#interview pool builders

[btr-rewatch]

Big Time Rush Season 1, Episode 2: “Big Time Crib”

It's nice to be in the "real" series now! I thought I was going to be stuck reviewing episode one forever.

Highlights: Shenanigans abound, Bandana Man makes his first appearance, and the guys get an apartment makeover.

We begin at the Palm Woods pool, where the guys have just returned from an exhausting day of rehearsals. Before they can get any time to relax, they're kicked out on account of a dog food commercial being filmed there. Several of the commercial's crew members pick up the boys and deposit them into the Palm Woods lobby.

I happened to pause the episode here to write that above paragraph and had to screenshot it. I'd mentioned in the previous post how I remember there being a clear pairing of Kendall & Logan and then James & Carlos, and whaddya know? There it is again. Also, I like Kendall and Logan's matching poses.

Since it's after 9pm, Bitters kicks them out of the lobby, leaving the boys no choice but to retreat to their ugly apartment. I totally forgot that 2J looked terrible in the beginning!

Also, the theme song! It's been so long since I've seen this opening theme song. So fun. Really brings back memories of my dad walking into the room and going, "This silly show again?"

YES, DAD.

The boys are upset that they're stuck in a dump while other residents get much nicer accommodations. Bitters attempts to point out all the positives of their apartment, but it doesn't sway the guys. Moments after Bitters leaves, a pipe bursts, and Carlos responds to it in a way only Carlos can.

This brings back another vague memory of the times my dad would sometimes sit and watch BTR with me and ask, "What's wrong with him?" whenever Carlos did, like...anything, lol.

The guys need a better place to live, and they get a glimpse of that possibility the following day at Rocque Records when they see a drawing of an apartment set that's going to be used in an upcoming promotional video. Griffin wants each of them interviewed for it.

James thinks they should all wear bandanas. This is another thing I'd forgotten about; James had a bandana obsession. I do remember Bandana Man!

The reaction on their faces to James's suggestion is great.

Not gonna happen, James. Keep dreaming.

After the meeting, the guys get right to scheming on how to get the set built in their apartment instead. Well, it's mostly Kendall doing the scheming. Logan thinks it's never going to work, James thinks bandanas will somehow solve their problems, and Carlos is just along for the ride.

They end up recruiting Camille to help with their plan, and she instructs the builders of the set to bring it to the Palm Woods instead. Logan impersonates Griffin (against his will) and then voices his displeasure at this whole entire plan. He does not want to get into trouble. But, like...shouldn't he be used to it? This is what you sign up for when you decide to be friends with Kendall, James, and Carlos.

We hear the "Logie" nickname for the first time in this episode!

Logan points out that a major problem with their plan is that Mrs. Knight is certainly going to take notice of a bunch of people in the apartment from 11-3. We cut immediately to Mrs. Knight informing the boys that she's going to be out job-hunting the following day from 11-3. Cue Kendall throwing Logan this look:

Logan, don't you know by now that things always end up working out for Kendall?

The guys end up getting the interviews moved to the Palm Woods pool and proceed to split up in order to tackle the remaining tasks. And I must say that one of my favorite moments is when Kelly goes to check on how the set is coming and we get that little scene of Carlos and Katie in the studio just making construction sounds.

This is one of those scenes that's lived rent-free in my head for 13 years for some reason. I've forgotten so much about this show, but Carlos sitting there running the power tools and hammering that pile of wood boards earned a reserved place in my brain. I don't know why. But it's a scene that has popped into my thoughts every so often over the years.

Meanwhile, at James's interview...

This show is peak comedy.

Lots of shenanigans happen from here, and for a moment, it looks like the plan is going to fall apart. James Bandana Man saves the day by locking Bitters in a supply closet that, for some reason, has a very simple latch lock on the outside??

This makes absolutely zero sense. For what reason would you choose this type of lock for a supply closet? Literally anyone can open it?? This is serving no purpose.

Anyway! The guys get their super cool new crib installed, they film their music video, and Gustavo has the crew immediately take the set apart and revert the apartment back to its previous state. Sadness once again reigns supreme in 2J.

Their video and interviews are a success, but Gustavo still needs his dogs to face consequences for all their sneakiness. He has them practice harmonies for ten hours with no breaks, which sounds illegal to me?? The boys are only 16, right? Idk, this feels like it's violating some kind of law. Needless to say, they're all tired and bummed when they arrive home. That is, until they see that their apartment has been transformed back!

Gustavo explains that it's a "bone" being thrown to them but not to expect any more. Kelly notes that Gustavo likes the boys but he insists that he does not. Yeah, right. Gustavo loves his dogs.

And that's where the episode ends. It's an enjoyable one for sure—lots of funny moments. Totally different feel to "Big Time Audition" though, and I'm already mourning the loss of Original Kendall. He was still scheming and manipulative in this, but it was in a purely goofy way. There was none of that "fire" that we saw several times in BTA. No edge. First Episode Kendall had an edge. Why has the edge been smoothed away by EPISODE 2?? Does it come back in some spots during the series? I can't remember. I still love him, though.

ok, the end.

[ai-resume-builder]

On-Campus vs. Off-Campus Recruitment: What Freshers Need to Know 📚💼

Are you a fresher looking to land a job with top IT companies like TCS, Infosys, Wipro, or Cognizant? Knowing the differences between on-campus and off-campus recruitment can significantly improve your chances of getting hired! 🎯

Here’s what you need to know about both processes and how your academic track record can impact shortlisting.

🏫 On-Campus Recruitment

Where it happens: Companies visit your college to recruit directly.

The process: Aptitude tests, group discussions, and multiple interview rounds.

Competition: Limited to your peers within your college.

Advantages: A streamlined, more organized recruitment process. Recruiters already have a set number of positions to fill. 🎓

How your academic track record matters:

Companies often require a minimum percentage in 10th, 12th, and graduation (typically 60% or above).

This helps them gauge consistency and academic dedication. Your grades could be the first filter to pass through!

🌍 Off-Campus Recruitment

Where it happens: Company offices or online recruitment portals. Open to graduates from any institution.

The process: More rigorous, often including online pre-screening, phone interviews, and additional assessments.

Competition: Tougher, as you’re up against candidates from various colleges and universities nationwide.

Advantages: If you miss on-campus recruitment, off-campus offers a broader range of opportunities.

How your academic track record matters:

Since companies receive a high volume of applicants, academic scores become a stricter criterion.

Consistency across your 10th, 12th, and graduation marks can help you stand out, even before interviews!

📈 How to Stand Out in Both On-Campus and Off-Campus Recruitment

Highlight your projects: Academic projects in Java, Python, SQL, or relevant areas show recruiters your technical skills.

Get certified: Certifications like AWS, Azure, or from platforms like Coursera and TCS iON can give you an edge.

Show your soft skills: Leadership roles, hackathon participation, or extracurricular activities make you more than just a number on a page.

🎯 The Resume Order That Works

On-Campus: Education first (10th, 12th, and graduation) followed by skills and projects. Keep it clear and concise to make a quick impression.

Off-Campus: Education is still crucial, but experience (internships, certifications) and projects should be featured more prominently to stand out in a larger applicant pool.

Final Tip 💡

Whether you're going through on-campus or off-campus recruitment, consistency in your academic track record and a strong, skill-focused resume are key to getting shortlisted. And remember, both routes offer great opportunities—your preparation and presentation make the difference!

Need help creating a resume that stands out? Try KudosWall’s AI Resume Builder to craft an ATS-ready resume tailored to both on-campus and off-campus recruitment.

#CampusRecruitment #OffCampusHiring #FresherJobs #TCSRecruitment #InfosysCareers #WiproHiring #CognizantJobs #GraduateCareers #ITCareersIndia

[resume2ocean]

Transform Your Job Search with ResumeOcean: The Best Resume Builder for Crafting Professional CVs Online

In an era where first impressions are often made through digital means, your resume serves as a crucial entry point into your dream job. A polished and well-structured resume can differentiate you from a pool of candidates, making it essential to have the right tools at your disposal. Enter ResumeOcean—your ultimate ally in crafting professional CVs online. Let’s explore how ResumeOcean can transform your job search experience and help you stand out.

Why Choose ResumeOcean?

Navigating the job market can be daunting, but ResumeOcean simplifies the process with its state-of-the-art resume builder. Our platform is designed to cater to job seekers of all backgrounds, whether you’re a recent graduate, a seasoned professional, or looking to change careers. Here’s how ResumeOcean sets itself apart:

1. User-Friendly Interface

At ResumeOcean, we understand that not everyone is tech-savvy. That’s why our resume builder features a user-friendly interface that makes the resume creation process straightforward and stress-free. With easy navigation and clear instructions, you can focus on showcasing your skills and experiences rather than wrestling with complicated software.

2. Customizable Templates

A generic resume often gets lost in the shuffle, but with ResumeOcean, you can choose from a variety of customizable templates tailored to different industries. Whether you’re in tech, healthcare, finance, or creative fields, you’ll find designs that meet the expectations of hiring managers. Each template is professionally crafted, allowing you to maintain a polished appearance while expressing your unique style. You can easily adjust colors, fonts, and layouts to make your resume truly yours.

3. Tailored Content Suggestions

Writing about yourself can be challenging, especially when it comes to highlighting your achievements. ResumeOcean offers tailored content suggestions based on your selected job title and industry. These prompts guide you in creating impactful bullet points that effectively communicate your accomplishments. With our support, you’ll find it easier to articulate your experiences, making your resume more compelling.

4. ATS Compatibility

Did you know that many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen resumes? If your resume isn’t optimized for these systems, it may never reach a human reader. ResumeOcean’s resume builder is designed with ATS compatibility in mind. This means your resume will be formatted correctly and include the right keywords to increase its chances of passing through these automated filters. By utilizing ResumeOcean, you’re enhancing your visibility to potential employers right from the start.

5. Exporting Options

Once you’ve crafted your resume, you’ll need to share it with potential employers. ResumeOcean allows you to download your resume in multiple formats, including PDF and Word. This flexibility ensures that you can easily submit your resume according to the requirements of the job listing. Additionally, exporting your resume as a PDF preserves its formatting, so you can be confident that it will look just as you intended when viewed by hiring managers.

6. Time-Saving Efficiency

In today’s fast-paced job market, time is of the essence. ResumeOcean streamlines the resume-building process, allowing you to create a professional CV quickly and efficiently. With our intuitive platform, you can focus on what truly matters—preparing for interviews and networking—while we handle the technical aspects of resume creation.

Conclusion

Your resume is a powerful tool in your job search arsenal, and ResumeOcean is here to help you make the most of it. With its user-friendly interface, customizable templates, tailored content suggestions, and ATS compatibility, ResumeOcean is the best resume builder for crafting professional CVs online. Don’t let the stress of resume writing hold you back. Transform your job search with ResumeOcean, and take the first step toward landing your dream job today. Start your journey now, and see the difference a great resume can make!

[bestsurfpodcasts]

Full Breakdown Olympics-Surfing 2024: Triumps and Fails

- Review of Cheyne Horan new NVS collaboration fins

- Description of unconventional surfboard design

- New audience on YouTube is a major achievement after 11 years of podcasting.

- Consider doing weekly giveaways to engage and reward supporters

- Discussion on how 'VY land' got its name

- Mike Diffenderfer named the Bonsai Pipeline

- Surfing's nature doesn't fit in the Olympics

- Paddle battle adds interesting conflict to surfing

- Surfers and the closing ceremonies at the Olympics

- Caroline Marks dominated the surfing competition

- Carissa Moore paved her own path to success in surfing

- Discussion on Carissa's career post winning titles

- Unfair allegations led to unjust termination

- Challenges in replacing experienced judges at high levels

- Calls for deeper ethical standards and respect for personal expression in surfing competitions

- Homogenizing and commercializing surfing undermines its essence.

- Surfing is about man vs. nature competitiveness

- Wave pool competitions may be more predictable but less exciting compared to ocean waves.

- Concerns about future surf contests and hope for more creative solutions

- Olympic surfing aims for simplicity and objectivity

- Local surf community accepts payment for exclusive wave access

- Surf Ranch pricing structure is causing concern for local community leaders

- Direct flight from Tijuana to Vallarta has been diverted, affecting surfers.

- Surf Rider goes beyond beach cleanups

- Exciting lineup of surfboards and small builders at The Boardroom Show

- Offering discounts on wet suits at The Boardroom Show

- Intense rescue footage and interviews with big wave surfers and legends

- Drift Line offers ultimate comfort for water sports.

[anishkumar70]

Discover the Ultimate Hiring Platform: A Comprehensive Guide to Hirekingdom's Features for Job Seekers and Employers

In today’s fast-paced job market, finding the right job or the perfect candidate can be a challenging process. Whether you’re a job seeker looking for your next career opportunity or an employer searching for top talent, Hirekingdom offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to streamline and enhance the hiring process. This guide explores all the features Hirekingdom provides for both job seekers and employers, making it your go-to platform for all your hiring needs.

For Job Seekers

1. Extensive Job Listings

Wide Range of Industries: Hirekingdom hosts job listings across various industries, from technology and finance to healthcare and education. No matter your field, you’ll find opportunities that match your skills and interests.

Advanced Search Filters: Use filters such as location, job type, salary range, and experience level to narrow down your search and find the most relevant job openings.

2. Personalized Job Alerts

Custom Notifications: Set up personalized job alerts to receive notifications about new job postings that match your criteria. This feature ensures you never miss out on an opportunity.

Real-Time Updates: Stay updated with real-time alerts directly to your email or through the Hirekingdom website, keeping you informed about the latest openings.

3. Professional Resume and Cover Letter Builder

Templates and Guidance: Access a variety of professional templates and receive guidance on creating a standout resume and cover letter. Tailor your documents to highlight your skills and experiences effectively.

Expert Feedback: Get feedback from career experts to ensure your resume and cover letter meet industry standards and catch the eye of potential employers.

4. Career Development Resources

Learning and Development: Explore courses, webinars, and workshops to enhance your skills and stay competitive in the job market.

Networking Opportunities: Connect with industry professionals, alumni, and peers through HireKingdom’s networking platform. Join forums and discussion groups to expand your network and gain insights.

For Employers

1. Targeted Job Postings

Free Job Posting: Post job openings for free and easily on Hirekingdom.com. Reach a large and diverse pool of candidates with minimal effort.

Targeted Reach: Use advanced targeting options to ensure your job postings reach the most relevant candidates based on their skills, experience, and location.

2. Applicant Tracking System (ATS)

Streamlined Hiring: Manage your hiring process efficiently with Hirekingdom’s integrated ATS. Track applications, schedule interviews, and communicate with candidates all in one place.

Collaboration Tools: Collaborate with your hiring team by sharing notes and feedback on candidates. Make informed decisions together.

3. Candidate Search and Filtering

Advanced Search: Use advanced search tools to find candidates that meet your specific requirements. Filter candidates by qualifications, experience, and other criteria.

Resume Database: Access Hirekingdom’s extensive resume database to proactively search for potential candidates who match your job requirements.

4. Employer Branding

Company Profile: Create a compelling company profile to attract top talent. Showcase your company culture, values, and what makes your organization a great place to work.

Employer Reviews: Encourage employees to leave reviews and ratings on Hirekingdom. Positive feedback can enhance your reputation and attract more applicants.

5. Analytics and Reporting

Insights and Metrics: Gain valuable insights into your hiring process with detailed analytics and reports. Track key metrics such as application volume, candidate quality, and time-to-hire.

Data-Driven Decisions: Use data to make informed decisions about your recruitment strategies and improve your hiring outcomes.

Conclusion

Hirekingdom is your ultimate partner in the hiring process, offering a robust set of features tailored for both job seekers and employers. Whether you’re looking to advance your career or find the perfect candidate, Hirekingdom provides the tools and resources you need to succeed.

For Job Seekers: Explore job listings, set up personalized alerts, build professional resumes, prepare for interviews, and access career development resources.

For Employers: Post targeted job listings, streamline your hiring process with the ATS, search and filter candidates, enhance your employer brand, and use analytics to optimize your recruitment strategies.

Visit Hirekingdom today to take full advantage of these features and transform your job search or hiring process into a seamless and successful experience.

Embark on your career journey or find the ideal candidates with confidence, knowing that Hirekingdom is here to support you every step of the way. Join Hirekingdom now and discover the difference it can make!

[mykreatecube]

10 Ideas for Choosing Architects in Navi Mumbai

Selecting the right architect for your project in Navi Mumbai can be a daunting task given the city's booming construction and diverse architectural styles. Whether you’re planning a residential, commercial, or mixed-use project, finding an architect who aligns with your vision and requirements is crucial. Here are ten practical ideas to help you choose the perfect architect in Navi Mumbai.

1. Identify Your Needs and Style

Define Your Project: Clearly outline the type, scope, and budget of your project.

Visualize Your Style: Determine the architectural style you prefer by looking at magazines, online portfolios, and buildings around Navi Mumbai.

2. Leverage Online Resources

Architectural Directories: Use platforms like Houzz, Justdial, and Sulekha to find architects in Navi Mumbai.

Professional Websites: Visit architects' websites to review their portfolios and past projects.

3. Seek Recommendations

Word of Mouth: Ask friends, family, and colleagues who have undertaken similar projects for recommendations.

Professional Networks: Consult with real estate agents, builders, and interior designers for their trusted architect contacts.

4. Evaluate Portfolios

Review Past Work: Examine portfolios to assess the architects' styles, quality of work, and experience with projects similar to yours.

Visit Completed Projects: If possible, visit some of their completed projects to get a firsthand look at their work.

5. Check Credentials and Memberships

Licensing: Ensure the architect is licensed by the Council of Architecture (COA).

Professional Associations: Look for membership in professional bodies such as the Indian Institute of Architects (IIA).

6. Conduct Interviews

Initial Consultations: Arrange meetings with shortlisted architects to discuss your project and gauge their understanding and enthusiasm.

Ask Questions: Prepare questions about their design process, experience, project management style, and how they handle challenges.

7. Assess Communication Skills

Compatibility: Ensure that the architect listens to your ideas and communicates clearly.

Responsiveness: Note how promptly they respond to your queries and concerns.

8. Request Detailed Proposals

Scope and Fees: Get detailed proposals outlining the scope of work, timelines, and fee structures.

Compare Estimates: Compare proposals from different architects to understand what each offers and at what cost.

9. Check References

Client Feedback: Ask for references from previous clients and follow up with them to get insights into their experiences.

Site Visits: If possible, visit ongoing projects to see the architect’s work in progress and how they manage their sites.

10. Review Contract Thoroughly

Detailed Agreement: Ensure the contract includes all aspects of the project, such as design phases, deliverables, timelines, fees, and payment schedules.

Legal Considerations: Have a legal advisor review the contract to protect your interests.

Get in Touch with Top Architects in Navi Mumbai — https://kreatecube.com/navi-mumbai-maharashtra/architects

Conclusion

Choosing the right architect in Navi Mumbai is a critical step towards the success of your project. By following these ten ideas, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your vision and ensures a smooth and successful project execution. Whether you're building a dream home or a commercial space, Navi Mumbai offers a pool of talented architects ready to turn your vision into reality.

For more insights and to start your search for the perfect architect, explore local directories, professional associations, and consult with industry experts. Happy building!

[georgedearing]

Austin enacts sweeping reforms to cut down housing costs

By Joshua Fechter, The Texas Tribune

May 17, 2024

"Austin enacts sweeping reforms to cut down housing costs" was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.

AUSTIN — Austin will now allow single-family homes to be built on smaller lots, capping off a slate of sweeping land-use reforms intended to help ease the city’s housing affordability crisis.

The Austin City Council voted Friday to dramatically reduce the amount of land the city requires single-family homes to sit on. The vote came after a two-day hearing that included passionate and often rowdy testimony from advocates pushing for greater housing density and opponents who believe the policy will accelerate gentrification and displacement.

The council also voted to allow apartment buildings to be built closer to single-family homes and denser development along a planned light-rail line.

"Austin has an affordability crisis, and City government has been too slow and inefficient addressing it," Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said on the social media site X after the vote. "We needed to act on Austin’s needs and with real results. Today, we did that."

The move by Austin City Council members is the culmination of a yearslong push by city officials and housing advocates to tame sky-high housing costs. Austin officials have sought for much of the past decade to loosen restrictions on what kinds of housing the city allows, a bid to ease home prices and rents by allowing builders to add more supply. But they have often been stymied by homeowners and neighborhood associations opposed to allowing greater housing density.

Record high home prices and rents brought on by the Austin region’s explosive growth during the pandemic — and pressure from Texas lawmakers to address the city’s housing affordability crisis — fueled a sense of urgency among local policymakers to enact reforms and accelerated a political realignment around housing. That renewed focus has resulted in the most significant changes to what kinds of housing the city allows since the Reagan administration.

Council Member Leslie Pool shepherded the reforms under the banner of the HOME initiative — or “Home Options for Mobility and Equity.” She assembled a coalition of homebuilders, environmentalists, historic preservationists, labor unions, business groups and advocates for older adults to back the reforms.

“The status quo hasn't worked,” Pool said in an interview with The Texas Tribune. “We know this. We have to acknowledge that those pressures exist for many, many households. We can and should do more to reform our zoning code to provide relief. A more affordable, sustainable and inclusive city makes Austin a home for everyone that we all talk about wanting. That's not just for today, but it's for generations to come.”

The reform package also constitutes a major victory for a pro-development coalition of Austin housing advocates and urbanists — typically referred to as “YIMBYs,” an acronym that stands for “yes in my backyard” — who have long pushed for denser housing stock.

The group was instrumental in securing a supermajority of pro-housing City Council members during the 2022 elections. Friday’s vote was a further sign that YIMBYs and their ideas have made significant in-roads at City Hall, where groups traditionally opposed to development have long held political sway.

The Austin City Council heard testimony on reforms meant to address the city's housing affordability crisis on Thursday. Credit: Maria Crane/The Texas Tribune

“I do hope it's a permanent political shift because people suddenly feel like you can't be an entrenched neighborhood person who says ‘no’ [to zoning changes that allow more housing] and win elections in Austin, even in the most conservative districts,” said Felicity Maxwell, a local housing advocate who sits on the board of the Austin urbanist group AURA.

Whether Friday’s victory will last remains to be seen. The reforms will likely factor heavily in the November elections when six council seats, including the mayor’s, are up for grabs. Several opponents of the changes vowed to target those council members who voted for them at the ballot box.

Resistance to the reforms runs deep among some neighborhood groups, anti-gentrification activists and the city’s old guard of environmentalists, all of whom have long opposed efforts to boost Austin’s overall housing density. A group of homeowners has successfully sued to kill past attempts to overhaul the city’s land development code and allow denser housing stock, and they will likely try to reverse the latest batch of reforms.

Detractors are skeptical that the changes will do anything to relieve housing costs. However, research shows that places that allow greater housing construction have kept their home prices and rents in check.

Two City Council members, Mackenzie Kelly and Alison Alter, voted against the lot-size proposal.

Opponents also fear the changes will lead to the demolition of homes that are already affordable only to be replaced by newer, more expensive housing and accelerate the displacement of lower-income residents. Evidence suggests that allowing denser development across a city may help shield residents in those neighborhoods from displacement.

Alter said she anticipated that land speculators and “corporate investors” will be the reform’s primary beneficiaries.

“A group of people will be winners and get ahead and a group of people will be left behind,” Alter said. “I think we only need to look back at history to know that the deck remains stacked against the everyday person.”

Council member Leslie Pool listens to testimony during a city council meeting. "We have to acknowledge that those pressures exist for many, many households. We can and should do more to reform our zoning code to provide relief," she told the Tribune. Credit: Maria Crane/The Texas Tribune

Nearly 160 people registered their opposition to the lot-size change alone. Opponents held signs that read “stop the sellout” and “protect affordable housing from luxury development” and called on council members to pass measures designed to prevent lower-income residents from being displaced.

“This is modern-day redlining,” Cindi Reid, an East Austin real estate agent, told the City Council. “You are codifying displacement through code. You are colonizing every current renter and homeowner through code. You are using a machete instead of a scalpel, destroying every single neighborhood instead of really looking at ways to preserve current affordable housing while adding appropriate density.”

Proponents of the changes also showed up in force, with 137 people signing up to express their support. They argued Austin’s current code has prevented the city from building enough homes to meet demand, pricing out longtime residents and keeping young people in need of housing from gaining a foothold.

“I'm taking time out of my day to ask you: Please give us affordable housing,” Chloe Wilkinson, an AURA board member and Austin Community College student, told council members. “We need it. My peers need it. We want to live in this city. We love this city. … We want to work in this city.”

As in other parts of the country, policymakers and housing advocates in Austin have increasingly placed a good chunk of the blame for the run-up in costs on city zoning restrictions that govern what kind of housing can be built and where.

In the past, those restrictions have dictated how much land single-family homes must sit on and how many parking spots they must have, among other things. Housing advocates and experts argue those rules have made it exceptionally difficult for developers to build enough homes in Austin to meet demand as the city boomed — resulting in higher home prices and rents.

For much of the past year, Austin officials have sought to peel back some of those restrictions. In December, they voted to allow homebuilders to put up to three housing units — like duplexes and triplexes — on almost any lot in the city where single-family homes are currently allowed. As of Tuesday, builders have filed 62 applications to build homes that wouldn’t have been possible without the reform, according to City of Austin records. About 60% of them are east of Interstate 35, which historically has separated wealthier white neighborhoods on the city’s west side and neighborhoods of color on the east side.

Austin also became last year the largest U.S. city to get rid of requirements that new developments include a certain amount of parking. Those requirements, advocates and housing developers argue, effectively forced builders to provide parking spots where they may have otherwise built housing.

Hundreds of people attend the Austin City Council meeting in person and online. Credit: Maria Crane/The Texas Tribune

Austin officials on Friday reduced how much land the city requires single-family homes to sit on, a restriction known as a minimum lot size. Before the changes, Austin required single-family homes in much of the city to sit on at least 5,750 square feet of land.

Researchers have tied lot-size requirements to higher home costs. For one, large lot-size requirements incentivize builders to build larger homes on them and effectively force homebuyers to buy a certain amount of land, resulting in a bigger price tag. Larger lot sizes also reduce the total amount of land a city has to build homes upon, creating a barrier for homebuilders to erect enough housing to meet demand.

The City Council on Friday reduced the lot-size requirement to 1,800 square feet — a move officials said they hoped would benefit first-time homebuyers.

Smaller lot sizes elsewhere in Texas have been associated with lower home prices. Townhomes built in Houston after city leaders relaxed land-use restrictions to allow housing units on smaller lots had lower values than traditional single-family homes, according to research from New York University’s Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy. The median assessed value of townhouses that replaced traditional single-family homes after 2007 was $340,000 as of 2020, according to the study. Traditional single-family homes on larger lots built in that time had a median assessed value of $545,000.

Housing experts and proponents of the Austin reforms consider them a key step in solving the city’s affordability crisis, though not the only one. And they don’t expect the changes to have an immediate effect on home prices and rents. It will likely take years for homebuilders and the market to adjust to the policy and for its effects to become clear, they say.

“It's not like everything is just going to change overnight,” said Jake Wegmann, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin who authored the Furman Center study.

Lot-size requirements, along with racial redlining and private deed restrictions in the 20th century, worked to solidify patterns of racial and economic segregation in U.S. cities by effectively limiting housing access in wealthier and whiter neighborhoods, researchers have argued. Reducing lot-size requirements citywide could help alleviate those entrenched patterns in Austin, some reform advocates say — while also relieving pressure on communities of color under the current land development code by reducing development barriers in more parts of the city.

The lot-size reform also could be used to fight displacement in lower-income neighborhoods. Years ago, a city task force charged with coming up with policy ideas to fend off displacement recommended allowing existing homeowners to subdivide and sell off a portion of their land so they can remain in place.

An attendee provides testimony during an Austin City Council meeting Thursday. Credit: Maria Crane/The Texas Tribune

“We really are ensuring that we are encouraging more homeownership opportunities where it makes sense,” Council Member Vanessa Fuentes, who represents Austin’s predominantly Hispanic southeast side, told the Tribune. “We're easing the development pressures, because right now, what is happening is actively displacing and gentrifying our communities.”

Austin officials also voted to allow greater housing density along the city’s planned light-rail corridor — a part of the city’s voter-approved public transit initiative called Project Connect. Transportation experts have said public transit requires a certain amount of neighboring density to be viable. Increasing density along the corridor is also seen as a key prerequisite to obtaining federal dollars to support the rail line. The council also voted to allow developers to build even taller apartment buildings if they set aside a certain amount of units for lower-income households.

In addition, City Council members voted to loosen restrictions that limit how tall apartment buildings can rise based on how close they are to single-family homes. They also directed city staff to study the “potential impact on displacement of communities of color” resulting from looser zoning restrictions and explore countermeasures.

There are signs in the Austin area that the underlying premise behind the reforms — that boosting housing supply at least helps temper housing costs — holds water. The Austin-Round Rock region in recent years has often permitted more apartment construction than most other major metropolitan regions in the country. Now, rents are falling in the region, according to Zillow data. Home prices, too, have dropped as more houses have remained longer on the market amid high mortgage rates.

“We need more Austins around the country in order to keep housing affordable and to give young mobile workers the opportunity to move where the jobs are,” said Orphe Divounguy, a senior economist at Zillow.

Other Texas cities like Dallas, Fort Worth and El Paso are considering similar reforms to allow denser housing stock to ease their housing affordability woes. Top Texas Republicans, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dade Phelan, have shown a willingness to explore the possible benefits of curtailing cities’ zoning restrictions when state lawmakers reconvene in 2025.

Disclosure: University of Texas at Austin has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

We’ve got big things in store for you at The Texas Tribune Festival, happening Sept. 5–7 in downtown Austin. Join us for three days of big, bold conversations about politics, public policy and the day’s news.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/16/austin-lot-size-housing-affordability/.

The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.

[internationalrealestatenews]

[ad_1] Builders are holding costs and different unit particulars near the vest to lure billionaire consumers to their prime penthouses. The technique appears to be working. On the Shore Membership, an Auberge-branded luxurious condominium growth on the oceanfront in Miami Seaside, a thriller purchaser plans to spend greater than $120 million, or over $11,000 per sq. foot, for the penthouse. Witkoff and Monroe Capital are the builders. Not solely would that set a file (it isn't but a file as a result of the constructing is not accomplished) for the full worth ever paid for a condominium in Florida, however it will greater than double the earlier file, which technically does not actually matter as a result of it was $60 million for 2 items that had been by no means mixed. And it will after all blow previous the very best worth per foot ever paid within the state for a condominium — round $6,000 per foot. A small group of builders are utilizing the identical strategy because the Shore Membership group to capitalize on demand from the 1 % of consumers, insiders say. Exclusivity, privateness and secrecy drive their technique. Costs will not be launched publicly. Few renderings exist on-line. The builders will both not reply to interview requests or solely grant them to sure publications. And they're going to by no means speak about particular offers. “There's this notion of getting what isn't accessible to others,” stated Douglas Elliman Florida's CEO Jay Parker, who wouldn't touch upon particular tasks. Most ultra-high internet price individuals “would slightly purchase one thing that hasn't been marketed,” Parker stated. Luxurious dealer Oren Alexander, whose agency, Official Companions, is main gross sales and advertising and marketing at Shvo's close by Raleigh growth, stated consumers at that degree don't need their future houses plastered all around the web. I've in contrast builders' methods to how high-end jewellery homes function. One other issue at play is that many of those tasks, most of that are in a small stretch of Miami Seaside, have few items. That creates shortage, or no less than the phantasm of it. “We're being extraordinarily selective about how we launch stock,” Mast Capital developer Camilo Miguel Jr. stated. Mast is in contract to promote a penthouse on the deliberate oceanfront Perigon growth for greater than $7,600 per sq. foot, though Miguel declined to verify or touch upon the deal. I've gotten used to that. What we're desirous about: Aimco is attempting to promote a waterfront workplace tower and adjoining house constructing in Brickell for… $650 million! The properties are being marketed as a possible redevelopment alternative. Looks as if it isn't the perfect time for this. What do you assume? Ship me a be aware at kk@therealdeal.com. CLOSING TIME Residential: The property of late mattress mogul Harry Acker offered his oceanfront Highland Seaside mansion for $21.2 million. A belief named for the handle of the property at 3719 South Ocean Boulevard bought the 9,200-square-foot mansion, which has 5 bedrooms, seven bogs, two half-bathrooms, a saltwater pool and 100 ft of oceanfront. Business: Shaked 21 LLC, led by Sagi and Anat Shaked, offered the Chase Financial institution-anchored workplace constructing at 1040 Weston Highway in Weston to GT Weston Holdings LLC for $9 million. The customer is led by Samuel and Sydnee Chandy of Southwest Ranches. —Analysis by Matthew Elo NEW TO THE MARKET My Eyelab and Lasik Imaginative and prescient Institute co-founder Massimo Musa listed his waterfront property at 2325 South Ocean Boulevard in Delray Seaside for $60 million. The 23,000-square-foot Italian Renaissance-style mansion has a 13-car “lounge,” a health club, theater, library, recreation room, pool, Jacuzzi and outside lounge, in keeping with the itemizing brokerage Douglas Elliman. Senada Adzem has the itemizing. 2325 South Ocean Boulevard in Delray Seaside (Photograph through Daniel Petroni)

A factor we have discovered An adaptation of The Sims will probably be made right into a film. For those who're not acquainted, the life simulation laptop recreation permits gamers to create avatars with customizable persona traits, abilities, bodily options, clothes, jobs, objectives, households and their houses, right down to the flooring, landscaping, lighting and extra. The sport peaked in reputation within the mid 2000s, however up to date variations and enlargement packs proceed to be launched. Elsewhere in Florida Florida's drawback playing helpline noticed an uptick in calls within the month after the Seminole Tribe of Florida launched its sports activities betting app final yr. Calls elevated by one hundred pc, the Tampa Bay Occasions studies. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a brand new homelessness regulation that bans cities and counties from permitting individuals to sleep in public locations and permits municipalities to create authorities encampments if shelters are full, in keeping with Axios. The regulation permits residents, enterprise homeowners or the legal professional normal to sue an area authorities if it's not following the regulation. Following a file yr of manatee deaths in Florida, a bunch of manatee advocates (aren't all of us??) put the federal authorities on discover that they're getting ready to file a lawsuit over a delay in probably reclassifying the aquatic mammals an endangered species , CBS Information studies. “The West Indian manatee is in peril of extinction, and the (Fish and Wildlife) Service's continued delay in issuing its 12-month discovering harms the manatee's prospects for survival and restoration,” the discover stated. About 1,100 manatees died in Florida in 2021. [ad_2]

[chocolatelovingbookworm]

SKIP TO CONTENTSKIP TO SITE INDEX

Mourners Gather at Ground Zero to Remember 9/11 Victims

Relatives of those who died went to Lower Manhattan to mark the 22nd anniversary of the terrorist attack, where they were joined by governors, senators and the vice president.

Relatives of those who died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attack read their names aloud as flute music filled the air.Credit...Maansi Srivastava/The New York Times.

By Claire Fahy

Sept. 11, 2023Updated 11:11 a.m. ET

The sun was just beginning to come out on an overcast, humid morning in Lower Manhattan on Monday as the ceremony to commemorate the 22nd anniversary of the worst terrorist attack on American soil began.

Attendees of the Sept. 11 commemoration at ground zero sat on folding chairs and leaned against trees. Some wore T-shirts emblazoned with photos of their lost loved ones, while others carried posters or framed pictures. Many brought flowers and flags.

People were visibly emotional as they gathered at the place their friends and family members had died. While mournful flute music filled the air, relatives of those who died read their names aloud.

The families were joined by a number of notable politicians, including Vice President Kamala Harris; Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York; Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York; Eric Adams, New York City’s mayor; and Bill de Blasio and Michael Bloomberg, Mr. Adams’s two most immediate predecessors. Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, also made a brief appearance.

A number of notable politicians attended the ceremony, including, Bill de Blasio and Michael Bloomberg, both former mayors of New York City; Vice President Kamala Harris; and Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York.Credit...Maansi Srivastava/The New York Times

Mr. Adams, who was a police lieutenant at the time of the attacks, told CBS News in an interview that he had gone to ground zero that day, and was struck by the “eerie stillness.”

“The greatest thing about New York City in America was not what happened on 9/11, but what happened on 9/12,” he said. “We got up, teachers taught, builders built and we continued to show that we were not going to bend or break.”

Betty Espinoza attended the ceremony with her sister and two friends. They sat by the South Pool and listened to the names being read from a loudspeaker hung on a nearby tree. Ms. Espinoza’s husband, Otto Espinoza, died from cancer in 2015 after being assigned to search and rescue teams at ground zero.

The first few years attending the ceremony were very sad, Ms. Espinoza said, but in recent years she has tried to become more accepting of what happened.

“I always remember him, I always think about him,” Ms. Espinoza said. “But this is the life I have to live now.”

This year’s anniversary came just three days after Mr. Adams and the city’s chief medical examiner announced the identification of two additional victims of the attacks, the 1,648th and 1,649th people to be identified. The two new identifications join a list of 60 others who were identified in recent years from remains recovered from ground zero.

“More than 20 years after the disaster, these two new identifications continue to fulfill a solemn pledge,” said Dr. Jason Graham, the medical examiner. “Faced with the largest and most complex forensic investigation in the history of our country, we stand undaunted in our mission to use the latest advances in science to serve this promise.”

The names of the victims — one man and one woman — were withheld because of their families’ wishes. More than 1,100 people — around 40 percent of those who died — remain unidentified, according to the mayor’s office.

[mark-matos]

🚀💥Title: Robots are Stealing our Jobs... Literally! They're the Interviewers Now! 🤖🎤💥🚀

🕹️🎩 Hello, Job-Seeker, I am Bot-Recruiter 3000. Prepare to be Assessed!🕹️🎩

Imagine walking into your next job interview, all prepped up to face Tony Stark but instead, you're met with Ultron! 😱 Sounds straight out of a sci-fi movie, doesn't it? But, hold onto your Sonic Screwdrivers because by 2024, 43% of companies plan on letting the robots play the bad cop during hiring interviews. Some brave pioneers have already invited the Matrix into the room! 🚀👽

🤖💼I, for One, Welcome our New Resume-writing Overlords🤖💼

Remember when ChatGPT and other AI chatbots were just our cute little helpers for creating killer cover letters and resumes? They’re like C-3PO but on career steroids. ⚡️⭐️ Now, nearly half of job hunters are employing their own personal Jarvis for crafting their job applications. Survey says - 46% of them! And, here's the kicker: 78% of these tech-savvy go-getters reported higher responses from companies. Looks like the force is strong with AI-crafted applications! 🚀✍️

👔💼The Robots are Coming... for your Jobs!👔💼

According to Stacie Haller, Chief Career Advisor at Resume Builder, our corporate gatekeepers, aka recruiters, are warming up to these AI-spun applications. You'd think they'd feel like Sarah Connor with all the Terminators around, but it seems they're more like Dr. Strange, embracing the weird and wonderful world of AI! The implication? Brace yourselves, because the AI interviewers are coming! By 2024, up to 40% of recruiters will be bots and 15% of all hiring decisions will be entirely AI-based. That's right - Skynet is becoming self-aware! 🤯👾

🎬🎥And... Action! Starring: You and AI🎬🎥

How do these AI interviews work, you ask? Well, think of it like being on a Star Trek holodeck: Text-based questions, video interactions, the works! AI even gets to play Sherlock Holmes, assessing your responses and evaluating a pool of candidates, all trained on a library of qualifications. It's like having HAL 9000 from "2001: A Space Odyssey" minus the homicidal tendencies... we hope. 🚀👁️

But here's the downside - AI interviews can feel as warm as a conversation with a Dalek. So, job-seekers, buckle up and practice! Pretend you're engaging with a human (or at least a lovable droid like R2-D2) and give it your best shot. May the odds (and the job offers) be ever in your favor! 🏹💼

[slandscaping12]

Landscaping Contractors for Your Island Landscaping Project

Landscaping Contractors Sacramento are specialists in bringing outdoor beauty to your home, garden, business, school, hospital, office, mall, church, or playground. Their work requires various specialized skills, including carpentry, irrigation, landscaping design, and horticultural knowledge. Contractors usually start as part-time employees working for an established landscaping company. Gradually gaining further qualifications as they gain experience and expertise, they may eventually become full-time employees. 

Landscaping contractors also provide private residences, such as gardens, driveways, and lawns. Some specialize in on-site work such as trees and flower planting. Some offer complete residential landscape designs, and others build temporary structures for specific purposes. These include garden ponds, island landscape design, and indoor and outdoor water features.

Many landscaping contractors build decks, porches, decks, pools, sports pitches, and simple decks. Some build luxurious homes, such as villas and farmhouses. They also cater to the needs of small-sized families and individuals. A landscaper's business is generally flexible, and there is usually no set work schedule. Landscaping can be carried out at different times of the year.

Several landscaping contractors are specialist landscape designers. These companies can build or restore gardens and landscapes, including a golf course, public place, beach, park, village, park, traditional street, or residential area. Many of these companies also do maintenance work and garden rearrangements. When it comes to landscape design, the landscape design company will create a plan and design drawings and oversee the entire project from conception to completion.

Several landscaping contractors also undertake renovation and extension work. Some can turn an ordinary house into a resort or apartment, making use of unique landscaping ideas. These contractors work with different people, including architects, designers, builders, and homeowners. They can provide custom landscape designs using natural materials and sustainable ones for buildings, gardens, residential and commercial property.

One of the most popular types of landscaping work is landscape maintenance. This involves mowing, trimming, fertilizing, and weeding, depending on the type of card you have. The landscaping contractor can give you advice on the best materials and methods for maintaining your yard. Most of these companies will carry out the entire job of yard care contracts, from initial surveys to periodic re-surveys. Landscape maintenance usually includes mowing lawns, installing flower beds, mulching, weed control, snow removal, etc.

Landscaping contract jobs usually last several years. The landscaping contractor can create a contractual agreement that allows for annual reworks, such as planting trees. Such contracts can also be renewed if necessary. Most landscape contractors work to complete their landscaping contracts in a reasonable amount of time, but some will take longer. For this reason, it is essential to work with a reliable landscaping contractor who can complete landscaping projects on time.

Choosing the right landscaping company can be one of the best ways to get a good deal. For this reason, it pays to shop around to find the best deals. By comparing several contractors and asking for referrals, you can get a general idea of what each one offers. Before hiring any landscape contractor, make sure to check references and find out everything you can about their experience, service, reputation, and lawn care requirements.

Once you've found a handful of prospective landscaping contractors, the next step is to meet them in person. It's imperative to have a face-to-face meeting with each prospective contractor to discuss details and prices. This will help ensure that you are making the best decision regarding your landscaping contract. After all, the cheapest landscaping services aren't always the best. A comprehensive pre-interview will give you a better sense of what each landscaping contractor has to offer.

Make sure that you fully understand the total cost of the landscaping services, including installation costs. Landscape contractors usually include setup fees, which can vary significantly depending on the size and complexity of the project. Always contact the companies you're considering to discuss the costs upfront. Don't assume that the price you're quoted is the same because you may have to bear other fees, which are not mentioned in the quote.

Lastly, it's crucial to select the ideal landscape contractor for your project. The type of project, location, and budget are the most important things you need to consider. Look at pictures of the projects they've completed in the past. Ask about the quality of the work and the experience of the employees. By keeping all these things in mind, you'll be able to choose a good landscape contractor for your island landscaping work.

[kimzplace]

Home of the Week: Country Superstar Kenny Chesney Lists His 56-Acre ‘Tennessee Tuscan’ Estate for $14 Million

By Howard Walker1d

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3eeRIB_0biSLruU00

With one of his biggest hits entitled “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy”, and with his Franklin, Tennessee , estate sprawling over 56 acres, you would expect country music legend Kenny Chesney to know a thing or two about tractors. In fact, in a recent interview, the six-time Academy of Country Music Award winner and four-time Entertainer of the Year admitted to owning not one, but two.

Just don’t expect to find them on his recently listed property.

“I think he liked his tractors so much that he took them with him,” explains realtor Laura Stroud of Nashville -based French King Fine Properties, who together with colleague Lisa Wilson holds t he listing for Mr. Chesney’s spectacular Nashville-area home.

Chesney, 53, bought the Tuscan-style villa as a spec build back in 2009 for a reported $9.25 million. Called Bella Luce, Italian for “beautiful light”, it was designed by local Nashville architect Brad Norris, who was given free rein by builder Jimmy Franks of Old South Construction to use some of the most authentic materials available.

For the exterior walls, he specified 150-year-old brick and carved stone, along with Santa Fe clay barrel tiles for the multitude of roofs. Inside, it’s all rich, reclaimed walnut floors, hand-carved Mesquite -wood doors and massive cedar and Douglas fir exposed wood beams.

“What makes my heart sing are the exquisite Venetian plaster walls throughout the entire house,” says Stroud. “It involves a remarkably time-consuming, and expensive, process where several layers of plaster are hand-troweled and then given a wax finish to produce this beautiful luster and sheen.”

Naturally, for such a high-profile artist like Chesney, the original appeal of the property was no doubt its security and privacy. Imposing gates off Franklin’s Lake Valley Drive open to a half-mile-long driveway leading to the tree-shrouded home’s stunning, brick-paved circular motor court.

When Chesney bought the estate it included more than 30 acres of land but, according to Stroud, over the years the singer quietly acquired additional plots for added privacy, as well investment. “If a buyer wanted to, there are parcels that could be developed and sold off while still keeping the property as a very sizable estate,” she says.

Talking of size, the home comes with over 12,000 square feet of living space spread over four, elevator-connected floors. The main ground floor includes a spectacular reception room with soaring beamed ceilings, giant wrought iron chandeliers and two 25-foot-high limestone fireplaces, one at each end of the room. An archway leads into the home’s cavernous yet cozy kitchen/dining room/family space with its huge center marble-topped island, professional-grade appliances and stone fireplace.

This ground floor level also includes the stylish master suite with huge wooden beams, vaulted ceiling and Romanesque stone pillars. Here, you’ll also find a sitting area, dressing room and French doors that open on to a private patio.

A wood and hand-painted tile staircase leads up to the second floor with three more ensuite bedrooms, each with its own balcony overlooking the grounds. One more elevator ride upwards takes you to a whimsical lookout tower offering 360-degree views all the way to Music City in the distance.

The cavernous 2,538-square-foot basement area was outfitted by Chesney—often referred to as “the fittest man in country music”—as a state-of-the-art gym. Other stand-out features of the main house include a movie theater with oversized leather recliners, a billiards room and an elegant office with built-ins and arched glass doors leading out on to covered terraces.

In total, the home boasts over 3,000 square-feet of covered terraces and walkways, an infinity-edged saltwater pool with a waterfall feature, and a covered outdoor kitchen. “The outdoor spaces are truly exceptional,” explains Wilson. “Because the home sits on a hilltop, the views across the meadows to the large pond are spectacular. There is a real feeling of peace and serenity here.”

One major addition Chesney made to the home was building a detached four-car stone garage in addition to the existing attached six-car garage. He also added two 500-gallon fuel storage tanks—one for diesel for those tractors, the other for gas for the singer’s car collection.

[drugs-and-deadlines]

she & her

You are haunted by the manic female NYC writer trope. Not a trope, really, because that feels like a reduction of her wiles, her slipperiness, her popularity, her perseverance, and her sex. It is a certain kind of ghost, progressive and beguiling, her kink as boundary pushing as the prose lifting up her personal narrative. She sculpts meaning-making out of every lived moment in her life, but most especially the young ones, because those are more thrilling for her audience, wherein she oscillated from a teetering cocktail of stimulants and alcohol, between egotist self-aggrandizing and pure self-flagellation. 

You know exactly who she is, because her definition and her very body is composed of the resistance to definition, most especially the questions and expectations of femininity. She is by turns lithe, waifish, possibly sick; by turns defying categorization with a smirk and a firm muscular body; by turns unafraid of her fatness in brain and body to take up space. When she generally speaks of her body, it is to make a philosophical point about the world at large and the place of female-bodied people in it; she skewers her feelings about her own corporal form with analysis. You know her because you have flirted with her in a literal sense, but also a figurative one -- you have let your body, fashion, and being explore each of the categories but none of them ever stuck. And a big part of you has feared why that is -- perhaps you don’t know yourself, perhaps your indecisiveness outstrips your ambition, a thoroughly un-manic trait. Perhaps, most horrifyingly, you fall too cleanly into a Freudian ball of neuroses to allow yourself to ever be you and thus will always be chasing the best way to present yourself. And meanwhile, while you’re asking yourself all these questions, she is writing.

She is not just writing. She is staying up late, refining the same sentence with rigor, stripping it further down to its essentials while you stare up at the ceiling, wondering at the opportunities you’ve missed. She is a ghost because she is able to slip through all the cracks of the house that is your life. She creates a mythos of every doorway she’s passed through. Even in her floundering, even in her telling of her own failures, there is a sort of certitude that each bumbling embarrassment served the narrative purpose of bringing her right to this moment: a moment of fame, of byline, of acknowledged brimming talent. 

If you had little money or privilege growing up, she had all of it, spending summers on a family boat in Greek waters, inviting friends from your liberal arts college to come along and therefore fall in love with her for years. She deliberately chose not to apply to the Ivies because she wanted a less conventional path; you chose not to apply because you never thought you could get in. She ends up dating the women from your past and you watch the thirst traps and inside jokes filter their way through Instagram and Twitter, a life you might have lived but weren’t brave enough or wealthy enough to attract. You cannot offer anyone a good time consistently because it exhausts you along with the other trappings of the class you were born into. You eventually grow out of resenting that which you never had, but the injustice of how the rich always have extra time still stings. Time seems to be everything a writer needs. 

If you did grow up with privilege or money, the ghost shapeshifts. She worked her way through undergrad as a server, or possibly a dominatrix or a stripper, a woman aware of the power of her own body and the ability to turn society’s preying into a currency she could use. She is always embodied, all her couplings and couplets enviable because of the bravery that surrounds them. When she is tired in her classes the next morning, it is only because she worked a double the night before. Her voice still leads your class’s intellectual thought, she openly confesses that she fell asleep in her work uniform with Plato’s Republic two pages away from the end of the reading assignment sometime around 2am. She does this in your 8am class. You’d hope to catch her for lunch, but she always has work to do, is always begging off invitations, and you hope desperately that it’s true and not because you’re not cool enough. And on the weekends, she always seems to have friends from work and beyond inviting her out. They have nothing to do with your age group or with the school you both attend. She is rapacious in her discipline but still somehow has time to try all the drugs you haven’t tried and are too afraid to. How is she so unafraid? Her fortitude and coolness with hard work is a currency too, making up for all the things she didn’t grow up with. Every privilege you’ve ever had only seems to undercut your sense of whether you earned anything. She is raw, willing to say the first absurd thing that comes in her head. Her poetry takes risks yours cannot. 

And you are pissed. Because regardless of where you come from, you are confronted with all these Instagram realities (that only make larger the actual realities), which is mostly that the rules are still the same. You avoided trying to be a cool girl as a child and a teenager because you knew you could not accomplish it, and so you strove to satisfy yourself with being an intellectual. You decided to give up on being an actor or a singer or a dancer and plunge yourself into letters because you thought it would be a refuge from constant performance. Constant performance required constant realigning to the changing modes of cool, and so you thought writing would suit you better. How wrong you were. 

Writing in itself is a more complete performance: if you are serious about it, you must be an intellectual builder of words in every moment of self-narrative, whether spoken, written, or posted. You listen to tales of “dressing for the muse” and showing up at the writing desk at 6am. You also listen to tales of complete slobbishness, writing on the floor with crayons, unafraid to make mistakes while creating in underwear and a tank top. Sex and danger, especially when both can be intertwined, are palpable in every sentence and interaction the manic girl has. It is part of her attraction. No knows if she’s going to want to fuck or fight, or, best of all, floatingly let you know she thinks you are full of your own light. The latter ideal scenario happens right before she leaves you to stride home, empowered enough to tromp through the late night New York City streetlamps dappling through the trees, deciding to walk with your now ever-aggrandizing thoughts rather than take the MTA. She is most thrilling when she leaves you wanting more, which is always. Your thoughts ping around your head with a velocity borrowed from her own. 

Once home, you look up all the writers she mentioned and see them all connected by several nodes: one MFA program or a particular residency, publishing house, or theater company. You become determined that this node is the epicenter, which will be true for a time until you’ve penetrated it and find another node of hot writers beyond your reach. 

There are always conversations happening without you. There are always people fucking without you. There will always have been a better time to be in New York, some time well before you were here, when it would’ve been easy to meet these intellectuals and be friends with them and the real estate was cheaper therefore making the creation of art and myth more accessible. You will always have missed the boat by five years or more, something you curse your age or attachment to another city before this one for. They took time away from the pulsing magnetism of your true love for this city, and you resent that, because now you are less attractive, less energetic, less manic than you were when you were younger. You cannot stay out for so long without chemical dependence & when you do, you bemoan that you should’ve been writing. But when you stay home to write, you invariably miss the moment when you would’ve met the right person who would’ve fallen in love with you & asked to read you.

You alternate with being obsessed with her, wanting in some way to possess her as a friend or ally or lover, to actually being possessed by her. The need to write what you know are brilliant fucking things infecting every moment -- prose pooling into an appetizing puddle at the bar, waiting for you to mop it up, poetry lingering on the steering wheel, electrifying your hands when you touch it to go go go go go fly to paper, even in those moments when you are fully possessed by her and become her, it is not enough, there is a time when you were more brilliant, more boundary pushing, more consumed by the manic need for a narrative that you simultaneously sculpted in your own life and committed opulently to paper. The poetry monster is always hungry. There is always a better-worded performance of the myth of your own making and you begin practicing by interviewing yourself. The graphomania can always, always, always increase its acceleration. But better that than a pandemic-inspired staring at the ceiling, this moment when you are certain you missed your chance and it will never come again, that there will never be a doing coke in the Village with some rich folks you barely know, the bumps wrapping you in cynicism and excitement for your new friend group all at once. No, in your pandemic reality, and perhaps before, clout is only gained via social media and you seem to be especially bad at that. The manic NYC female writer is better at it. She is genderbending her own performance of herself, twisting her depression and isolation somewhere in Connecticut or New Hampshire or her Manhattan fire escape as something to be envied.

How, you wonder, how how how how how

And then it becomes obvious

Her performance of self is nimble like white supremacy, resilient like the virus itself, always finding a new way to shapeshift her experience into something artful. You should be using this moment, because she certainly is. Because what the manic NYC female writer has is an obsession and possession of talent, a haunting that allows her to keep working at the problem into the late hours, when hers is the only light left on. And then there are moments when she obsesses instead of possesses, moments when the light is off but she is still awake, questioning this ceiling, her choices, and the fact that she’s chosen a stable partner beside her in bed instead of an ever-shifting existence that allows for new narratives to come in. She questions her life with the same rigor she does her stories, every choice that does not suit the performance and pursuit of her potential.

And, to that end, all of her/your characters become you/her or are versions of you/her -- and that is the only constant. The feedback she/you get(s) in workshops is that your/her main characters are too similar and that is precisely the point -- you are her and she is you and you both see one another on every street corner and every passage, only a few centimeters to the left in an alternate universe. The Quantumness of it all exhausts you and haunts the many yearning yous, the whole network of them, so overwhelming that then you must return to the facts of your autobiography to find stable ground before your own architecting of your autobiography shifts it again.

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

Moon sells Crawford Farms ranch in Texas in 1999 for a loss of $1.6 million. It was hardly used during 7 years.

▲ Crawford Farms

▲ Crawford Farms

Rev. Moon to auction off Texas ranch

San Antonio Express-News    April 25, 1999 By David Hendricks

One of Texas’ more opulent ranches – Crawford Farms – is on the auction block again. The seller this time is the Rev. Sun Myung Moon of the Unification Church.

Near Carrizo Springs, 90 miles southwest of San Antonio, the ranch was auctioned for $8.1 million seven years ago after the original owner, entrepreneur Don Crawford, poured as much as $30 million into it during the early 1980s.

The winning bidder in 1992 was the Han Corp., a New York-based business that is part of Moon's global business empire. Han Corp. also owns a multimillion-dollar equestrian center in New Jersey.

▲ New Hope Farms, New Jersey. This may now have been sold.

______________________________

The National Auction Group of Gadsden, Ala., will auction the 3,029-acre Crawford Farms estate on May 4 on a no-minimum basis.

“They want someone in Texas to own the ranch,” said William Bone, president of the National Auction Group. “The Rev. Moon said they don’t use it much anymore.”

The South Texas ranch had been used mainly as a family retreat during the past seven years. At times, Moon’s business associates were invited to stay there, Bone said.

Moon visited the ranch about five times, but his children and grandchildren visited more often.

“The ranch was never a haven for a bunch of Moonies,” Bone added. “The Rev. Moon enjoyed his visits. He loved it. They went down there and rode horses. One day he whispered in the ear of his son-in-law, James Park, ‘We ought to sell it. We don’t use it anymore.’

“The Rev. Moon has no concern over price,” said Bone, who was the auctioneer for the 1992 event.

“They said they want to have a big Texas party at the auction, like a big going-away party, just like Crawford did” in 1992, Bone said. “They even want to hire the same mariachi band.”

The 1992 auction was patterned after Crawford’s legendary parties at the ranch, including catered food, champagne and cocktails. When the gavel closed after five minutes of bidding in 1992, Crawford quickly approached Park, who had placed the winning bid, and gave him a hug. ...

“According to the neighbors [of Crawford Farms], the [Moons] never used it for anything. It’s a strange deal,” he said. ...

▲ Crawford Farms is a country estate on 3,000 acres near Carrizo Springs, 115 miles south of San Antonio, Texas. A procession of pecan trees lines the road to the 24,000 square-foot Spanish-style main residence. Nine separate guest houses provide accommodations for up to seventy-five visitors or members of staff. Crawford Farm’s 65,000 square-foot arena, used for indoor training and entertaining, includes grandstands, offices, an electronic scoreboard, forty-one horse stalls, and a “Cantina” with a forty-two foot long bar. The estate also includes fountains, a resort-style swimming pool, a twelve-hundred acre wild game preserve, and a lake and ponds stocked with bass and catfish.

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Crawford Ranch brings $6.5 million

San Antonio Express-News    May 10, 1999 By David Hendricks

Carrizo Springs, Texas – A Houston hospital executive last week agreed to pay $6.5 million for one of the most opulent ranches in Texas, acquiring the sprawling South Texas property from a company owned by the Rev. Sun Myung Moon.

The bidding lasted only seven minutes, with Charles Veldekens of Houston topping Gil Hodges of San Antonio, who bid $6.05 million for Crawford Farms.

The seller of the 3,029-acre ranch outside Carrizo Springs was the New York-based C.F. Han Corp., owned by Moon, who is also leader of the Unification Church.

The Han Corp. bought the trophy ranch in 1992 for $8.1 million when it was auctioned by the original owner and builder, Don Crawford. Crawford spent as much as $32 million to develop the property in the early 1980s.

Over the past seven years, the Han Corp. had financed the property through Crawford, who held a first-position lien. About $4 million remained as a balance.

Moon was not present at the auction, but his son-in-law, businessman James Park, was. He declined to be interviewed.

National Auction Group President William Bone said the property was used by Moon, his children and grandchildren as a horseback-riding retreat. ...

The auction attracted 18 bidders, six more than the 1992 auction, when Moon’s company bought it. The ranch attracted attention because of its football field-sized, Spanish-style main home; its large horse-show barn/arena with a saloon; numerous guest homes; bass lakes and other amenities.

The auction was held in the cavernous den of the main home. Bidding started at $4 million.

The final sales price in the contract will be $6.5 million, with the auction company getting a 7.5-percent sales fee. The sale is expected to close by June 3.

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Further details available here:

https://www.sothebysrealty.com/eng/sales/detail/180-l-874-6kk3q9/3-015-acres-dimmit-county-carrizo-springs-tx-78834#

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In 2001 Sun Myung Moon put in a bid to run the Maronas Racetrack located near Montevideo in Uruguay. At that time it had been closed for three years.

▲ Maronas Racetrack (Hipódromo de Maroñas)

See: Sun Myung Moon wanted to be Lord of 500 slot machines in Uruguay.

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▲ New Hope Farms International Equestrian Park

New Hope Farms International Equestrian Park

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Official: “UTS Barrytown to be Sold” Hugh Spurgin

Chicago mansion owned by UC/FFWPU from 1975 was sold by them in May 2016

Unconfirmed reports of numerous properties being sold: Jacob House, Tiffany Building on 5th Avenue, etc.

Rev Kim purchases a nice house in Seattle – paid for by the local members, and Rev Lee purchases one which he later sells for $450,000.

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Washington, DC, Church congregation to leave the building by June 1, 2018

The congregation of the Washington, DC Church on Columbia Road has been asked to remove itself from the building by June 1st. According to the letter from Rev. Richard Buessing, there are a multitude of safety issues.

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Hak Ja Han’s unused Geomun Island Palace

Geomun Island is situated between Yeosu on the mainland and Jeju Island.

[glblctzn]

Pope Francis says building walls won’t fix the global migration crisis – and criticized leaders who are calling for them. "Builders of walls, be they made of razor wire or bricks, will end up becoming prisoners of the walls they build," the pope said in an interview Sunday. 

(📷: Andreas Solaro/Pool Photo/AP)⁣ 

[writingspeakingxyz]

Writing Resources You NEED to Know About

Many aspiring authors spend hours and hours, alone behind their computers tap, tap, tapping away. Then those hours turn into months, and of course, the months slip into years. This is admirable. If I’m confident of anything, it’s that to be an author you have to be willing to spend hours of your life equivalent to entire years out of your life slaving away writing. I’m just for sure that you need to read at least just as much. One thing that gets unfortunately overlooked by many is that you also have to be willing to leave your books and your computer behind sometimes. To engage others. Not that you can’t be an introvert. Thousands of widely regarded successful authors were introverts. That’s is because in some way or another they were able to overcome, albeit sometimes only briefly, their restrictions and step outside of their comfort zones. That’s because while writing can take many forms; journaling, hobbies writing, personal letter writing. Authorship is a profession, and that means that it falls within a business structure. No matter how sincerely you believe that Jack Kerouac went from nothing to a fantastic book within two weeks of boozing (which FYI, in reality, he didn’t). If you want to move books from shelves, you will need to approach the task earnestly. With a humble attitude that is open to working with others. The business of writing, designing, editing, publishing, marketing, and selling your books requires a multitude of strangers. Regardless of whether you have a small budget, or you’re JK Rowling. In fact, the small your budget, the approach is better suited to involving a large number of people each with small, potentially volunteer style task. For instance, having friends complete a narrative edit before giving it to a professional editor, to reduce the amount of paid time the editor has to spend on the manuscript. For your first book, I highly suggest having a strong group of people who can offer various products, services, and insights to help you stay focused, motivated, and up-to-speed on the ever-changing self-publishing landscape. Being a successful author requires a lot more than just writing a great book. You have to get into the weeds, be willing to change out of your writer’s cap and into a variety of other hats depending on where you are in the process. You may not have the skills or willingness to tackle everything with your own two hands, and that’s why it’s so important to develop your own file of go-to resources along the way. Here are 30 more resources to tap into along the way! While this list is mostly self-publishing focused, if you’re going the traditional publishing route, you should still have a rigorous shift through them to make sure you are familiar with what is out there. Useful Blogs and Sites 1. The Write Life This workhorse blog is a one-stop-shop offering all you need to figure out how to work with clients, navigate the changing landscape of publishing, learn the ins and outs of social media, grow a following for your blog and find a community that will support you along the way. You’ll always find something useful for your book business here. Try not to get lost in the rabbit hole though. There is so much helpful information here I try to time my visits to make sure I’m not eating into my writing time! 2. Kindlepreneur If you want to dig deep into the goulash of marketing your books, Dave Chesson of Kindlepreneur is your man. His strategies are groundbreaking. Every successful author has to wear many hats, and Dave shares his years of marketing experience and success to show you how to promote the heck out of your books. 3. The Book Designer Joel Friedlander, the creator of The Book Designer, says “Writers change the world one reader at a time. But you can’t change the world with a book that’s still on your hard drive or in a box under your bed.” This embodies the Community Writer mentality. Joel gives you everything you need to get your book out of the box with a variety of self-publishing guides, advice, templates, and toolkits. With his experience in book design and advertising, Joel has the creds to help you produce and sell a great-looking book. 4. The Creative Penn The Creative Penn is run by Joanna Penn, who has been wildly successful with fiction and nonfiction. In her blog and podcast, she covers every aspect of what it takes to start and run a successful author business. She also has a grab bag of books on various self-publishing topics if you can’t get enough on her blog. 5. Jane Friedman’s website Jane has more than 20 years of experience in the book and magazine publishing industry, with expertise in digital media and the future of authorship. Her site is full of actionable content and detailed strategies for the aspiring author from someone who’s been there and done that many times over. Podcasts Worth Your Time 6. Podcast – Neuralle (Uncommon) Please forgive the shameless self-promotion here, but aside from the fact that I will be most likely appearing on this podcast at some point, Neuralle is a fantastic self-development podcast and in my humble opinion a must for any aspiring author or entrepreneur. Past guests have included Venture Capitalists, Entrepreneurs, Chefs, Restaurant Owners, Body Builders, Strength Coaches, Activists, Winemakers, Filmmakers and many, many more. 7. Tim Ferris Podcast This show is the first publishing-related podcast that I followed, and it’s still an all-time favourite. It’s hosted by Tim Ferris an American best-selling author, entrepreneur, self-proclaimed “human guinea pig”, and public speaker. 8. Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing Every green writer should bookmark this podcast. With helpful and insightful tips on grammar and storytelling, Mignon Fogarty’s podcast is sure to help you improve your narrative and technical writing skills. 9. The Writer Files Hosted by Kelton Reid, The Writer Files is a long-running podcast that delves deep into habits and habitats of famed writers. Reid interviews writers from a broad spectrum, giving each listener a chance to see into the mind of an accomplished wordsmith within their genre or interest. Forums 10. Neil Gaiman Board Neil Gaiman’s Official Message Board. Enough said. 11. Goodreads Groups Goodreads is the mega-site (with over 20 million members) for authors and readers. They have more specific groups than you can count, and if you can’t find an answer or inspiration here, then it doesn’t exist. You might feel a bit overwhelmed, but here’s a smart article on using Goodreads to support your author business. 12. Scribophile There are tons of writing forums out there to choose from, so I suggest you have a play with a few of them. This one works a bit differently which is why I like it though. Scribophile provides detailed and helpful critiques from a member exchange. The analyses you’ll get are so much more than just a pat on the back – you’ll get actionable ways to improve your writing. Writing Tools 13. Scrivener Scrivener is a powerful writing tool for authors that allows you to concentrate on composing and structuring your documents. Get a free 30-day trial and watch some brief YouTube tutorials to get acquainted with the system quickly. 14. Grammarly This proofreading application is an improved version of your standard spellchecking program. Just copy and paste blocks of text into Grammarly, and it will check your writing for common mistakes. The reason it’s better than most spellcheckers is that it provides useful feedback that will improve the overall quality of your book. You will learn a lot very quickly by taking heed of the side bar suggestions and explanations. 15. Hemingway Editor Excellent writing is quite often straightforward writing, and Hemingway was the master at that. Whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, your narrative should get to the point with simple language. With the Hemingway software, you will learn how to simplify your writing. Book Publishing and Freelance Help 16. Archangel Ink Archangel Ink is a one-stop solution for getting your book ready to publish. Archangel offers a range of services to help you with cover design, editing, formatting, audiobook production and much more. I feel that if you haven’t published before you learn a lot by manually going through the process of completing your manuscript via Scrivner, finding editors/cover creators via say Reedsy/Freelancer and then uploading it to KDP/Createspace. However it can be frustrating, so I completely understand throwing down some cash and handing of some or all of this to someone else. I’m currently considering using Archangel Ink to produce and audiobook for me. 17. 99 Designs This is a service where you post a design project, like your book cover, and dozens of freelancers submit mock-up examples. You then select finalists based on the submissions and choose the winner to work with you to create a finalised version. 99Designs can be pricey, but it’s a great option if you want a professional cover design for your book. 18. Grammarly I won’t rant on this too much as already do that frequently enough if you don’t have the free version of this you need to get it now. What some of you might not know, is that via the paid version they have an option to connect you with a professional proof reader. I haven’t used this before but considering the calibre of everything else they do I think it’s worth investigating. 19. Freelancer One the most significant websites for hiring freelance talent. If you want to find the largest pool of people, then this is a great place to look. The app makes chatting with prospective freelancers seamless so you can manage your project and selection of the perfect candidate on the go. 20. Reedsy Reedsy offers a boutique experience in editing and cover design. Most freelancers here have worked in the publishing industry, so they have a thorough understanding of what will work for your books. But you should also expect to pay more for the freelancers you find here. If you’re going the self-publishing route within fiction, a professional editor is a must, an absolute necessity, seriously. Reedsy is a great way to find one, with almost every budget available. If you can’t afford the lower tier, I suggest saving your pennies or going the traditional publishing route, where a publisher will provide you a professional editor to work with. Getting Feedback 21. Survey Monkey Is an easy to use survey builder; ask multiple choice questions and get demographic information about your audiences, like age, sex, or occupation. You can use it for your current email list, or post a survey with a lead magnet somewhere your target audience will see it (forums, pay-per-click ad etc.) 22. PickFu PickFu allows authors to get instant feedback on your book before you publish using audience polls. This is a more advanced option for those who already have income streams, again I don’t suggest paying for a resource unless you’ve used a free version and had equitable success with it. Email Marketing 23. AWeber With a drag and drop email builder, unlimited image storage and an easy to use interface, AWeber is a great option to manage your email marketing communication. 24. MailChimp MailChimp offers 12,000 emails to 2,000 subscribers – free. That’s what MailChimp can do for you. A great email marketing resource if you’re just getting started. MailChimp is easy to set up, easy to manage and offers an easy to scale pricing plan as your list grows. As the Wix email option ‘Shoutout’ has a capped number of emails you can send but an exportable email list. You can use MailChimp to send additional emails if you are pushing the boundaries of the free Wix option. 25. Constant Contact You can’t call yourself constant contact and then not be available to your customers. And that’s just what makes this email automation company shine. They offer round the clock support 7 days a week. They also offer 60-day FREE trial. 26. SpyFU Search for any domain and see every place they’ve shown up on Google: every keyword they’ve bought on AdWords, every organic rank, and every ad variation in the last 11 years. This combined with Wix’s seamless SEO makes key words unbelievably easy. You don’t need to have some ten years long. Learn how to connect with these domains, too. Find online and traditional leads methods — social media, email, phone, and address — you can’t find anywhere else. So you can look at other authors within your niche and find out exactly where readers are going to find them. Staying Organized 27. Google Keep Keep is an excellent organisation tool. It stores every idea, research plan and content structure. Which can quickly be dumped into Scrivner later. 28. Evernote Another option this is with a few more features is Evernote, you can save snippets of content you find online and go back to all of it in a searchable, taggable easy to find notebooks on Evernote. It also connects to my Google Home via IFTTT which frustratingly Google Keep doesn’t seem to, so I can handsfree keep notes easily. 29. Google Drive Accessible from anywhere with internet, Google Drive is a great collaborative tool for teams to use when you’re working with content, files, or images in tandem. Google Sheets and Google Docs makes group work seamless, and all work can easily be shared with hyperlinks. 30. Tomato Timer The Pomodoro Technique is a time management strategy preferred by many authors. It’s not always easy to keep track of the non-writing tasks related to your book projects. With Brain Focus Productivity Timer, an excel sheet (or just pen and paper) and Scrivner’s session tracking you can keep motivated with tangible evidence of how hard you’re working. Not only time associated with the project. Team Viz is another excellent paid alternative to this method, and you can’t forget the simple Tomato Timer (tomato-timer.com) 31. Slack It’s like super chat. Instant communication. Instant file transfer. Indexed and Searchable. It is fantastic for collaboration if you have a specific project you are working on. Again, use wisely, if you are co-authoring for example. Not if you’re just working with a freelancer for a short time, instead use the platform’s chat for content protection! 32. Lander App You can learn more about A/B testing here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A/B_testing I have experimented with A/B testing in the past but didn’t feel that it was hugely beneficial. I think that you have to have a relatively sophisticated reason to use A/B testing. Potentially I’ll use this for a book launch with a landing page in the future. Of those that I experimented with, I found Lander App to be the most straightforward to use. Again, if you don’t know what A/B testing doesn’t worry, you don’t need to! Don’t jump to trying to use A/B testing, focus instead on the following: – Mailing list Opt-in rate – You unique visitor Site traffic – Total engagement (comments, email responses) / Book Sales For the third point there, you concentrate on engagement if you haven’t released your first book yet! Website Hosting 33. Freenom – A Name for Everyone One of my favourite hosting companies, if you’re just starting out, I don’t suggest spending any money on anything if you can avoid it. This is perfect for this, as instead of choosing a.com or a.net you can get a free domain and easily swap with redirection later once you’re profitable. Personally, I use Wix for all website things, but this is an excellent option if you’re just starting out. 34. WP Engine WP Engine is a hosting company that provides managed WordPress hosting for websites around the world. They have great support, and their servers help your WordPress site run a top speed. I use Wix as I find it far more user-friendly, however, the advanced features do require a minimum annual cost. With WordPress, most features can be scaled up for free, but a bit more mucking around with add-ons and tech stuff.

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