisor for the NBC Olympic Games in Beijiing. Over 50 songs from our members went to those games!
  • We have a great series of DIY webcasts by Benn Cutarelli and Dan Robinson called “The Next Rung” all about how to get your songs into film/TV/and media. They’ll let you how their song got into the major motion picture “The Longest Yard.” Go to the DIY course catalog to find these courses.

3) Network and Collaborate. – The Jon Ims story above reminds us that networking at any level, even locally, has the potential to yield big results. Other important network outlets are music publishers and songpluggers, performing rights organization reps, and of course your peers. The new songwriters and aspiring artists of today, might be the next big thing tomorrow.

Breakout Country music superstar, Kelsea Ballerini, said in an interview recently that her first album is a bunch of songs written by her and her friends. Her friends were unknown emerging songwriters that had been networking and co-writing and sticking with it. They were all just doing the “hang in there” thing that we do when we’re creative people wanting to earn a living through our efforts. Sometimes you get lucky. It paid off for one of our alumni, Lance Carpenter, who was one Kelsea’s co-writer friends on her #1 Platinum-certified breakout song “Love Me Like You Mean It” which skyrocketed her into the spotlight. Chalk one up for breaking in to the music business! (Also known as ten years to overnight success.)

Additonally, several of our members have had great success with smaller music markets. Two different members, Barbara Wilkinson and Ed Williams both had #1 songs on the Bluegrass Charts with separate artists. Another, Don Eidman, was nominated for a Dove Award for best Christian song (Bluegrass), and another, Pat Kelley, had a single with a major Christian artist as well. Just this month, Canadian-based member, Stephen Adrian Lawrance, broke into the major-label Canadian Country market with an “outside” song for Aaron Pritchett, “When a Momma’s Boy Meets a Daddy’s Girl”  (co-written with A. Godvin/M. Webber) with the assistance of previously-mentioned song plugger Jeffrey Nelson, who he met through Find details of those successes here.

Remember that you can choose to look beyond the roadblocks and find alternative routes to success. The only real reason to write songs is because you love doing it. There are no guarantees except the ability to enjoy the ride. Sure, that ride can be bumpy, maybe take longer than you anticipated (“Mom, when are we gonna get there!”), but it’s always rewarding, not to mention fun, to follow your passion.

Leave a comment

What You Really Need To Know To Be A Professional Songwriter

I’m making a little joke here. I found this in my computer files. I can’t recall how I originally got it and haven’t found the source (if you do, let me know). But it still makes me laugh and there’s definitely a grain of truth – or the entire loaf of bread of truth –  in this list. So without further ado, here’s what songwriters really need to know:

1. to schmooze = befriend scum
2. to pitch = grovel shamelessly
3. to brainstorm = feign preparedness
4. to research = procrastinate indefinitely
5. to network = spread misinformation
6. to collaborate = argue incessantly
7. to freelance = collect unemployment

1. agent = frustrated lawyer
2. lawyer = frustrated producer
3. producer = frustrated writer
4. writer = frustrated artist
5. artist = frustrated human

1. Entry-level = pays nothing
2. You can trust me = you must be new
3. Highly qualified = knows the producer
4. It needs some polishing = Change everything
5. It shows promise = It stinks rotten
6. It needs some fine tuning = Change everything
7. I’d like some input = I want total control
8. It needs some honing = Change everything
9. Call me back next week = Stay out of my life
10. It needs some tightening = Change everything
11. Try and punch it up = I have no idea what I want
12. It needs some streamlining = Change everything
13. It’s very close = You’re not even on the right planet
14. We want something different for this album = The last album didn’t sell
15. We’re looking for a new direction = see previous
16. I know someone at the label = I know the janitor
17. You’ll never work in this town again = I have no power whatsoever


text:
Latest Articles

Renting Versus Buying: The Practical Truth

There are many factors to consider when considering renting versus buying a home. Chief among these can be your desired mobility. Indeed, suppose you anticipate your residence in a place to be short-term. In that case, renting does afford a greater degree of flexibility. And yet, as the availability of housing continues to grow tighter, […]

Saving to Buy a House: A 7-Step Guide

Saving for a new home is unlike any other savings experience. You’re not just filling a bank account and hitting a number. Instead, you’re preparing for what is likely the largest purchase of your life.  In a competitive housing market where bidding wars are common, you’ll want to have every advantage when saving for a […]


text:
Month: October 2022

Book 3 | Chapter 34 | The Torch went out

A flood of thoughts raced through Vandhiyathevan’s mind. What happened to Vanathi? He had no idea. What happened to Madhuranthakan? Again, he was clueless. What will happen to him, by the end of the night? That seemed to be a dead end too.This seemed to be a coup more complex than what he had seen being planned in the Kadambur palace.

Book 3 | Chapter 32 | Brahma’s head

Vandhiyathevan shuddered thinking about the bed-ridden Sundara Chozhar in Thanjavur, the Prince Arulmozhi suffering from the tropical fever in Nagapattinam, Prince Aditya Karikalan meeting the Pazhuvoor Rani in Kadambur, and Madhuranthakar, whose recent lust for the throne had angered the people.


text:
Showing posts from February, 2021

My Work is Bad

A brief explanation of why all my work is bad: `` What is the State of Blacks in Philosophy? '' -- it's actually my fault that there is a genuinely incoherent non-explanation of what statistics were done in this paper, which is all the more shocking and shameful since largely it was just super basic descriptive stuff -- graphs! On the whole fine for what it is but that's an incredibly basic thing.  `` Causally Interpreting Intersectionality Theory .'' -- the interest of a methodology piece is, of course, the results of applying the methodology. Years out and that's still never been done, despite the fact that this paper is cited a fair bit. People act as if this paper somehow does more work to vindicate intersectionality theory; they're vastly over-estimating how interesting it is. What's more, at least some of the reason the method is yet to actually be applied is that to get anything interesting it requires such large data sets as to perhaps

Joining Team Positivism - by Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò

A friend, comrade, and coauthor of mine has recently seen the light and decided to start identifying as a positivist. I thought his reasons for his conversion were interesting, and of course I am always keen to win converts for Carnap so I hope that by posting this others might be inspired. So read on, and if you too fall off your ass while listening to a positivism podcast feel free to send me your conversion story and maybe you can be next in this new series! -------------------------------------------- In 1957, a politician named Femi met Marie. Ọbafẹ́mi Awólọ́wọ̀ was born in the Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria, which had recently been purchased by the British Crown from the Royal Niger Company. During his childhood, the Southern and Northern protectorates were combined into a single Nigerian colony, under the control of a single colonial Governor, with powers akin to a military dictator’s – the political culmination of five centuries of European commercial pursuits in


text:
VBA Application License Protection

Prevent piracy of your VBA application with Quick License Manager

Perpetual, trial and subscription licenses.
Online and Offline activation
Automated subscription renewal process
Upgrades without issuing a new license

Integration with eCommerce Providers
Automated email notifications
Automated fraud detection
Analytics data collection

State of the art Graphical User Interface
Web Portal for license key management
Trial Registration Web Form
Built-in backup and Disaster Recovery support

QLM protects your VBA code with the same level of functionality and license protection that are supported with VB.NET. With QLM VBA License Protection, you can provide permanent, trial or subscription based licensing to your customers. Your customers can easily activate their license online when connected to the internet or offline if they are not connected to the internet.

Our extensive license protection API is fully supported on VBA.

In order to prompt the user for a license key and activate it, you simply launch the QLM License Wizard from your VBA app. The QLM License Wizard eliminates the need to develop any complex code in your VBA module to capture a license key and activate it. The QLM License Wizard is a standalone application that you launch from your VBA application. For more details about invoking the QLM License Wizard, refer to this article.

Meet  just a few of our happy clients

Register to recieve your license

To evaluate QLM and receive a trial license key, complete the registration form. A license key and a download link will be emailed to you.

This download includes support for all platforms: Windows, Android, iOS, Mac, etc.

If you do not receive an email or if the registration from below does not work as expected, send us an email at support@newsoracoco-ouzhk079bo.live-website.com to request a trial license.


text:
Papaya Playa Project: Exclusive interview with Emilio Heredia – The man behind a place with unique sensory experiences in Tulum

Papaya Playa Project: Exclusive interview with Emilio Heredia – The man behind a place with unique sensory experiences in Tulum

Emilio Heredia, owner of the Papaya Playa Project, began his spiritual journey 30 years ago, a journey during which he studied yoga, karate, Tao and body psychotherapy. Holder of a degree in engineering as well as in finance which gave him the status of president of various financial institutions in New York and Mexico in the early 2000s, he wanted to connect to the world on a deeper level, more sincere, and this is the reason that will have given birth to the Papaya Playa project in 2011. Meeting with the initiator of a place with unique experiences and well-defined values.

II. What was the main objective of the Papaya Playa Project? His vision ?

The Papaya Playa project aims to create an immersive space between the sea and nature. A place of escape where creativity becomes a second skin and the cultural exchange between those who travel to this distinctive site generates an exceptional community.

We have discovered a new form of hospitality by fusing local culture and sustainability to create unparalleled wellness experiences through gastronomic, artistic and design manifestations. We work every day guided by a philosophy under an eco-social responsibility.

III. The PPP is more than a place to stay, it has this close connection to nature and real community value – how would you describe it? How is this essence shared?

Tulum is a magical place that awakens you spiritually. We know the importance of sustainability, social responsibility, and take care of all the knowledge that the local Mayans have given us. We share this essence in every space you may enter; keeping 93% of our land intact, supporting the local community, cleaning up our environment, and having methodologies that will take care of all the biodiversity we have.

IV. How would the perfect stay for a PPP guest unfold? What lessons should he learn from this? What feelings?

The best recommendation I can have for a guest is to feel connected to themselves and to nature, to awaken their awareness of well-being and autonomy through meditation, and to begin a journey of introspection. Most of our clients end their visit feeling totally different, that’s my main goal.

V. When would be the ideal time to come to the PPP? Are there different experiences depending on the season?

We always organize special events, concerts, plays and full moon celebrations every month (The “Full Moon Party”, ndr). So every time during the year, people can come and enjoy our programs. Obviously, when it comes to the period from November to February (high season), we have more activities.

VI. How do you maintain the uniqueness of PPP despite the strong competition in a place like Tulum?

And what’s interesting is that at the end of the day, most of our clients leave with an experience that has awakened their awareness of nature. It is our uniqueness, and we have it here, before our eyes, it is all we need to care for and value.

  • blank
  • blank

VII. Well-being has become an overarching topic in the luxury experience today – and the PPP fits right in there – how do you plan to capitalize more on this in the future?

Know that we have an immersive wellness program, Papaya Playa Project’s innovation involves not only a special care of nature, but has also created a wellness program through art and awareness, which we call Immersion. This allowed us to follow the constant exchange of creativity, beauty and inspiration for personal growth. Artists, local teachers and residents are part of a rich weekly program of yoga practices, workshops and artistic, meditative and body experiences.

This magical experience ends with the illumination of our famous Star Collector, an art installation that tells the story of a common origin; the analogy that everything in this world is made of stardust; plants, animals, stones, sea, human beings and wind.

Another of the great pillars of wellness at Papaya Playa Project is the importance of self-care. This is why special moments have been created for guests to heal and reconnect. The spa is a secluded space in the jungle that offers face and body treatments meant to relax body and mind, bring back ancient Mayan and Mexican rituals through Temazcal, healing baths that use local herbs and other miscellaneous natural elements that are meant to reunite guests with Mother Earth.

VIII. Sustainability is also the main concern these days, and therefore of PPP. Especially in a place where nature is closely linked to a well-established culture being that of the Mayas. What are the project initiatives?

The Papaya Playa Project foundation is based on a sustainable and respectful way of life, we work every day from a perspective of social and ecological responsibility. Since July 2015, the project has been on a mission to achieve a community that produces zero emissions and zero contaminants. These actions have cemented us as leaders in conscious hotel operation and inspired others to do the same. The property where the hotel is located preserves 93% of the original land and free space, and at the same time, has pushed the initiative “United for Tulum” which collaborates with businessmen and women, civil servants and civil society for the well-being of the region. A vision of Tulum based on social principles that will help its preservation in the years to come.

In addition to social initiatives, Papaya Playa Project has an independent system of gardening, orchards and wastewater treatment for irrigation. The raw materials for our restaurant are grown in organic gardens and at the same time we are working to expand our plantations by planting chickpeas, papaya, pineapple, guava, jackfruit, panapén, cashew and watermelon.

Additionally, we have a turtle care program, beach cleanups and ocean conservation and other crucial actions we are taking for 2022.

IX. Do you think that the tourist potential of Tulum is used to the maximum? What do you think of the current situation and the future direction of tourism in Tulum?

We know Tulum’s growth has been significant, but as founders of a project that aims to help preserve Tulum for generations to come, we need to stay strong in our roots.

X. To have such a strong concept you need to have a healthy lifestyle, how would you describe yours?

I simply seek to achieve happiness, which is to go beyond the paradox of confusion, beyond any individual illusion, and leave without judgement, be free, and love everything and everything. We are all part of the same Mother Earth, feeling separated has brought us sorrow, but knowing that we are one brings joy and peace to our hearts.

Papaya Playa Project: Exclusive interview with Emilio Heredia – The man behind a place with unique sensory experiences in Tulum


text:
The Ark and the Covenant

I have been experiencing the most bizarre and energy depleting grieving process for longer than a care to admit. It has been ongoing for quite a few years now, but if I am to be brutally honest, my undeniable inner sorrow amped up shortly after I published my third book. I believe the entire world is going through a similar grieving process regardless of whether we are all consciously aware of the reasons behind this overwhelming sadness or not. But perhaps I can shed some light on the situation.

It is actually a very hard, courageous, and emotionally exhausting process to officially let go of the old story. In particular, I am talking about the belief systems and expectations of generations past that have filtered through our ancestral linage and even our own past incarnations, waiting for this very moment in time. Contained within the old story are specific interpretations and understandings pertaining to how we will eventually transcend into a new era of enlightenment. Opposing this exact evolution however, and securely ingrained within our cellular memory and historical mindsets, resides a very tough and inaccurate narrative of inherent unworthiness that we must officially ascend beyond. Many of us talk about letting go. Most of us even understand what parts of the old story need to be released. However, most have yet to fully surrender to or give ourselves full permission and the freedom to completely let go of the past interpretations and move forward. Even when the realization and higher truth of our collective existence remains securely embedded within the subconscious shadows of our own inner knowing patiently waiting to arise, many still struggle through the process of self empowerment. This creates a tidal wave of emotional reactions and a roller coaster of self doubt and confidence as we stumble through the changes of finding faith in our individual divine light held within. Admittedly, many of us still cling to the sides of an old, outdated sinking ship, secretly hoping a rescue and miraculous intervention are still on the way.

Even for myself who grew up consciously aware that we each hold the individual power and responsibility for our own life path, there is still very much a part of my soul that hopes and prays for a much larger divine unfoldment, savior type moment to arrive. And whether that is interpreted as an abundance in all things, financial freedom, golden pearly gates, or the end of our personal and global sorrows, the majority of society still places and seeks that resolve from outside of our own inner being.

As much as I value and trust in the divine and the divine timing of all things, at some point we must each accept and have the courage to know that the gold we seek has always been anchored within us all along. Much like a pair of ruby slippers transporting Dorothy back home to Kansas, the ancient symbol of an ark is symbolic of our individual yet cosmic rainbow of colours very much accessible within our unique and ever expanding SOULworks quite capable of taking us back home to the divine held within. Making the true covenant an authentic promise that someday, we as a society will collectively rise to the occasion, step into the shoes of our very individual and global soul potential, and access the divine power held from within.

Most days however, we are still watching and waiting for an ark to arrive outside of ourselves. In fact, we are truly afraid to fully let go of the old story just in case elements of the original interpretations are genuinely true. A mystical being that will somehow lift us up, chart a new course towards the promised land, and single-handedly remove all the pain, trauma, and emotional baggage that comes with being human. Just like how Noah’s Ark provided a reprieve from the tidal waves of change, we instinctually cling to our survival mode never fully letting go of the hope or promise of being rescued by someone or something outside of ourselves.

Undoubtedly, there are some yelling at me right now, insisting the historical events of Noah’s Ark did in fact take place. That a select and chosen few miraculously survived a global upheaval by the grace of God, for providing one man the intuitive insight, divine appointment, tenacity, and faith to build an ark. And in fact, insist this same process will repeat itself once again, during a second coming savior type scenario with perhaps the arrival of one heavenly sent being and a huge ass lifeboat for all those deemed worthy. It is a great story, don’t get me wrong. And I do understand many genuine biblical and historical events did in fact take place. I also do love the promise of hope and better things yet to come. However, one must question what would have happened back in the day when perhaps more people than just Noah intuitively knew it was time to build their own ark. Likewise, if communities in that same era of time would have worked together forging a solution towards the climate changes at hand, imagine the manifesting potential that could and would have endured.

Bringing this concept into the present day, imagine what will happen when society fully accepts the very real notion that every being on and off this planet has the divine capacity to hear, see, and intuitively rebuild their own ark of self empowerment and accountability. That beautiful kaleidoscope of energetic source potential housed from within. More astounding, imagine what will happen when society no longer fears this co-creative mindset or the power we individually and collectively wield to create such positive change on a global scale.

How do we get there? Well, first we must bravely step away from the promise of being saved by anything beyond our own soul development, as well as release all past teachings and interpretations regarding this time. Not to belittle our history or the shared understandings of our past, but to embrace all other possibilities of what can and will be collectively accomplished when we recognize and believe in the inherent potential of all people. It takes great courage and intuitive strength to believe in our nature, reframe understandings of the past, and bravely step away from a sinking ship of false expectations that would ever place the entire survival of humanity on one individual.

And I don’t mean to be too blunt or patronizing here, but if I can be brave enough to put myself out there, send out an energetic life raft through my books, and face this metamorphosis of change on nothing beyond sheer faith and trust in better things yet to come, then please find the inner courage to face your own fears, at minimum be open to hearing my accounts and version of the story, and do your own soul works required to integrate the higher truths held within. Don’t even take my word for it. Find your own understandings and processes but do test the energetic theories in my teachings and double check the references I have sited. Personally, I have checked off more boxes regarding prophecy fulfillment then even I can fully comprehend and assuredly more then some may ever be willing to see, hear, or accept. However, society’s acknowledgement of my life path is not my concern. I am not here to build an ark of transformation all on my own. I am simply heralding the significance of this time and reminding society that this is our collective calling and divine appointment in time. We must reshape the old story into new beginnings of infinite potential from this point forward. Learn to truly experience and understand our energetic connection to all things and more importantly, our global accountability towards change. And when we are ready, no matter how long that grieving process may take, how long individuals choose to deny the higher truth, or how many years may be required for society to fully embody the words I have written (myself included), I will still be here in some way, shape, or form. Patiently waiting on the sidelines for the rest of the timeline to play out, still lending a helping hand when needed, and more importantly celebrating this incredible milestone moment that we have already embarked on together.

In the meantime, I have decided to create a podcast to start slowly putting my story out into the world, chapter by chapter as I am ready. And even though I feel I have been touting my particular story for literally ever, I will continue to say it again and again. Not because I am sharing my life experiences to appease my ego nor for others to value my worth. I am not clinging to old belief systems or struggling with concepts or expectations I have yet to let go of or heal. On the contrary. I am telling my story so that perhaps at some point in the not-too-distant future, society will finally hear and see the higher truth; authentically and fully appreciate our collective obligation to face change, and fully embody our ever-expanding soul potential.

And if I am being completely honest, I guess it is also my own personal way of attempting to reach out and humbly thank you so very much for believing in whatever version of my SOULworks that has existed within the archives of our collective history. However, I am officially beginning to speak up, set the record straight, change the narrative, and help myself and all others learn how to fully embody and believe in ourselves and all others. It is time.

Love and Blessings,

Lauren Heistad

Podcast series of the SOULworks trilogy:

Angel artwork credit to my mom. Thank you for always being there for me regardless of how crazy my views and experiences may seem. Much love.

About Lauren Heistad of SOULworks

My name is Lauren Heistad. I am an adept teacher of the spiritual arts, empowerment speaker, intuitive healer, psychic medium, self-proclaimed Messenger of Change, founder of the SOULworks Sacred Healing Centre, as well as author of the books “Activating your SOULworks: a healing journey”, "Evolving your SOULworks: a miraculous journey", and "Mastering your SOULworks: a oneness journey."

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: Logo

You are commenting using your account. Log Out /  Change )

Twitter picture

You are commenting using your Twitter account. Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. Log Out /  Change )

Connecting to %s