#flutter method channel example

[fluttertutorialhub]

Method Channel in Flutter: Bridge Native Code Example

We will learn how to use the method channel in Flutter to communicate data between Flutter and native code. In this article, Understanding how to pass arguments to the Android and iOS native platforms and return the value from native code to Flutter.

[smithjoe]

How to Develop Best Grocery Delivery App Like Instacart?

In today's fast-paced world, convenience is vital, and grocery delivery apps like Instacart have revolutionized how we shop for groceries. With a few simple taps on your phone, you can have your favorite groceries delivered right to your doorstep, saving you time and hassle. But have you ever wondered how to develop the best grocery delivery app like Instacart? If you're an entrepreneur looking to create your grocery delivery app, you're in the right place. Building a successful grocery delivery app requires careful planning, strategy, and a solid understanding of the target market. This article provides a comprehensive guide on how to develop a top-notch grocery delivery app like Instacart.

Market Analysis of Grocery Delivery Apps

Before diving into the development process, conducting a thorough market analysis of existing grocery delivery apps is essential. Analyzing the competition will help you identify gaps in the market and understand what features and functionalities are in high demand.

Research popular grocery delivery apps like Instacart, Amazon Fresh, and Walmart Grocery. Pay attention to customer reviews and feedback to gain insights into what users love and what can be improved.

Features of Successful Grocery Delivery Apps

To create a successful grocery delivery app, you need to offer features that cater to the needs and expectations of your target audience. Here are some essential features to consider:

User Registration and Profiles

It allows users to easily create accounts and manage their personal information, delivery addresses, and payment methods.

Product Catalog 

Build a comprehensive catalog of grocery items, including descriptions, images, and pricing. Implement search and filter functionalities to help users find specific products quickly.

Real-Time Inventory Management

Integrate with store inventory systems to ensure accurate product availability information. Displaying real-time stock levels will prevent users from ordering items out of stock.

Custom Shopping Lists

Enable users to create and save shopping lists for easy reordering. Incorporate features like smart suggestions and voice recognition for a convenient shopping experience.

Delivery Scheduling

Allow users to choose preferred delivery slots based on availability. Implement a notification system to keep users updated on the status of their deliveries.

In-App Chat/Support

Provide a seamless communication channel between users, delivery drivers, and customer support. This feature ensures timely assistance and issue resolution.

Ratings and Reviews

Enable users to rate and review products, delivery drivers, and overall service quality. Positive reviews can boost user confidence and attract new customers.

Remember, these are just a few examples of features to include. Consider conducting user surveys or focus groups to gather feedback and understand what additional functionalities would enhance the user experience.

Choosing the Right Technology Stack for Your App Development

Selecting the right technology stack is crucial for the success of your Uber grocery delivery app. Consider the following components.

Mobile App Development

Choose a platform (iOS, Android, or both) based on your target audience's preferences. Opt for native app development or cross-platform frameworks like React Native or Flutter for cost-effective development.

Backend Development

Consider technologies like Node.js, Ruby on Rails, or Django for a robust and scalable backend. These frameworks provide efficient server-side processing and data management capabilities.

Database Management

Select a reliable database management system, such as MongoDB, PostgreSQL, or MySQL, to efficiently handle large amounts of data.

Cloud Infrastructure

Utilize cloud platforms like AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure for secure data storage, real-time updates, and easy scalability.

API Integrations

Integrate with third-party APIs for payment gateways, geolocation, and SMS notifications. It enables seamless communication and enhances the overall functionality of your app.

Consult with experienced developers or a technology consultant to determine the most suitable technology stack for your requirements.

Designing a User-Friendly Interface for Your App

A user-friendly and visually appealing interface is critical for engaging users and keeping them returning to your app. Follow these design principles to create an intuitive and pleasing user interface:

Keep it Simple

Avoid clutter using clean layouts, minimalistic design elements, and clear navigation menus. Simplify the ordering process and minimize the steps required to complete a purchase.

Intuitive Navigation

Design intuitive navigation flows that guide users seamlessly through the app. Utilize clear icons, labels, and breadcrumbs to help users understand where they are in the app and how to navigate to different sections.

Visual Hierarchy

Highlight essential elements and information using visual cues such as color, size, and contrast. Use whitespace effectively to improve readability and create a sense of visual balance.

Responsiveness

Ensure your app is responsive across different devices and screen sizes. Optimize layouts and image sizes to provide a consistent and enjoyable user experience.

Accessibility

Make your app accessible to users with disabilities by implementing features like voice control, text-to-speech, and adjustable font sizes. Consider colorblindness and other visual impairments when choosing color schemes.

By prioritizing user experience and following design best practices, you can create an app that users will find intuitive and enjoyable.

Building a Robust Backend for Seamless Operations

The success of your on-demand grocery delivery solution relies heavily on a robust and efficient backend system. Here are some key components to consider:

User Management

Implement secure authentication and authorization systems to protect user data and enable personalized experiences.

Order Management

Develop an order management system that efficiently handles order processing, tracking, and fulfillment. Integrate with delivery partners or build your fleet management system for smooth, timely delivery.

Inventory Management

Ensure real-time inventory updates by integrating with store systems or implementing your inventory management system. It will prevent instances of out-of-stock items and enable accurate order fulfillment.

Analytics and Reporting

Incorporate analytics tools to track user behavior, order patterns, and app performance. Utilize this data to make informed business decisions and optimize your app for improved user satisfaction.

Scalability and Performance

Build your backend infrastructure to handle high volumes of concurrent users and ensure a seamless experience even during peak times. Utilize caching mechanisms, load balancing, and other performance optimization techniques.

Collaborate with experienced backend developers and infrastructure experts to ensure a robust and scalable backend system that can handle the demands of your app.

Integrating Payment Gateways and Security Features

Seamless and secure payment processing is critical to any grocery delivery app. Integrate reliable and widely used payment gateways like Stripe, PayPal, or Braintree to provide users with multiple payment options and a secure checkout process.

Implement robust security measures to protect user data and prevent unauthorized access. Utilize encryption technologies, secure connections (HTTPS), and adhere to industry-standard security practices to build user trust and safeguard sensitive information.

Marketing and Promoting Your App for Maximum Reach

Effective marketing and promotion are crucial to success in your grocery delivery app. Here are some strategies to consider:

Social Media Marketing

Utilize popular social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to create engaging content, run targeted ads, and build a community around your app.

App Store Optimization (ASO)

Optimize your app store listing using relevant keywords, compelling descriptions, and eye-catching visuals. Encourage positive reviews and ratings to improve your app's visibility.

Influencer Partnerships 

Collaborate with influencers, bloggers, and vloggers in the food and lifestyle niche to promote your app. Their recommendations can significantly increase your app's visibility and attract new users.

Referral Programs

Implement referral programs to incentivize existing users to refer their friends and family. Offer discounts, exclusive promotions, or rewards for successful referrals.

Local Partnerships

Forge partners with local grocery stores, restaurants, and food brands to offer exclusive deals and discounts. It will help you tap into their existing customer base and drive app downloads.

Content Marketing

Create valuable and informative content about grocery shopping, healthy eating, and food trends. Publish blog posts, videos, and infographics to establish your app as an authority in the industry.

Remember to track and analyze the effectiveness of your marketing efforts continuously. Adjust your strategies based on user feedback, market trends, and competitor analysis to maximize your app's reach and user acquisition.

Conclusion

Developing a grocery delivery app like Instacart Clone requires careful planning, attention to detail, and a commitment to providing a seamless user experience. Following the critical steps outlined in this article, you can create a top-notch grocery delivery app that stands out in the competitive market and attracts a loyal customer base. Test your app thoroughly before launching and implement effective marketing strategies to ensure maximum reach and user engagement.

[oilablearnit]

Advanced Strategies in Digital Advertising and Promotion

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, staying ahead requires more than just following the latest trends. It demands a deep understanding of advanced strategies that can propel brands to the forefront of online visibility and engagement. As traditional advertising methods continue to fade into the background, businesses must embrace innovative approaches to stand out in the digital sphere.

Understanding the Digital Advertising Ecosystem

Digital advertising is no longer limited to banner ads and pop-ups. It has evolved into a complex ecosystem encompassing various platforms, formats, and targeting options. From search engine marketing (SEM) to social media advertising and influencer partnerships, the possibilities are vast. However, mastering these advanced strategies requires a strategic approach and a nuanced understanding of consumer behavior.

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Harnessing the Power of Data and Analytics

At the heart of advanced digital advertising lies data and analytics. Every click, impression, and conversion offers valuable insights into audience preferences and campaign performance. By leveraging advanced analytics tools, marketers can uncover hidden patterns, optimize targeting parameters, and personalize messaging at scale. This data-driven approach not only enhances campaign effectiveness but also enables real-time adjustments based on evolving market dynamics.

Embracing Personalization and Contextual Targeting

Gone are the days of generic advertising messages that speak to the masses. In today's hyper-connected world, consumers expect personalized experiences tailored to their individual interests and preferences. Advanced digital advertising strategies leverage data segmentation and machine learning algorithms to deliver relevant content at the right time and place. Whether through dynamic ad creative or behavioral retargeting, personalization enhances engagement and drives higher conversion rates.

Integrating Omnichannel Marketing Strategies

With consumers interacting across multiple devices and touchpoints, effective digital advertising requires a cohesive omnichannel approach. Whether it's through paid search, social media, email, or display advertising, brands must maintain a consistent presence throughout the customer journey. Advanced strategies involve seamless integration across channels, allowing for cross-platform tracking, attribution modeling, and unified messaging. By meeting consumers wherever they are, brands can maximize reach and reinforce brand recall across channels.

Harnessing the Power of Emerging Technologies

The digital landscape is constantly evolving, driven by innovations in technology and consumer behavior. From augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to voice search and artificial intelligence (AI), advanced digital advertising strategies embrace emerging technologies to create immersive brand experiences. Whether it's through interactive ad formats, voice-enabled shopping experiences, or AI-powered chatbots, forward-thinking marketers leverage cutting-edge technologies to engage audiences in new and meaningful ways.

Conclusion

In today's digital age, the landscape of advertising and promotion is undergoing a paradigm shift. Advanced strategies go beyond traditional approaches, leveraging data, personalization, omnichannel integration, and emerging technologies to drive meaningful connections with consumers. By embracing innovation and staying ahead of the curve, brands can unlock new opportunities for growth and differentiation in an increasingly competitive marketplace. As digital advertising continues to evolve, those who dare to innovate will emerge as the true pioneers of tomorrow's marketing landscape.

[whenitsdarkweilluminate]

Düsseldorf 2011 – Semi-Final 1

Host: Germany Slogan: “Feel Your Heart Beat!” Participants: 43 Voting method: 12-point system (50/50 system - combined) Format: 2 Semi-Finals / Grand Final = the top 10 of semi 1 & 2 + the Big 5 + host General Overview: 2011 sees Eurovision return to central Europe for the first time since Switzerland hosted in 1989. Like last year, there are no opening acts in the semi-finals. Instead we go straight to the host introductions. The presenters are Anke Engelke, Judith Rakers and a familiar face to the contest: Stefan Raab. He was responsible for Germany's joke entries from 1998 and 2000, and he organized the 2010 national final that Lena ultimately won. The trio delivers plenty of comedy throughout the night, but YIKES at Raab's misogyny “jokes”. This year sees four countries return: Austria, Hungary, San Marino, and of course the big one: Italy (which I'll cover in the Grand Final). None of the 2010 participants withdrew, so the number of overall entries matched the record of 43 again. The interval act involves an ensemble of drummers. The musicians are talented and there's a couple of cool moments, like when they drum each other's drums, or when one dude runs across the drums. Once again, the phone lines were open from the beginning of the show instead of after the last performance. This rule will be reverted next year. The 2011 contest is notorious for having unexpected results, and that begins in SF1 where Armenia and Turkey fail to qualify. Both countries were basically guaranteed to finish on the left side of the scoreboard during this time period (along with Russia, Greece and Azerbaijan... all of which are in this semi). But this time the juries said NOPE, even though both were top ten on televote. Which I don't mind since “Boom Boom” and “Live It Up” are massive steps down in quality. I suppose this justified the inclusion of the juries. Well, I would say that, but they also blocked Norway from advancing. In their place, we have Serbia, Switzerland and... the jury winner itself Lithuania. Which is the only time that a semi-final jury winner wasn't top 10 on the televote. Just another example of how erratic the results are this year. Also of note: only one point separated Switzerland, Malta and Armenia from being the 10th qualifier.

× Poland: Magdalena Tul - Jestem First up, it's the last placed entry of SF1... which I think is an overly harsh result for this. The production is stylish, the choreography looks fierce, and the snaps and whispers are seductive. The “breakdowns” (the parts with the fluttering taps and whispers) give the song flavour. There's also a bouncy groove and a strutting rhythm. “Jestem” paints the image of Magdalena confidently walking onto the scene. The choreo and the puffs of smoke enhance that attitude. Lyrically, Magdalena describes how she has the power in her relationship because her love interest is dependent on her. So why did this flop? Well, the studio recording is better than the live version. The vocal mixing on the ESC stage is messy. Magdalena's lead isn't that cohesive with the backing singers. That said, this entire semi-final seems to have audio issues. So perhaps being first in the running order made Poland's flaws look worse. × Norway: Stella Mwangi - Haba Haba Seeing what last year's host country sends is fascinating to me for some reason. In recent years they've ranged from obvious NQ (Latvia 2004), to continued ambitiousness (Turkey 2005 and Ukraine 2006), to more of the same (Greece 2007 and Finland 2008), to not taking it seriously at all (Serbia 2009 and Russia 2010). Norway 2011, meanwhile, tries something fresh by channeling African influences, since Stella is of Kenyan origin. “Haba Haba” features prominent steel drums and the main hook is in Swahili. Said lyric is a piece of advice from Stella's grandmother that translates to “little by little fills the measure”. It's about having patience and believing that things will turn out okay in time. The song promotes a positive mindset, and I'm a sucker for some infectious positivity. The tone is sincere and encouraging. The steel drums establish a laid back, sunshiny mood. And Stella and the backing exhibit radiant smiles on stage. The chorus is also hard to resist singing along to it. The biggest flaw is the minimal lyrics – every line in the song is said twice. The staging lacks something too. × Albania: Aurela Gaçe - Feel the Passion Well, Aurela certainly “feels the passion” in her performance, but her vocal style is not for me. It's too unrefined, uncontrollable and screechy. Yes, raspy vocals are emotionally expressive, and intense passion should be unrestrained, but Aurela's wailing is unpleasant on the ears. The other aspects of this entry are fine, though. The rock instrumentation, the red colour scheme, the blasts of fire... I appreciate what it's going for. There's a sinister vibe to this song. Like the movie's villain has trapped you or something. The pre-chorus is decent too. Lyrically, “Feel the Passion” describes how love makes Aurela fly like an eagle, and there's even eagle wings on screen to match. But yeah the vocals ruin the experience for me. × Armenia: Emmy - Boom Boom And with that, Armenia's top 10 streak comes to a screeching halt. Their previous entries all understood what would succeed in this era of the Eurovision. But in 2011, they went the opposite direction. They chose a campy entry (the kind that I'd expect from the Netherlands) and the juries sunk it. It became Armenia's first non-qualifier. “Boom Boom” is a chipper bubblegum pop song, but it's too juvenile to work. In particular, the main hook – the “boom boom chucka chucka / your love is like a like a” part – sounds silly. It's spoken like a cheerleader chant. The lyrics, meanwhile, compare fighting for love to a boxing match. And the staging takes this metaphor literally. There's robes and a giant boxing glove. But the peak moment is when the backing dancers create a boxing ring out of tethers. I face palmed at that. The percussion beat also slams like a punching fist. Otherwise, “Boom Boom” is a somewhat catchy song, but it sounds cheap and tacky. Emmy delivers some enthusiasm but my eyes are on the male backing dancers though lol. × Turkey: Yüksek Sadakat - Live It Up Likewise, Turkey's consistent run comes to an end in 2011 via their first non-qualifier. The last time they missed the Grand Final was in 1994 (due to relegation), so this is their worst result in 17 years. “Live It Up” is yet another rock song from Turkey. They had excelled with that genre in recent years so I can't blame them. But “Live It Up” pales in comparison to their 2004, 2008 and 2010 entries. “For Real”, “Deli” and “We Could Be The Same” each had something special. This does not. The guitar groove is generic, the melody is forgettable, and the atmosphere is bland. The lyrics promote being happy in the moment, but the execution (the instrumentation, the vocal tone) doesn't raise my spirits. The song is just nothing. It sounds half-hearted. Also, why is there a body contortionist in a cage and why does she sprout wings at the end? I don't get it. The smoke and fire aren't impressive on this one either. The “HEEEYS” are alright though. ✓ Serbia: Nina - Čaroban “CHAR...OH...BAHN!” I've totally overlooked this entry until now. “Čaroban” is simple in concept. It's a homage to 1960s music. The instrumentation (the horns, the percussion) is similar to songs of the time; while the staging embraces that retro aesthetic. The LED screen encompass a hypnotic swirl of gaudy colours and the performers are dressed in vintage clothing. The song, meanwhile, exudes a smitten and joyful vibe, where Nina declares she's found her perfect match. The chorus is a frantic rush of excitement over the situation. It gets broken up by the staggered “CHAR...OH...BAHN!” hook, which balances out the frantic parts. The pauses are an effective method to make that hook land. And the camera cuts on each syllable are cute. “Čaroban” is likable entry and Nina delivers friendly stage presence. But it's too “simple” to reach my overall top 10. ✓ Russia: Alexej Vorobjov - Get You By landing in 16th, this is Russia's worst placement since the introduction of the televote (and their worst until Julia Samoylova). There's many things to hate about this entry. Firstly, Alexej seems arrogant and unlikable on the live stage. Secondly, the lyrics sound presumptuous rather than flirtatious (ie. “Oh oh... I'm coming to get you” and “I know you want me to”). Alexej's overconfidence makes it sound worse. Finally, the song is just generic boyband pop. The Russian chanting at the beginning doesn't fit in either, even if it does offer something different. Still, Russia provides high production values here. The choreography routine is impressively synchronized. And that “OHH OH” hook is begrudgingly stuck in my head. I should note that RedOne was involved in this. He was a definitive part of the pop landscape at the time; supplying hits to Lady Gaga among others. “Get You” is no “Bad Romance” or “Alejandro”, but it is structured like a radio hit. The melody is there and the production is full. It's booming dance-pop with some alarm beeps. But it's not that distinct. ✓ Switzerland: Anna Rossinelli - In Love for a While Switzerland achieves their first qualification in 5 years (by 1 point!)... only to finish in dead last at the Grand Final anyway. It's not that bad? “In Love for a While” is a cute and bubbly song, although it does sound like a TV advertisement song. It reminds me of “New Soul” and “1234” in that regard. Still, I appreciate the day-dreamy atmosphere and Anna is a capable vocalist. She emphasizes the melody. And the twinkly plucking of the strings establishes a laid back and innocent vibe. The song is dominated by stringed instruments. Also, the “na na na na na” bit in the middle is like Anna drifting off into thought while spontaneously singing to herself. Although, those “nana”s go on too long. The song involves her reflecting on and cherishing her long term relationship. There's also bubbles in the background lol. ✓ Georgia: Eldrine - One More Day A nu metal song gives Georgia their equal best result to date at 9th. Interestingly, their first four entries all placed between 9-12. “One More Day” is probably my favourite Georgian entry overall though. The verse/chorus contrast is effective, while Sopho Toroshelidze's gritty vocal complements the angst-y vibe. The verses project a misty image, thanks to the looping guitar. The chorus, on the other hand, is an anxious jolt back to reality. It's when the heavy electric guitars burst onto the scene and Sopho's impulses take over. She rebelliously erupts in the succeeding lines as the lights flash in the background. In the song, Sopho experiences an internal, indecisive, tug-of-war. She's tempted by desire but holds back for “one more day”. The post-chorus is where she resigns to her fate. The second verse involves the rapper providing his perspective. He also interjects in the rest of the song. I don't mind his contribution though. As for the staging, it features some green and black outfits that ultimately won the Barbara Dex Award. Moldova was robbed. ✓ Finland: Paradise Oskar - Da Da Dam “Da Da Dam” is a folksy lullaby about environmentalism. I thought this was going to be the “Me And My Guitar” of 2011, but it sunk into the bottom 5 at the Grand Final. And that's despite finishing 3rd in this semi. I prefer “Da Da Dam” to Tom Dice's song, though. Oskar's performance is genuine and heartfelt. He tells a story about a boy named Peter who's determined to save the planet but no one will listen to him. The lyrics are centered around Peter's story instead of the issue itself. The final chorus switches the speaker to show how Oskar is inspired by Peter's earnestness. Yeah, this entry is waaaay overly cutesy, especially with the rising Earth image on the background LED. But the melody is cozy and effortless – the “da da dam” hook fulfills the same purpose as the “na na na” one from Switzerland earlier. And Oskar displays some charming smiles. The song has heart and melody. × Malta: Glen Vella - One Life Well, this is bland and forgettable. The issue with “One Life” is that the song has no hook. Not a single line jumps out. The melody is weak and it doesn't stick with me. The song's message isn't that deep either – basically Glen urges taking a chance on love because YOLO. It's easy to see how this entry got lost in the shuffle; although the juries were more favourable towards it. There are some positives, though. Glen puts a lot of effort into his performance. The key change is fine. And the dance-pop production is probably the best aspect? It channels that euphoric atmosphere that's present in 2011 music. The swinging back-and-forth beat is lively too. But the song never becomes the bop it wants to be. It's like the “Angel si ti” of 2011. × San Marino: Sen(h)it - Stand By The first appearance of the icon Senhit! Except her 2011 entry is nothing like “Adrenalina”. Instead, “Stand By” is a retro-sounding introspection ballad. The instrumental is hazy in a way. The arrangement ebbs and flows like waves crashing on the shore. The lurching guitar and the backing vocalists are highlights here. Senhit's approach is also personable. In the song, she wants to forget all her troubles for one night. Like mentally escape from a painful situation. Possibly the death of a love one? “Stand By” is a warm and gentle song, but the pacing is noticeably sluggish. The song is kinda boring tbh. Similar to Malta, the juries liked it but the televoters were apathetic. × Croatia: Daria - Celebrate Croatia was one of my favourite countries up through 2010, but I don't expect that to continue lol. “Celebrate” is a total train wreck entry. Daria gives one unenthusiastic/half-assed performance here, between her lacklustre vocals and her amateur-level choreography. Lol at those arm waves. There's also TWO costume change magic tricks for some reason, initiated by a magician/DJ who exhibits awkward energy. Plus the song is trashy. The “shine like a comet in our musical galaxy” lyric is corny and clumsy. And the production is so mechanical. It's very 2011 dance-pop, packed with industrial beeps and boops. There's also a dubstep breakdown during the bridge. Which I think is the first instance of dubstep in Eurovision? This entry is a mess... but in a guilty pleasure way? ✓ Iceland: Sjonni's Friends - Coming Home It's impossible to look at this entry without acknowledging the context surrounding it. Sigurjón Brink was scheduled to perform “Coming Home” at the Icelandic national final, but he died one week beforehand. Subsequently, his musician friends gathered to perform it as a tribute. And they obviously won the national final. Coincidentally, the song's tone is appropriate for a state of grief. It's very comforting and peaceful. The lyrics are about anticipating a meet-up with a loved one. But lines such as “it's time to go”, “I just wanna see your face again” and “when my time on earth comes to an end” take on new meaning. Like the narrator is reuniting in spirit. It implies that Sigurjón is in a better place now. Musically, “Coming Home” channels 1920s vocal harmony groups. There's prominent horns too. The harmonizing is tight and there's positive energy on stage. The group also have some doofy interactions. Otherwise, the chorus melody is clear and instant, and the slow-down transition into the final chorus is alright too. ✓ Hungary: Kati Wolf - What About My Dreams? This was a hyped-up entry that floundered at the Grand Final. In studio form, “What About My Dreams?” is a winner contender. But the live version is a disappointment. Indeed, Kati appears stiff and nervous on stage and her vocals are shaky. The verses are especially awkward because of how the production breaks. It leaves the spotlight entirely on her. The song is a powerful assertion. Kati is standing up for herself in a one-sided relationship. But her nervous performance undermines that message. The black backdrop is interesting idea though. That said, she does improve in the Grand Final performance. Otherwise, “What About My Dreams?” is an ANTHEM. The verse/chorus contrast is impactful. The verses are static and pensive (with some anticipatory drums), while the chorus soars thanks to the dance-pop production. The chorus conveys a sense of running away or standing out on the edge. The song title is exclaimed like a rooftop declaration. While the “I can't hold back, I can't go back” response takes it to the next level. The final post-chorus is a powerful moment too thanks to the backing singers. There's also 80s synths and claps at one point. × Portugal: Homens da Luta - A luta é alegria Portugal had a low-key resurgence during 2008-2010, but it's back to DNQ territory until Salvador. This year they selected a band of comedic street performers with a protest song against the “reaction” (a reference to the Salazar era). On stage, they're dressed as working class citizens while holding signs in a variety of languages. The aesthetic is very colourful. “A luta é alegria” is basically a joke/parody entry that goes right over my head because I don't understand the nuances of Portuguese culture and history. Are the outfits meant to be stereotypes? Their expressions imply it's a joke. Musically, it's a Portuguese folk song that follows a drum march beat and involves collective singing. But it's just monotonous and relentless. Like it just keeps going. ✓ Lithuania: Evelina Sašenko - C'est ma vie The jury winner of SF1, despite finishing 11th on the televote. “C'est ma vie” is the only conventional vocal ballad in this semi so that explains that. The song is very theatrical; like a Broadway or West End showtune. To be honest, I just find ballads in this style dull. “C'est ma vie” is all bombast and has insufficient emotional resonance. Evelina provides a technically skilled vocal performance here. She carefully shows off every single note and she displays a confident beaming smile while doing it. She ensures her vocals are at the forefront. But it's a bit tedious. The intensifying orchestral peaks are probably the best aspect of this song. The performance is also notable for Evelina using sign language during the second verse. ✓ Azerbaijan: Ell & Nikki - Running Scared (winner review in the Grand Final post) ✓ Greece: Loukas Giorkas feat. Stereo Mike - Watch My Dance The winner of SF1, largely thanks to the televote, and another easy top ten for Greece. “Watch My Dance” is an ambitious entry. The song fuses classical Greek singing with English rap verses. It includes prominent bouzouki to ensure that Greek characteristic. And there's architectural columns on the LED screen lol. Loukas's vocal in the classical parts is smooth but Stereo Mike's rapping is.... not. He has a grunting voice and his flow is weak. Otherwise, “Watch My Dance” is remarkably atmospheric in how the percussion consumes the entire arena. It's a series of incessant, pounding, Earthquake stomps. It's apocalyptic. Like the world is crumbling down around them. The lyrics are about self-empowerment, maintaining inner strength and fortitude, and not giving up in the face of adversity. So the production represents that adversity as the duo stands tall and fearless in the raining debris. The pyro captures the dramatic nature too. It's a well-staged entry. Gotta love the break-dancing going on in the background. But 2011 is the year where all my favourites disappoint me for one reason or another, and Stereo Mike is the reason for this one. My Ranking: 01. Georgia: Eldrine - One More Day ✓ 02. Hungary: Kati Wolf - What About My Dreams? ✓ 03. Norway: Stella Mwangi - Haba Haba 04. Serbia: Nina - Čaroban ✓ 05. Greece: Loukas Giorkas feat. Stereo Mike - Watch My Dance ✓ 06. Iceland: Sjonni's Friends - Coming Home ✓ 07. Poland: Magdalena Tul - Jestem 08. Switzerland: Anna Rossinelli - In Love for a While ✓ 09. Finland: Paradise Oskar - Da Da Dam ✓ 10. Lithuania: Evelina Sašenko - C'est ma vie ✓ 11. Croatia: Daria - Celebrate 12. San Marino: Senhit - Stand By 13. Azerbaijan: Ell & Nikki - Running Scared ✓ 14. Russia: Alexej Vorobjov - Get You ✓ 15. Malta: Glen Vella - One Life 16. Armenia: Emmy - Boom Boom 17. Albania: Aurela Gaçe - Feel the Passion 18. Turkey: Yüksek Sadakat - Live It Up 19. Portugal: Homens da Luta - A luta é alegria I only really like 1-9. Picking a #1 was so difficult. None of these are a 10/10.

[indiavolowetrust]

Carajillo II

SUMMARY: The sequel to Carajillo, which you can read here. A coup d'etat has been staged in the Celestial Realm. The human proposes a plan to halt the impending war.

Part One: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Part Two: Coming Soon!

Part Three: Coming Soon!

TW: Blood, Violence, Explicit Sexual Content, Mention of Rape

PART ONE: CHAPTER TWO

I stand some distance away from the wooden door, mulling over the idea of  knocking a third time. I had made sure to leave five minute increments between each period of knocking, especially given the early hour, but the lack of response is mildly concerning. One would usually think to provide a servant with some sort of audible response -- surprised yelling, shuffling, perhaps even muffled curses as the resident within stumbles into furniture -- but Maria appears to have no knowledge of the social expectation. That, or she is still fast asleep. I would imagine it to be the latter.

Silently, I contemplate simply barging in and rousing her awake. Pouring the water from the flower vase would work, certainly, as would pulling away the sheets from her.

Back in her exchange year days, such an informal, inappropriate method would be considered normal. Expected, even. Long hours of partaking in alcohol and playing obscure human games do not particularly lend themselves to early mornings -- a fact that Maria had seemed to stubbornly refuse to acknowledge. And it would lead to the same outcome every time: she would partake in three or four drinks over the course of the night, debating some philosophy or aspect of human culture with Lord Diavolo, and I would be instructed to all but drag the stumbling, intoxicated human to a guest room. I would be the one to remove her shoes from her small, numb feet before she collapsed on the bed. To hold her upright as she struggled to brush her teeth, to ensure her body was at least warm enough to offset her poor circulation, and to wake her up before she missed one of her classes at RAD. Back in her exchange year days, I never would have thought twice about entering the room to wake her.

Times have changed. I have long burned that bridge to ashes.

Still, there is the matter of giving her enough time to prepare for the meeting. While souls do not particularly require sustenance, it would be in her best interest to experience as many sensations as possible. To ground herself in this place and time.

I knock again. No response.

Two minutes and thirty-one seconds pass. Two minutes and thirty-one seconds of a quiet, strained patience. Two minutes and thirty-one seconds of idling in the massive corridor, standing before a room that is apparently devoid of life. All in all, one hundred and fifty-one seconds of waiting in almost complete silence.

The door clicks softly as I open it. I pass the threshold as I step into the room, ensuring that I mask my irritation.

“Maria, your meeting with Lord Diavolo is --”

Maria regards me over her shoulder, both her posture and movements suggesting severe lethargy. Or, at the very least, momentary confusion. She blinks, the dark eyelashes fluttering. The smooth olive tone of her back is almost completely bared to me, the contour of her shoulder blades shadowed in the dim light, and the dark blouse is only pulled up halfway over her torso. Her pants, while tightened perfectly at her thin waist, are loose in every other manner. Her sleeping clothes lie in a pile at her feet. Evidently she has just awoken.

I stare for a moment, all thoughts interrupted by the sight.

Her expression suddenly metamorphoses into one of surprise, a flush coming onto her cheeks, and she quickly finishes pulling up the dark blouse. “I -- I was having trouble with buttoning it up,” she explains quickly. “I’ll be out in a moment.”

I bow, averting my eyes. “Of course.”

As expected, the moment lasts approximately ten minutes and three seconds. Maria emerges from the room with quiet, shuffling steps, fidgeting with the sleeves of the blouse. The pitch-black blouse seems to swallow up her thin frame, the high-waisted pants a little too long for her petite legs, and there is a flicker of discomfort in her expression when the fabric grazes against her neck. As if it had burned her.

Then again, such fabrics are likely too cumbersome for the average human. The frigid air of the Devildom has done well to accustom demons to heavy, unforgiving textiles. She would have to wait until we acquire more fitting garments.

I gesture towards the end of the hall. “Shall we?”

She nods.

It is a quiet, almost wordless journey to the private kitchen. And then it is a quiet, almost wordless breakfast, the small room filled only with the clink of utensils. The scraping of the chairs against the wooden floor, the rush of water from the faucet, and the closing of the wooden door behind us as we exit to the corridor once more. With only thirty minutes and twenty seven until the meeting, I make sure to allot enough time for both her slower pace and her fatigue.

Despite her silent forgiveness only six days before, I can feel the almost palpable tension in the air between us. The distance that I have created. There is little change in her demeanor -- she is as bullheaded and difficult as she was when she was alive -- but I can sense the guarded nature that has come to encompass her actions. I am kept at arm’s length. What had once been an open, unrestricted channel for her intentions and words has been replaced by a stark barrier. Amiable, yet distant. Cordial, yet reluctant.

The memory of my nightmare suddenly makes itself known amongst my thoughts, overwhelming whatever had come before it. As much as I try to dispel the presence, that horrible crimson tingeing the edges of my vision, I am assaulted with the images of her dying over and over again. Black and blue marks on her small neck. A stab wound at her stomach. The broken, crumpled pile of her body. The spear that had all but shattered her, the flesh and bone of her torso nearly unrecognizable, and the same spear that had pinned her by the throat to the wall, her feet dangling some distance from the floor. That fearful, desperate look in her eyes as she had tried to pull the spear from her throat, her fingers nearly seared off in the process.

I have no memory of tearing the angel apart. I have no memory of separating the flesh from bone, the limbs from his torso, or the head from whatever was left of his wretched body. Lord Diavolo had not stopped me from slaughtering the angel  -- examples must be made, after all -- but he had prevented my rampage from becoming too destructive. Maria had been too far gone to save at the moment, even with the application of sorcery, but Lord Diavolo had placed her in my arms all the same. Forcing me to regain at least some of my clarity.

It was the one and only time I had felt her die.

The sound of footsteps behind me cease. I stop and turn to regard her slightly hunched, stumbling form, her hand lingering just an inch away from the wall.

“We can wait a moment,” I offer, eyeing her. “There’s no need to rush.”

Maria smiles sheepishly at me, waving off my concern. “No, no, I’m alright,” she answers, perceiving the question in my words. “I just think it’s kinda funny that I’m -- that I’m still like this. Guess it just takes a while.”

My gaze lingers on her for only a moment.

“I suppose so.”

The entrance to the throne room is a grand, striking beast, featuring rich mahogany, gold adornments, and the carvings of strange and terrible gods. Here lies the relief of the Hundred-Eyed Devourer, a malicious entity who used his endless mass to gorge himself on both sacrifices and followers alike. The Mother of Many, a writhing, tentacled goddess who birthed a number of grotesque abominations. The All-Seeing, an eldritch beast who looked upon the sins of humanity and decimated entire city-states with its gaze. And then there is the One Who Hungers, an otherwise nameless, formless being that had terrorized even the gods of old. The true beast of Babylon. Even the old king found himself at a loss in comparison to this beast’s strength. The relief in the mahogany depicts only the gaping, slavering maw of the beast, its silhouette outlined by sharp, thorn-like teeth.

And then Lord Diavolo’s father had slaughtered nearly all of them in cold blood, taking each of the gods’ powers for his own. The door is merely a retelling of events. A gruesome present from an equally gruesome father.

Maria takes a moment to collect herself just outside of the door, shifting uncomfortably in her borrowed garments. Adjusting the oversized collar of her blouse with needless attention. I stand a respectful distance away from her as she does so. Her dark curls spill out of the confines of her low bun, exacerbating the effect of the shadows beneath her eyes. Her fingers furl and unfurl against the too-long sleeves of her blouse.

And then she finally sighs, her gaze meeting mine. Trepidation.

I place a gloved hand against the great doors and push them open, leading her to the belly of the throne room. She proceeds with hesitant steps into the massive chamber, the diminutive heels of her shoes clicking quietly against the floor. Yet another strand undoes itself from her bun.

And she is nearly toppled over.

“Maria!” cries Asmodeus, wrapping her small body in his too-familiar embrace. I frown. The blond demon picks her up and spins her in a perfect circle, prompting surprised yelps on her part. “I can’t believe it’s really you!”

Maria stumbles slightly when he finally puts her down, nearly tripping over a heel, but the blonde demon only continues to nuzzle her with affection. I frown deeper.

“Asmo,” she says, her voice muffled, “I -- I can’t --”

“Can’t believe that you’re finally in the presence of my beauty?” he finishes for her. His wings flutter happily at his back, his excitement apparently too great to be contained. “It’s alright, you can admit it. It should be illegal to be as beautiful as I am.”

“Oi!” Mammon barks irritably. ”Whaddya think you’re doin’?! You’re not the only one who --”

“Oh, don’t be like that,” Asmodeus cuts him off, pursing his mouth. His embrace tightens on Maria, and he shoots the greedy demon a roguish grin. “Just because you’re a little jealous doesn’t mean you get to have her all to yourself. And she likes it, anyway. Don’t you, Maria?”

Maria gives a muffled response, squirming slightly in his grip. Asmodeus nods in confirmation of his own statement, inciting a scowl to come over Mammon’s features.

“See?”

Mammon opens his mouth to speak, fully prepared to rebuke his younger brother’s claims -- but Beelzebub pushes past him before he can do so, encroaching slowly on the entwined pair. His more traitorous twin follows closely behind, drawn to the commotion, and the wrathful one looks upon the scene with a hint of exasperation from his seat. Lucifer, ever the disdainful demon, mirrors Satan’s expression, the tips of his black wings twitching in annoyance. The useless otaku brings a hand to his pocket, prepared to pull out his D.D.D.. And then there is Lord Diavolo, regarding the rather chaotic group with what appears to be nothing more than pure amusement.

I wonder, at times like this, just how the Devildom has managed to remain intact.

This time, it is Beelzebub who offers the gesture of affection. Similar to Asmodeus, he does not wait for a confirmation or an answer -- and he picks up the entwined pair with a spine-crushing embrace. His face splits into an overjoyed smile, even as Asmodeus begins to show signs of discomfort. The blond demon’s feet flail uselessly in the air. Beelzebub only continues to confine the unfortunate pair in his arms.

“It’s good to see you again, Maria,” he says.

Asmodeus manages to force out his head from beneath the larger demon’s arms. “Beel,” he chokes out, “don’t you think --”

“That’s enough!”

Lucifer’s voice nearly echoes throughout the entirety of the room, his irritation seeming to have reached its peak. Dark tendrils of power begin to extend from his body, writhing with threatening intent in the air -- and Beelzebub drops both Maria and Asmodeus unceremoniously onto the ground, if only out of surprise. Asmodeus quickly picks himself up, straightening his clothes as he does so. Lucifer’s glare flickers between all six of his brothers, his gloved hands nearly splintering the wood of the chair he has in his grasp.

“Now, if you’re all done hounding the only --”

Satan rises from his seat. “Lucifer.”

“-- Lord Diavolo has called upon all of us for a very important meeting, so I would expect --”

Satan strides in the direction of both Asmodeus and Beelzebub. “Lucifer.”

“-- If we could find it within ourselves to just --”

Satan stands between Asmodeus and Beelzebub, nodding towards the ground. “Lucifer!”

“What?” Lucifer all but snarls, regarding Satan with a fiery gaze. “I’m sure whatever has come to your attention can wait until after the discussion.”

Despite the seething tone of the eldest brother, Satan’s expression seems to only possess concern. He nods towards the ground once more, kneeling. “I don’t think we can start the discussion if she’s like this,” he points out, pressing a hand to Maria’s nearly unconscious body. She doesn’t stir. “We should at least wake her up.”

She stands at her place in the throne room some eleven minutes and forty seconds later, her curls dripping with water. The now empty vase sits some distance behind her. Thankfully, the dark hues of her clothing prevent her from taking on an inappropriate appearance. The water damage to the wood and fabric of the chair can be remedied later.

Lord Diavolo takes a moment to clear his throat, drawing his gaze around the room. His eyes linger on each and every figurehead -- studying them to identify any dissent or controversy, just as his father had done -- and then he is looking upon Maria, taking in her soaked, nearly shivering form. Her eyes do not waver. A smile comes onto his visage.

He claps his hands together, signalling the commencement of the meeting.

[sportstotoblog]

Web based Gambling

Web Casinos Inc. (ICI), the world's first online gambling club, began working from August 18, 1995, with 18 unique games. From that point forward in excess of 1,400 sites, generally domiciled in little Caribbean islands, have offered ascend to an industry that earns over $3 billion per year. Truth be told no business on the Internet gains more income than web based betting. Out of the evaluated 14.5 million web based card sharks, right around 30 percent are from Asia.

A wager can be set in minutes. Anybody with a Visa can set up a seaward money account with a betting site, leaving them allowed to put down wagers on games like Wimbledon, cricket, horse hustling and Formula One, or join a virtual gambling club to play space machines, roulette, blackjack, poker and so forth. Organizations like Flutter and Betmart acknowledge wagers on anything from who is going to win the Nobel Prize to whether Madonna is getting a separation or not. Wagers can run from a nickel to a huge number of dollars and as per whether you win or lose the sum is naturally changed in accordance with your record. The last equalization can then either be sent to you or left for future wagers.Click here 안전놀이터

The law identifying with web based betting in India should be comprehended inside the nation's socio-social setting. At the start, betting, in spite of the fact that not completely denied in India, doesn't get express support by arrangement creators. The Indian sorted out betting industry is evaluated to be worth around US$8 billion. While stringent laws have checked the expansion of club and high road gaming focuses as in numerous different nations, notwithstanding the territory of Goa, the lottery business remains the most post mainstream type of betting.

Despite the fact that betting isn't illicit, it is an exceptionally controlled and managed movement. Present day India is a semi government Constitutional vote based system and the forces to administer are dispersed at the administrative just as the state levels. Betting highlights in List II of the Constitution of India, this infers the state governments have the power to institute laws so as to direct betting in the particular states. In this way, there is no single law overseeing betting in the whole nation. Various states have various laws overseeing betting notwithstanding the laws that have an application the nation over. While a few states have restricted lotteries, different states permit state government lotteries showcased and disseminated in other lottery playing and advancing states through private substances.

Guideline of betting

The courts have characterized betting as 'the installment of a cost for an opportunity to win a prize'. The prevailing component of ability or chance will decide the idea of the game. A game might be esteemed to bet if the component of possibility or karma prevails in choosing its result. Accordingly, Indian courts have held that wagering on horse dashing and a couple of games are not betting. The privilege to attempt the matter of betting and lotteries isn't considered as a basic right secured by the Constitution of India. It might anyway be called attention to that the state government run lotteries make critical commitments to the state exchequer of a few state governments and the Union government, and henceforth there is a protection from complete denial.

The accompanying enactment is appropriate to betting:

The Public Gaming Act, 1867

This Act gives discipline to open betting and for keeping of a 'typical gaming house'. This Act additionally approves the state governments to sanction laws to direct open betting in their individual purviews. The corrective enactments in separate states have been changed as per their approach on betting. In any case, this enactment doesn't have any immediate effect on internet betting except if a wide elucidation is given to the meaning of normal gaming house in order to incorporate virtual gatherings also.

The Indian Contract Act, 1872 (ICA)

The ICA is an arranged umbrella enactment that oversees every business contract in India. Under the ICA, a betting agreement is the one which can't be authorized. The Act sets down; 'Understandings by method for bet are void, and no suit will be brought for recuperating anything asserted to be won on any bet or depended to any individual to submit to the consequence of any game or other questionable occasion on which any bet is made'. Betting, lottery and prize games have held to bet agreements and in this manner void and unenforceable. While a betting agreement isn't illicit, it can't be implemented in a courtroom. Hence, the courts won't engage any reason for activity that emerges out of a betting agreement.

Lotteries (Regulation) Act, 1998

This Act gives a system to sorting out lotteries in the nation. Under this Act, the state governments have been approved to advance just as disallow lotteries inside their regional ward. This Act additionally accommodates the way where the lotteries are to be led and endorses discipline if there should arise an occurrence of rupture of its arrangement. Lotteries not approved by the state have been made an offense under the Indian Penal Code. A few non-lottery playing states, similar to Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, have restricted the clearance of other state-government lotteries under this Act.

Indian Penal Code, 1860

Area 294A arrangements with keeping lottery office. It says that whoever keeps any office or spot to draw any lottery not being a State lottery or a lottery approved by the State Government, will be rebuffed with detainment of either portrayal for a term which may stretch out to a half year, or with fine, or with both.

What's more, whoever distributes any proposition to pay any entirety, or to convey any products, or to do or refrain doing anything to serve any individual, on any occasion or possibility relative or material to the drawing of any ticket, part, number or figure in any such lottery, will be rebuffed with fine which may reach out to one thousand rupees.

Web betting

The law identified with betting is additionally material to web based betting. All betting agreements are viewed as betting agreements and it is beyond the realm of imagination to expect to uphold such agreements under the ICA, nitty gritty above.

As brought up before, the online lottery is the most mainstream type of web betting in India. Most organizations promoting and dispersing or leading state government-supported lotteries through the web are not permitted to sell their administrations in the states that restricted lotteries. By and large, these advertisers and wholesalers limit their online administrations to purchasers who are inhabitants of the states where a lottery is allowable. Despite the reality there has been no revealed instance of break by any organization advancing on the web lotteries, a large portion of these organizations (as a shield) look for an endeavor from their customers identifying with their living arrangement.

There have been examples where one state has restricted the lottery of different states, including on the web lotteries. In an ongoing case, the Karnatka High Court maintained the choice of the Karnataka government to make itself a 'lottery free zone' by forcing a restriction on lotteries of every single other state, including on the web lotteries under the Lotteries (Regulation) Act 1998. The state government, for this situation, coordinated the conclusion of the terminals and booths selling the online lotteries.

Authorization over remote locales

On the off chance that the sites are facilitated and worked from outside India, it might be hard for the Indian specialists to give any mandate to shut them down or deny their entrance without utilizing its blocking powers under the ITA. The specialists have little to stress over, as Indian remote trade laws don't allow settlements outside India for betting related action, for example, the acquisition of lottery tickets, football pools and sweepstakes. Therefore, a betting site facilitated outside India targeting getting cash from inside India can't do as such through legitimate channels.

End

Internet betting stays an exceptionally managed part with apparently restricted skylines to develop. While the present administrative structure makes it hard for seaward betting sites to target clients in India, the India-based organizations can just appropriate and showcase state-government lotteries online in allowed regions. The inescapable authority with the administration to square betting related sites and the inconceivability of upholding betting related agreements further debilitate the possibilities for the business.

[snowwritesall]

Writing update #2 Anathema + new WIP!

Hi folks, hope y'all have been doing well and staying healthy - I've had a pretty trying week and my financial situation is gonna be tight at best for the next few months but I'm still trying to maintain a positive outlook. With that being said, I'm gonna give you guys some updates and excerpts on my current WIP, Anathema, and a new novel that I started the other day (yes I'm well aware I have way too many wips but I'm dumb and listen to no one's advice :)

Anyway, that being said, onto the updates!

Anathema is my surreal sci fi novel that I came up with last year and has spent many months under development. A brief summary on the novel for you!

The tea on my novel: 

I absolutely love the concept of my novel - keeping in mind that there is a lot of the plot hidden because I don’t want to spoil the entire book - however, there are a lot of things that need work. Seraph - my main character - still feels a little flimsy and underdeveloped - as well as my side characters, who have had limited interactions with Seraph throughout the novel as far - mainly due to the reason that I’ve been focusing on narrative rather than characters. The next thing that I’m finding is a problem is that there’s barely any dialogue between what character interaction I do have. I’ve been focusing a lot on the vibe and feeling of my book - I really want to create an eerie, almost alien feel, without being fully horroresque - think Coraline x Limbo. 

The things that I do like about my novel: 

- I really love the literary devices that I’ve come up with to help give the story that eerie vibe I want. 

a) Really weird rhetorical questions

b) interjections of two unknown characters that comment on Seraph and his friends when they’re together

c) POV of animals and inanimate objects 

Here are some examples of both: 

a)  Really weird rhetorical questions

The wind seems strangely muted to Seraph, as if moving through a half-awake dream, or sinking in murky water that chills the bones.

Why does the water hurt? This is only one of the questions hurtling through his mind, but there are many more barrelling inside his head; a turbulent chamber of thoughts and unspoken quandaries that crescendo in the night hour. He is curious. And that - that, is what will save him.  

ai)

The beetles crawl up the blackened bark, wings glistening from between the cracks. They make soft, chittering noises as they climb aimlessly up the branch. Their path is strangely linear, their wings a malachite soaked fluorescent in the bitter, fuse sharp breeze. If they were to travel down the length of Seraph's spine; their strange, crackled wings fluttering against his ashen, ghostly skin; they would calm him as they walked up the shallow curve of his spine and nestled in his hair, a dim saucer of moonlight that they would bathe in.

Is the moon ever lonely?

b)   Interjections of two unknown characters that comment on Seraph and his friends when they’re together

“What was it like?”

His voice shakes as he asks, still staring at his hands. Wilbur is teething his lip, his jaw hardening like clay left in the sun.

  “Were there others? Are we the only ones left?”

Are we the only ones left?

They both look scared, don’t they?

     No. Not scared. Doomed.

Why are they doomed?

      Because they were never meant to be here.

Wilbur continues to stare out at the forest, and after a moment takes a few steps forward, shoveling his feet into the soil; the wind rifling through his clothes. He looks like a scarecrow made of marble, distant, ghostly - not real.

  Were any of them real?

c) POV’s of animals 

Seraph had stroked the snake gently, the scales cold and undulating under his fingers, the snake mothers eyes dark and pupils, her nose nudging the wings of the fledglings.

“Don’t eat your babies, mother snake. They love you. Don’t leave them.”

I have found my new children. My own children were buried in a sandstorm, and I milked my venom from my teeth on the carcass of a deer. There was no one to sing them to sleep as they died. I will listen to this strange boy. I will take care of my children.

I will not leave them.

ci) 

The forest is very cold for us. Even we, with our wings like a shield and a fur coat, even we feel the wind. The bark splinters are like earthquakes under our feet, even though there have been no earthquakes for centuries. We remember. We remember when the earth shook and trembled, and when we would seek shelter amongst the splintering trees and scuttle for cover under broken fern leaves. He comes to see us. The boy with curious eyes that glint like the rock in the sky, his hands are as pale as the eggs the birds lay. He brushes his fingers across our coats, and we shiver; with a strange fear and an even stranger contentment. We are not alone.

 He is not alone. 

Here are some excerpts from the novel that I really like: 

- POV of the boy that drowned in the lake. Seraph remembers this when he looks at the jars of butterflies that he keeps on his windowsill. The clear, glossy surface reminds him of how the lake looked when he watched some of the village men pull the boy’s body out of the lake. 

- Seraph is remembering the first time that one of the children stuck their head in the guillotine in the schoolyard. He remembers thinking how odd it was that they would have something so dangerous where children could find it. Maybe they wanted them to use it. 

Seraph is watching his school teacher polish the guillotine blade through the cover of pine trees. One of his friends, Beluah, creeps up behind him and startles him. They both watch the teacher and talk. 

More commentary of Seraph and Beluah watching the teacher together: 

Okay, that’s all on this novel for now, onto the new WIP! 

Basically, this idea arose from two things - I felt like I was constantly writing in the same sort of style - ie, cold rivers, frost, rain, foggy forests - and I was majorly inspired by Fairytales for Wilde Girls by Alysse Near. This woman has an absolutely INCREDIBLE writing style - I would compare it to the bright and shiny treasures that magpies collect, and her plot and characters are amazing; so a big part of why I’m writing this is because of her. 

The characters appeared really easily to me, and after only a few minutes, I already could feel them writhing around alive inside my mind. But, before I tell you about the characters, a summary of the novel for you! 

When three dead girls show up at school with flowers where their eyes should be and birds living in their chests, Ariel isn’t sure what to think. She’s never really been sure what to think, since her mother sells beads and homemade jewelry for a living and her sister is a snake. Well, two snakes, really. Her parents keep strange things in the closet, like elephants with jellyfish swimming in their stomachs and siamese twins with leopard skins in the attic. And then there’s that strange girl that lives in the mirror.

When three dead girls demand to be brought back to life, you start to panic a little when you realise the closest things you’ve made come alive are the ragdolls in your toy chest.

It gets even worse when they tell you you only have a month or they’ll take you back to the underworld with them. Then you really begin to freak out. And begin to have a mental break down in the middle of class which involves involuntary tap dancing (Except the tap dancing is actually crying. Ariel doesn’t own tap dancing shoes. Not even doll tap dancing shoes.)

It doesn’t help when your best friends are literally ragdolls. She actually has a few real friends. I promise.

Now onto my babies/kids/characters! 

Ariel Hakens: 

has a big giant ball of curly red hair that she likes to dye a new colour every week. She likes glitter but also loves black. Big boots and shiny raincoats are a thing. She love to collec. She loves to garden, but her methods are...unorthodox, shall we say. Loves Edgar Allen Poe, and recites it to herself on the way to school. Does she ditch a lot? Maybe. Who knows. Can apparently see the dead and do weird stuff nobody should be able to. Favourite animals are mice and rats. Is fascinated with the legend of the pied piper. Is like a beaver in the fact that she chews pencils. They’re basically like a midnight snack for her. Favourite foods are peanut butter and cherry tarts.

(yes I am fully aware this is Leigh-Anne Pinnock from Little Mix, but this is what she looks like in my head) 

Gwendolyn Spires: 

She is as extra as the name sounds. She dreams of participating in an illegal dance competition in an abandoned subway tunnel. Her mother is the principal of a ballet boarding school, and highly disapproves of her daughter's skateboarding fetish. Her father is completely on board with it, and also her addiction to gumballs and love for all things haunted. Yes, those spell books are completely real. The amount of salt rocks she keeps in her bag would put a shaman to shame. African American. 

Indie Brooks:

 She’s basically a giant nerd, but covered with tattoos. And piercings. She actually needs those glasses, and she refuses to put in contacts for fear that the government will be able to read her mind. She has a conspiracy theory Youtube Channel, but her theories are really??weird??

Think: we are all giant animals living in a zoo for aliens

Does she have evidence: Yes. Is it sketchy evidence? Also yes.

May or may not have broken into area 51.

Native American/Latina.

Callum Prikhill:

pervy, but not in a sexual way. Will he sell you exam answers in exchange for candy? Possibly. Ironically wears caps. Unironically wears light up shoes. Likes sci-fi movies from the early 70’s. Skinny dipped and LOVED it. Is a theater boy. If he were an animal he would be a lizard. His mother is a low-end movie producer and his father is an accountant. Often stays at his nan’s place a lot because she has a hidden bunker under the house and he very much down for that. Because the acoustics are amazing.

The first time Ariel saw the three dead girls sway through the doors of Helkbud Senior Preparatory School, she was whistling Sissyneck while flipping through her collection of rained on vinyls that she’d chanced to pick up from the thrift store, her tanned dewy legs slick with snow and hail as she pushed hot pink cat eye sunglasses up her freckled nose.

They looked like nesting dolls all jumbled up in a lolly bag, corpse candy sucked dry of their colour and watermelon blush that should have twisted their cheeks into marionette smiles.

The girl in the middle wore poppy red heels that spun and shone like a disco ball at a teenage party where the parents were gone for the weekend and everyone was drinking punch mixed with vodka in cheap, crinkly red cups; and was the shortest of the three; yellow daisies and white crocuses growing out of her eye sockets, petals drinking salty tears out of a chipped watering can that dangled over her head.

Hope you enjoyed hearing about my WIPs, and I’ll keep updating about them as I continue to work on them :)

That’s all for now, folks! 

- Bella. 

[flutteragency]

Simple Tips to Grow Local Taxi Business in 2022

Apps like Uber and Ola are changing the cab and transportation sector by bringing new trends. Even in the midst of the pandemic, the taxi industry has a bright future.

Ride-hailing firms are on the increase, and investors from all over the world are getting in on the action because of the simplicity and convenience they provide for customers. These moves are paving the way for a new era in the sector. Taxi advertising is a crucial part of getting started in the taxi industry.

In the beginning, you may wonder how best to promote your taxi service in this community. These seven techniques not only dominate the market and generate profits, but they also raise the standard for customer care.

To be effective, though, you’ll need to do some fieldwork. Decide on a certain demographic for whom taxis should cater. Having a clear picture of your audience’s needs and expectations can help you design a plan of action.

1. Having a presence on social media platforms

There was an increase in social media user reaches to 3.5 billion social media users in 2019. As 71 percent of internet users are also social media users, you can understand the potential of social media in generating a massive consumer base.

If you can, open a business account on the most prominent social media sites available to you — Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc. Update your taxi company’s Facebook page on a regular basis with relevant information, such as articles, videos, and photographs.

Using the experiences of your passengers and drivers, you may better engage your target audience. Respond to client inquiries and comments on a frequent basis as well.

2. Use Public Relations and the Media to Spread the Word

Traditional media and public relations are also used by companies like Uber to increase their consumer base and attract new ones. Even if you don’t have a TV or radio show, you may publish intriguing tales in the local media. It’s possible to hire a PR agency if your company lacks in-house expertise.

When done well, public relations may raise awareness of your company’s brand, encourage client loyalty, and make a lasting impression on the minds of potential consumers. Public relations methods may also help you turn your audience into paying consumers.

3. Affiliation-Based Marketing

People who have shown an interest in your ride-hailing service are more likely to convert if you market to them. In advertising, the same rules apply!

Using algorithms and consumer behavior and preferences, you may hone in on your target audience on a variety of social media channels. They will be more inclined to use your service if they saw your ads.

Pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns are a good way to advertise to a specific audience. Whenever someone searches for a taxi-hailing service-related term, your ad is displayed.

Each time a viewer clicks on your link, you’ll be charged. Moreover, to leverage the full benefits of PPC , you can hire a Flutter app development company for smooth taxi app development.

Advertising on social media may be quite effective if done correctly. As an example, Facebook allows advertisers to target certain clients and deliver their adverts to them. In addition to increasing brand awareness, these kinds of social media marketing initiatives may also help businesses find new clients.

4. Referral Marketing

A friend or family member’s advice is more likely to be taken seriously. In the same way, customers who promote a product or service to their friends in exchange for a discount or other incentive employ the same strategy in referral marketing.

Taxi booking applications may have a mechanism where users can share a promotional coupon with their friends. It’s at this point that the new acquaintance uses your app like Uber and recommends it to their friends and family. As a result, your company will continue to develop as new consumers come to you through recommendations.

5. Customer Feedbacks

App users may post real-time evaluations of their taxi service providers after they’ve taken a journey. Tracking and correcting drivers with low ratings is made easy with a rating system.

If you get any complaints or comments, you should respond immediately and remedy the issue, large or little. As a result of heeding client feedback, customer satisfaction rises as well as brand loyalty and consumer engagement.

6. Do a thorough examination of your rivals

When you’re just starting out, it’s important to take a look at your competition. Industry and competitive research are the foundations of business studies. Investigate the local taxi companies to see what they have to offer.

Make sure you know what sets you apart from the competition and what the consumer expects. In addition, if you’re just starting out, it might be difficult to please all of your consumers at the same time.

Determine which automobiles you should purchase by analyzing these criteria. To be sure, there are a few things to keep in mind while going off.

Before starting a company, it is important to consider your target audience and pricing strategy. As a competitor, you should have access to and benefit from information from your rivals. The more you understand how it works, the simpler it will be for you to make a decision.

7. Don’t reexamine your company

Free evaluation of your taxi company might be a disadvantage if you want to learn how to expand your taxi business. Isn’t it possible to enhance things only because they worked out?

Data from taxi dispatch software may be used to track your company’s expenses on a continuous basis. Discover all of the untapped potentials in the areas where your cab produces the most cash.

To keep your firm afloat, you must dramatically increase your profit margins. Don’t begin by assessing your company. Before you even begin, know that every company has a downside. Think carefully about the notion of perpetually increasing your company’s income.

Conclusion

To get solutions for how to build an app like Uber, you need an experienced software development company. You need an effective marketing approach to get the word out about your taxi app services. Quality services in the form of hospitality and a positive connection between drivers and clients will bring you fantastic success as an operator. Profit and money may be gained due to having an audience to work with.

Being a renowned Flutter company we offer the best-in-class Flutter development services and access to different tools and resources. Hire us to leverage the benefits of Flutter technology.

Source:  https://flutteragency.com/simple-tips-grow-local-taxi-business-2022/

[ruhisen]

Step By Step Rules To Keep Up Your Digital Marketing Method During COVID-19

In problematic and propelling events, we wind up living in obscurity and examining through another locale.

With affiliations cautiously seeing their financial plans and looking for a sharp method to manage pass on their things and associations, many marketing and correspondence practices have ended. While marketing spending plans may show up, evidently, to be a frail objective for cuts, cutting propelling advancement is a fleeting fix that passes on extended length results.

The 'modified' response in digital marketing agency in gurgaon once in a while closes well, with different little to immense degree affiliations accepting the example framework concerning fluttering plans. Buyers might be economical, yet they're truly encountering cash, and they need to purchase the correct things from affiliations they can trust. We've as of late seen a 20% expansion in time spent on the web, which means keeping up recognizable quality in your market is major for significant length productivity and to ricochet back in a post-COVID-19 world.

To help with the ground-breaking consolidating your digital marketing, and to help you with finding that incredible for the most part plan, we've a few assessments and direction on three sections to consider when taking on COVID-19.

Your SEO framework

The specialists at Search Engine Journal collected a-list of reasons why you shouldn't stop SEO takes a stab at during COVID-19 where you can get settled with this theme, at any rate to spread it out obviously; this is surely not an ideal opportunity to stop your SEO SERVICES crusade.

Web crawler propelling stays the best methodology to expose your business, even in the midst of financial rot, it's now #1 to the degree passing on ROI.

READ ALSO: How to enhance digital marketing skills?

Especially now, affiliations ought to consider their To be Sydney as a theory as opposed to an expense. At long last, the work cooperation will get back to normality, and individuals who put resources into SEO could be in considerably more grounded position in the end. It requires some theory to set up and run SEO sensibly, so why not favorable position whatever amount as could be considered typical from this period (regardless long it might be) to put resources into a SEO crusade that will pass on results for a genuine long an ideal chance to come, regardless of whether it's a more unpretentious, neighborhood approach.

The favorable position SEO mission can turn your entire business around a few months, and those outcomes could make the compensation your business needs to endure through these phenomenal occasions. In relationship, individuals who stop crusades as of now will have ground to make up when the development settles and rivalry increase.

Your Google Ads system

During an emergency, 'impressions' and 'site visits' will all things considered skyrocket. Not with standing, accomplishing changes can show testing. An adjustment in your market or a drop in changes doesn't really mean you should stop missions or drop them totally. Certainly, in the occasion that you're not as of now doing any paid marketing, eventually could be a remarkable opportunity to begin.

Customers might be moving away from retail locations, yet require key things and in this course desire to digital stages to get them. Nearby eCommerce search crusades, Google Shopping is apparently going to see an advancement in volume all through the accompanying relatively few various months – regardless of whether you're not selling hand sanitiser. As opposed to zeroing in on impressions, before long is a decent an ideal opportunity to change your headways methodology so that you're just paying for clicks.

For real affiliations, chopping down financial plans or ending unnecessary missions could permit you to zero in progression spend on checked standing. These consistently improve traffic and now is a staggering chance to gain by it. The truth is to get swarms that will review your image as being heroic during this time and will without a doubt help you on the opposite side of this pandemic.

Also, review – you could possibly get Google Ad perceives to help you for your propelling endeavors.

Your online media technique

With purchasers going to online media and their confided in brands for correspondence during this period, it's essential your image stays related and present through social media marketing channels. This is the place where your clients are inspecting and contributing an all-encompassing extent of energy to converse with their confided in brands and investigating to discover new social events.

It's critical to investigate how online media is adding to the current digital scene and how it can add to your principal concern improvement and ricochet back post-COVID-19. With the evidential growth and the proceeded with progress of social media clients, comes freedoms to make obligation, distinguishable quality, productivity and trust across your online media channels.

Holding a current client is widely more viable than getting another; so while it might feel senseless, having a social lifting burning through mean to keep your image discernible will pass on significant length focal points. In the event that you need to hold clients during this time, base on participating in discussions with your current clients. Keep in mind, the way where you and your image showing in emergency may influence future buyers, so be authentic with your online media content and spotlight on marketing suitable things.

[qwertsypage]

Flutter Crash Course for JavaScript Developers

Welcome! I’m glad you’re here again for some more Dart and Flutter magic.

✨ In the previous episode of this series, we looked at Dart and went from basically zero to hero with all those types, classes and asynchrony. I hope you had enough practice on Dart because today, we’ll move forward to Flutter. Let’s get started!

Quick heads up: the “👉” emoji will compare JS and React with Dart and Flutter language examples as of now. Just like in the previous episode,, the left side will be the JS/React, and the right side will be the Dart/Flutter equivalent, e.g. console.log("hi!"); 👉 print("hello!");

What is Flutter, and why we’ll use it

Flutter and Dart are both made by Google. While Dart is a programming language, Flutter is a UI toolkit that can compile to native Android and iOS code. Flutter has experimental web and desktop app support, and it’s the native framework for building apps for Google’s Fuchsia OS.

This means that you don’t need to worry about the platform, and you can focus on the product itself. The compiled app is always native code as Dart compiles to ARM, hence providing you the best cross-platform performance you can get right now with over 60 fps.

Flutter also helps the fast development cycle with stateful hot reload, which we’ll make use of mostly in the last episode of this series.

Intro to the Flutter CLI

When building apps with Flutter, one of the main tools on your belt is the Flutter CLI. With the CLI, you can create new Flutter projects, run tests on them, build them, and run them on your simulators or emulators. The CLI is available on Windows, Linux, macOS and x64-based ChromeOS systems.

Once you have the CLI installed, you’ll also need either Android Studio, Xcode, or both, depending on your desired target platform(s).

(Flutter is also available on the web and for desktop, but they are still experimental, so this tutorial will only cover the Android and iOS related parts).

If you don’t wish to use Android Studio for development, I recommend VSCode. You can also install the Dart and Flutter plugins for Visual Studio Code.

Once you’re all set with all these new software, you should be able to run flutter doctor. This utility will check if everything is working properly on your machine. At the time of writing, Flutter printed this into the console for me:

[✓] Flutter (Channel stable, v1.17.4, on Mac OS X 10.15.4 19E287, locale en-HU) [✓] Android toolchain - develop for Android devices (Android SDK version 29.0.2) [✓] Xcode - develop for iOS and macOS (Xcode 11.5) [!] Android Studio (version 3.5) ✗ Flutter plugin not installed; this adds Flutter specific functionality. ✗ Dart plugin not installed; this adds Dart specific functionality. [✓] VS Code (version 1.46.1) [!] Connected device ! No devices available

You should get similar results for at least for the Flutter part too. Everything else depends on your desired target platforms and your preferred IDEs like Android Studio or VS Code. If you get an X for something, check again if everything is set up properly.

Only move forward in this tutorial if everything works properly.

To create a new Flutter project, cd into your preferred working directory, and run flutter create <projectname>. The CLI will create a directory and place the project files in there. If you use VS Code on macOS with an iOS target, you can use this little snippet to speed up your development process:

# Create a new project flutter create <projectname> # move there cd projectname # open VS code editor code . # open iOS Simulator - be patient, it may take a while open -a Simulator.app # start running the app flutter run

And boom, you’re all set! 💅

If you don’t wish to use the iOS simulator, you can always spin up your Android Studio emulator. Use Genymotion (or any other Android emulation software), or even connect a real device to your machine. This is a slower and more error-prone solution, so I recommend to only test on real devices when necessary.

Once they have booted, you can run flutter doctor again and see if Flutter sees the connected device. You should get an output something just like this:

... [✓] Connected device (1 available) ...

If you got this output - congratulations! 🎉 You’re all set to move on with this tutorial. If, for some reason Flutter didn’t recognize your device, please go back and check everything again as you won’t be able to follow the instructions from now on.

Hello world! 🌍

If you didn’t run the magic snippet previously, run these commands now:

# Create a new project flutter create <projectname> # move there cd projectname # open VS code editor (optional if you use Studio) code . # start running the app flutter run

This will spin up the Flutter development server with stateful hot reload and a lot more for you. You’ll see, that by default, Flutter creates a project with a floating action button and a counter:

Once you’re finished with playing around the counter, let’s dig into the code! 👨‍💻

Flutter project structure

Before we dig right into the code, let’s take a look at the project structure of our Flutter app for a moment:

├── README.md ├── android │ └── ton of stuff going on here... ├── build │ └── ton of stuff going on here... ├── ios │ └── ton of stuff going on here... ├── lib │ └── main.dart ├── pubspec.lock ├── pubspec.yaml └── test └── widget_test.dart

We have a few platform-specific directories: android and ios. These contain the necessary stuff for building, like the AndroidManifest, build.gradle, or your xcodeproj.

At this moment, we don’t need to modify the contents of these directories so we’ll ignore them for now. We’ll also ignore the test directory as we won’t cover testing Flutter in this series (but we may look into it later if there’s interest 👀), so that only leaves us to these:

├── lib │ └── main.dart ├── pubspec.lock ├── pubspec.yaml

And this is where the magic happens. Inside the lib directory, you have the main.dart: that’s where all the code lives right now. We’ll peek into it later, but let’s just have a look at the pubspec.yaml and pubspec.lock.

What are those?

Package management in Flutter - pub.dev

When building a project with JavaScript, we often use third party components, modules, packages, libraries, and frameworks so that we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. The JavaScript ecosystem has npm and yarn to provide you with all those spicy zeroes and ones, and they also handle the dependencies inside your project.

In the Dart ecosystem, this is all handled by pub.dev.

So, just a few quick facts: npm 👉 pub.dev package.json 👉 pubspec.yaml package-lock.json 👉 pubspec.lock

We’ll look into installing packages and importing them into our app in the last episode of this series, in which we’ll create a fun mini-game.

Digging into the Dart code

The only thing left from the file tree is main.dart. main is the heart of our app, it’s like the index.js of most JS-based projects. By default, when creating a project with flutter create, you’ll get a very well documented code with a StatelessWidget, a StatefulWidget, and its State.

So instead of observing the demo code line by line together, I encourage you to read the generated code and comments by yourself and come back here later.

In the next part, we’ll look into what are widgets and the build method.

We’ll learn why it is @overrided, and what’s the difference between stateful and stateless widgets. Then we’ll delete all the code from main.dart and create a Hello world app by ourselves so that you can get the hang of writing declarative UI code in Flutter.

Go ahead, read the generated code and the documentation now! 👀

In Flutter, everything is a widget!

As you have been reading the code, you may have noticed a few things. The first thing after importing Flutter is the entry method I have been talking about in the previous episode:

void main() { runApp(MyApp()); }

And then, you could see all those classes and OOP stuff come back with the line class MyApp extends StatelessWidget.

First things first: in Flutter, everything is a widget! Oh, and speaking of widgets. Components 👉 Widgets!

The StatelessWidget is a class from the Flutter framework, and it’s a type of widget. Another kind of widget is StatefulWidget and we’ll look into the difference between those and how to use them later.

We can create our reusable widget by extending the base class StatelessWidget with our own build method. (By the way, render in ReactJS 👉 build in Flutter). We can see that the build returns a Widget because the return type is defined, and we can see an odd keyword in the previous line: @override.

It’s needed because the StatelessWidget class has a definition for build by default, but we want to replace it (or override it) with our own implementation - hence the keyword @override. Before we dig further into the code, let’s have a peek at using widgets in Flutter:

// using a React component <button onClick={() => console.log(‘clicked!’)}>Hi, I’m a button</button>

// using a Flutter widget RawMaterialButton( onPressed: () { print("hi, i'm pressed"); }, child: Text("press me!"), ),

You can see that Flutter has a different approach with declarative UI code.

Instead of wrapping children between ><s and passing props next to the component name (e.g. <button onClick ...), everything is treated as a property. This enables Flutter to create more flexible and well-typed widgets: we’ll always know if a child is supposed to be a standalone widget or if it can accept multiple widgets as a property, for example. This will come in handy later when we’ll build layouts with Rows and Columns.

Now that we know a bit more about widgets in Flutter, let’s take a look at the generated code again:

@override Widget build(BuildContext context) { return MaterialApp( title: 'Flutter Demo', theme: ThemeData( primarySwatch: Colors.blue, ), home: MyHomePage(title: 'Flutter Demo Home Page'), ); }

The build method returns a MaterialApp that has a type of Widget and - unsurprisingly - comes from Flutter. This MaterialApp widget is a skeleton for your Flutter app. It contains all the routes, theme data, metadata, locales, and other app-level black magic you want to have set up. 🧙

You can see the MyHomePage class being referenced as the home screen. It also has a property, title, set up. MyHomePage is also a widget, and we can confirm that by looking at the definition of this class.

Quick tip: if you are using VSCode as your editor, hold Command and hover or click on the class reference and you’ll be directed to the code of the class.

We can see that MyHomePage extends a StatefulWidget. However, the structure of the code itself is a bit squiggly and weird. What’s this MyHomePage({Key key, this.title}) : super(key: key); syntax? Why doesn’t this widget have a build method? What’s a State? What is createState?

To answer these questions, we’ll have to look into one of the more hard-code topics in Flutter: state management.

Local state management in Flutter: StatefulWidgets

I previously talked about the two main types of widgets in Flutter: StatelessWidgets and StatefulWidgets. StatelessWidgets are pretty straightforward: a snippet of code that returns a Widget, maybe some properties are being passed around, but that’s all complexity.

However, we don’t want to write applications that just display stuff! We want to add interactivity! And most interactions come with some state, whether it’s the data stored in an input field or some basic counter somewhere in your app. And once the state is updated, we want to re-render the affected widgets in our app - so that the new data is being displayed for the user.

Think of state management in React: it has the very same purpose with the goal of being as efficient as possible. It’s no different in Flutter: we want to have some very simple widgets (or StatelessWidgets), and some widgets with a bit of complexity and interactivity (or StatefulWidgets).

Let’s dive into the code: a StatefulWidget consists of two main components:

a StatefulWidget (that is called MyHomePage in our case)

a typed State object (that is called _MyHomePageState in this example)

We’ll call these “widget” and “state” (respectively) for the sake of simplicity. The widget itself contains all the props, and a createState overridden method. As you can see, the prop is marked with a final - that’s because you cannot change the prop from within the widget. When you modify a prop of a widget, Flutter throws the current instance away and creates a brand new StatefulWidget.

Note that changing either the prop or the state will trigger a rebuild in Flutter - the key difference between the two is that changing the state can be initiated from within the widget while changing a prop is initiated by the parent widget.

Props help you pass data from parent to children. State helps you handle data change inside the children.

Now, let’s look into changing the state: inside the widget, we have a createState method that only returns the state, _MyHomePageState(). When modifying the state with the setState method, this createState method gets called and returns a new instance of your state. The old instance gets thrown away, and a new instance of your widget will be inserted into the widget tree.

(Sidenote: the widget tree is only a blueprint of your app, the element tree is the one that gets rendered for the user. It’s a bit more advanced, under-the-hood topic, so it won’t be covered in this series - however, I’ll link some video resources later on that will help you understand how Flutter works and what’s the deal with the widget tree and the element tree.)

The _MyHomePageState class has a type of State, typed with MyHomePage.

This is needed so that you can access the properties set in the MyHomePage instance with the widget keyword - for example, to access the title prop, write widget.title. Inside the state, you have an overridden build method, just like you’d see in a typical StatelessWidget. This method returns a widget that renders some nice data, both from props (widget.title) and from the state (_counter).

Notice that you don’t need to type in anything before the _counter. No this.state._counter, no State.of(context)._counter, just a plain old _counter. That’s because from the perspective of the code, this variable is declared just like any other would be:

int _counter = 0;

However, when modifying this variable, we need to wrap our code in setState, like this:

setState(() { _counter++; });

This will tell Flutter that “Hey! It’s time to re-render me!”.

The framework will call the previously discussed createState method; a new instance of your state gets created; built; rendered; and boom! 💥 The new data is now on-screen.

It may seem a bit complicated or seem like you have to write a lot of boilerplate code to get this running. But don’t worry! With VS Code, you can refactor any StatelessWidget into a stateful one with just one click:

And that’s it for managing your widget’s state! It may be a lot at first, but you’ll get used to it after building a few widgets.

A few notes about global state management in Flutter

Right now, we only looked at working with local state in Flutter - handling app-level, or global state is a bit more complex. There are, just like in JS, tons of solutions, ranging from the built-in InheritedWidget to a number of third-party state management libraries. Some of those may already be familiar, for example, there is RxDart and Redux, just to name a few. To learn more about the most popular solutions, and which one to choose for your project, I suggest you watch this awesome video about global state management in Flutter by Fireship.

Widgets, widgets, and widgets

I already talked about how everything is a widget in Flutter - however, I didn’t really introduce you to some of the most useful and popular widgets in Flutter, so let’s have a look at them before we move on!

Flutter has widgets for displaying texts, buttons, native controls like switches and sliders (cupertino for iOS and material for Android style widgets), layout widgets like Stack, Row, Column and more. There are literally hundreds of widgets that are available for you out of the box, and the list keeps growing.

The whole widget library can be found here in the Widget Catalog, and the Flutter team is also working on a very nice video series with new episodes being released weekly. This series is called Flutter Widget of the Week, and they introduce you to a Flutter widget, it’s use cases, show you code examples and more, in just about one minute! It’s really binge-worthy if you want to get to know some useful Flutter widgets, tips, and tricks.

Here a link for the whole series playlist, and here is the intro episode.

Some useful widgets in Flutter

As you’ll work with Flutter, you’ll explore more and more widgets, but there are some basic Flutter widgets you’ll absolutely need to build your first application. (We’ll probably use most of them in the next and last episode of this series, so stay tuned!)

First and foremost: Text.

The Text widget delivers what its name promises: you can display strings with it. You can also style or format your text and even make multiline texts. (There’s are a lot of line of text-related widgets available, covering your needs from displaying rich text fields to creating selectable texts.)

An example Text widget in Flutter:

Text('hello world!'),

Adding buttons to your Flutter app is also easy as one two three. There are numerous button-related widgets available for you ranging from RawMaterialButton to FlatButton, IconButton, and RaisedButton, and there are also specific widgets for creating FloatingActionButtons and OutlineButtons. I randomly picked 🎲 the RaisedButton for us so that we can have a peek at how easy it is to add a nice, stylish button into our app:

RaisedButton( onPressed: () { print( "hi! it's me, the button, speaking via the console. over.", ); }, child: Text("press meeeeeee"), ),

Building layouts in Flutter

When building flexible and complex layouts on the web and in React-Native, the most important tool you used was flexbox. While Flutter isn’t a web-based UI library and hence lacks flexbox, the main concept of using flexible containers with directions and whatnot is implemented and preferred in Flutter. It can be achieved by using Rows and Columns, and you can stack widgets on each other by using Stacks.

Consider the following cheatsheet I made:

Remember how I previously praised typing the props of a widget and how it’s one of the best tools in Flutter’s declarative UI pattern? The Row, Column and Stack widgets all have a children property that want an array of widgets, or [Widget]. Lucky for you, the VS Code automatically completes the code for you once you start working with these widgets:

Just hit tab to let Code complete the code for you! Maybe in the future, you won’t need to write code at all, Flutter will just suck out the app idea out of your brain and compile that - but until then, get used to hitting tab.

Let’s look at an example where we display some names underneath each other:

Column( children: <Widget>[ Text("Mark"), Text("Imola"), Text("Martin"), Text("Zoe"), ], ),

You can see that you create a typed list with the <Widget>[] syntax, you pass it as a prop for the Column, create some amazing widgets inside the list, and boom! The children will be displayed underneath each other. Don’t believe me? Believe this amazing screenshot. 📸

Alignment

The real power of Columns and Rows isn’t just placing stuff next to each other, just like flexbox isn’t only about flex-direction either. In Flutter, you can align the children of a Column and Row on two axes, mainAxis and crossAxis.

These two properties are contextual: whilst in a Row, the main axis would be horizontal, and the crossing axis would be vertical, it would be switched in a Column. To help you better understand this axis concept, I created a handy cheat sheet with code examples and more.

So, for example, if you want to perfectly center something, you’d want to use either the Center widget; or a Row or Column with both mainAxisAlignment and crossAxisAlignment set to .center; or a Row and Column with their mainAxisAlignments set to .center. The possibilities are basically endless with these widgets! ✨

Rendering lists (FlatLists 👉 ListViews)

Whilst thinking about possible use cases for columns, you may have wondered about creating scrollable, dynamic, reorderable, or endless lists.

While these features could be achieved by using Columns, it would take a lot of effort to do so, not even mentioning updating your list data or lazy rendering widgets when there’s a crapton of data. Lucky you, Flutter has a class for rendering lists of data, and it’s called a ListView!

There are several ways to use a ListView, but the most important ones are the ListView(...) widget and the ListView.builder method. Both of them achieve the very same functionality from the perspective of the user, but programmatically, they differ big time.

First, let’s look into the ListView(..) widget. Syntactically, they are very similar to a Column except that they lack the main and cross-axis alignment properties. To continue on with our previous example for columns when we placed names under each other, I’ll display the very same column converted into a ListView:

ListView( children: <Widget>[ Text("Mark"), Text("Imola"), Text("Martin"), Text("Zoe"), ], ),

Tada! 🎉 Your first ListView in Flutter! When refreshing or rebuilding the app (by either pressing a small or capital R in the Flutter CLI), you’ll see the very same thing you saw previously.

However, if you try to drag it, you are now able to scroll inside the container! Note that when a Column has bigger children than its bounds, it will overflow, but a ListView will be scrollable.

ListView builder

While the ListView widget is cool and good, it may not be suitable for every use case. For example, when displaying a list of tasks in a todo app, you won’t exactly know the number of items in your list while writing the code, and it may even change over time. Sure, you are able to run .map on the data source, return widgets as results, and then spread it with the ... operator, but that obviously wouldn’t be performant, nor is it a good practice for long lists. Instead, Flutter provides us a really nice ListView builder.

Sidenote: while working with Flutter, you’ll see the word “builder” a lot. For example, in places like FutureBuilder, StreamBuilder, AnimatedBuilder, the build method, the ListView builder, and more. It’s just a fancy word for methods that return a Widget or [Widget], don’t let this word intimidate or confuse you!

So how do we work with this awesome method? First, you should have an array or list that the builder can iterate over. I’ll quickly define an array with some names in it:

final List<String> source = ["Sarah", "Mac", "Jane", "Daniel"];

And then, somewhere in your widget tree, you should be able to call the ListView.builder method, provide some properties, and you’ll be good to go:

ListView.builder( itemCount: source.length, itemBuilder: (BuildContext context, int i) => Text(source[i]), ),

Oh, and notice how I was able to use an arrow function, just like in JavaScript!

The itemCount parameter is not required, but it’s recommended. Flutter will be able to optimize your app better if you provide this parameter. You can also limit the maximum number of rendered items by providing a number smaller than the length of your data source.

When in doubt, you can always have a peek at the documentation of a class, method, or widget by hovering over its name in your editor:

And that sums up the layout and list-related part of this episode. We’ll look into providing “stylesheets” (or theme data) for your app, look at some basic routing (or navigation) methods, and fetch some data from the interwebs with HTTP requests.

Theming in Flutter

While building larger applications with custom UI components, you may want to create stylesheets. In Flutter, they are called Themes, and they can be used in a lot of places. For example, you can set a default app color, and then the selected texts, buttons, ripple animations, and more will follow this color. You can also set up text styles (like headings and more), and you’ll be able to access these styles across the app.

To do so, you should provide a theme property for your MaterialApp at the root level of the application. Here’s an example:

return MaterialApp( title: 'RisingStack Flutter Demo', theme: ThemeData( // Define the default brightness and colors. brightness: Brightness.light, primaryColor: Colors.green[300], accentColor: Colors.green, // Define button theme buttonTheme: ButtonThemeData( buttonColor: Colors.green, shape: CircleBorder(), ), // Define the default font family // (this won’t work as we won’t have this font asset yet) fontFamily: 'Montserrat', // Define the default TextTheme. Use this to specify the default // text styling for headlines, titles, bodies of text, and more. textTheme: TextTheme( headline1: TextStyle(fontSize: 72.0, fontWeight: FontWeight.bold), headline6: TextStyle(fontSize: 36.0, fontStyle: FontStyle.italic), bodyText2: TextStyle(fontSize: 14.0, fontFamily: 'Muli'), ), ), home: Scaffold(...), );

These colors will be used throughout our app, and accessing the text themes is also simple as a pickle! I added a RaisedButton on top of the app so that we can see the new ButtonThemeData being applied to it:

It’s ugly and all, but it’s ours! 🍋 Applying the text style won’t be automatic, though. As we previously discussed, Flutter can’t really read your mind, so you explicitly need to tag Text widgets as a headline1 or bodyText2, for example.

To do so, you’ll use the Theme.of(context) method. This will look up the widget tree for the nearest Theme providing widget (and note that you can create custom or local themes for subparts of your app with the Theme widget!) and return that theme. Let’s look at an example:

Text( "cool names", style: Theme.of(context).textTheme.headline6, ),

You can see that we are accessing the theme with the Theme.of(context) method, and then we are just accessing properties like it’s an object. This is all you need to know about theming a Flutter app as it really isn’t a complex topic!

Designing mobile navigation experiences

On the web, when managing different screens of the app, we used paths (e.g. fancysite.com/registration) and routing (e.g., react-router) to handle navigating back and forth the app. In a mobile app, it works a bit differently, so I’ll first introduce you to navigation on mobile, and then we’ll look into implementing it in Flutter.

Mobile navigation differs from the web in a lot of ways. Gestures and animations play a very heavy role in structuring out the hierarchy of the app for your user. For example, when a user navigates to a new screen, and it slides in from the right side of the screen, the user will expect to be able to move back with a slide from the left. Users also don’t expect flashy loadings and empty screens when navigating - and even though there are advancements on the web in this segment (e.g. PWAs), it’s by far not the default experience when using websites.

There are also different hierarchies when designing mobile apps. The three main groups are:

Hierarchical Navigation (e.g. the Settings app on iOS)

New screens slide in from left to right. The expected behavior for navigating back is with a back button on the upper left corner and by swiping from the left edge of the screen to the right.

Flat Navigation (e.g. the Apple Music app)

The default behavior for this hierarchy is a tab bar on the bottom.

Tabs should always preserve location (e.g. if you navigate to a subscreen inside on tab one, switch to tab two and switch back to tab one, you’d expect to be on the subscreen, not on the root level screen.)

Swiping between tabs is optional. It isn’t the default behavior and it may conflict with other gestures on the screen itself - be cautious and think twice before implementing swipeable tab bars.

Custom, content-driven, or experimental navigation (Games, books and other content)

When making experimental navigation, always try to be sane with the navigation. The user should always be able to navigate back and undo stuff.

I created a handy cheat sheet for you that will remind you of the most important things when in doubt:

Also, all of these can be mixed together, and other screens like modals can be added to the stack. Always try to KISS and make sure that the user can always navigate back and undo things. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel with navigation (e.g., reverse the direction of opening up a new screen) as it will just confuse the user.

Also, always indicate where the user is in the hierarchy (e.g., with labeling buttons, app title bar, coloring the bottom bar icons, showing little dots, etc.). If you want to know more about designing mobile navigation experiences and implementing them in a way that feels natural to the user, check out Apple’s Human Interface Guideline’s related articles.

Navigation in Flutter

When routing on the web with React or React-Native, you had to depend on third-party libraries to get the dirty work done for you (e.g. react-router). Luckily, Flutter has native navigation capabilities out of the box, and they cover every need of most of the apps, and they are provided to you via the Navigator API.

The applications of this API and the possibilities to play around with navigation are endless. You can, for example, animate a widget between screens; build a bottom navigation bar or a hamburger menu; pass arguments; or send data back and forth. You can explore every navigation-related Flutter cookbook here. In this series, we’ll only look into initializing two screens, navigating between them, and sharing some widgets between them.

To get started with navigation, let’s create two widgets that we’ll use as screens and pass the first into a MaterialApp as the home property:

import 'package:flutter/material.dart'; void main() { runApp(MyApp()); } class MyApp extends StatelessWidget { @override Widget build(BuildContext context) { return MaterialApp( title: 'Flutter Demo', home: ScreenOne(), ); } } class ScreenOne extends StatelessWidget { @override Widget build(BuildContext context) { return Scaffold( body: Center( child: Text("hey! 👋"), ), ); } } class ScreenTwo extends StatelessWidget { @override Widget build(BuildContext context) { return Scaffold( body: Center( child: Text("hi! 👋👋"), ), ); } }

This was easy as a breeze. If you run this app in a simulator, you’ll see “hey! 👋” on the center of the screen. Now, inside the MaterialApp, we can define our routes:

return MaterialApp( title: 'Flutter Demo', home: ScreenOne(), routes: <String, WidgetBuilder>{ '/hey': (BuildContext context) => ScreenOne(), '/hi': (BuildContext context) => ScreenTwo(), }, );

Then, we’ll need something that will trigger the navigation. I’ll add a RaisedButton to the ScreenOne:

return Scaffold( body: Column( mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center, crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.center, children: <Widget>[ Text("hey! 👋"), RaisedButton( child: Text("take me there"), onPressed: () { print("hi!"); }, ), ], ), );

And now, we can navigate the user to the next screen when the button is pressed. Notice that I replaced the Center with a Column with both its main and cross axises centered. This was required because I wanted to have two children underneath each other: a Text and a RaisedButton. Inside the RaisedButton, we only have to push the route to the stack and let Flutter handle the routing and animation:

Navigator.pushNamed(context, '/hi');

By default, we can navigate back to the previous screen by swiping from the left edge of the screen. This is the expected behavior, and we don’t intend to change it, so we’ll leave it as it is. If you want to add a button on the second screen to navigate back to the first screen, you can use Navigator.pop(); method.

Don’t ever push to the same screen the user is on, nor the previous screen. Always use pop when navigating backward.

This will be just enough to cover your basic navigation needs. Don’t forget, if you want to check out more advanced navigation features such as animating widgets between screens or passing data back and forth, check out the related Flutter cookbooks.

Networking, HTTP requests

Now that you can build widgets, layouts, display lists, and you can navigate between screens with Flutter, there’s only one thing left: communicating with your backend API. One of the most popular BaaS providers for mobile and Flutter is Firebase by Google. It allows you to use real-time databases, push notifications, crash reporting, app analytics, and a lot more out of the box. You can find the Flutter Firebase packages on pub.dev or you can follow this step-by-step tutorial.

If you are a more experienced developer and you have a complex project with a custom backend in mind, or if you are just genuinely looking forward to using your own selection of backend APIs - Firebase just won’t suit your needs.

That’s where the http package comes in handy.

Just add it into your dependency list inside the pubspec.yaml, wait until flutter pub get finishes (VSCode automatically runs it for you if it detects changes in the pubspec.yaml), and then continue reading:

dependencies: flutter: sdk: flutter http: any

http is a Future-based library for making HTTP requests. To get started with it, just import it:

import 'package:http/http.dart' as http;

And then, you can start making requests with top-level methods like http.post or http.get. To help you experiment with making HTTP requests in Flutter, I have made a demo API that you can GET on. It will return some names and ages. You can access it here (https://demo-flutter-api.herokuapp.com/people).

Parsing JSON data in Flutter and Dart

After making your GET request on the API, you’ll be able to get data out of it by accessing properties like this:

void request() async { final response = await http.get("https://demo-flutter-api.herokuapp.com/people"); print(response.body); // => [{"name":"Leo","age":17},{"name":"Isabella","age":30},{"name":"Michael","age":23},{"name":"Sarah","age":12}] print(json.decode(response.body)[0]["name"]); // => Leo }

However, this solution should not be used in production. Not only it lacks automatic code completion and developer tooling, but it’s very error-prone and not really well documented. It’s just straight-up crap coding. 💩

Instead, you should always create a Dart class with the desired data structure for your response object and then process the raw body into a native Dart object. Since we are receiving an array of objects, in Dart, we’ll create a typed List with a custom class. I’ll name the class Person, and it will have two properties: a name (with a type of String) and age (int). I’ll also want to define a .fromJson constructor on it so that we can set up our class to be able to construct itself from a raw JSON string.

First, you’ll want to import dart:convert to access native JSON-related methods like a JSON encoder and decoder:

import 'dart:convert';

Create our very basic class:

class Person { String name; int age; }

Extend it with a simple constructor:

Person({this.name, this.age});

And add in the .fromJson method, tagged with the factory keyword. This keyword informs the compiler that this isn’t a method on the class instance itself. Instead, it will return a new instance of our class:

factory Person.fromJson(String str) => Person.fromMap(json.decode(str)); factory Person.fromMap(Map<String, dynamic> json) => new Person( name: json["name"], age: json["age"], );

Notice that I created two separate methods: a fromMap and a fromJson. The fromMap method itself does the dirty work by deconstructing the received Map. The fromJson just parses our JSON string and passes it into the fromMap factory method.

Now, we should just map over our raw response, use the .fromMap factory method, and expect everything to go just fine:

List<Person> listOfPeople = json .decode(response.body) .map<Person>((i) => Person.fromMap(i)) .toList(); print(listOfPeople[0].name); // => Leo

Sidenote: I didn’t use the .fromJson method because we already parsed the body before mapping over it, hence it’s unneeded right now.

There is a lot to unwrap in these few lines! First, we define a typed list and decode the response.body. Then, we map over it, and we throw in the return type <Person> to the map so that Dart will know that we expect to see a Person as a result of the map function. Then, we convert it to a List as otherwise it would be an MappedListIterable.

Rendering the parsed JSON: FutureBuilder and ListView.builder

Now that we have our app up and running with our basic backend, it’s time to render our data. We already discussed the ListView.builder API, so we’ll just work with that.

But before we get into rendering the list itself, we want to handle some state changes: the response may be undefined at the moment of rendering (because it is still loading), and we may get an error as a response. There are several great approaches to wrap your head around handling these states, but we’ll use FutureBuilder now for the sake of practicing using new Flutter widgets.

FutureBuilder is a Flutter widget that takes a Future and a builder as a property. This builder will return the widget we want to render on the different states as the Future progresses.

Note that FutureBuilder handles state changes inside the widget itself, so you can still use it in a StatelessWidget! Since the http package is Future-based, we can just use the http.get method as the Future for our FutureBuilder:

@override Widget build(BuildContext context) { return Scaffold( body: FutureBuilder( future: http.get("https://demo-flutter-api.herokuapp.com/people"), ), ); }

And we should also pass a builder. This builder should be able to respond to three states: loading, done and error. At first, I’ll just throw in a centered CircularProgressIndicator() to see that our app renders something:

return Scaffold( body: FutureBuilder( future: http.get("https://demo-flutter-api.herokuapp.com/people"), builder: (BuildContext context, AsyncSnapshot<http.Response> response) { return Center( child: CircularProgressIndicator(), ); }, ), );

If you run this app, you’ll see a progress indicator in the center of the screen running indefinitely. We can get the state of the response by the response.hasData property:

builder: (BuildContext context, AsyncSnapshot<http.Response> response) { if (response.hasData) { // loaded! } else if (response.hasError) { // error! return Center( child: Text("error!"), ); } else { // loading... return Center( child: CircularProgressIndicator(), ); } },

And now, we can be sure that nothing comes between us and processing, then rendering the data, so inside the response.hasData block, we’ll process the raw response with previously discussed parsing and mapping method, then return a ListView.builder:

// loaded! List<Person> listOfPeople = json .decode(response.data.body) .map<Person>((i) => Person.fromMap(i)) .toList(); return ListView.builder( itemCount: listOfPeople.length, itemBuilder: (BuildContext context, int i) => Text( "${listOfPeople[i].name} (${listOfPeople[i].age})", ), );

And that’s it! 🎉 If you run this snippet right now, it will render four names and their corresponding ages next to them. Isn’t this amazing? It may have seemed like a lot of work for a simple list like this, but don’t forget that we created a whole-blown class, parsed JSON, and converted it into class instances, and we even handled loading and error states.

Summing it all up

Congratulations on making it this far into the course! You have learned a lot and came along a long way since we started in the previous episode.

You went from zero to hero both with Dart (types, control flow statements, data structures, OOP, and asynchrony) and Flutter (CLI, widgets, alignment, lists, themes, navigation and networking).

This really has been a lot of work, and you’ll still have to learn a lot until you get fluent in Flutter, but in the end, the only thing that will matter is the result of your hard work. And that’s what we’re going to harvest in the next and last episode of this Flutter series: we’ll build a fun mini-game with Flutter! 🎲

I’m really looking forward to seeing you here next week. Until then, stay tuned, and happy Fluttering! ✌️

All the bests, 🍻 Daniel from RisingStack

Flutter Crash Course for JavaScript Developers published first on https://koresolpage.tumblr.com/

[bruceoxenford]

The Ultimate Guide to convert your on-demand business idea into reality

Every well-known on-demand business out there once started with a great idea. But looking at their journey they may have faced a lot of challenges like,

Financial problems

Lack of technical awareness

Incorrect planning

Self-doubt

Finding potential customers

Hiring

Some give up, But a well thought out strategic plan and milestones for an on-demand business may help you stand strong.

For an on-demand business like Uber, it’s crucial to stay updated with current and upcoming technologies.

Top 5 on-demand business ideas

5 best ideas to start your successful on-demand business like uber are

1. On-demand beauty service – By using the on-demand beauty service one doesn’t have to travel to the salon. It also offers you to choose from multiple options available. It allows the user to book an appointment at their preferred time and also provides service at their doorstep.

2. Housekeeping on-demand app- Looking for an affordable and trustworthy housekeeper is so hard nowadays. The on-demand housekeeping app lets you book a maid as per your preference.

3. Learning on-demand apps – Apps like Udemy, Byju’s has got a lot of attention among teachers and learners of any location, age, etc. These apps enable you to learn anywhere, anytime.

4. Healthcare on-demand app – The on-demand healthcare service connects patients with best physicians around them via the web, app or even home visits. Once you book an appointment through the app, a skilled doctor will visit you personally. The app also supports live video chat with professionals regarding physical, mental issues.

5. Car parking on-demand app – Due to the increase in the use of personal vehicles, finding parking spaces has become a huge problem. The on-demand car parking app assists you in locating the nearby parking spaces and lets you book through the app.

Steps to convert your on-demand business idea into reality

Step 1: Evaluate your business idea

After choosing your on-demand business idea, it is important to put them to a test. Do a complete market analysis, make a note of the recent trends in your business.

Make a list of successful companies in your market and start analyzing their strategy and also take a close look at their solutions.

The checklist to analyze your business ideas:

Identify how effectively you solve the problem

Know your competition

Assess the market

Ensure the financial availability

Strength and weakness of your idea

Step 2: Find target audience for your on-demand business idea

Every on-demand business has a separate set of audiences. It’s important to know who your potential customers are.

Not everyone needs your service or product. For example, if you are about to start an on-demand learning app keep in mind the following,

Age of your audience – The target customers for your business mostly are teenagers. They have a hunger to learn. So you have to plan accordingly to attract them.

Geo – Customer’s geography also plays a major role. It helps you to launch your product, targeting their language and location. For example, Udemy supports almost 16 languages.

Financial position – The financial position of a customer should also be taken into account as it is not certain that everyone will have the resource to buy your product or service.

When you funnel out “Who your target customers are”, It is easy for you to reach and customize your product based on their requirements.

Step 3: Software solutions needed for on-demand business idea

The reason Uber became one of the best on-demand service providers is they adapted the evolving technologies to their business plan.

If you are about to start an on-demand business like Uber, then you need a technically strong website and a mobile application to back you up.

Choose a tech stack that matches your business needs. Building your business with the right stack will boost up your productivity and gives you a competitive advantage over the others.

Go with the best uber-like app that is readily available in the market to reduce your development time, cost, and helps to launch your product in no time.

The Uber-like app is 100% customizable that can match any of the top 5 on-demand businesses as listed above.

Step 4: Build a successful team

Build a team to handle the challenges that come in your way while growing as a business. They should have the courage and knowledge to handle the tasks effectively.

Microsoft, a tech giant once started with only 2 members trusting their core knowledge. As of now, they have around 144 thousand employees working with them.

The success of a company purely depends upon the success and knowledge of the team they have.

If you are about to start a company like Uber, search for opportunities around you. There are a lot of successful tech companies to help you develop your uber-like apps and websites.

Also, they assist you in launching your product online. So you don’t have to face any challenges while starting your first ever on-demand business.

Step 5: On-demand business Marketing

You have a successful business idea, built a strong team around it but is it enough to make your customer aware of your product?

Marketing your product across productive platforms helps your product to reach out to the target customers.

There’s a lot of ways to market a product but choose the best marketing channels around your niche and work on them.

You have to be sure that every work you do yields a positive result. Don’t waste your valuable time on a channel that doesn’t go well for you.

There’s a lot of ways to bring traffic to your site but if your site is not good enough for the customer then they’ll bounce back.

Pick a list of keywords for your on-demand business and build your site around them. Use this keyword for blogging, site SEO and as your  marketing strategy.

Few ways to increase traffic to your on-demand business site,

1. Making social presence – No wonder that social media plays a major role in marketing, as 3.5 billion of us use it. Make a list of social media platforms that suits your business and work on them.

2. “Content is king” – Create a blog around the list of targeted keywords. Create a blog that is informative to the customers rather than being too pushy. The customer should get something out of your blog which in turn makes them get attracted to your product or service.

3. On-page SEO –  The user experience is one of the important factors that affect your ranking. User signals are the ones that Google uses to rank the page in SERP. If your on-page is with clear cut meta-description, headings, title tags it increases your on-page SEO score. Also, Google analyses how responsive, informative and speedy your page is to rank them.

Links – It is proved that backlinks are one of the most important factors for ranking a site in Google’s search results. Both internal and external link matters.

Interested in starting an on-demand taxi business?

If you have an idea of starting an on-demand business like Uber, then an Uber-like app is the best choice to go with.

The uber-like app has every feature that every taxi business needs. It can also be customized to match the profile of your company.

Wooberly – Uber clone

Wooberly a technically strong, uber-like app is the better option to go with if you are about to start your on-demand taxi business.

Uber clone – Wooberly is built with the latest technology – Flutter. It is an open-source UI toolkit made to build native applications for web and mobile apps by using a single codebase.

Benefits of using Flutter

The benefits of using Flutter to build apps are,

Cross-platform native apps.

Reduces development cost and time

Attractive User interface

Low testing efforts

Budget-friendly

What makes Wooberly one of the best uber-like apps around?

Wooberly – Uber-like app comprises of three main users,

Rider

Driver

Admin

Features which makes Wooberly stand apart from the competition are

Rider features

One-click sign up option

Multiple vehicle options

Live tracking

Advanced payment options

Fare estimation

Driver tips

Stripe 3D secure

SOS Assistance

In-app wallet option

Driver features

Registration

Payout method

Multi-currency and language option

Trips

Driver status

Push Notifications

Dynamic routing

Cancellation reason

Earning reports

Admin features

Site settings

Manage promo codes

Bookings management

Notifications control

Canceled bookings

Category management

Vehicles management

Excited to know more? Then visit the below links,

Our product page – https://www.rentallscript.com/uber-clone/

[insession-io]

How the Body and Mind Talk To One Another

Have you ever been startled by someone suddenly talking to you when you thought you were alone? Even when they apologise for surprising you, your heart goes on pounding in your chest. You are very aware of this sensation. But what kind of experience is it, and what can it tell us about relations between the heart and the brain?

When considering the senses, we tend to think of sight and sound, taste, touch and smell. However, these are classified as exteroceptive senses, that is, they tell us something about the outside world. In contrast, interoception is a sense that informs us about our internal bodily sensations, such as the pounding of our heart, the flutter of butterflies in our stomach or feelings of hunger.

The brain represents, integrates and prioritises interoceptive information from the internal body. These are communicated through a set of distinct neural and humoural (ie, blood-borne) pathways. This sensing of internal states of the body is part of the interplay between body and brain: it maintains homeostasis, the physiological stability necessary for survival; it provides key motivational drivers such as hunger and thirst; it explicitly represents bodily sensations, such as bladder distension. But that is not all, and herein lies the beauty of interoception, as our feelings, thoughts and perceptions are also influenced by the dynamic interaction between body and brain.

The shaping of emotional experience through the body’s internal physiology has long been recognised. The American philosopher William James argued in 1892 that the mental aspects of emotion, the ‘feeling states’, are a product of physiology. He reversed our intuitive causality, arguing that the physiological changes themselves give rise to the emotional state: our heart does not pound because we are afraid; fear arises from our pounding heart. Contemporary experiments demonstrate the neural and mental representation of internal bodily sensations as integral for the experience of emotions; those individuals with heightened interoception tend to experience emotions with greater intensity. The anterior insula is a key brain area, processing both emotions and internal visceral signals, supporting the idea that this area is key in processing internal bodily sensations as a means to inform emotional experience. Individuals with enhanced interoception also have greater activation of the insula during interoceptive processing and enhanced grey-matter density of this area.

So what is enhanced interoception? Some people are more accurate than others at sensing their own internal bodily sensations. While most of us are perhaps aware of our pounding heart when we are startled or have just run for the bus, not everyone can accurately sense their heartbeats when at rest. Interoceptive accuracy can be tested in the lab; we monitor physiological signals and measure how accurately these can be detected. Historically, research has focused on the heart, as these are discrete signals that can easily be quantified. For example, a typical experiment might involve the presentation of a periodic external stimulus (eg, an auditory tone) that is time-locked to the heartbeat, such that each tone (‘beep’) occurs when the heart is beating, or in between heartbeats. Participants state whether this external stimulus is synchronous or asynchronous with their own heart. An individual’s interoceptive accuracy is an index of how well they are able to do this.

It is also possible to measure subjective indices of how accurate people think they are at detecting internal bodily sensations, ascertained via questionnaires and other self-report measures. My work shows that individuals can be interoceptively accurate (ie, good at these heartbeat-perception tests) without being aware that they are. In this way, interoceptive signals can guide and inform without fully penetrating conscious awareness.

Individual differences in interoception can also be investigated using brain-imaging methods, such as through brain representation of afferent signals (eg, heartbeat-evoked potentials expressed in a neural EEG signal). Functional neuroimaging (fMRI) can also be used to investigate which areas of the brain are more active when focusing on an interoceptive signal (eg, the heart) relative to an exteroceptive signal (eg, an auditory tone).

Our hearts do not beat regularly and, while we can identify that our hearts race with fear or exercise, we might not fully appreciate the complexity of the temporal structure underlying our heartbeats. For example, cardiac signatures are also associated with states such as anticipation. Waiting for something to happen can cause our heartrate to slow down: this will happen at traffic lights, when waiting for them to go green. These effects of anticipation, potentially facilitating the body and mind to adopt an action-ready-state, highlight the meaningful composition of internal bodily signals.

Internal bodily signals can be deeply informative, which is why sensing them can provide an extra channel of information to influence decision making. Gut instinct or intuition during a card game can also be guided by interoception. Bodily signatures (heart rate, skin-conductance response) can signal which cards are good (ie, more likely to be associated with a positive outcome) even in the absence of conscious knowledge that a card is good. Thus, the heart ‘knows’ what the mind does not yet realise, and access to this bodily signature can guide intuitive decision making to a better outcome. In a real-world extrapolation of this, I visited the London Stock Exchange to work with high-frequency traders. These traders claimed that their decisions were often driven by gut instinct, when faced with fast-coming information that the conscious brain could not yet fully process. My colleagues and I demonstrated that interoceptive accuracy was enhanced in those traders who were most adept at trading, potentially grounding their intuitive instincts in a capacity to sense informative changes in internal bodily signals.

An appreciation that bodily signals can guide emotion and cognition provides potential interoceptive mechanisms through which these processes can be disrupted. Alexithymia, defined as an impaired ability to detect and identify emotions, is associated with reduced interoceptive accuracy. Autistic individuals, who often have difficulty in understanding emotions, have also been shown to have impaired interoceptive accuracy. Neural representation of bodily signatures are altered in borderline personality disorder (also known as emotionally unstable personality disorder), and interventions designed to focus on the body, such as mindfulness, have been shown to reduce anxiety. Insight into the nature of these embodied mechanisms opens up potential avenues for further understanding and targeted intervention.

As well as telling us about our own emotions, our bodies respond to the joy, pain and sadness of others. Our hearts can race as loved ones experience fear, and our pupils can adopt a physiological signature of sadness in response to the sadness of others. If you pay attention to your heart and bodily responses, they can tell you how you are feeling, and allow you to share in the emotions of others. Interoception can enhance the depth of our own emotions, emotionally bind us to those around us, and guide our intuitive instincts. We are now learning just how much the way we think and feel is shaped by this dynamic interaction between body and brain.

Sarah Garfinkel is professor of neuroscience and psychiatry at the University of Sussex. Her work has been published in the Harvard Review of Psychiatry and Brain: A Journal of Neurology, among others. She lives in Brighton.

Dr. Jeffrey Levine - Counseling Hartford - is a Licensed Psychologist with over 40 years of clinical experience. He specializes in treating adults in individual psychotherapy, with expertise in trauma focused hypnosis, energy transformational healing and Internal Family Systems. Therapist serving Hartford - Mansfield - Glastonbury.

[radnai]

ARRI Adds New Control to SkyPanels with Firmware 4 at NAB 2018 from ProductionHUB on Vimeo.

An interview from the 2018 National Association of Broadcasters Convention in Las Vegas with Mike Wagner of ARRI. The ARRI Group consists of five business units: Camera Systems, Lighting, Media, Rental, and Medical. ARRI is a leading designer and manufacturer of camera and lighting systems for the film and broadcast industry, with a worldwide distribution and service network.In this interview Mike talks with about the new SkyPanel Firmware 4, which offers ten brand new features for advanced control including: Extended Color Control allowing the user to find the perfect color easily and intuitively, Light Engine DMX Control allowing for segmented control of the SkyPanel, four additional pre-programmed lighting effects, x,y Coordinate color selection via the onboard control panel, and Stage Mode for smooth dimming to zero in live audience applications.

Extended Color Control Finding the perfect color can sometimes be a daunting task. With Extended Color Control in SkyPanel Firmware 4, this process becomes easy and intuitive. Simply pick a starting color such as a digital gel, HSI value, or color temperature and use the eight new color adjustments to push the color in the desired direction. These color parameters include warmer/cooler, saturate/desaturate, +/- red, +/- green, +/- blue. +/- cyan, +/- magenta, +/- yellow. These controls are available via the onboard control panel or DMX.

Light Engine DMX Control Every SkyPanel is made up of one or more light engines. The S60 has two light engines while the S360 has twelve light engines. SkyPanel Firmware 4 allows the user to control individual light engines via new DMX modes. Each light engine acts as its own mini SkyPanel with parameters like CCT & RGBW, HSI, or x,y Coordinates. This precise level of control enables new programing possibilities with the SkyPanel.

Additional Lighting Effects SkyPanel’s range of widely acclaimed lighting effects is expanding with SkyPanel Firmware 4. Explosion, welding, process, and fluorescent flicker have been added to the lineup for a new total of 17 pre-programmed lighting effects. Explosion is the perfect effect for muzzle flashes and explosion effects. Welding mimics the sparks of a high intensity welding source. Process sends light shooting down the surface of a SkyPanel to imitate the effect of a street light passing over a car - this effect works especially well with the S120. And finally, the fluorescent flicker effect recreates the hum and flutter of a malfunctioning fluorescent bulb. The customer favorite cop car effect has been augmented with five new color combinations.

Stage Mode Live entertainment and theatrical performances require completely smooth dimming to zero which create natural lighting transitions for their live audiences. The new Stage Mode in SkyPanel Firmware 4 is designed specifically to meet these demands and opens up new doors for the use of SkyPanel in live entertainment. Activating Stage Mode allows SkyPanel to smoothly and seamlessly dim down to zero percent intensity without color jumps or noticeable intensity drop off.

Ultimate DMX Mode In the past, choosing the right SkyPanel DMX mode for a project would force a choice on one or two predefined color selection methods. For example, if color temperature control and lighting effects were needed, this would require a change in DMX mode. With the Ultimate DMX Mode in SkyPanel Firmware 4, this is no longer necessary. The Ultimate DMX Mode allows for any control mode to be selected within one DMX mode. Simply pick the color method (CCT, HSI, lighting effects, etc.) and the DMX parameters will adjust to allow for control of the selected control method. One DMX mode is all that is needed.

New SkyPanel Web Portal The SkyPanel Web Portal is an easy way to make adjustments to a SkyPanel over an Ethernet or WiFi network. This Web Portal has been vastly expanded and improved in SkyPanel Firmware 4. A completely new design allows for fast navigation and new control interfaces offer complete control over all aspects of a SkyPanel directly from any web browser. Advanced monitoring capabilities also provide an in-depth view into all DMX functions.

DMX Live Page When receiving a DMX signal, the SkyPanel can display detailed DMX information directly on the control panel with SkyPanel Firmware 4. Not only can the DMX mode, address, and channel count be easily read, but the SkyPanel now displays lighting values for the DMX signal it is receiving. The SkyPanel even does the conversion from DMX values to real world light output values by calculating the math internally. This feature is a powerful tool when troubleshooting DMX issues.

For more information please visit: ARRI.com

[ramrodd]

What does the Bible say about where atheists and non-Christians go when they die?

How can you plagiarize the Bible or the Holy Spirit?

COMMENTARY:

The Bible doesn’t offer any description of Hell that isn’t drawn from the human condition. Hell is existential by definition. That’s one lesson of the Holocaust. 

Dante’s Inferno is an allegory the he employs to describe the sins of the flesh as they are reflected in his contemporary society. For example, suicides are represented as trees in eternal torment unless they can speak and the only way they can speak is for a limb to be broken off.

My favorite representation occurs on this side of the River Styx and it consists of people who invest their souls in Reason and are forever doomed to chase the fluttering pennant of Reason aimlessly, hither and yon. Think: Ayn Rand and Tucker Carlson and and the editorial staff of National Review you can see them, naked, sweaty and winded, in the perfect synchronization of a school of fish symbolic of their ideological conformity, darting about.,

That’s not in the Bible because it doesn’t exist in Heaven or the mind of God. It has to do with free will. In this universe, the only Zen you will find in the mountains is the Zen you bring with you.

Robert Pirsig makes that observation in Motorcycle Maintenance. I’ve been accused of plagiarism by the Quora Crossing Guards and Hall Monitors as if Quora represents a peer rated community. Virtually everything I do is stream of consciousness, in the moment. I am not attempting to create scholarship: I am presenting narrative as a means of leading the reader into a new epistemology by way of process theology. In particular, my purpose is to continuously introduce narrative as its own best defense in the face of the post-Marxist deconstruction of Christianity by anti-theists like Richard Carrier and the bad theiology of anything connected to the Pro-Life/Creationist Evangelical Spiritual Warriors.

Like Jesus, I am citing authority directly. I am not Jesus. It is one of the things Jesus broke into history to accomplish: provide universal access to the mind of God on a systematic and constructive basis.

So, what Quora Monitors have pulled, a pretty coherent essay on why communism failed, is stuff I am channeling in collaboration with the Holy Spirit at that moment as I make the symbols appearing in front of your eyes in this line of content and you become aware of your personal process of reading and, if you are very visual (which is the singular characteristic of Millenials), you may begin to hear my voice as your eyes slow down and begin to pick up the audio from these symbols, like the voice of Stephen King, the Elder of the Resistance and Keeper of the Myths, reciting The Stand at the Tribal Council and community pow wow as the shadows of the Parable of the Cave dance on the animal skins of the lodge behind us.

The Koran is a hymn book for gnostics and a companion to the Gospel of Thomas. They are pre-Platonic methods of inquiry. There is no Heaven in the Bible sense of the word, very Aristotilean in that commitment to materialism.

Marx is a gnostic in that regard, except that he was able to posit the possibility of creating a perfect society captured in John Lennon’s “Imagine”. Yoko Ono is a dedicated Marxist, what the Bolsheviks called “the Radish” because they are red on the outside nd white on the inside. She inspired “Imagine” as Lennon’s muse in this regards and Lennon managed to capture the aspirational quality of Marx.

If you want to understand Christopher Hitchens, you need to understand the connection of the aspiration of Marx to his entire ethos. Marx failed him and it broke his heart. And he was determined to extract a similar revenge upon Christians. He had such a lovely mind, it is a shame to see him contort reality to accomodate his posture of grevience against the Bible.

The Bible, generally, and Jesus, in particular, are focused on making things work better in the here and now and not after death. The Salvation Gospel of the Pro-Life/Creationist Evangelicals is mistakenly focused on the Rapture when Jesus is focued on the Liberation Gospel of Passover. The economics of Jesus is the Liberation Gospel as a capitalist tool and the core performance technology of Democratic Socialism of the US Constitution and the resume of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

How can you plagiarize the Bible? Or the Holy Spirit?

[learnspanishfans]

When Online Polyglots Disagree – Much Ado About Something

Benny Lewis, is, I think, the most successful polyglot blogger on the Internet; the one with the greatest reach. With this website, Fluent in 3 Months, he was one of the earliest language learners to use the Internet to encourage others to learn languages, and to talk about it. I too am what you would call an online polyglot. A little over 10 years ago I made my first video on YouTube about language learning. I have now reached over 100,000 subscribers. During these ten years, I have made almost 1,000 videos with over 12 million views. Benny and I are not alone, but part of a community of people doing this. The Internet and modern technology bring people with like interests together in a way that was not possible before.

Linguist or Polyglot - What’s the Difference?

When I started making these videos, I had already learned nine languages over the course of my professional career as a diplomat and businessman. I was only vaguely familiar with the term polyglot. To me, at that time, and probably still for most English-speaking people, someone who speaks a number of languages was a linguist. I have on occasion pointed this out in my videos, which usually created consternation within the community of people who study linguistics, those other linguists. In fact I don’t really think that linguistics is all that relevant to language learning. I have become more accustomed to the term polyglot in recent years. In fact, since I started making these videos I have learned another eight languages, to varying degrees of proficiency. I am happy to be counted as a polyglot. Certainly the term has become more widely recognized, in part as a result of the activities of Benny and other online polyglots. There is even a new word, polyglottery, which for sure I had never heard before. Polyglottery is a thing! Certainly, an increasing number of people want to talk about language learning on the Internet, to offer opinions and describe their experiences learning languages. These Internet polyglots write blogs, create YouTube videos, have podcasts, and attend conferences. The number of such real and aspiring polyglots may number in the hundreds, but their follower numbers in the tens or even hundreds of thousands, all over the world. Much to the amusement of some, these polyglots, myself included, often disagree with each other. Some are in favour of speaking from day one, such as Benny, the host of this blog. Some, like yours truly, favour waiting to speak. Some encourage the use of translation as an important language learning activity. Some think music is important to language learning. Polyglots have varying degrees of tolerance for or interest in grammar, attending language schools, and using various language learning techniques. In fact, the polyglots are all over the map on a number of issues, and their positions probably evolve over time. Why does anything they have to say matter if they all disagree? Why listen to them?

Here’s Why Our Disagreement is a Good News Story

Each of these polyglots has a following, people who are interested in what they have to say. These followers may be learning their first language, or they may already be a polyglot with a few languages under their belts, seeking to add more. One has only to visit the blogs or YouTube channels of these polyglots to see the comments of appreciation from their followers. People credit their favourite polyglot with having stimulated them to start learning a language, or with encouraging them to continue when their enthusiasm lagged. This is not an insignificant phenomenon. This spontaneous community of Internet polyglots has great influence, encouraging learners all over the world, whether they attend language schools or learn on their own. Make no mistake, learning another language is one of the most rewarding things people can do. Each language opens a door to another part of our common human experience. These polyglots, even if they disagree with each other on aspects of learning methodology, or maybe because of it, are positively impacting many people. In a world with lots of bad news stories, this is a good news story.

How the Online World is Influencing Established Language Teaching

Benny Lewis recently developed a series of language hacking books with Teach Yourself that teach a language hacker’s approach to Spanish, French, Italian, and German. It is quite remarkable that one of the leading established publishers of language learning books should reach out to Benny, a member of the online polyglot community, and ask him to craft a learning approach that combines his own personal language experiences with more established techniques. This is not the only example. Olly Richards, another online polyglot, is doing a similar thing with his Short Stories for Beginners in various languages. While Benny shows learners how to start engaging in conversations in various languages, Olly focuses on graded reading materials that help learners build up vocabulary and get used to new languages. I suspect that in a few years, the language learning sections of bookstores will no longer just display the well known brands of language learning books, but more and more products that reflect the attitudes and experiences of online polyglots. These approaches may very well differ from each other, but offer a range of possibilities to language learners. Not only established language learning publishers, but also language schools are taking notice of these people. LingQ, the web and app language learning platform I developed 10 years ago, has contacts with schools and universities, and I am sure the same is true of other polyglots in their various activities. Many of the people who follow their favourite online polyglots are themselves students or even teachers at such institutions. Online polyglots are increasingly a mainstream language learning influence.

“Fighting Polyglots”: A New TV Series?

The fact that these polyglots have areas of disagreement is a form of stimulating entertainment to the people who follow them, many of whom follow more than one of these polyglots. Their fans are sometimes more engaged in the controversies, and more scathing in their criticism of their favourite’s adversary, than the polyglots themselves. But this just increases the interest that surrounds the online polyglot community. “Fighting polyglots” sounds almost like the title of a TV series. In reality, online polyglots have respect for each others’ achievements, however much they disagree on method. They know how difficult it is to learn a new language and how much work is involved. They believe strongly in the effectiveness of their own language learning method, yet listening to the experience of others forces them to constantly evaluate their own approach. This doesn’t mean that they convert to the views of others. It does mean that they consider these different approaches and test the validity of their own approaches with each successive language that they learn. Necessarily their views evolve. All of this takes place in full view of their followers. This exposure to contrasting approaches to language learning is a great stimulus to language learners.

Polyglottery: A Growing Movement

Polyglot conferences and gatherings are sprouting with increasing frequency in a number of locations. These are occasions where people meet to speak in different languages and compare language learning methods. The frequency of these get togethers is increasing, and the number of participants is growing. Most Polyglot gatherings have been in Europe; Berlin, Thessaloniki, Reykjavik, Bratislava. But there have been two in North America; New York and Montreal. In fact, the next opportunity for polyglot and language learners to get together is the Montreal language festival. A number of online polyglots will speak at this year’s festival, myself included, and entering the first name of one of them in the promo code box when you buy your ticket will get you a discount! There are also increasing examples of local polyglot gatherings, where people get together to converse in different languages and exchange notes on language learning. Meetup is a great way to find one near you. Here are some sources of information on polyglot conferences and get togethers around the world:

8 Life-Changing Language Learning Events Around the Globe

Language Events - Polyglot Club

Polyglot Conference

Polyglot Gathering Berlin 2016 in Review

Language-Related Events - Omniglot

We are Global Social Butterflies, Flapping Our Wings to Share the Joy of Language Learning

Online polyglots like to think of themselves as serious students of languages and language learning who want to share their own experiences and insights with others. Most of them expend a great deal of energy in this endeavour. Some critics, however, may see them as butterflies just flapping their wings to gain attention. As an online polyglot, and therefore perhaps a butterfly myself, I offer Zhuangzi’s parable of the butterfly as a possible insight into our state of mind.

“Once upon a time, I, Chuang Chou, dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. I was conscious only of my happiness as a butterfly, unaware that I was Chou. Soon I awaked, and there I was, veritably myself again. Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly, dreaming I am a man. Between a man and a butterfly there is necessarily a distinction.”

I think all online polyglots enjoy what they do, flapping their wings, sharing the joy of language learning, sometimes unaware of who they are. The effect can be quite significant, though, as is exemplified by the butterfly effect. Small causes can have large effects. I will continue to flap my wings.

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