Load Up Your Mac with these Seven Essential Apps

Load Up Your Mac with these Seven Essential Apps


The end of the calendar year signals the beginning of the holiday gift-giving season. Whether you’ve asked for a new Mac or if you plan to gift one to yourself this holiday season, The Premium Limited Edition Mac Bundle ft. Microsoft Office is just what you need to equip your computer with these seven essential apps.

They range from the wildly-popular Microsoft Office to video-based programs that help breathe life into your creations. You can purchase it for a limited time for $59.99. That’s a savings of 96% if you were to purchase each item individually.

Star of the show

The cornerstone of any computer is Microsoft Office. This installment – MS Office Home and Business 2021 – includes favorites like Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint, among others. Updates to the software are included for the lifetime of your purchase. Free customer support is also offered should you need help from setting it up or using its programs.

Proper Protection

A competent VPN program should be among the first items installed on a new computer. Without one, personal data and information can be accessed and compromised. Ivacy VPN brings superior protection along with blazing-fast speed and powerful encryption to your computer. The software, which is rated 8.4 stars, won the 2019 BestVPN.com’s Fastest VPN Award, and it’s an official partner of the West Ham Football Club.

Always safe

There isn’t much more frustrating than forgetting the password to one of your many online services. Whether it’s Netflix, your bank account or your auto insurance log-in credentials, we’ve all fallen victim to having to reset old passwords and start anew. SplashIDPro remembers them for you, and safely catalogs them for future use. SplashIDPro is used by more than 10 million people, and it’s the most trusted name in password management. CSO Online ranked it among its top six password manager services.

Begin to build

Homeowners are always envisioning ways to reconfigure their spaces or completely revamp their homes. In most cases, it’s easy to visualize the concepts in your mind, but translating that idea to paper is another story. Live Home 3D Pro is a powerful home design software that can assist with blueprint designs ranging from a simple shed to a complete skyscraper. TopTenReview named it Gold Award Winner. Use it to help turn your visions to reality.

Silver screen

Video conferences and meetings have become commonplace over the past two years as work and school can now be done remotely. Not everyone, however, is blessed with stunning home aesthetics to serve as a backdrop for those occasions. XSplit VCam offers cutting-edge background replacement, removal and blurring, without the need for any green screen. The software does all this in a high-quality presentation, giving you an eye-catching background for those video meetings.

A clearer look

Assembling and creating professional-looking videos doesn’t have to require hours on complicated video-editing software. VideoCom Apps Pro allows you to record beautiful video presentations with little effort. Create your presentation from scratch, or use PowerPoint, Google Slides or PDF Presentations. A secure media cloud lets you share your videos and images with friends or co-workers.

You’ve got mail

Even the most storage-efficient email services can’t solve the ever-present issue of the lack of space. For some people, the ability to archive and back up their email data is as important as the information in those emails. Mail Backup X Individual Edition is your one-stop shop for mail backup, archiving, email management and mail conversion. It’s compatible with Apple Mail, Outlook, and Office 365, among others. CNET rated this software 5 stars.

Prices subject to change. 

Low Vibration Baths? Influencer B. Simone Admits She Doesn’t Shower Daily and Twitter Reacts

Low Vibration Baths? Influencer B. Simone Admits She Doesn’t Shower Daily and Twitter Reacts


During her podcast The Know For Sure Pod on Nov. 15, comedian and entrepreneur B. Simone revealed that she doesn’t take a shower every day, and Twitter had jokes.

The episode featured Simone, her co-host Megan Brooks and comedian Desi Banks discussing body positivity, unrealistic beauty standards and the side effects of social media. During the episode, Simone noted that she did not shower every day.

“I don’t shower every day…Is that nasty?”

Brooks nodded her head yes as Banks chimed in and said it was okay to skip a few days. Brooks asked Simone how often she showered.

“If you shower on a Monday, when’s the next Time you’re taking a shower?”

 

“At least by…Thursday morning,” Simone replied.

Twitter users had fun with Simone’s admission on the platform. Several users responded with jokes or gifs about Simone’s cleanliness.

Simone posted a funny video on Instagram of herself showering in response to the social media discussion regarding her cleanliness. She also took the opportunity to promote her beauty product line, B. Simone Beauty.

“”D*mn y’all happy?!! Now go shop TODAY only @bsimonebeauty www.bsimonebeauty.com use promo code SHOWER50 for 50% off the ENTIRE site 🚨 !!!! We have bomb goodies and the best lip gloss 😻😻😻 go enjoy while i enjoy my 1st shower of the month 🤣🤣🤣🤣.”

 

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Banks and Simone also made light of social media interest with a comedy skit they shared on Twitter. The post was captioned, “When You Find Out Your Girl Don’t Take Baths Everyday!  ft B.Simone (I Can’t Believe This).”

 

Hundreds Say Goodbye to Shanquella Robinson During Funeral — Father Says She Was Set Up

Hundreds Say Goodbye to Shanquella Robinson During Funeral — Father Says She Was Set Up


The family of Shanquella Robinson held funeral services for the 25-year-old in Charlotte, North Carolina over the weekend.

(Twitter)

According to WBTV, Robinson’s homegoing service was held at the Macedonia Baptist Church on Nov. 19. Her casket was carried by a white horse-drawn carriage.

Robinson was beaten to death after she went on vacation to San Jose del Cabo, Mexico with several people who she thought were her friends. Robinson died from blunt-force trauma to her head.

Video of one of the women on the trip with Robsinson, Daejhanae Jackson, caught Jackson repeatedly hitting and kicking a nude Robinson in a bedroom of the villa the group rented. Robinson did not fight back as she appeared to try to get away. The man recording the video was heard asking Robinson to fight back. She was found dead on Oct. 29 by police inside the villa, one day after she arrived.

The people on vacation with Robinson were later identified as Jackson, Alysse Hyatt, Wenter Donovan, Khalil CookeMalik Dyer and Nazeer Wiggins. One of the friends called her parents, Bernard Robinson and Salamondra Robinson, and lied about the cause of death. The friend said she died from alcohol poisoning, but her parents later learned that Robinson died from a cracked spine and broken neck. The FBI has opened an investigation into Robinson’s death.

The church was crowded with those who wanted to pay their respects to Robinson, including activist Tamika Mallory. Mallory said that she wants to ensure the truth is uncovered and that those responsible for Robinson’s death are held accountable.

“We came to ensure there are enough people putting pressure on the entire system to do what is necessary to get justice for this woman,” she said.

“Losing a loved one in the heinous way in which has happened to Shanquella, there will probably never be peace for them. But there cannot just be an open situation. It has to be closed with truth and it has to be that there is accountability for those that are responsible for her death.”

Mr. Robinson told TMZ in a heartbreaking video that he thinks his daughter was asleep when she was attacked.

“They attacked her ma’am,” he said.

“It seemed like, my daughter was asleep, ma’am… For all of them to be in that room…. And she’s naked, ma’am,” his voice cracked. “For a father, to see that video, ma’am, my daughter’s not a fighter, ma’am.”

“For them to do what they did, ma’am, it seemed like a plot.”

“They just put a hole in my heart, ma’am. That was my only child. I’m just heartbroken, ma’am.”

Mr. Robinson also said that he will never be a grandfather or walk his daughter down the aisle. He added that he hopes those responsible serve life sentences in prison in Mexico, where the crime was committed.

 

 

Chris Brown Shares Rehearsal Footage Of Michael Jackson Tribute After American Music Awards Cancels Performance

Chris Brown Shares Rehearsal Footage Of Michael Jackson Tribute After American Music Awards Cancels Performance


Singer Chris Brown shared dance rehearsal footage of his tribute to Michael Jackson after the American Music Awards reportedly canceled his performance at the last minute. Brown shared the footage on Instagram on Nov. 19.

The video shows Brown and several performers dancing to several of Jackson’s hits including “Beat It” and “Thriller.” The group also dances to “Wanna Be Starting Something” and “Billie Jean.” The tribute was in honor of the 40th anniversary of Jackson’s album, “Thriller.”

Brown captioned the post, “U SERIOUS? 🤦‍♂️.” Brown also wrote a message in the comment section under his post.

“WOULDVE been the ama performance but they canceled me for reasons unknown. 🤷🏽‍♂️.”

 

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While no reason was given for the cancellation, TMZ speculated that the controversy surrounding the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland could be the reason.

Two men who once worked with Jackson as children, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, claimed that they were molested by the singer in the HBO documentary. However, director Dan Reed later admitted several contradictions in the film, including Safechuck claiming to have been molested in the train station at Neverland two years before it was built.

Dancer Taylor Terry replied in the comment section and noted how hard the team had worked on the performance.

“I’m sick to my stomach!!! I’m so so so sorry this happened, Chris!” wrote Terry. “You were so excited! The whole team on and off the floor was excited!!! Never left a rehearsal without having chills! To go to a rehearsal and be inspired every day in more ways than one is crazy!!!!! So grateful to have been a part of this man!!!

“This video does us no justice! Sending you love 🙏🏽❤️.”

Brown has performed tributes to his idol in the past, notably his performance at the 2010 BET Awards.

Representatives from the American Music Awards and ABC have declined to comment as to why the tribute was canceled at the last minute.

The American Music Awards airs on ABC on Nov. 20 at 8 pm.m EST.

42-Year-Old Michigan Man Takes An Uber To Rob a Bank

42-Year-Old Michigan Man Takes An Uber To Rob a Bank


A Michigan man is in jail after he used an Uber to rob a bank, according to Fox 2 Detroit.

Forty-two-year-old Jason Christmas allegedly robbed a Huntington Bank in Southfield, Michigan last week by using an Uber. Christmas took the Uber to the branch on Greenfield Road and had the driver wait while he went inside to rob the bank, unbeknownst to the driver. According to the police, Christmas used an Uber because his driver’s license was suspended, and he was worried about getting caught driving without it.

After the bank robbery, Christmas had the Uber driver take him home to the Heights of Southfield Apartments on Lahser Rd. The Southfield Police were able to find the Uber driver from the vehicle’s license plate, which was caught on the bank’s surveillance footage. The surprised driver was stopped by the police on the highway before showing the authorities where Christmas was dropped off.

A teller gave Christmas a red dye pack with the money he robbed from the bank, which exploded. Bodycam footage from the arrest showed Christmas wearing the same clothes he wore during the robbery and covered in red dye. Cash found in his pockets was also covered in the dye. The police initially thought the robber may have been shot when they saw him.

“Man, did you get shot or something, why do you have this red stuff all over you?”

Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren said that using an Uber to commit a robbery was unusual.

“This is a very unusual way to commit an armed robbery in our city,” he said.

Barren also noted the obvious, that rideshare drivers know the identity of the people they give rides to.

“Anytime you get a ride-share, your identity is shared with the driver who in turn, can share with law enforcement,” said Barren.

Christmas was arrested for armed robbery, and the judge set his bail at $1 million cash.

 

 

Shine Sis! ‘Abbott Elementary’ Star Quinta Brunson Says She Doesn’t Dim Her Light Around Husband

Shine Sis! ‘Abbott Elementary’ Star Quinta Brunson Says She Doesn’t Dim Her Light Around Husband


The star of Abbott Elementary, Quinta Brunson, sat down with Oprah Winfrey for a special episode of OWN Spotlight recently. During the interview, Brunson talked about her hit sitcom on ABC as well as her life with her husband, Kevin Jay Anik.

The Abbot Elementary actress, writer, executive producer and showrunner told Winfrey that her husband was her “biggest support”.

“To be 100 percent fully me requires a lot of stuff that a lot of men do not have time for,” she said.

“They even have thought they did in the past, but then realized there’s no dimming me. My husband – that’s what I mean by him being the biggest support.”

 

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Brunson went on to say that her husband’s support allowes her to love him fully while noting that her home is her sanctuary. “There’s no need to dim me at all, and that allows me to love him fully and to be the person that I want to be and am meant to be.”

“And the last place I would want to dim is at home. That’s my sanctuary. I just won’t have it, I would be single. So, I’m fortunate to find a partner who I still feel I can be my full self with.”

The actress thanked Anik during her acceptance speech when she won her first Emmy Award back in September. Brunson won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series for Abbot Elementary.

“In case I am not back up here again, I have to thank my mom, dad, brothers and sisters, my cousins … my wonderful husband because he’s the most supportive man I’ve ever known and my incredible cast and show for helping me to make this show and make the pilot,”

OWN Spotlight: Oprah and Quinta Brunson Abbott Elementary will air on Nov. 26 at 9 p.m. EST.

Looking To Build A Business Empire? Start With Motivosity.

Looking To Build A Business Empire? Start With Motivosity.


You know attracting top talent to your business, particularly at the management level, is a major revenue driver. But often, it’s tough to quantify the contributions of a superstar leader into actual dollars and cents.

Thankfully, Gallup did the math for us, and according to its data, a top-flight manager can boost the revenue of their team by as much as 27 percent per employee. That’s just reason number 1,285 why treating your employees like valued assets vastly increases your odds of business success.

From a quality management team to a quality workforce, Motivosity is an employee engagement platform that puts the happiness and satisfaction of all of your workers front and center, helping companies retain top talent the old-fashioned way: by making them feel valued and appreciated. 

Motivosity’s four-stage digital environment hinges on positivity, respect, and improved communication and connectivity.

In the first Motivosity forum, Connect, workers across an entire company of 30 to 3,000 get to know each other by interacting through shared interests and personality traits. Then, on each worker’s personal Facebook-style page, they get to share pictures, trumpet successes, or pass thanks to their fellow team members.

In Recognize, that appreciation for individual values like teamwork, transparency, community spirit, and more get rewarded. With public nods, each recognition can also come with a dollar or two earmarked for major retailer gift cards from companies like Target, eBay, Nike, and dozens of others. Funds can even be designated for the honoree’s favorite charity.

In the Lead section, managers start building more effective relationships with each team member. Lead lets managers and workers engage in regular one-on-one meetings, supported with shared agendas and collaborative notes so that a manager can have well-defined objectives and takeaways with each individual employee.

Finally, Listen allows employees to take the megaphone, offering their thoughts and impressions on the state of the company directly to company leadership. Using pulse surveys, employee Net Promoter Scores (eNPS) for measuring how willing the employees are to recommend their workplace, turnover data, and other metrics, workers can explain exactly how they feel about their job and their workplace. Plus, it’s all in an easily digestible format so management can effectively gauge worker morale and work to fix any problems.

Backed by a 95 percent adoption rate, employees largely respond to Motivosity with big enthusiasm, reporting their satisfaction up by over 50 percent after rollout.

Right now, companies can head to the Motivosity website and request a demo to see how all of that employee engagement power improves their workplace.

Prices subject to change.

FBI Announces Juvenile Responsible For Racist Bomb Threats Against HBCUs

FBI Announces Juvenile Responsible For Racist Bomb Threats Against HBCUs


The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced a juvenile was responsible for making dozens of racist threats to HBCUs, according to The Washington Post. The minor is accused of making bomb threats to more than 50 historically Black colleges and universities nationwide.

FBI Director Christopher Wray told the House Committee on Homeland Security on Nov. 15 that the Bureau worked with state prosecutors to charge the accused, who is a minor.

“We’ve recently — with respect to the first big tranche of the threats — the investigation has identified an underage, a juvenile subject.”

“And because of the federal limitations on charging juveniles with federal crimes, we have worked with state prosecutors to ensure that that individual is charged under various other state offenses, which will ensure some level of restrictions and monitoring and disruption of his criminal behavior.”

The majority of the bomb threats occurred in January and February of this year. The caller claimed that bombs were hidden on campus and also claimed to have active shooters on the campuses targeted.

The FBI noted that while no evidence was found of actual shooters or bombs, the intensity and number of threats were of concern. Eighteen HBCUs were forced to close or sweep their campuses after receiving bomb threats on the first day of Black History Month, Feb. 1.

A senior FBI official noted that they originally thought multiple juveniles were responsible for the racist threats but later learned it was one individual.

Senior vice president for public policy and government affairs at the United Negro College Fund, Lodriguez Murray, said it took the FBI much too long to bring charges against the accused minor.

“We’re pleased that the FBI has brought someone to justice,” Murray said.

“This does not make up for the terror that has been caused on our campuses and the impacts on our students’ operations, classes and most importantly mental health.”

Deputy director of the FBI Paul Abbate called the threats “serious and despicable acts” and said considerable resources were being used to hold the accused responsible.

“I promise you, we will continue to devote whatever is required and needed,” said Abbate.

During a conference call held on Nov. 14, the FBI told HBCU reporters and journalists about the racist threats. The Biden Administration is investigating the racist threats as a hate crime and announced that the US Department of Education would grant up to $150,000 to the HBCUs targeted for mental health support and security upgrades.

 

Police Searching For California Teen Wanted For Fatally Shooting His Two Cousins

Police Searching For California Teen Wanted For Fatally Shooting His Two Cousins


The police in West Covina, California are searching for 19-year-old Michael Mariano Jr. following the shooting deaths of his two cousins, according to CBS News Los Angeles.

Mariano allegedly shot and killed two brothers, 22-year-old Maliki Foust Jr. and Majarion Foust, 19, in the parking lot of the Walnut Ridge Apartment Complex on the 3400 Block of South Sentous Avenue on Nov. 2. A third man reportedly witnessed the shooting but was able to get away safely. Police arrived on the scene at around 10:45 p.m.

Mariano reportedly lived in the apartment complex where the shooting occurred, and surveillance footage captured Mariano in the parking lot firing a gun before running away from the scene. The video did not capture the Foust brothers being shot.

Officers from the West Covina Police Department said that the Foust brothers were ambushed by their cousin but noted that the shooting was not gang-related. A motive for the killings is not yet known, but the police said that the shooting was premeditated.

“It certainly appears like it was an ambush,” said the police.

“We have evidence to show or believe that it was premeditated and an ambush shooting. Something obviously occurred between Michael Mariano and Maliki and Majarion. We don’t know exactly what that is, and as we continue to investigate and develop motives, that will certainly be coming out in the adjudication process in court.”

West Covina Lt. Travis Tibbetts said that both brothers were shot in the upper torso multiple times. Maliki Foust was shot while inside a vehicle. Majarion Foust was shot while he was outside the vehicle in the carport. Both brothers were unarmed.

The Foust brothers were from Victorville and were reportedly staying with their cousin when the shooting occurred. The police are asking anyone with pertinent information to contact the West Covina Police Department at 626-939-8688 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

R&B Singer B. Smyth Dead At 30 From Respiratory Failure


R&B singer B. Smyth has passed away at the age of 30. The “Leggo” singer, who was born Brandon Smith, died from respiratory failure after suffering from a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis.

Smyth’s brother, Denzil Smith, shared the tragic news on Instagram on Nov. 18.

“Hello I’m Denzil #BSmyth brother and today regretfully I have to announce that my brother has passed away this morning from respiratory failure after a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis,” he said.

“My brother was very excited to see a lot of you create challenges for his latest released single #Twerkoholic part 2 while he was in the ICU, it really brought him a big smile to his face. So on behalf of my brother and my family we want to say thank you to all of you for all of your love & support throughout the years. We ask for privacy during these difficult times. We also want to say thank you for all of your prayers. #RIPBSMYTH Love you bro! 🙏🏾☁️ @1trekk.”

 

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Smith said that his brother died on the morning of Nov. 17. Smyth had been in the ICU while he suffered from respiratory issues stemming from pulmonary fibrosis. Smith said that during his stay in the ICU, Smyth’s fans made him smile by creating social media challenges for his latest single, “Twerkaholic Part 2,” which dropped last month.

“All those new TikToks and Instagram reels made him really, really happy,” said Smith. “He was able to have a smoother process… All the love and light you were sending him on social media he really felt it and sunk into it.”

Smyth dropped his single “Twerkaholic” in 2014. The single became popular with fans, and the music video was seen more than 17 million times. The single has also had more than 13 million streams on Spotify.

Funeral services for Smyth have not yet been arranged but will be held in Florida. Smith said that the family is planning to have a live stream for Smyth’s fans.

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