diff --git a/general_utils b/general_utils
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..792749a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/general_utils
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# set -x 
+
+source ./log_helpers
+
+exec_process_substitution () {
+    local func="${FUNCNAME[0]}"
+    log_debug "$func:${LINENO} exec-ing [$*]"
+
+    exec {fd}< <(eval "$@")
+    local ps_pid=$!  # remember pid of process substitution
+
+    local __result=""
+    while read __tmp <&$fd; do
+        if ! [ -z "$__tmp" ]; then
+            __result="${__result}$__tmp"
+        fi
+    done
+        
+    exec {fd}>&-    # close fd (i.e. process substitution)
+    wait $ps_pid    # wait for the subshell to finish
+
+    __result=${__result//[$'\r\n\t']/ } # remove \r\n\t from __result
+
+    log_debug "$func:${LINENO} result=$__result"
+    printf '%s' $__result
+}