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asfeedin · 4 years

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These Lego ‘Star Wars’ sets for 2020 are strong with the Force

“Star Wars” fans all over the world will celebrate their fandom on May 4, also known as “Star Wars Day” (May the Fourth be with you) and Lego is here to celebrate.

Lego has been the entry point for so many of us to learn about a series, here are the sets Lego released — in part to celebrate the 2019 movie, “The Rise of Skywalker.”

This May the Fourth, Lego has launched this new Ultimate Collector A-wing Starfighter and is offering a free Death Star II Battle set for Star Wars purchases over $75 through May 4, as well as double VIP points on Star Wars sets for its membership program.

Here’s a look at the Lego Star Wars sets for 2020. Build, or build not — there is no try!

UCS A-wing Starfighter

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Lego’s new UCS A-wing Starfighter, which launched May 1, is a $199.99 set that allows “Star Wars” fans the chance to build an iconic Rebel ship from “Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.”

The set features 1,673 pieces and comes with a single A-wing pilot and collector’s series plate and display stand. It stands 10.5 inches (27 centimeters) high, 16.5 inches (42 cm) long and 10 inches (26 centimeters) wide.

Lego UCS Star Wars A-wing Starfighter | $199.99 Lego’s A-wing Starfighter is 1,673 pieces and comes with a single A-wing pilot minifigure. The set, part of the Ultimate Collector Series line for Star Wars, lets you recreate an iconic ship from Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.View Deal

The Razor Crest (pre-order)

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“The Mandalorian” on Disney Plus introduced us to a galaxy of new characters from the days after the Return of the Jedi, but every bounty hunter needs a ship. Behold: The Razor Crest dreadnought from Lego.

This $129.99 set is only available for pre-order right now (it will start shipping on Sept. 1, 2020), but is an eye-catching ship from a new era in the Star Wars universe. It will stand 5.5 inches (14 cm) high, 15 inches (38 cm) long and 11 inches (28 cm) wide and come with minifigures of the Mandalorian, Greef Karga, a Scout Trooper, the assassin droid IG-11 and, of course, the Child (aka Baby Yoda).

Lego’s The Razor Crest | $129.99 (pre-order only) The Razor Crest from Lego will ship out on Sept. 1, 2020. It includes minifigures of the Mandalorian, Greef Karga, a Scout Trooper and the Child (Baby Yoda), as well as the bounty hunter droid IG-11.

The Mandalorian & the Child (pre-order)

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The titular Mandalorian may be the main character in Disney Plus’ “The Mandalorian” series, but the breakout star was clearly the Child (aka Baby Yoda). The Child and the Mandalorian may be the ultimate odd couple, and soon you’ll be able to have them in Lego form.

Lego’s “The Mandalorian & the Child” Brickhead is an affordable $19.99, but only available for pre-order now (it will start shipping out on Aug. 1, 2020). It features a blocky Brickhead Mandalorian, complete with pulse rifle and blaster, and a Child in its floating pram.

Poe Dameron’s X-Wing Fighter

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Relive the epic battles of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) with Poe Dameron’s X-Wing Fighter ($89.99). You can adjust the wings to swoop in for an attack, shoot any enemies menacing your path, and make a safe landing after each mission using the landing gear. Included are 3 minifigures: Poe Dameron, a Knight of Ren (who supported Supreme Leader Kylo Ren) and Jannah (a former First Order Stormtrooper who now helps the Resistance). You’ll also get the ever-handy R2-D2 robot. The set has 761 pieces and is recommended for anyone who is at least nine years old.

Sith TIE Fighter

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Play with the dark side using this $79.99 Sith TIE Fighter featured in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” (2019).

Aspiring pilots can fire the spring-loaded shooters, and use the docking tower for launches and landings. Included are 3 minifigures: a First Order TIE Pilot, a Knight of Ren and Finn (a former Stormtrooper). The set has 470 pieces and is recommended for anyone who is at least nine years old.

Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder

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If you can cast your mind back to the groundbreaking first “Star Wars” film – “A New Hope” (1977), you’ll remember the landspeeder that the young Luke Skywalker used to commute between his family farm and nearby services. Both Luke and his helper robot, C-3PO, are included as minifigures — along with an armed Jawa, recalling an epic confrontation early in the film.

Lego’s Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder set has been newly reissued with an opening trunk (just big enough to include macrobinoculars) and a blaster rifle for Luke. This $29.99 set has 236 pieces and is recommended for anyone at least seven years old.

Obi-Wan’s Hut

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For more “A New Hope” adventures, you can visit the hut of “Old Ben” – better known as the powerful Jedi knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi, with this $29.99 Lego Obi-Wan’s Hut set. Fans of the movie will remember a famous scene with the hologram of Princess Leia, which you can recreate here using the minifigures.

Also included are Luke Skywalker, the robot R2-D2, and a Tusken Raider in case you have need of trying out the two lightsabers included with the set. This set has 200 pieces and is recommended for anyone at least seven years old.

Lego Obi-Wan’s Hut | $29.99 Visit the old hermit Ben Kenobi (he hasn’t heard the name Obi-Wan in a long time) in this 200-piece Lego set from the first “Star Wars” film. It includes minifugures of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker, as well as C-3PO and R2-D2.View Deal

Duel on Mustafar

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Zooming in time to the prequel movies, you can replay the epic battle between the new Sith Lord Darth Vader (formerly Anakin Skywalker) against Obi Wan. Fans of “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith” (2005) will remember this as the duel on Mustufar.

In Lego’s Duel on Mustafar set, you can recreate the scene using two minifigures (Anakin and Obi Wan), two lightsabers and a construction model that includes a “lava explosion” function. This set has 208 pieces and is recommended for anyone at least seven years old.

Lego’s Duel on Mustafar | $19.99 Anakin Skywalker was supposed to bring balance to the Force, not leave it in darkness. Now you can recreate his fall to Dark Side in this 208-piece set with minifigures of Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi.View Deal

Snowspeeder

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Planet Hoth, with its frigid climate and dangerous Wampas, was a fun setting for adventures in “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” (1980). Luckily, this Lego Snowspeeder can dodge just about any obstacle in its way. Included with this set are two minifigures — a Snowtrooper and Wedge Antilles (a Rebel pilot).

Also in the set are the Echo Base defense station and a speeder bike, complete with weapons. This set has 91 pieces and is recommended for anyone at least four years old.

Lego Snowspeeder | $19.99 Lego’s 91-piece Snowspeeder for 2020 includes a speeder from “The Empire Strikes Back” along with Rebel hero Wedge Antilles and an Empire Snowtrooper and speeder bike. View Deal

T-1 Skyhopper vs. Bantha Microfighters

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Based on inspiration from “Star Wars: A New Hope” (1977), with this T-16 Skyhopper vs. Bantha Microfighters starship toy building set.

The included minifigures will help you simulate a battle on Tatooine, the home planet of the young Luke Skywalker as he discovers the greater galactic battle between good and evil. This set has 198 pieces and is recommended for anyone at least six years old.

Mandalorian Battle Pack

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The Mandalorian, Baby Yoda and more were popular topics for “Star Wars” fans after the launch of “The Mandalorian” on Disney Plus in 2019.

The series bridges a gap in the movie sequence between “The Last Jedi” (1983, from the original series) and “The Force Awakens” (2015, from the sequel series). This Lego Mandalorian Battle Pack set gives you four Mandalorian warrior minifigures to play with, along with a speeder bike and a defense fort. This set has 102 pieces and is recommended for anyone who is at least six years old.

Mandalorian Battle Pack | $14.99 Perfect for kids (and adults) trying to restore the glory of Mandalore, this 102-piece Lego battle pack includes four different Mandalorian warriors in their iconic armor, a speeder bike, stud-shooting blasters and a defense fort.View Deal

Sith Troopers Battle Pack

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Ready to make a First Order army just like what you saw in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” (2019)? This set should give you a boost.

The Sith Troopers Battle Pack includes a land speeder, a First Order Officer, a Sith Trooper and 2 Sith Jet Trooper minifigures complete with stud-shooting blasters. This set has 105 pieces and is recommended for anyone at least six years old.

Sith Troopers Battle Pack | $14.99 Who knew the Dark Side was so colorful? Lego’s 105-piece Sith Trooper Battle Pack includes three brilliant red Sith troopers (two jet troopers and one regular) along with a First Order Officer and speeder.View Deal

Kylo Ren’s Shuttle Microfighter

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Here’s your big chance to ride along with Kylo Ren in his Shuttle Microfighter, as shown in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” (2019). You can take advantage of the foldable wings to take off, and make a safe landing with this $9.99 set.

Should you have any battles to fight along the way, two stud shooters should help you out. Included is a minifigure of Kylo Ren, and a lightsaber for any hand-to-hand combat. This set has 72 pieces and is recommended for anyone at least 6 years old.

Resistance Y-wing Microfighter

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Ride with the Resistance using this Y-wing Microfighter from “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” (2019). This set has been re-released with a red-and-white color scheme, along with flick missiles and a rotating gun turret.

The included minifigure is none other than Zorri Bliss, who has remained neutral for most of the First Order vs. Resistance war. This set has 86 pieces and is recommended for anyone at least six years old.

Resistance Y-wing Microfighter | $9.99 Join the Resistance with this Lego Y-wing Microfighter piloted by the blaster-toting Zorii Bliss. The 86-piece set also features two flick missiles and Zorii’s super-cool helmet, a new piece for 2020.View Deal

Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

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Tags: 2020, force, Lego, Sets, star, strong, Wars

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asfeedin · 4 years

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Chicken and Lentil Stew With Tomatoes and Onions Recipe

[Photograph: Daniel Gritzer]

Very loosely inspired by a Middle Eastern dish called haleem that comes in many forms but sometimes features meat stewed with spiced lentils and topped with fried onions, this recipe features stewed lentils with a fragrant mix of spices, including coriander seed, cumin, and turmeric. Garlic and ginger provide an aromatic base of flavor.

We start by poaching a whole chicken: the skin is (optionally) minced very finely and added to the lentils as they stew, melding into the mix while adding richness to the dish; the poaching broth is used to cook the lentils themselves, and the meat is shredded and folded into the lentils before serving.

While our preferred method for poaching chicken normally calls for an even lower 155°F water temperature for the juiciest and most tender meat, we speed things up here a bit more by cooking it at a sub-simmer (closer to 180°F). The higher heat poaching is fine in this case since the chicken is folded into the stewy lentils which keeps the meat from drying out.

You can also make this recipe vegetarian by cooking the lentils with water and omitting the chicken.

As the lentils finish cooking, we fry sliced onions in plenty of olive oil over high heat—the goal is to get a fried-onion flavor combined with a melting texture—and then cook them down with plum tomatoes for a bright topping that is finished with a handful of fresh herbs—dill or cilantro both work well.

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Tags: Chicken, Lentil, Onions, Recipe, Stew, Tomatoes

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asfeedin · 4 years

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Go Corona ! Corona Go !

OCD in the times of a worldwide pandemic. Yeah that’s perfect! The coronavirus has left my privileged ass a bit confused – I’m pretty cosy and safe in my apartment with access to fancy food that gets delivered to my doorstep but hey, there’s more to life than being stuck at home right?! What about all the trips I had planned this year (and well next if we’re being real), all the expensive food and cocktails I was gonna blow my money on while going out with friends, all the money I was gonna make too! I feel attacked! Well, not really actually – It’s Day 45 of us being in lockdown and I’m honestly doing pretty good right now. I had 2 rough days in the middle where nothing made sense but it’s all good now. Yes there are frequent recurring concerns of what if I get it? What if I die? What if I don’t make any money for 2 straight years? What if I get real fat? What if my work industry completely changes and I can’t cope, and more disconcertingly, I don’t want to cope? But when you actually sit down, you can find answers for pretty much all of it – not the technical stuff obviously – like when the vaccine will come out etc but most others things are very manageable thanks to my privilege and sheer luck of being born in a decent financial section of society and how hard my parents worked to give me this life from which I could launch to do so bloody well for myself and also my saving skills (thanks to my middle class upbringing) which is why I can go for quite some time if I don’t make any money (THANK YOU DADDY – for helping me mould myself into my own sugar daddy)

If I get it I should hopefully come out of it alive – I’m a fairly healthy human with fairly good habits of eating and physical activity and have mostly been pretty at ease mentally in my life. And I’m insured so that helps too. If I die then well I can’t really plan for anything beyond that. If I get fat? I don’t think I will. Again, because I have pretty good eating lifestyle I’d say, barring my alcohol consumption. I mostly eat clean and really enjoy doing my regular yoga sessions which may not be as many as one would hope but I feel quality matters more than quantity – when I do my yoga I am completely in it, willing it to have the best effect on my body and mind and that is what matters to me. I do yoga about twice a week currently for 1.5 hours each time. So yes I might gain some weight in this lockdown but it won’t be very drastic. Obviously I won’t get lean and fucking fabulous like I usually do during the summers because of my swimming but my yoga will keep me supple and calm and that’s what I probably need anyway right now. In my opinion I do think that influencer marketing will eventually bounce back to it’s original status or maybe even come out stronger but that’s a waiting game. If it does, but it’s changed to such a huge point that I don’t feel relevant I’ll be forced to look at other sides of me and do the things that I’ve been putting off until now – like focus more on my yoga practice, slow down in life and actually enjoy the money and privilege I’ve accumulated and build from there. For now I just have to sit back down, enjoy the fancy food that gets delivered to my doorstep, enjoy the video chats with my family and friends, enjoy the cocktails Aman makes for me, enjoy my yoga and try to think less of the near or far future because NOBODY has the answers for it and planning for it won’t do much either because honestly, what outcome should you be planning for anyway? The only one thing I have been doing is diversifying my investments here and there. And I’m having more fun than I should be probably. Time will tell what was a good decision and what wasn’t.

Incase you haven’t figured out what this blog post is for – it’s mostly for me to come back to when my mind wanders again and I start to freak out. I thought it would be a good idea to have the rationalisation written down somewhere and also share it with whoever was interested. Meanwhile we just keep washing our hands with soap. And in my case I wash my entire body with it and sing Go Corona! Corona Go!

I’d love to know what thoughts you’ve been dealing with. What keeps you up at night

Hope you enjoyed the post! Stay connected with me over Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest |

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asfeedin · 4 years

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Google Suggests Links in Primary Content Hold More Value

Google’s John Mueller recently spoke on the topic of placing links and where on the page they hold the most value.

This was discussed during a Google Webmaster Central hangout on May 1 where the following question was submitted:

“Is there any difference in link value between static and main content? I mean links from navigation and product pages. Do they have the same value.”

Here is Mueller’s response.

Don’t Focus on Algorithms Over Users

Mueller prefaces his response with a familiar warning not to focus on SEO over doing what makes the most sense for users.

Google’s algorithm is designed in a way that it responds to things how actual users would, Mueller says.

So, in general, what makes sense for users will also make sense for Google’s algorithm.

Mueller strongly recommends optimizing for users first because you may drive them away if you’re focused on trying to “game the algorithm.��

Back to the Original Question…

As it relates to the specific question of where links are most valuable, Mueller once again brings up the point of optimizing for users.

Users primarily focus on a page’s main content, which is what Mueller suggests Google’s algorithm does as well:

“So with this specific situation – usually what happens here is we do focus on the primary content on the page. And that’s something that make sense from a user point of view.”

Primary content is always the main focus, but Google still pays attention to the rest of the page.

Related: Google on Whether Link Value Changes With Age

What Does Mueller Mean By This?

Mueller is always cautious about how much he gives away regarding the value of links, but here’s what we can infer from his response.

Links in the body content of a page are likely to be weighted highest, given how that’s Google’s primary focus.

Links in static content, such as the footer or navigation menu, are given some weight but are not Google’s main focus.

In the end though, if you’re really torn about where the best place is to put a link, do what makes the most sense for users.

Hear the full question and answer in the video below:

“It feels a little bit like you’re focusing too much on links rather than trying to make a website that works well for users.

The tricky part with a lot of these things is, obviously, that we try to make our algorithm so they respond to things similar to how users would respond.

So if you’re trying to, essentially, game the algorithms the way they’re set up now that’s something that…

If users changed their behavior, and user decide “oh, this kind of content is no longer as interesting to me, or no longer as useful for me…”

Then that’s something where you’re essentially stuck with that old version.

So with this specific situation – usually what happens here is we do focus on the primary content on the page. And that’s something that make sense from a user point of view.

If you have one page then usually you focus on what is actually unique about this page and you kind of ignore the rest.

I mean, you still use it, but you primarily focus on the primary content.

My general recommendation here, if you’re doing internal linking, is to focus on making your website work well for users.”

Related: Google Says Paid Links Don’t Work

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asfeedin · 4 years

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Premier League clubs to play on neutral grounds if games resume

The 2019-20 Premier League season will be played to a conclusion behind closed doors at neutral venues if football can return safely, sources have told ESPN.

The move comes amid fears over mass gatherings of supporters, which was a key factor in the decision to abandon plans to play out the campaign on a home and away basis.

Following a video conference involving all 20 Premier League clubs on Friday, the determination to complete the season, which has been suspended since March 13 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was re-stated by the league.

– Stream new episodes of ESPN FC Monday-Friday on ESPN+ – Stream every episode of 30 for 30: Soccer Stories on ESPN+ – Ogden: What the Premier League will look like after restart

Sources told ESPN earlier on Friday that the Premier League is set for a decisive vote on May 8 as talks continue over ways to finish the 2019-20 season.

During the Friday meeting, the government-backed plan for football to return this summer — named Project Restart — was laid out to clubs by the Premier League hierarchy and the criteria included the insistence that all of the remaining 92 fixtures must be played at neutral venues.

Sources have told ESPN that the venues include some current Premier League stadiums, Wembley Stadium and one other unnamed ground.

With issues such as relegation yet to be decided, and with Liverpool needing just two wins to clinch the club’s first title since 1990, concerns over thousands of fans congregating outside their team’s stadium for key games has led to the authorities ruling out the staging of home and away games.

The decision has also confirmed the reality that Liverpool will be unable to clinch the title at Anfield.

• Euro 2020: Postponed until 2021 • Champions League: Suspended indefinitely • Premier League: Suspended indefinitely • La Liga: Team training to begin in May • Bundesliga: Planned to restart in May • Ligue 1: PSG declared champions • Serie A: Team training can resume May 18 • Copa America: Postponed until 2021 • MLS: Suspended through June 8

Sources have told ESPN that, with social distancing measures likely to be in place for months, the need for fans to stay at home is of paramount importance and that the selection of match venues would be made in order to ensure supporters do not travel to games.

The decision has opened up the prospect of fixtures such as Everton versus Liverpool being played at the likes of Wembley or Old Trafford, or Tottenham versus Manchester United being staged hundreds of miles away at Newcastle’s St James’ Park or Southampton’s St Mary’s Stadium.

Stadiums will also be selected due to their ability to ensure social distancing measures between players, staff and all other essential workers at the fixtures.

Secure perimeters around the stadium and the COVID-19 infection rate in the local area will also be factors in selecting grounds for fixtures.

The Premier League has ruled out the use of the National Football Centre at St George’s Park for staging games, with stadiums the preferred and most suitable option.

While no date has been set by the Premier League for a resumption of the season, it is understood that early-June is the target if the U.K. government relaxes its current lockdown measures on May 7.

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asfeedin · 4 years

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MATING THEORY: A Trust Fund Standalone Novel by SKYE WARREN

‘I want to punish her for the emptiness inside me, except when she makes that little sound of fright, it fills me up with something else. Pleasure like black velvet, the kind of darkness I want to stroke my fingers over, back and forth, to feel the fibres pull against me.’

Mating Theory by Skye Warren was a quick dark and edgy passionate read. This Author writes in such a manner that the raw emotion spills from the pages in an almost lyrical and poetic way. We were gripped from page one and immediately fell in love with Sutton and Ashleigh. There really was something quite mesmerising about their story and the passion literally ignited the pages.

‘I was born with too much dirt to ever wash away, but as always, it can’t actually be seen; I can only feel, and God, I feel it.’

Sutton Mayfair is a tempting but messed up bastard with a broken heart, and a penchant for darkness and desperation. How can you not fall in love with such an enigmatic, controlling and passionate man?! His story is a complex one, a tragic one as well as heart-breaking. The vulnerability shines bright underneath the arrogant dirty talking persona. Meeting Ashleigh stops Sutton in his tracks, and her effect on him slows the out of control downwards spiral of his life.

“They’ll think they know better, because it’s easier than acknowledging the truth – that we’re all vulnerable, that we’re all one second away from a life of desperation. It isn’t something you brought on yourself. It’s something you’re surviving, and you’re doing it with more grace and more strength than those people could dream about.”

Ashleigh, the brave innocent waif living on and working the streets, is running from a danger she shouldn’t have to face in the sanctity of her own home. Living hand to mouth in the shadows. Her story is so bloody sad and we wanted to grab her and protect her. Meeting Sutton is just about the best thing that could’ve happened to her, but she guards her heart and her past right from the get go, scared of coming out in the open about who she is and what she’s running from.

‘Why can’t I be everything? Whoever decided we had to be only one thing – the virgin or the whore?’

As a standalone Mating Theory is intense, sharp and filled with heat. A story of personal survival, broken hearts that heal, and overcoming fragilities through love, compassion, hope and helping hands. We really enjoyed Mating Theory, it was an emotional ride as well as super-hot. We do wish however that we’d read the Trust Fund duet that came prior to Mating Theory, as throughout we felt we were missing background knowledge on the importance of the secondary characters and their relationships with Sutton Mayfair. That’s on us and we will definitely be going back to read the duet that came before. We also could’ve kept reading as we loved experiencing Sutton and Ashleigh together as a couple; we wanted more! We highly recommend this book to readers who fancy an erotic and much darker version of Pretty Woman!

“Don’t break his heart again.”

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Tags: Fund, MATING, SKYE, Standalone, theory, Trust, Warren

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asfeedin · 4 years

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Candid family portraits (and tips for shooting at home)

This tutorial is part of the “No Place Like Home” Campaign. We’ve partnered with some of our Licensing Contributors to create these “conscious living” tutorials and Quests to encourage you to pick up your camera, maybe learn a new skill, and continue to do what you love despite these difficult times.

This tutorial was created by Winnie Bruce, a top Licensing Contributor based in Maryland, who takes authentic family portraits. She has provided us with her best tips for taking self and family portraits in your home.

We want to see your candid family portraits! Submit your photos to this Quest and you could win $100 US.

A couple of years ago I wanted to dabble and add self-portraiture to my personal projects. Self-portrait photography is a very therapeutic activity, making it a great skill to learn while physically distancing during this crisis. It does take a bit of practice, but can also help you integrate yourself into the content you create. Here are a few tips on how to get started with your self and family photography journey.

Equipment you’ll need:

Camera

Smartphone

Remote or remote app

Tripod or s steady surface

All of this equipment, except the camera, of course, is optional. Just use what you have available to you at home!

I use my Canon 5D Mark IV for my self-portraits. To help, Canon also offers a remote you can use with your smartphone (I have an iPhone Xs). Download the version that will work for your phone, Android or iOS. The big benefit of using the 5D Mark IV is that I can easily frame myself properly since I can view my camera screen on my phone.

There are, however, a couple of downsides: It’s a bit slow to see your shots right away because it’s connected through WiFi. Also, holding your phone during shots can be a bit cumbersome. I’ve learned to maneuver my hand and also use the two-second timer. If your camera doesn’t have a mobile remote app, you can always use a trusty remote from places like Amazon.

A tripod can also help to hold your camera. However, you can also use a table, a stack of books, or any other steady surface to hold your camera while you shoot your self-portraits.

Practice your angles:

Before getting in front of the camera, it’s important to get in front of a mirror and understand your angles and what poses you want to shoot. If you have a pose or expression you want to capture but have only envisioned it in your head, practice it in front of the mirror for a bit. I generally try not to overcomplicate my poses, but I do lean towards half body shots and close-ups so that I can easily hide my phone in the shot. Here are some helpful male poses and female poses to help you understand what poses are popular today.

You can also take a video of your movements on your phone. I feel like seeing your poses and expressions on video first, allows for a better review and practice. These are also great tips for anyone else you want to shoot with.

When I’m ready to get in front of the camera, I use the front camera on my phone to check how I want to angle my camera. This helps me frame my face and my body. Because self-portraiture doesn’t allow you to look at your viewfinder while shooting, you have to keep poses and movements in your mind and envision your final shot from there.

Tips for posing and creating themes:

Press your tongue to the back of your front teeth. It helps square your jaw.

Remember to breathe! This seems like an obvious tip, but I personally have a tendency to clench my jaw and hold my breath when I’m thinking through my poses. Another method is to incorporate poses where you breathe through your mouth rather than your nose.

In terms of makeup, mattifying foundation and matte makeups sprays work the best for me. It also helps to speed up editing since I try to not manipulate skin too much unless there are visible blemishes.

Create a checklist of poses you want to shoot. As ideas come to me, I write them down so that I can check them off as I go through my shoot.

I often find that shooting everyday family routines as the most authentic type of portraiture. Think about the little activities you do throughout the day and have your family participate in them as they normally would. You will get some overly posed, and somewhat awkward shots, but mixed in with those will be the genuine and relatable moments. Consider documenting making breakfast for your kids, cleaning up around the house, enjoying dinner with your loved ones, or getting ready for bed.

Commercial photography themes also help because then I already have a concept to follow. This also helps me to stay accountable—I even started a self-portrait weekly portrait challenge to keep myself accountable this year.

I do try to keep my themes and styles different every week. I vary from having my whole family in the photos, just my husband and myself, or simply just me. It is a lot easier to be solo, but my self-portraiture practice has allowed me to have lots of photos of my family and I together.

It’s time to get started:

Frame your shot first and have a marker. Your marker can be anything like a piece of paper or tape to signal where you should stand. Adjust as needed with your settings. ?

When I first started, I was using smaller apertures to make sure that I was able to get myself in focus. As time progressed, I started using larger apertures since it’s an aesthetic I prefer in my portraiture.

I also only use my 50mm and my 35mm lenses. I find that these are the easiest and most versatile lenses. I tend to shoot my self-portraits between f/1.6- f/2.8, also a personal preference.

If you don’t have a tripod, or if there’s a particularly difficult angle, ask for help if you can! I frame my shot, then hand the camera to an assistant (usually my husband). My Mark IV is a touch screen and I’m able to show him exactly where to touch the screen to focus and accomplish the shot.

Be ready for a smaller number of usable images:

I’m an over-shooter when it comes to my regular work but allowing myself to be OK with only a few usable images from my self or family portrait shoots has actually been a very therapeutic practice. Because of the time constraints in the practice of angling and framing, I normally only produce about 5-10 good shots at most during these sessions.

Tweak in post-processing:

One of the things I’ve taken advantage of in post-processing is occasionally using the lens corrections panel either in ACR or Photoshop. Because it’s sometimes harder to angle the camera properly on the tripod, the lens corrections allow me to tweak, creating a more desirable angle in the photo.

A practice of patience:

When I first started, all of my movements and poses looked very similar. Self-portraiture becomes a great tool to get to know yourself or document your everyday family life. You will become more familiar with what creates a genuine shot as you continue to practice the techniques mentioned here. Remember, take photos of everything you do to help create relatable content. Variety in your shots will give you the opportunity to create a fuller shoot. Including closeups, details, and pullbacks provide an added narrative to the shoot which will help translate to your viewership authentically.

You Might Also Like These Articles: 10 portrait photographers you should follow right now on 500px Portrait Lighting Tips | The essential guide for photographers

Tags: candid, Family, home, Portraits, shooting, Tips

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asfeedin · 4 years

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Tesla pulls a slick sales move in China, lowers Model 3 price to fit new subsidy limit

Tesla has just dropped the price of its Model 3 in China so that it continues to be eligible for subsidy money. The news comes days after the Chinese government announced that it was reducing subsidies.

The electric vehicle company announced the move earlier today, Reuters reports. Previously the standard Tesla Model 3 cost 323,800 yuan ($45,800), but with a 10% price reduction and a 20,250 yuan ($2,900) subsidy, it now costs 271,550 yuan ($38,463).

[Read: Tesla’s self-driving tech will pivot to subscription service — good shit, or just shit?]

In 2015, the Chinese government said it would get rid of the subsidies by 2020, but last week it said that it would just lower the upper limit by 10%. Now, in China, only vehicles costing less than 300,000 yuan ($42,479) are eligible for the subsidy.

In attempts to get more drivers out of gasoline vehicles and into cleaner electrically powered cars, many governments offer money towards their purchase for private buyers. But there are restrictions, usually an upper price limit.

Generally speaking, EVs are a little more expensive compared to their gasoline counterparts. At the lower end of the market, subsidies — coupled with an EV‘s lower running costs — can be enough to help drivers make the shift.

Cutting subsidies isn’t uncommon, and they won’t be offered forever. Earlier this year, the UK government cut its electric vehicle grant for the 10th time.

But it’s a good sales move from Tesla to keep the vehicle affordable for more people for the time being.

Read next: Researchers tested 47 old drugs that might treat the coronavirus — these were the results

Corona coverage

Read our daily coverage on how the tech industry is responding to the coronavirus and subscribe to our weekly newsletter Coronavirus in Context.

For tips and tricks on working remotely, check out our Growth Quarters articles here or follow us on Twitter.

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Tags: 3, China, Fit, limit, lowers, Model, Move, price, pulls, sales, slick, subsidy, Tesla

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asfeedin · 4 years

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In The Fight Against COVID-19, 12 Million Surveys Ask One Key Question: Are You Symptomatic?

A woman passes by a world map showing countries infected with the new Coronavirus, COVID-19, during … [+] a press conference at the National Police headquerters, in Panama City, on March 10, 2020. – The Panamanian Government announced the first death by COVID-19 in the country. (Photo by Luis ACOSTA / AFP) (Photo by LUIS ACOSTA/AFP via Getty Images)

AFP via Getty Images

It is no stretch to say that data has become one of the world’s most valuable resources. And, in the fight against COVID-19, it is proving all but essential.

To help supply the world with the data it needs to successfully fight the disease, Dynata, the world’s largest first-party survey platform, reaching over 60 million individuals globally, has taken the initiative to gather data by asking people visiting their survey platform a simple question: “Are you or anyone in your household experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19?”

“We believe that to solve the biggest challenge of our time, we need to tap our collective power,” says Gary S. Laben, CEO of Dynata. “We are doing our part by leveraging Dynata’s strength — our ability to reach 62 million panelists globally — to collect and update the largest amount of self-reported COVID-19 symptom data possible.”

Survey respondents are given the opportunity to choose from a list of symptoms known to coincide with COVID-19, such as fever, fatigue, dry cough, difficulty breathing, and loss of taste or smell. According to medical professionals, it is the combination of symptoms — particularly the combination of a dry cough and a loss of taste or smell — that are most predictive of the presence of the disease.

Of course, it is the scale of Dynata’s respondent pool that makes their effort meaningful. Every day, Dynata collects approximately 350,000 symptom responses globally, with 150,000 of these responses coming from the United States.

“The size of this data far surpasses that from a traditional scientific survey sample which requires selecting a much smaller sample size designed to represent a particular population and often with a lag in time reporting,” says Laben. “Therefore, we believe this to be a more useful approach for detecting epidemiological trends.”

The scale of their symptom data allows researchers to examine both international and local trends. For example, the two maps shown below depict 2-week rolling averages of COVID-19 symptoms across the world and at a borough level in New York City, as of April 30th, 2020.

Map #1: International prevalence of dry cough plus loss of taste or smell symptoms

Dynata COVID-19 Symptom Map

Map #2: Prevalence of dry cough plus loss of taste or smell symptoms in New York City

Dynata COVID-19 Symptom Map

The team at Dynata hopes their data will help governments and healthcare systems stay one step ahead of the virus by identifying potential hot spots before patients overwhelm their local healthcare system’s capacity. They also believe their data can assist governments in making decisions to reopen businesses, schools, and other community resources. To this end, they are making all of their data and findings open to the public and downloadable here.

In fact, Dynata is already partnering with researchers at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government to make sense of the data.

“The high frequency nature, geographic detail, coupled with a ‘wisdom of crowds’ approach of the Dynata Global Symptom map fulfills a definite void until there is widespread testing,” says Marcella Alsan, Professor of Public Policy at Harvard. “The information Dynata is providing is very complementary to other efforts to track the epidemic and can be used for real societal benefit.”

The researchers at Harvard are particularly interested in understanding cultural differences in attitudes toward disease mitigation efforts. Preliminary evidence, for example, shows that people in India are much more likely to endorse giving up their own rights, suspending democratic procedures, enduring economic losses, and giving up personal privacy to fight the disease than people in Japan or Western countries such as the Netherlands.

“We are combining Dynata’s weekly and daily trackers with our own surveys to study the tradeoffs between civil liberties, economic losses, and public health in many countries,” says Alsan. “We find, for example, that there is wide variation in what types of liberties people are willing to give up across the world in the setting of a pandemic.”

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Tags: 12, coronavirus, covid-19, COVID19, dry cough, Dynata, fight, global attitudes, key, loss of smell, loss of taste, million, pandemic, public policy, Question, science news, survey research, surveys, Symptomatic, symptoms

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How A Life-Changing Accident Inspired This Jewelry Designer To Launch Her Own Brand

A life-changing car accident in 2011 was the turning point for Philadelphia native Joie DiGiovanni to reevaluate what mattered to her professionally. The impact from the crash left her with rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, Raynaud’s Syndrome, and indeterminate colitis. While many of her autoimmune conditions are either currently in remission or under control with biologics, it was in her healing process that reaffirmed her true calling—jewelry design.

Courtesy of Joie DiGiovanni

DiGiovanni can trace the origins of her love affair with jewelry back to her childhood. “The women in my family had beautiful jewelry,” she tells me. “But it was always reserved for special occasions, which made me feel so restricted. I loved to mix and match, layer and wear jewelry not just with evening gowns, but also with jeans and sneakers. So, I set out to create a jewelry line that had the quality and sophistication of a renowned jewelry house, but that was affordable and easy to wear.” DiGiovanni launched her eponymous brand in 2013 while working simultaneously in retail sales at regional chain, South Moon Under, where she would often wear her designs.

“Shoppers would come into the store and purchase my jewelry right off of me,” she tells me. DiGiovanni was then asked by corporate to do a trunk show that was incredibly successful, which led to a capsule collection that was sold at twenty locations. “I officially went full time with my jewelry line in 2016 with an investment from my family, cashing in personal stocks, and eventually as I grew, I was able to get small business lines of credit to help fuel the growth. I am lucky to have a family that believes in me and supports my dreams and aspirations.”

DiGiovanni is known for her colorful and detailed designs that are timeless yet modern. “My signature pieces are my ruby, emerald and sapphire necklaces, made of beautiful hand-picked faceted high-quality stones. I love layering and mixing metals, different colored gemstones and leather pieces to create a unique look and feel for each day depending on my mood. Color, layering and mixing and matching are the core of my brand and aesthetic,” explains DiGiovanni. She’s also known for incorporating pearls, butterflies, and cannabis leaves into her designs.

Founder, Joie DiGiovanni

Courtesy of Joie DiGiovanni

“Pearls transcend time and all ages,” states DiGiovanni. “Growing up, I always loved when my grandmother would put on her fine pearls. I wanted to create a pearl line that was fun, wearable, and for any age. Pearls symbolize royalty and beauty, but they aren’t perfect—they each have their own flaws, but that is what makes them unique.” As for butterflies, she has always had a soft spot for them as they symbolize both beauty and freedom. “I named my butterfly line “Volare,” which means to fly in Italian. I wanted to make the line very unique, all individually set stones in vibrant colors that sparkle and exude happiness. Since I was a little girl, I always wore a beautiful antique butterfly pendant my mother gifted me.”

DiGiovanni created her “Lit Collection” to pay homage to the medicine that cannabis and CBD has provided her to soothe the chronic pain she has suffered as a result of her car accident. “This is one of my favorite collections,” says DiGiovanni. “The details in each piece are amazing and it took about 4 different versions until the pieces came out exactly how I envisioned. Each stone is set individually with details in each gold leaf. I love this collection and I wear three studs and a pot leaf pendant every single day.”

Joie DiGiovanni Butterfly Earrings

Courtesy of Joie DiGiovanni

Lit Collection Earrings with Emeralds

Photo by James Graves

Joie DiGiovanni Stacking Ring Suite

Courtesy of Joie DiGiovanni

Details matter to DiGiovanni. “I am a perfectionist. Every detail counts. Everything I produce is handmade—from the knotted leather to fine metal where each gemstone is handset and assembled by hand,” explains DiGiovanni. Her production and manufacturing takes place in Philadelphia so that she has control over the entire process and quality assurance. As a result, she rarely gets requests for repairs.

“I use only AAA quality pearls and each one is hand selected by my supplier and then further by me. The lariats are assembled on an unbreakable wire so that they can be tied together without any fear of breaking. Each pearl is bailed on metal and attached securely to the wire. The leather pieces are all made from natural leather and hand knotted. Each pearl is hand drilled by my sister (who is her business partner). The fine metal pieces are all casted, each stone hand selected for perfection and then hand set by my small manufacturer.”

Joie DiGiovanni Jewelry

Photo by James Graves

Joie DiGiovanni Jewelry

Courtesy of Joie DiGiovanni

Joie DiGiovanni Jewelry

Photo by James Graves

Despite being told that she would not be able to deliver high-quality designs at an affordable price point unless she went overseas, DiGiovanni was determined to keep her business in the U.S. “The thought of mass-producing with zero insight into the supply-chain or how their employees are treated was something that scared me and I knew that was not going to work for my brand,” she tells me. After extensive research, DiGiovanni was able to find a transparent supplier in New York City and a manufacturer in Philadelphia who hand-makes all of her fine jewelry pieces. “It was always very important for me to have my jewelry made here in the United States for job creation, quality control, and oversight.”

Like many businesses, the pandemic has had a huge impact on DiGiovanni’s business. “All my retail partners have closed their doors during this scary time and are scrambling to figure out how to sell online,” shares DiGiovanni. “Virtual trunk shows are now becoming a way to keep brands and stores at the forefront of consumers’ minds while they are stuck at home.” DiGiovanni believes the pandemic will change how consumers shop, in particular her base. “I believe women are going to want items that are meaningful, have stories behind them, that bring joy and happiness, and with a strong emphasis on products being produced in the United States and on craftsmanship.”

Joie DiGiovanni Jewelry

Photo by James Graves

Joie DiGiovanni Jewelry

Photo by James Graves

Joie DiGiovanni Jewelry

Photo by James Graves

Despite the current challenges, DiGiovanni remains hopeful for the future. “I see the brand staying strong in the coming years. My jewelry line is small, well managed, the pieces have no seasonality, and can be worn year-round. In fact, the way I run my business is ideal for weathering this situation. I keep one sample of each piece and from there my clients custom order so they can be a part of the process and choose metals, change stones, and even take existing jewelry they don’t wear to make new pieces that they will love. I offer a truly customizable experience, which I can do virtually if necessary,” explains DiGiovanni. The experience is one of the reasons such a large portion of DiGiovanni’s customer base is repeat business.

In addition to her own designs, DiGiovanni collaborates with bloggers, influencers, and boutiques. A recent collaboration with Ariel Ginsburg (aka Ariel Peche) was so popular that it became a permanent part of DiGiovanni’s collection.“We named each piece after members of our families,” she tells me. Family is a big part of DiGiovanni’s business. In fact her sister Dara, who has Asperger syndrome plays an integral role in the company. “My sister helps hand make the gemstone pieces and drills all of the pearls. I believe in giving back to those navigating through their own journey with the spectrum. So we give a portion of our revenue year-round to local charities that support developmental disabilities.”

Just like family, paying it forward is a vital part of DiGiovanni’s brand. “I have been doing virtual trunk shows with some of my retailers and giving a portion of the proceeds to Philabundance, a charity that is helping to feed families during this pandemic. I am also donating a portion of sales from my website to Philabundance. I believe the most important thing we can do is try to give back and help those less fortunate than us.”

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Tags: Accident, Ariel Pêche, Brand, butterflies, butterfly jewelry, designer, diamonds, emeralds, fine jewelry, fresh water pearls, Inspired, Jewelry, joie digiovanni, launch, LifeChanging, marijuana leaf jewelry, moda operandi, necklaces, pearls, pot jewelry, sapphires

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asfeedin · 4 years

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Investors Chronicle: Keystone Law, BP, HSBC

BUY: Keystone Law (KEYS)

Keystone should see counter-cyclical demand for services such as litigation and insolvency, writes Nilushi Karunaratne.

The key distinction between Keystone Law and its listed law firm peers is its platform model. A network of self-employed lawyers contract with the group, working from their own base but connecting to the central office using proprietary software. Growth is driven by continued recruitment of senior lawyers — so-called “principals” — with an existing client base. The group added net 51 new principals in the year ending January 31, bringing the total to 328.

Gross profit rose 14 per cent to £13.2m, but the margin dropped 0.4 percentage points to 26.7 per cent. Keystone attributes this to a one-off piece of higher margin litigation work in the prior year.

Billing and cash generation have thus far held up in face of the Covid-19 pandemic, but there has been a “meaningful decline” in new instructions from clients. Keystone believes it has sufficient liquidity to weather any disruption — excluding £2m in lease liabilities, it started this year with £4.4m of net cash. Meanwhile, the variable cost base should offer protection. Rather than fixed remuneration, lawyers are paid 60-75 per cent of case fees and only once the group itself has been paid.

Panmure Gordon expects the coronavirus crisis will impact recruitment, projecting a 3 per cent decline in lawyer numbers this year. It anticipates adjusted pre-tax profit of £2.7m and earnings per share of 7.1p in 2021, down from £5.8m and 14.9p in 2020.

SELL: BP (BP.)

The BP board has stuck with the higher dividend handed out by Bob Dudley despite the sky falling in for energy companies, writes Alex Hamer.

BP’s earnings crashed in the first three months of 2020 because of the collapse of the oil price in March and the drop in demand, which hit downstream sales. The company has maintained its 10.5 cents quarterly dividend, however, even as its debt shoots up well beyond the 20-30 per cent gearing goal.

BP’s main profit figure, underlying replacement cost profit, fell by two-thirds to $800m compared to the first quarter of 2019. Its profit before tax for the period swung from $4.8bn last year to a $4.5bn loss because of impairments and the worse performance.

The oil price crumbled on March 9 after Saudi Arabia increased supply despite demand plummeting from Covid-19. The upstream division’s underlying operating profit actually came ahead of analyst expectations even at $1bn less than last year with a figure of $1.8bn.

Rosneft earnings fell into the red, while the downstream earnings missed expectations because of lower refining margins and poorer retail sales. BP also saw a $3.7bn working capital build in the quarter largely because of unsold downstream products, which it expects to reverse in the coming quarters. Its net debt as of March 31 was $51.4bn, up $6bn from the end of 2019.

Incoming finance chief Murray Auchincloss said the divestment programme was still aiming for $15bn by mid-2021. The company has $10.1bn of announced deals, but has had to hand the buyer of its Alaska assets, Hilcorp, new options to complete the $5.6bn deal, for which a $4bn up front payment was expected this year. Mr Auchincloss said the remaining $5bn in the divestment plan would likely come more from selling infrastructure and real estate instead of upstream assets.

Panmure Gordon analyst Colin Smith said it was no surprise BP would see its divestment plan hit by the current situation. But, Mr Smith said, this combined with the uncertainty over prices the rest of the year and the state of the balance sheet, may make the dividend maintenance look like “hubris” in retrospect.

BP has cut spending for this year by around 25 per cent, to $12bn. Mr Auchincloss — currently the upstream finance boss — said this would knock around 70,000 barrels of oil per day from 2020 production.

SELL: HSBC (HSBA)

Investors should not lose sight of the damage caused to both interest margins and loan growth, writes Alex Newman.

HSBC this week revealed a fivefold increase in its first-quarter loan loss provisions, in the first concrete sign of the damage the Covid-19 crisis is already inflicting on the operations of UK-listed lenders.

When the group published full-year results in February, management suggested slowing growth and credit issues could result in virus-linked loan impairments of up to $600m (£480m) in Hong Kong and China this year. Just over two months on, that initial estimate has been blown away by a $3bn charge for the first quarter alone, some 73 per cent worse than consensus forecasts.

HSBC said the expected credit losses reflected both a deteriorating economic outlook and a single charge “relating to a corporate exposure in Singapore”, which investors are likely to interpret as a nod to the bank’s exposure to Hin Leong, the scandal-hit oil trader under investigation for disguising $800m of losses.

“The impact and duration of the Covid-19 crisis will probably lead to higher ECL and put pressure on revenue due to lower customer activity levels and reduced global interest rates,” HSBC said in its updated outlook for 2020. The lender added that it plans to reduce operating expenses to offset the drop in revenue, although a complex group-wide restructuring announced earlier this year will remain on hold until the crisis abates.

It’s unclear that those measures will be enough. While first-quarter operating expenses dipped 5 per cent, the cost of the huge impairments meant profits fell 48 per cent year on year, to $3.2bn. Those provisions are likely to include major revaluations of credit extended to oil and gas clients, which HSBC highlighted as a source of “heightened risk”. The bank’s $25.8bn exposure to the sector — as outlined in full-year disclosures — amounts to just over a fifth of HSBC’s common equity tier-one (CET1) capital, according to calculations by RBC.

On that front, the cancellation of the final dividend for 2019 — at the Bank of England’s request — meant that capital ratios held up at 14.6 per cent. But the road ahead remains decidedly gloomy. The reduction in interest rates around the world will result in “material downward pressure on net interest margins in future quarters”, while negative movements are set to cause “mid-to-high single-digit” growth in risk-weighted assets.

“We expect the strategic targets to be revisited once the longer-term consequences of Covid-19 on activity levels and rates is clearer,” said analysts at UBS, who now view a double-digit return on tangible equity target in 2022 as “unlikely”.

Chris Dillow: The austerity threat

Will the coronavirus lockdown lead to another round of fiscal austerity? Former chancellor George Osborne has warned that it could. “We’ll be going back into a period of retrenchment and trying to bring public-sector debt down,” he told the CBI recently.

There’s no question that government borrowing will increase sharply; The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecasts net borrowing this fiscal year of £273bn, which would push the ratio of government debt to gross domestic product (GDP) up to 94.6 per cent, its highest since 1959. Although these numbers are subject to a massive margin of error, nobody doubts the direction the public finances are heading in.

What they do doubt, however, is whether austerity is necessary.

Certainly, history suggests that high debt need not be a problem. The UK came out of the second world war with government debt equal to almost 250 per cent of GDP. Not only did this not lead to any financial crisis, but we saw the strongest sustained economic growth in our history over the following 30 years.

In fact, there are five good reasons not to embark upon fiscal austerity next year.

One is that we cannot be certain how strong the economy will be. Yes, there’s likely to be a surge in demand when the lockdown is lifted. But will this carry through? With unemployment likely to stay high, it might not. This argues for at least delaying any decision to tighten significantly.

Second, there’s the question of where to cut. One reason why chancellor Rishi Sunak eased back on austerity before the coronavirus crisis was that public services were already fully stretched. That won’t change.

Third, there’s the fact that conventional monetary policy can do little more to support the economy in the face of either fiscal tightening or any future demand shock. Unless you are willing to consider unconventional measures such as subsidies to banks to encourage lending or direct transfers from the Bank of England into our bank accounts, this means there’s a case for fiscal policy to at least not depress demand.

Fourth, with real interest rates negative in real terms, we don’t need spending cuts to reduce the ratio of debt to GDP. We can do so even while running a modest deficit. If we assume that trend GDP growth is about 2 per cent, then simple maths tells us that with real interest rates at -2 per cent we can reduce the debt-GDP ratio over time with any primary deficit (that is, borrowing before interest costs) less than 3.7 per cent of GDP. Last year, there was actually a small surplus on the primary balance.

Finally, of course, recent history tells us that austerity doesn’t always reduce debt. In June 2010, the OBR forecast that the debt-GDP ratio would be 67.4 per cent in 2015-16. In fact, it turned out to be 79.9 per cent. One reason for this overshoot was that austerity is to some extent counterproductive. Holding down public spending depresses economic activity (relative to what it would otherwise be) and so reduces tax revenue. Which poses the question: if austerity didn’t reduce government debt then, why should it do so in the 2020s?

This leaves another possibility. As John Maynard Keynes said in 1933: “Look after the unemployment, and the Budget will look after itself.” This strategy worked after 1945. It might well do so again.

Chris Dillow is an economics commentator for Investors Chronicle

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Tags: BP, Chronicle, HSBC, investors, Keystone, Law

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Kia to offer ‘job loss insurance’ to new car buyers in Europe, Auto News, ET Auto

Santander Consumer Finance provides the insurance for Kia customers in several European markets, including in Germany, Kia said.

FRANKFURT: Korean carmaker Kia plans to offer insurance in Europe which protects clients from having to make monthly payments on a new vehicle if they lose their job, a scheme designed to entice reticent customers back into showrooms after the coronavirus shutdown.

The insurance scheme, which costs 15 euros to 20 euros a month, allows new car buyers to delay monthly payments until they are rehired, Emilio Herrera, chief operating officer for Kia Motors Europe, said on Thursday.

“We are in discussions over how to implement it in the majority of markets in Europe. We want it in place as soon as markets reopen in May,” Herrera said.

Santander Consumer Finance provides the insurance for Kia customers in several European markets, including in Germany, Kia said.

Government stimulus measures will also be needed to revive the economy, Herrera said.

“We need to put in place scrappage plans like in 2009,” Herrera said. Combined with measures like unemployment insurance these steps may become confident enough to purchase a car,” Herrera said.

Potential stimulus plans should help cut carbon pollution, but also incentivise customers to buy all categories of car, not just electric and hybrid vehicles, he said.

“Electrified cars are much more expensive than combustion-engined vehicles,” Herrera noted, adding that in times of a crisis, consumers tend to make conservative buying choices.

The crisis has already hit demand badly, with sales down more than 25% in the first quarter. April will be the worse, showing declines of around 70%, with demand expected to improve thereafter, Herrera said.

In Germany, where smaller car showrooms have been allowed to open for the past week, traffic is 50% below pre-crisis levels, Herrera said.

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Tags: Auto, buyers, car, coronavirus shutdown, Europe, Insurance, JOB, job loss insurance, Job losses, Kia, Kia Motors Europe, loss, News, Offer, scrappage plans

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Online course trains students in the bizarre world of quantum computing

When the bizarre world of quantum physics — where a “cat” can be both alive and dead, and particles a galaxy apart are connected — is merged with computer technology, the result is unprecedented power to anyone who masters this technology first.

There is an obvious dark side. Imagine a world where online bank accounts could be easily hacked into and robbed. But this power can also be turned to good, allowing new drugs to be designed with unprecedented speed to cure disease. To prepare for such a future, many countries are investing billions to unlock the potential of what is called quantum computing. With an eye toward the future, a group of researchers at Fermilab,a particle physics laboratory in Batavia, Ill., has worked with high-school teachers to develop a program to train their students in this emerging field.

This program, called “Quantum Computing as a High School Module,” was developed in collaboration with young students in mind. But it’s also a perfect diversion for science enthusiasts of any age who suddenly have a lot of time on their hands.

This online training course introduces students to quantum concepts, including superposition, qubits, encryption, and many others. These additional concepts include quantum measurement, entanglement and teleportation; students will also learn and how to use quantum computers to prevent hacking. The course is also appropriate for community college or undergraduate students in areas outside of physics, such as computer science, engineering or mathematics, as well as a science literate public. One of the course’s teachers, Ranbel Sun wrote, “It was great to work with a couple of America’s smartest researchers to make sure that the science was right. Combining their knowledge and our teaching experience, we have developed an understandable learning program which bridges the gap between popular media and college textbooks.”

Related: 12 stunning quantum physics experiments

Quantum computing uses the principles of quantum physics, which were developed in the early 1900s. Quantum physics describes the tiny realm of atoms, where the laws of nature seem to be very different from the world we can see. In this microcosm, electrons and particles of light called photons simultaneously act as both waves and particles — a seeming absurdity, but one that is well accepted among scientists.

This non-intuitive quantum behavior has been exploited to develop powerful technologies, like the lasers and transistors that form the backbone of our technological society. Nobel Prize winning physicist Richard Feynman was the first to suggest that computers could be built to directly exploit the laws of quantum mechanics. If successful, these quantum computers could solve incredibly important and difficult problems that are too complex for even the most powerful modern supercomputers to solve. Last year, Google used a quantum computer called Sycamore to solve a problem thought to be virtually unsolvable by conventional computers; a calculation that would take the most powerful supercomputers 10,000 years to finish was solved in just 200 seconds by Sycamore.

The familiar computer on your desk uses a vast array of objects called bits to operate. Bits are basically simple switches that can be either on or off, which is mathematically equivalent to ones and zeros. Quantum computers rely on qubits, which can simultaneously be both on and off at the same time. This peculiar feature is common in the quantum world and is called superposition: being in two states at once. Researcher Ciaran Hughes said, “The quantum world is very different from the familiar one, which leads to opportunities not available using classical computers.”

In 1994, Peter Shor invented an algorithm that revealed the power of quantum computing. His algorithm would allow quantum computers to factorize a number enormously faster than any classically known algorithm. Factorizing numbers is important because the encryption system used by computers to communicate securely relies on the mathematics of prime numbers. Prime numbers are numbers that are divisible only by one and themselves.

In a standard encryption algorithm, two very large prime numbers are multiplied together, resulting in an even larger number. The key to breaking the security code is to take the large number and find the two prime numbers that were multiplied together to make it. Finding these prime numbers is extremely hard for ordinary computers and can take centuries to accomplish.

However, using Shor’s quantum algorithm, finding these prime factors is much easier. A working quantum computer would make our standard method of encryption no longer secure, resulting in the need for new encryption methods. Fermilab researcher Jessica Turner said, “Quantum computing is a very new way of thinking and will be revolutionary, but only if we can develop programmers with quantum intuition.”

Obviously, any nation state or individual who is able to crack encryption codes will have a huge information advantage. The competition to develop working quantum computers is the new space race.

Quantum computing has the potential to overturn how computers securely communicate: from health care, to financial services and online security. Like it or not, the future is quantum computing. To fully reap the rewards of this quantum revolution requires a quantum fluent workforce. This new program is a very helpful step towards that goal.

The researchers have made their training program freely available.

Originally published on Live Science.

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Tags: bizarre, computing, Online, quantum, students, trains, World

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asfeedin · 4 years

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4,200-year-old burial of Bronze Age chieftain discovered under UK skate park

Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of a Bronze Age chieftain buried with profound wealth: Instead of receiving just one cattle “head and hoof” offering in his grave, a prize item reserved for VIP burials of that age, the chieftain had four such offerings.

Even more confounding was the discovery of another burial near the chieftain’s remains, that of an older man buried in a seated position, according to Foundations Archaeology, a British-based archaeological consultancy. The older man was buried with one head and hoof offering and nothing else, said Andy Hood, an archaeologist with Foundations Archaeology, who helped excavate the site.

“One of the mysteries is, what was the relationship between those two men?” Hood told Live Science. The two likely had some type of social bond, but it’s unclear why they were buried so close to each other, he said.

Related: 7 bizarre ancient cultures that history forgot

Archaeologists found the burials in 2017, ahead of the construction of a skate park in Lechlade-on-Thames, a town in the southwestern county of Gloucestershire, England. Radiocarbon dating revealed that the two men lived in about 2200 B.C.

The chieftain’s burial held the skulls and hooves from four different cattle, Hood said. Head and hoof burial offerings were practiced in Europe during the Bronze Age, but were less common in Britain. “In fact, all previous examples here [in the U.K.] have been single cattle burials, so the Lechlade burial is unique in this regard,” because it had four, Hood said.

“It’s quite a significant investment of wealth to go into the ground,” Hood added. “There’s a chance that these animals were slaughtered as part of a ceremony related to the burial.”

The age and style of the burials, as well as artifacts found near the chieftain, suggest that these men were part of the Beaker culture, named for its beaker-like ceramic pots. According to recent DNA studies, the people in this culture arrived from mainland Europe around 2400 B.C. They were an impressive lot who might have been the first to use copper and bronze in Britain, “so we think that their arrival is a fairly important moment in prehistory,” Hood said.

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Some of the so-called “head and hoof” remains found in the chieftain’s burial. (Image credit: Foundations Archaeology)

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The stone wrist guard found in the chieftain’s burial. (Image credit: Foundations Archaeology)

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An excavation of the chieftain’s burial (Image credit: Foundations Archaeology)

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In this photo you can see the two burials, as well as the ring ditch that goes around them. (Image credit: Foundations Archaeology)

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The copper dagger that was found in the chieftain’s burial. (Image credit: Foundations Archaeology)

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The dagger found buried with the chieftain, after it was restored. (Image credit: Foundations Archaeology)

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An illustration showing the location of the burials and grave goods. (Image credit: Foundations Archaeology)

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A sketch showing the barrow ring ditch, which is characteristic of the Beaker culture. (Image credit: Foundations Archaeology)

Parting package

The Beaker culture commonly buried its dead with a “standard package” of grave goods: a beaker pot, a copper dagger, a stone wrist guard used by archers, a “strike-a-light kit,” amber beads and sometimes a cattle head and hoof offering, Hood said.

The chieftain had all these goods, except for the beaker pot, the archaeologists found. Because of the missing piece, “we think that this individual was a revered ‘specialist’ within Beaker society — somebody who wasn’t associated with the direct symbolism attached to the Beaker pot itself,” Hood said.

Even so, his grave goods were impressive and included: a copper dagger with with a whale-bone pommel (the round knob at the end of the handle), a stone wrist guard, an amber bead, a flint and iron pyrite for starting a fire, and the cattle offerings.

Related: Back to the Stone Age: 17 Key Milestones in Paleolithic Life

The chieftain was buried at the center of a circular ditch that, at the time of burial, was a barrow, meaning that it had soil piled on top of it. Next to him, just off-center but still within the circular enclosure, were the remains of the older man, who was about 50 to 60 years old when he died.

Other news outlets have speculated that this older man was a shaman who may have been sacrificed to help the chieftain in the afterlife, but there is no evidence to support those claims, Hood said.

“The idea of him being a ‘shaman’ was postulated by some British newspapers,” Hood said, adding that “there is no evidence that he was sacrificed.”

Still, the older man’s burial is odd. “He was buried in an unusual ‘seated’ position — his legs were present extending downwards towards the base of his grave pit,” Hood said. “We haven’t found a direct parallel elsewhere in Bronze Age Britain.”

Most people buried in Bronze Age Britain were arranged in a crouched position on their sides, as the chieftain was. So the older man’s proximity to the chieftain, as well as the man’s lack of a Beaker “package” and strange burial position, may remain a mystery for the ages.

Originally published on Live Science.

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Tags: 4200yearold, Age, Bronze, burial, chieftain, discovered, park, skate, UK

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asfeedin · 4 years

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Chicken and Lentil Stew With Tomatoes and Onions Recipe

[Photograph: Daniel Gritzer]

You can also make this recipe vegetarian by cooking the lentils with water and omitting the chicken.

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Tags: Chicken, Lentil, Onions, Recipe, Stew, Tomatoes

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asfeedin · 4 years

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Meghan Markle’s Zoom call necklace wards off negative vibes

Although Meghan Markle is not a working royal anymore, she did make an appearance this week to support one the charities of which she is a patron: Smart Works, which helps vulnerable women re-enter the work force.

The royal logged on via Zoom to help coach a young woman applying for a job, giving her interview tips and so on.

She said, ‘It’s been such an honour to meet and learn from so many talented women in the Smart Works network over the years, and recently to see the amazing work they’re doing to adapt their programs to the reality of this pandemic. Their ability to continue to empower women and help them harness the confidence they need to succeed during this time is inspiring.’

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“It’s been such an honour to meet and learn from so many talented women in the Smart Works network over the years, and recently to see the amazing work they’re doing to adapt their programs to the reality of this pandemic. Their ability to continue to empower women and help them harness the confidence they need to succeed during this time is inspiring.” – a message to our clients from the Duchess of Sussex. ⠀ Since moving to a virtual service six weeks ago we have delivered 200 hours of support to our clients. ⠀ From the volunteers who have been delivering coaching online to the staff working behind the scenes to make everything run smoothly – the energy, passion and commitment has been overwhelming. ⠀ We couldn’t do this without the support of our community and on the 27th March we were honoured that our patron, The Duchess of Sussex kindly volunteered some time to speak with one of our clients ahead of her interview, offering words of advice and encouragement. During the session the Duchess praised her for being “such a beacon of hope” and “focusing on getting through this”. ⠀ When asked about her patronage she said, “it’s a pleasure to support them, you see how great they do and how many people they help and that’s what it’s all about. I’ve been really proud to be able to be their patron, but it’s an easy yes when you have such incredible women helping you.” ⠀ After her session with the Duchess our client had this to say: ⠀ “I just wanted to say a big ‘thank you’ to you, the Duchess and the whole team at Smart Works for making this possible for women all around the UK, because to see such work is truly inspiring and uplifting. And thank you for the super useful interview tips – I will be using them for years to come!.” ⠀ The Smart Works service is available for any woman who is unemployed and has a confirmed job interview, referrals are made by our employment support partners including women’s charities and Job Centre Plus. Our mission is to help anyone who needs it, no matter the circumstances.

A post shared by Smart Works (@smartworkscharity) on Apr 29, 2020 at 6:00am PDT

During the call, in which Meghan looked happy and confident, she layered a couple of pretty gold necklaces, one of which is meant to ward off negative vibes.

The charm necklace by jewellery brand Edge of Ember is ‘inspired by vintage coins found in Asia, these modern-day talismans carry icons of good fortune. The Visionary Necklace bears a blue topaz evil eye to protects its wearer from negative vibes. It’s got your back.’

You can pre-order it using the below link, for shipping later this month

Shop now: Visionary Charm Necklace for £135 from Edge of Ember

It’s not the first time the Duchess has worn designs by the brand, as she wore their Kismet necklace (which brings good luck) and Wave earrings for her last royal appearance in London.

Meghan loves wearing jewellery with a meaning, only recently wearing a love pendant as a special tribute to baby Archie.

She also has a diamond eternity ring which features three birthstones for her, her son and Prince Harry.

So sweet.

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Tags: Call, Markles, Meghan, Necklace, negative, vibes, wards, Zoom

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asfeedin · 4 years

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The 17 Best Free SEO Tools You Should Use in 2020

A full suite of fantastic SEO tools can make seemingly impossible jobs possible and make our working lives much easier.

The problem is that a full suite of such luxuries is not exactly cheap.

Thankfully, there is no shortage of free SEO tools that can take pride of place on your marketing mantelpiece, so we have broken down the 17 best ones that we think you should be using in 2020.

You will find them grouped into the categories below to make it easy for you to find specific features when you need them:

You can also take a look at our guide to the best free keyword research tools for even more useful resources.

Free Technical SEO Tools

Identifying and managing technical issues on a site should be part of any SEO workflow. Here are some free tools to help you do that:

Google Search Console

Google Search Console is where you can gain insights into your site’s organic performance, and any reported issues such as notifications of manual action penalties. Every SEO concerned with ranking well on Google should be familiar with it.

What it can do:

You can get a full rundown on the tool in our definitive guide to Google Search Console, but as a quick summary, here are some of its main uses:

Understanding your site’s SEO performance in terms of clicks, impressions, CTR, and average positions on an individual keyword level – ultimately helping you plan a growth strategy;

Inspecting URLs to identify crawling and indexing issues that could prevent it from showing on the SERPs;

Finding coverage errors and the cause of these (404 errors, crawl issues, pages blocked by robots.txt and more);

Submitting a sitemap;

Finding manual actions and security issues;

Gaining insights into the backlinks and internal links that Google knows about;

Request the indexation of a URL;

Informing Google of a domain name change.

We love it because:

It is the best place to see the exact issues that Google sees when it crawls and indexes your site.

On a page-by-page level, you are able to test a URL to understand exactly how Googlebot interprets it, including the user-declared and Google-selected canonical, the date it was last crawled, and much more.

It is the first place you should go to diagnose any issues regarding the way your site appears on the SERPs.

Google PageSpeed Insights

Site speed is not only a ranking factor, but it also impacts the user experience (UX) of your site. Slow pages can prevent conversions and damage rankings, so Google’s free PageSpeed Insights tool is a great way to keep on top of this.

What it can do:

You can use the Google PageSpeed Insights tool to understand your site’s PageSpeed score and learn how to improve it by fixing highlighted issues.

Even if you are not overly technical, you will be able to see the main areas that are affecting the speed of your site, such as image load time or server issues, as well as the areas that are performing well.

We love it because:

It gives you clear suggestions for improvements to your site, and also indicates how much time can be saved by making them – it’s a great way to fine-tune your website’s performance.

Bing Webmaster Tools

Bing has a market share of 25% in the US, which makes it far too big an opportunity to ignore by focusing on Google alone. Bing Webmaster Tools exists to help you manage your site’s appearance on the search engine.

What it can do:

You can get a whole host of insights into your site on Bing Webmaster Tools, including a summary of how well your site is performing and the areas on which you need to focus to improve. It helps you understand how users are finding your site to allow you to prioritize improvements, diagnose site issues and receive alerts and notifications from Bing.

There is a chance your competitors are turning blind eyes to Bing, so you might be able to use this to your advantage.

We love it because:

Bing Webmaster Tools actually gives you more insights into your site’s performance than Google Search Console.

It offers an SEO analysis tool (namely, SEO Analyzer) that gives best practice recommendations, which even bypasses your robots.txt file to allow you to check pages you aren’t yet ready to index.

SEMrush

SEMrush is the comprehensive SEO toolkit that, amongst many other things, allows you to keep on top of all technical matters related to the optimization of your site.

What it can do:

While there are a number of different pricing plans to choose from, a free subscription provides a range of opportunities:

You can perform up to 10 searches a day in our Domain Analytics and Keyword Analytics databases;

You can use the Keyword Magic tool (without saving searches);

You can create and manage a single project (each project includes 12 individual tools);

You can crawl up to 100 pages of your site with the Site Audit tool to find issues and opportunities (if you have a registered SEMrush account; a limited crawl of 25 pages is available without an account and can be done here);

You can track the positions of up to 10 keywords in the Position Tracking tool;

You are given a total of 10 SEO Idea units per month.

Find out more about what you can do with a free subscription here, including checking for up to 130 technical and SEO issues on your site within minutes.

We love it because:

From keyword research through to technical SEO auditing, reporting, and competitive research, SEMrush’s free subscription offers a wealth of features that will make your life easier. It will even give you access to free extensions like SEOquake and glimpses of paid add-on features like the Growth Quadrant for competitive landscape analysis.

Screaming Frog SEO Spider

Screaming Frog SEO Spider allows you to crawl up to 500 URLs with a free account, which allows for a good level of insight into technical issues.

What it can do:

Unlike many other crawlers, Screaming Frog is a desktop-based tool for analyzing and auditing technical SEO issues. From finding broken links and auditing redirects to analyzing meta data and discovering duplicate content, this powerful tool can be used for sites large and small.

We love it because:

Screaming Frog makes it easy to export your findings to a spreadsheet to be used for informing SEO recommendations, so the range of possible analyses can make for useful strategic insights in the long-term.

Sloth

Sloth helps you use Cloudflare Workers, along with their extensive network of global data centers, to set 301 and 302 redirects, implement hreflang, conduct A/B testing, modify your robots.txt file, and even collect log files.

What it can do:

When working at enterprise level, it is not uncommon to encounter roadblocks when trying to implement solutions to fairly common SEO tasks, such as redirects to hreflang tags.

Sloth lets you use Cloudflare Workers to execute JavaScript on the side without impacting the underlying infrastructure, which means you are able to clear any obstacles to get your tasks done.

We love it because:

This free tool puts you back in control of many essential SEO tasks, so you don’t need to rely on developers or find workarounds to restrictions imposed by a CMS or a server.

Hreflang Tags Testing Tool

Google’s John Mueller has previously said that implementing hreflang is one of the most complex parts of SEO; using Merkle’s hreflang Tags Testing Tool is one way to make it that little bit easier to check for any errors.

What it can do:

Whether you are implementing hreflang tags in HTML, HTTP headers, or an XML sitemap, mistakes can be easy to make.

This free tool from Merkle lets you enter a URL, select a user agent, and test your implementation to help you spot issues and resolve them as soon as possible.

We love it because:

It means you can spot problems with hreflang implementation within minutes, and understand the alternate URLs and the targeted region.

Diagnosing such issues can be time-consuming and frustrating, but when you are able to see the annotations presented in a clear format, spotting that one incorrect tag couldn’t be simpler.

Free On-Page SEO Tools

Given that WordPress now powers 35% of the web, there is a reasonable chance that it is your CMS of choice. If it is, there are many free tools that can help you get the most out of the platform from an on-page SEO perspective.

Let’s look at a few here.

Rank Math

Rank Math is arguably becoming the go-to WordPress SEO plugin, with more than 300,000 installations to date.

What it can do:

The tool covers everything from optimizing your page titles and meta descriptions and monitoring 404 errors, to creating XML sitemaps and identifying fresh content opportunities.

It will even recommend the ideal settings to help you run a fully optimized WordPress site.

Rank Math’s SEO suite includes the following features:

We love it because:

Unlike some WordPress SEO plugins, you get complete control over what you use and what you don’t thanks to its modular framework, which means you can pick and choose your features with more freedom than you would get with an all-in-one plugin.

Yoast SEO

Yoast SEO is a free WordPress plugin that makes optimizing your site as simple and straightforward as it should be for beginners.

What it can do:

Since it is fully integrated with the Gutenberg WordPress editor, Yoast SEO gives you complete control over your site’s optimization for specific keywords. Its built-in support also means that complex tasks like adding structured data blocks for how-tos and FAQs are made much easier.

We love it because:

Yoast SEO makes it incredibly straightforward to manage your on-page optimization yourself, so it is great for people who run their own business.

Once you have entered the focus keyword for a page, the tool gives you a number of pointers for must-fix problems and improvements, but it also shows you what you have already optimized correctly.

It uses a simple traffic light system that shows where improvements can be made on a page-by-page basis, so it is a great way to look after the individual elements of your onsite optimization efforts.

Free Link Building Tools

Building great links is a game of patience, but there are many ways to optimize the process with tools to make sure you are being as productive as possible. Here are some great examples:

Hunter

One of the most time-consuming tasks in an outreach campaign is finding the correct email address for prospects, but this is where hunter.io can save you hours on Google or social media. The best bit is that you can use it for free to find up to 50 email addresses every month.

What it can do:

Hunter provides a way to find the most common email pattern for a particular domain, so you can be confident you are pitching to the right address. It can save you hours of work (and frustration) on each campaign.

We love it because:

Each returned email address comes with a confidence score based on where it has been found (and a link to each source).

This is a great way to figure out the email structure at any given publication – all you need is a name.

HARO

Earning links from the press isn’t easy. In fact, it is a link building tactic that many SEOs struggle with, but HARO (Help a Reporter Out) is a great way for you to receive and respond to specific requests for sources and quotes that journalists put out each day.

What it can do:

HARO will send you three source request emails every weekday, broken down by industry. Within these, you will find requests from journalists across a range of chosen topics.

If you see a request that aligns with your expertise and you could easily provide a suitable quote, you can go ahead and respond to it to share your insights. If yours is chosen as a source, you could see yourself featured in the final article alongside a link to your site.

We love it because:

It makes it easy for anyone to earn great links from the press simply by sharing their expertise. It should only take a few minutes each day to check through the source requests, but the opportunities can be huge.

Those without PR experience, a dedicated team, or a big budget can still benefit from authoritative links with minimal effort and resource.

Streak

Streak is a free Gmail extension that lets you track email opens. It is perfect as a free solution for tracking your outreach emails and gaining valuable insights to help tailor your campaign follow-ups and re-pitches.

What it can do:

In order to maximize the success of your outreach efforts, you need to know who has opened your emails and how many times they have done so, as well as who has not opened them.

Whilst most dedicated outreach tools have this functionality built in, they can be costly, so, if you’re working to a budget, Streak is a fantastic solution to get the insights you need to make your campaign a success.

We love it because:

You can do a better job of tailoring your follow-ups when you can see how each of your prospects reacted to your initial email, making your outreach campaigns much more personal.

You don’t need separate tools; you can see these insights in your Gmail inbox, so it can slip seamlessly into your natural workflow.

Free Local SEO Tools

Competition for local customers can be tough for small businesses, but there are some excellent free tools available to help maximize visibility and drive growth on the SERPs.

Google My Business

If you run a business with a physical store or one that serves customers at their locations, use Google My Business (GMB) to claim your business listing and appear on Google Maps, in the Knowledge Panel, and in the Local Pack.

What it can do:

Unless you create and optimize your GMB listing, you are not going to be able to appear in key locations on local SERPs.

If you want to stand out against your competitors for local searches for opening hours, photos, videos, reviews, Q&As, and more on Google, then Google My Business is the only way.

We love it because:

It is possible to gain a significant competitive advantage if you are prepared to put in the time and effort to optimize your GMB listing.

Your competitors might treat it as a ‘set and forget’ listing, which means they will miss out on opportunities to add new posts, keep Q&As up to date, respond to reviews, add photos, and upload offers.

Free Tracking, Analytics and Reporting Tools

Tracking and analyzing your data with the right tools is essential if you are to run an effective strategy informed by insightful reports. Here are a few that should be on your list:

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a free tool that no marketer should be without; the fantastic insights it offers can help inform decisions in almost every area of your strategy.

What it can do:

The ability to report on and analyze metrics like number of sessions, unique visitors and conversions will help you develop a detailed understanding of your traffic, including where it came from, where it went on your site, how it engaged with your content, and where it exited.

You can even get detailed user data, such as demographics and device usage, to help inform your strategy.

We love it because:

It is the most cost-effective analytics platform for businesses of all shapes and sizes to nurture their traffic generation activities.

The fact that you can demonstrate success (and failure) with statistical evidence is a powerful way to boost any kind of SEO strategy.

Google Data Studio

When you need to create an engaging SEO report, check out Google Data Studio for opportunities to utilize interactive dashboards and visualize your site’s performance.

What it can do:

Whilst Analytics is a fantastic tool for understanding the behavior of your site’s users, there are often times when you need to combine such data with those from other tools, such as Google Search Console.

Data Studio lets you do just that with its effective reporting dashboards that utilize multiple sources – it even lets you merge them if necessary.

It is one of the best free reporting tools out there for showcasing the results of your marketing efforts.

We love it because:

Data Studio helps you to see the trends that some other tools don’t, and, alongside it being a fantastic way to create fully customizable and engaging reports that show real-time data, historical comparisons and more, it won’t cost you a dime.

As stated by Google, “Blending sources can reveal valuable relationships between your data sets. Creating blended charts directly in Data Studio removes the need to manipulate your data in other applications first, saving you time and effort.”

Other Free SEO Tools

Some tools might not naturally fit into a certain category, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be fantastic additions to your marketing toolset. Let’s take a look.

SEMrush Sensor

SERP volatility is fairly common. We all see fluctuating results from time to time, but it can be difficult to know whether this is caused by an algorithm update that’s getting rolled out or by new competitor activity.

SEMrush Sensor tracks Google’s volatility each day and helps you see how much rankings are fluctuating in your market.

What it can do:

You should always be keeping a watchful eye on the SERPs you are ranking on, but such a task is made easier with a tool that does it for you.

You can use SEMrush Sensor to see whether or not there are significant fluctuations in rankings and to look for signs of a Google algorithm update, which will prompt you to check your own site’s performance in more detail.

You do not need an SEMrush account to use the tool; it is completely free.

We love it because:

It gives you the bigger picture of fluctuations on the SERPs by allowing you to not only drill down into details of the keywords you rank for, but also see movements in other sectors.

Panguin Tool

Algorithm updates can affect any site that is deemed to be offering a poor user experience, but fluctuations on the SERPs don’t always make sense to everyone at first. The Panguin Tool is the ideal free way to investigate these fluctuations.

What it can do:

The tool allows you to quickly see whether or not your site has been impacted by a recent or historic update to Google’s algorithm.

Within seconds, you can connect your Google Analytics account to the Panguin Tool and overlay numerous algorithm updates onto your traffic graph, which will let you identify any potential causes for drops in traffic.

We love it because:

It streamlines the process of checking your traffic performance against algorithm updates, so you no longer need to switch between tabs and match up the dates yourself.

What could take hours manually only takes a few minutes with the Panguin Tool, which means you have an excellent free way to help you deal with past and future algorithm updates.

Did We Miss Anything?

We hope you have discovered a few new tools that will improve your workflow without putting a dint in your budget.

There is almost no end to the number of amazing innovations in our industry, but we have tried to capture a shortlist of the best ones here.

If we have missed your favorite tool, let us and other readers know by leaving a comment below.

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Tags: 17, 2020, Free, SEO, Tools

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