Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Essay about The Legalization of Marijuana - 1749 Words

Marijuana is a misunderstood drug. Many assume that the usage of marijuana, or cannabis, is dangerous, but it can be the exact opposite. So why is the legalization of marijuana in the United States such a problem for many people today? Considered to be a gateway drug and the reason for the downfall of our youth nowadays, marijuana has developed a negative reputation. Lester Grinspoon, a professor at Harvard University, states, â€Å"Few drugs in the United States have produced as much affective heat as marijuana, particularly during the last decade. The controversy essentially revolves around the question of how dangerous or safe the drug is. However, many people are persistent users and believe that this drug is no more harmful than†¦show more content†¦From 1937 to 1947, the United States government had spent $220 million on the war against marijuana; and by 1969, the government had spent about $9 billion on the war, a price that is still rising to this day (Nevius). The United States has spent much time and wealth against marijuana, which does not contribute any positive reinforcement to the harsh economy. It is true, of course, that marijuana kills brain cells and tissue. Smoking or consuming marijuana in any way can be very harmful to the brain (Katel). Though there is no convincing scientific evidence that marijuana causes psychological damage or mental illness in either teenagers or adults, marijuana users will experience loss of brain cells, which can be dangerous but does not cause permanent mental illnesses. The human brain is required to live, breathe, and carry out any action throughout life. Consuming massive amounts of marijuana will destroy brain cells, which are vital to trigger thoughts, movements, interactions, and memory. The tissue within our brains eventually corrode due to marijuana usage. Like all tissues and organs in the human body, brain tissue serve many different functions, and when the functions are limited, the tissue deteriorate (Borden). Daily use of marijuana could make the smoker experience psychological distress following marijuana intake, which may include feelings of panic, anxiety, paranoia, and loss of memory. On the other hand, using marijuana canShow MoreRelatedThe Legalization Of Marijuana Legalization1061 Words   |  5 PagesThe Legalization of Cannabis in Ohio Marijuana is a controversial topic all across the United States. Recently marijuana has been voted on, legalized, and denied legalization in multiple states. There are still more states trying to fight the green fight for marijuana. The fight for legalization hasn’t been an easy one for cannabis supporters; they have been fighting tooth and nail to make it happen. One of the main concerns in the marijuana debates are whether or not marijuana is a gateway drugRead MoreLegalization Of Marijuana And Marijuana1633 Words   |  7 PagesBalyuk March 8, 2016 Legalization of Marijuana Marijuana has a few different names that are commonly used in today’s society including weed and cannabis. Weed is smoked with joints, bongs, or pipes. Marijuana can also be mixed with foods usually brownies, cookies, and candy which are called edibles. The main chemical responsible for the high feeling is called THC but marijuana also contains over 500 chemicals. The chemical is found in resin produced by the leaves and buds. â€Å"Marijuana is the most commonlyRead MoreThe Legalization Of Marijuana Legalization Essay2566 Words   |  11 Pagescurrent prohibition on marijuana reforms has put the United States in a similar situation. Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, â€Å"95 million Americans age 12 and older have tried pot at least once, and three out of every four illicit-drug users reported using marijuana within the previous 30 days† (ONDCP). The decriminalization and eve ntually legalization for the recreational use of marijuana will bring forth benefitsRead MoreThe Legalization Of Marijuana Legalization1282 Words   |  6 Pages On November 8th, 2016, the California Marijuana Legalization Initiative may be included on the ballot. The people of California will vote on whether to legalize the recreational use of cannabis for adults. The move targets at regulating the consumption of the drug and taxing it like other legalized drugs. California was the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996 (National Institute of Drug Abuse). The state prohibited any legal actions from being taken on patients and recognized caregiversRead MoreThe Legalization Of Marijuana And Marijuana Essay1314 Words   |  6 PagesMarijuana or Cannabis is one of the bused drugs in America and the rest of the world. Interesting accumulating evidence show that the significant negative impact of this drug outweighs the positive effects. However, the medical benefits of the drug seem on the process of chemical compounds as compared to the drug itself. Medical debates show that chemical compound in marijuana are the problem as compared to the plant. The said chemical compound affects the mental and physical health of the personsRead MoreThe Legalization Of Marijuana Legalization1660 Words   |  7 PagesKyler Smith 9/15 â€Å"Marijuana Legalization† The legality of cannabis varies from country to country. Possession of cannabis is illegal in most countries and has been since the beginning of widespread cannabis prohibition in the late 1930s. However, possession of the drug in small quantities had been decriminalized in many countries and sub-national entities in several parts of the world. Furthermore, possession is legal or effectively legal in the Netherlands, Uruguay, and in the US states of ColoradoRead MoreThe Legalization Of Marijuana Legalization996 Words   |  4 Pages the monetary gain of its legalization for most has been productive to say the least. For example, Denver Colorado is on track to more than triple the marijuana tax revenue this year alone. $44 million was collected in 2014. In July 2015, 73.5 million was collected, while 19.6 million went to schools. A place such as Chicago could really use the legalization to help with the school system infrastructure issues they have. With a deficit of over 1.1 bi llion marijuana sales could alleviate bothRead MoreLegalization of Marijuana1550 Words   |  7 PagesLegalization of Marijuana: Benefits and Statistics The topic of legalizing marijuana has been a topic of controversy for quite some time now not only throughout our local streets, but throughout the local and into the state government. The legalization of marijuana is such a controversial topic because some are for it and some are against it. People are for the legalization because of the great uses it has towards medicine, the money that could come from the taxation of legalized marijuana, andRead MoreLegalization of Marijuana972 Words   |  4 PagesOn January 1st the states of Colorado and Washington officially began the regulation of legal marijuana sales. Thousands of people from all over the country including tourists from Wisconsin, Ohio, Chicago, and even Georgia lined up out front of dispensaries to make a purchase. Recreational marijuana is being regulated and monitored like alcohol; you must be at least 21 years old to make a purchase. The drug, which is controversial in many states’ legislations, is currently l egal for medical useRead MoreMarijuana Legalization1212 Words   |  5 PagesMarijuana Legalization COMP 1500 April 20th, 2009 Word Count: 807 Outline I. Introduction Thesis Statement: Although America is the land of the free you do not really have  too many  free choices you can make. Americans  should have  the right to  choose whether or not  marijuana should be legal. II. Background III. The tax benefits that can be created A. If legalized they can tax it how ever much they want B. Can be regulated IV. Drug enforcement money can be diverted

Monday, December 16, 2019

After the Civil War Free Essays

After the Civil War, industrialization changed American culture, as railways connected developing urban communities and manufacturing plants pulled in floods of foreign laborers. By the late nineteenth century, numerous reformers looked to enhance the conditions in which numerous Americans worked and lived. Imperialism is the strategy of broadening a country’s power over different nations by financial, political or military means. We will write a custom essay sample on After the Civil War or any similar topic only for you Order Now The objective of the Americans for imperialism was for new markets would expand exchange which provided money, military power enhanced control, so it could contend with different nations, and social dominance so it could spread America’s way of life like religion, and language. The United States’ industrialization was developing so quickly that it was creating a bigger number of products than individuals could consume, and so American Imperialism was justified because of the overabundance of modern merchandise that drove the United States to search for entrance and venture into worldwide markets which were essential in making it a World Power. A U.S. representative’ speech had motivations in how the US gained with trades and starting to become wealthy, they still didn’t have a strong army nor navy. But it still fought for against the Spanish and fight for the rights of Cubans that suffered under the Spanish empire, even does many Americans didn’t support this because many weren’t ready for war. However, Albert Beveridge who was running for US Senator in 1898 had motivations to assure that US imperialism was necessary, that it was an ethical commitment to spreading their insight and prevalence of American’s religion and government overall less lucky individuals. For McKinley’s decision in the early 1900s after the Spanish War ended, with motivations that he pretentiously repudiated the U.S. army accomplishment of the Philippines under their control. The Hawaiian Memorial during 1897, the reason behind this was to remove the US government because they believed their nationality was being extinguished, but the US call to vote for annexation for the need of naval bases to protect the world trade. A letter brought questioning to many Americans if a severe fight between the Philippines and United States was worth the expansion because of the idea of imperialism. Each source shows different points of views on how larger nations gave to the smaller colonies. Social and cultural changes led many in the U.S. to conclude at the time had come for the country to assert its power beyond the borders. American Imperialism was justified because of the overabundance of modern merchandise that drove the United States to search for entrance and venture into worldwide markets which were essential in making it a World Power. As the United States’ empire started to be advanced, leaders and officials led the nation in a burst of overseas expansion in which it acquired Hawaii, the Philippines, Puerto Rico etc. The way to sustain prosperity was to find foreign markets for U.S. goods. Beveridge compared the Philippines colonization to U.S. westward expansion across North America and argued that Filipinos were a child-like and savage race incapable of self-governance. The American imperialism was important for the urge to fulfill United States’ destiny–as a world power by colonizing, looking for fresh land to conquer in which opening new markets, was a favorable balance of trade, and make exports exceed imports, sought to expand foreign markets. Development was the principal center of American Imperialism justification, which ought to enable the United States to pick up much benefit as could reasonably be expected. This brought about the advancement of new items and administrations, as well as in different nations–this had powered financial development. As innovations expanded, the American homesteads and manufacturing plants creations were significantly more than American natives could expand. The government saw the remote exchange as the solution for American over creation. In any case, this thought of exchange likewise brought problems as the main path for trade products among the US and different countries. The larger part through overcoming those countries that were self-administered or even under control by different countries (the Philippines and Spain). However, the Filipinos felt sold out when the U.S. took control of their country and wound up irate. Indeed, regardless of what the Filipinos felt the Americans would not like to abandon them to self-administer, on the grounds that they since a long time after a short time have strife and botch over there more unfortunate than Spain’s wars. Concerning numerous Americans, this thought of development brought riches however for a couple brought demise, as wars caused the passing of numerous soldiers in every country. To the extent the entire needs were concerned, they requested that the wrongdoing (mercilessness battling the Philippines) ought to be ceased and that America could wipe out the disgraceful nation. To be a world power, United States needed to have land beyond its borders (expansion) that the Americans could control. On the time whilst in all the different countries the public economic system become subjected to deep changes in the outcome of the warfare, showing itself mainly in the decline of money, excessive cost of residing—America had not the simplest now not suffered from the struggle, but at the opposite the country had gained by way of it and became during that time World Power. Having increase sources, and a few strategic positioning of colonies better exchange and raise the American financial system. Which kind of along the lines takes place the Manifest Destiny, colonizing overseas lands brought about the United States spreading its wealth, have an effect on and lifestyle overseas. Imperialism turned into a key aspect in creating an extra civil overseas human. Even in changes in the recent past events the imperialistic developments likewise had a worldwide effect that emerged between countries like wars that made an endeavor at holding their opportunity. In the long run, these wars were a factor in the foundations for WWI. But this event to the counter colonialist contention that America shouldn’t administer individuals without their assent, by expressing that freedom gets its power from the assent of the administered, just by those equipped for self-government. It contrasted with Indians enable Americans to administer without an assent and parents likewise oversee over their youngsters without their assent. America should spare them from countries as opposed to giving them self-run of catastrophe. Much like a youngster who needs direction (government). With conflicts, outside and within the borders of US, imperialism remains justified more than a century later as it could become the World Power in the past and present. How to cite After the Civil War, Papers

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Antiscience Animal Lovers

Question: Discuss about theAntisciencefor Animal Lovers. Answer: Introduction Anti science elements are intricately associated with each and every section in different nations. They have a considerable role in alternating the course of output of different scientific advancements that a nation wants to take to provide betterment of the world. This group of elements comprises of ideas which reject science and different scientific approaches. It mainly considers them as views which are unnecessarily hyped out and never considers science as an objective method that solves answers to million dollar questions. They never believe that Science helps people to thrive with utmost comfort and knowledge (Wardle et al. 2013, pg. 15). Such type of elements was present even in the times when the most successful discoveries were made like those during the time of Copernicus or Galileo. The anti science behavior of the authoritative person of those era mainly placed their ANTISCIENCE belief on the shoulders of the Almighty (Chern 2015, pg. 45). They even went further to sacrifice lives of the people challenging their beliefs. In the present era, anti science elements and people are harboring such concepts and are present in different sectors of nation with the politics being the biggest sector. In the present generation, a huge amount of protest s have been initiated by the nature lovers as well as the animal lovers who claim that animal lives are also costly and cannot be butchered or sacrificed for the betterment of science. Over the decades, different types of medical testing or discovery of medicines and their advantageous effects are first applied on animals in order to get an idea about the results it might have on human beings (Kricheldorf 2016, pg 53-69). It has been severely criticized by the animal lovers that animals like human beings are also precious creations of God and therefore their lives are also costly. The animal lovers also declared that their lives should not be taken away as they are helpless and cannot express their feelings. Environmentalists demand that forceful sacrifice of such animals lead to loss of ecological balance. This feud had been continued for a lot of time. Thereby it had reached solutions where judges have found their claim to be more valid than the scientists who believed it to be an essential process for scientific advancements. However, the matter is not that easy and clear as it seems and there lies many powers that had contributed for the decisions to be accepted by the judges. The main powers which had indeed been the real players behind the law being passed is the ANTISCIENCE mentality of the politicians who have been the influencers as well as the nagging people that confirmed this law to be implemented. They had a clear idea that comparatively a larger section of the society believes in science than the section who believe in anti-science. They are witty enough not to make this section excited by declaration of their primitive ideas in the modern generations. Therefore it can be concluded that they achieved their aim in a polished way by demeaning the practice of science of using animal models for their testing purposes. The anti-science people critically evaluated and excited the emotional cords of the animal lovers and environmentalists. By these, they made and attack on the scientific advancements and fulfill their wishes. One might raise an arguments which will state that the politicians are unnecessarily been dragged in to the controversy that has nothing to do with politics. Herein one needs to specify the typical feelings that the anti science elements harbor. It has been researched over the years that many politicians deny the concept of universality as well as the legitimization of alternatives (Latham 2014, pg 24). They also believe that the outcomes of the scientific results are usually devoid of any underlying reality. Politicians also feel that science cannot reflect the ideology of the dominant groups that are present in the society and therefore it should have no existence. They have also not taken the initiative of nuclear movement of the past and have started an anti nuclear movement overstating the negative effects of nuclear power. There are many politicians who still are ardent followers of conspiracy theories and creationism and strictly oppose the evolutionary approach of Science to be demeaning even in 2027. Therefore one can easily link such ideologies to be acting as a very important background that supported the law of banning animal use in scientific studies. One can also establish the point that indeed the laws that were published for the animal use ban in science was more than a push from the ANTISCIENCE elements of the government besides the animal lovers. This was based on the regular debate of many politically thinking individuals and science lovers are the controversial topic of The Appeal to Nature the Naturalistic Fallacy. In Australia, being a westernized country, it is indeed very astonishing to find that even in the modern year of 2027, a portion of people believes that everything which is natural is good and also right and anything that tries to manipulate it is ought to be negative or bad. There is an ANTISCIENCE belief in here that science with advising courses and technologies have tried to disrupt the natural flow of nature (Dvorsky 2017). This had lead to the argumentation between both the parties. The ANTISCIENCE people believes that all things natural are wholesome and efficient whereas anything unnatural is unhealthy and also unsavory. Researchers who have worked on the topic have found that the main root of the conviction arises from the assumption which is unfounded that the scientific achievements and the technological advancements which are made lie outside nature. They also believe that the activities undertaken by science in the entire universe often causes disruption of not only the natural flow but also the flow of equilibrium of things (McCredie Mitchell 2013). From this view, one can easily understand that this kind of thinking are the main contributors of the obstructions for different biological research, genomic and also several such ideas. In the preliminary years of the decades, there was a huge debate where a large portion of the society mainly containing the anti science elements protested against the use of millions of money over the research projects that are conducted in the country. They even started holding meetings to discuss about the expenses of the government over the researchers and even raised questions on the credibility of the grants allocated for the science researches (Star 2016, pg. 13). Previous few years back, around 2016 to 2017, a section of the politician demanded that millions of money were getting wasted on researches which are absurd and did not hold any value to the development of the nation. Although proper explanation was not been able to them, this debate had continued for years. However, researches were still being carried out with outcomes that had a very fruitful result for developing the health of different patient with diseases (Fiatt 2013, pg 57). Therefore one can easily site this as an example which proved their ANTISCIENCE attitudes which might have played a crucial role in animal ban used for researches in the present era as well. Another argument can also be based here which will prove that how anti-science elements have been forced into ordinary citizens regular life by a political party. A few years back a political party had come up to be named as the Health Australia Party called the HAP which proposed the use of Alternative medicine as the main treatment that should be done in case of the patients. They clearly propagated the concept that removal of the influence of the multinational pharmaceutical companies was necessary along with the application of evidence based unbiased real world clinical studies with targeted spending (Science-Based Medicine 2017). Through this, they clearly tried to infuse in peoples mind the differences between the so called natural and pharmaceutical medicines. They tried to override the fact that there are many pharmaceutical medicines which are formed from the components of nature only. They used the term pharmaceutical as a buzzword to make people dislike such medicines. Wit h the term unbiased clinical trial they tried to implement that the randomized control methods scientists conduct to perform experiments are manipulated and hence should be neglected with preference on unbiased natural real world studies (Mayo 2014, pg. 78). They also advised to target the spending on the researches and apply the research funds wisely. They even advised not to pay more heed to from a diseases management system and to be more concerned about the health creation system. From these advices formed by the political party, it was very well understood that how they wanted to stop expenditure and conductance of scientific research and promote the use of alternative medicine. This gives a clear idea about how similar parties have tried to stop the advancement of science by trying their best to brainwash the ordinary citizens and by creating barriers in the field of science (Lindenmayer 2013, pg. 250-255). All the arguments stated above gives a clear idea about how the ANTISCIENCE elements of the government have always come forward to create obstacles in the path of advancement of science. Hence it can be formulated that the animal use ban which had been passed by the legal system of the nation with the plea from the animal lovers and also the environmentalists might have also been the result of continuous push and also support from these elements within the system. As a citizen of the nation, one can comment that neither of the system should try to create harm and barriers for the other system. A balanced maintenance of the ideologies is necessary to help ordinary citizens lead a better life with hopes and aspirations for the future. References: Chern, K., 2015. A Middle Power's National Interest.Australia's Trade, Investment and Security in the Asian Century, p.45. Dvorsky, G. 2017. 8 Logical Fallacies That Fuel Anti-Science Sentiments. [online] Gizmodo.com.au. Available at: https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2016/04/8-logical-fallacies-that-fuel-anti-science-sentiments/ [Accessed 28 Feb. 2017]. FlAtt, J., 2013. Critical discourse analysis of rhetoric against complementary medicine.Creative Approaches to Research,6(2), p.57. Kricheldorf, H.R., 2016. Antiscience and Antireductionism. InGetting It Right in Science and Medicine(pp. 53-69). Springer International Publishing. Latham, M., 2014.The Political Bubble: Why Australians Don't Trust Politics. Macmillan Publishers Aus.. Lindenmayer, D., 2013. From biodiversity to bioperversity: from good science to poor environmental policy.Pacific Conservation Biology,19(4), pp.250-255. Mayo, O., 2014. Genetically modified organisms, science and the humanities.Meanjin,73(1), p.78. McCredie, J. and Michell, N. eds., 2013.The Best Australian Science Writing 2013. NewSouth. Science-Based Medicine. 2017. Australias New Antiscience Party. [online] Available at: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/australias-new-antiscience-party/ [Accessed 28 Feb. 2017]. Skidmore, M.J., 2016. Populism and its perils: language and politics.Annales Universitatis Mariae Curie-Sk?odowska, sectio KPolitologia,22(1), p.7. Star, S.L., 2016. 1 Revisiting Ecologies of Knowledge: Work and Politics in Science and Technology.Boundary Objects and Beyond: Working with Leigh Star, p.13. Wardle, J.L., Adams, J., Lui, C.W. and Steel, A.E., 2013. Current challenges and future directions for naturopathic medicine in Australia: a qualitative examination of perceptions and experiences from grassroots practice.BMC complementary and alternative medicine,13(1), p.15.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

United Nations Declaration on Human Rights free essay sample

After reading the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNHDR), I can see how many countries and private institutions use the UNDHR as its basis. I can also see how the UNDHR has taken many of its articles from other Countries’ declarations or constitutions (specifically the United States). The UNDHR was adopted on 1948 and arose directly from the World War II. It represents the first global expression of â€Å"rights to which all human beings are inherently entitled†. During his State of Union speech in 1941, President Roosevelt addresses the Four Freedoms (which the allies adopted), freedom of speech, and freedom of religion, freedom from fear and freedom from want as their basic war aims. In the community section of Saint Leo’s Core Values, it states; â€Å"Saint Leo University develops hospitable Christian learning communities everywhere we serve. We foster a spirit of belonging, unity, and interdependence based on mutual trust and respect to create socially responsible environments that challenge all of us to listen, to learn, to change, and to serve. We will write a custom essay sample on United Nations Declaration on Human Rights or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In the UNDHR, there are thirty (30) articles that lay out the basic rights that every person is entitled to. Although, this is not a legal document and has no standing in court, this is more of a covenant that the member (most) agreed upon. In the United States, some of these articles are the basic freedoms that most Americans seem to take for granted and they are protected in the United States Constitution. Now, the question that I have is this, Saint Leo’s is a Catholic University. Religion is a required course for graduation. I’m sure that Saint Leo’s would not turn a student away based on the religion or lack of religion. As a practicing Catholic, I would not be upset if I was attending a Methodist college or a Baptist college and they did not have a peer group for Catholics, nor would I expect them to. In 2011, Catholic University was hit with a human rights complaint. The plaintiff charged that the school â€Å"illegally discriminated† against Muslim students because it failed to make available rooms for prayer that have no Catholic religious symbols. I, personally, found this offensive. My question was this, why would you go to a Catholic college (much less a Christian one) if you weren’t a Catholic or a Christian? My question is this, were their rights violated under the UNDHR? Articles two (2) and eighteen (18) are the only articles where religion is even mentioned. Article 2 states that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration without distinction of any kind such as religion. Article 18 states everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief. Now, where these students’ rights violated under these articles? Not at all. Where there rights violated under any law in the United States? Not at all. They were free to worship when and where they wanted. Plus, Catholic University, like Saint Leo’s, is a private institution. These individuals weren’t discriminated against. They weren’t told they couldn’t worship in their way. The school, allegedly, did not provide a place for them to worship without any Christian emblems visible. They made a conscious decision to attend a Christian faith based school and not a state school. In Saint Leo’s core values, we have the right, as students, to learn in an environment that welcomes people of all walks of life, regardless of race or religion. As an â€Å"online† student and having never been a full time student, except for military and law enforcement, I cannot relate to campus life. Thus far, I have found this to be one of the hardest papers that I’ve ever had to write. This particular topic has to do with how one related to the other. However, I fell that when it comes to the core values of Saint Leo’s; one has had to experience campus life. I do feel that the articles in the UNDHR contain the basic rights that freedoms that should be granted to all people. Freedom of thought and expression and the freedom to learn are not only in the UNDHR but also in t Saint Leo’s values. Saint Leo’s ensures that it provides that best environment for its students, while respecting our right s to which all human beings are inherently entitled.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Turning a Lifes Work into a Book †By Sallyann Della Casa

Turning a Lifes Work into a Book - By Sallyann Della Casa Turning a Life's Work into a Book - An Interview with Sallyann Della Casa Literary pursuits and social action come together naturally  in  Sallyann Della Casa's world. Being a pioneer in using the written word to draw attention to her entrepreneurial work, she has unique lessons to share. We were very excited to find out more about her decision to work with Reedsy editors while being associated with a traditional publishing house. Whether you're a writer or a business leader looking for interesting ways to talk about what you do, there's a lot here for everyone.  Hi Sallyann, thanks for being with us today! You are the author of Who Will I Become, and the founder of the Growing Leaders Foundation. Can you tell us a bit about the book,  and its link to the foundation?The book, WHO WILL I BECOME, is a visual roadmap of the Foundation’s leadership work to  date. This first edition focuses on the Caribbean region where the Foundation started (my place  of birth). The 2nd edition will focus on the Middle East region. The photography and inspi ring  words are meant to incite storytelling between youths and adults as they explore instances  where the directed and thought provoking words may apply or could apply to their own lives,  past and future.The concept of the book has existed since 2010 when I created the Foundation. I wrote the  Love Letter to a Leader of Tomorrow back then, and it has never changed, meaning the entire  book is designed around this love letter we all deserve to receive in our lifetime.Books have always been my most reliable, consistent mentor. I wanted to create one that  could give the wisdom of generations to youths and adults who may have lost their way, from all  cultures. This is why there will be 7 versions of the book to represent various regions of the  world as I explore their cultures and what leadership feels and looks like for each. "Books have always been my most reliable, consistent mentor."@SallyannDC Author Sallyann Della Casa holding her book Who Will I BecomeComing from a tiny Caribbean island, Trinidad and Tobago, with only 1.3 million people and a  limited budget, a book is a terrific way to create a legacy for the Foundation, secure an income  stream (we are a social enterprise and not donor dependent) and also continue our impact -   each book gives the reader access to our leadership lessons through a unique code which they  can utilize on their own to help us grow leaders in their own communities.You’ve embraced the concept of a â€Å"book as a business card†, how did it work out for  you? What impact has the book had so far on your foundation?I recently wrote an article about this in Arabian Business, i.e. a book being the new business  card. I think in the world we live in today, we are super keen to learn more about the texture of  others; their worldview, their value system, etc. It is for this reason that we have such a huge  infatuation with each other’s content through social media, blogs and all. There is no better way to transfer your knowledge, experiences and/or diverse content other than through a book. There is just something about a book that gives roots to what you need to say to the world, how  you feel, who you are and what you stand for. I think everyone is a biography and a book waiting to happen and if we live our lives knowing this... just imagine the possibilities for each  and every one of us.With regards to me personally, the fact that I am now a published author is rewarding on so  many levels. As a lover of books, having my own is mind boggling. I also get photos and emails  from all over the world about how my book has changed someone’s life or impacted someone  else. You cannot even imagine what that feels like to read one of those emails. "I think everyone is a biography and a book waiting to happen" @SallyannDC Recently, I went on a book tour and visited classrooms in the Caribbean using the book and the  kids went berzerk, asking me for autographs not only on their books, but all over their clothing  and school bags, sweaters etc. It truly is the most powerful feeling ever to spark something  deep within another that awakens their potential. How blessed am I really to be the chosen  vehicle for a book that does this really magical thing?In terms of the Foundation, the book not only generated steady income but I have literally now  allowed anyone who purchases the book to access our leadership lessons for youths and  adults. This allows them to light their own candles in the world and allows the Foundation to  increase the outcome of our work tenfold by empowering others with our tools.What would be your top tips for other business or foundation owners when it comes to  writing a book (or having it ghostwritten) and publishing it?We all have something to teach and/or a story to tell... so share it out loud in a book. I say this  especially to those of us in the area of making this world a better place. You simply do not know how what you are doing or what you know can lift up another, give knowledge or inspire courage. In today’s publishing world, you can easily design, write and publish a book on your own. The traditional publishing way of needing an agent and a publisher has been turned on its head There are so many resources to help you do it right.I am now working on my second book, a 50,000+ word full manuscript which is very different  from my first book. To say it is hard, especially given I have no writing experience whatsoever,  would be an understatement. But I was really fortunate in that a publisher, Jaico Books, noticed  my work and approached me to write an adult audience leadership book. So I encourage you to  keep writing and putting your content out there in the world since you never know who may  notice.So you’re with a traditional publisher, but you still came to Reedsy to find an  independent editor to work with. What was the reason for that?Yes, normally a traditional publisher does all the editorial reviews for a book; especially if they  approached you to write it. In my case I came to Reedsy for three reasons.First I wanted a different persp ective on my book. My publisher is focused on the Indian market  but I want my book to have international appeal, so I was looking for diverse feedback.  Also, I have to admit I was a bit insecure about some of my writing. Before submitting some  chapters to my publisher, I chose to get a lot of help and feedback from my Reedsy editors. It was super affordable and I figured I had nothing to lose to get a next set of eyes on my work.I was very open to my publisher about having outside editors looking at my work. And they  actually noticed and complimented me on the huge difference in the chapters being submitted;  so it really worked out for me.Most importantly, my confidence is up and I have found my mojo and grit to keep writing away  to complete this second book within the next month so we can see it on bookshelves in 2017. "The three reasons why I came to Reedsy while working with a traditional publisher" @SallyannDC You’ve hired two editors through Reedsy: Maria D’Marco and Dick Hill: did you notice  any differences in their methods, or in the things they picked up?Dick and Maria are both wonderful and different as night and day in their approaches. Dick is  very methodical doing word ­-for-word editing. He does not touch the shape of the work but he  cleans up the grammar so it all makes perfect sense i.e. he has been super helpful in clearing  up what I want to say without disturbing my work. He is also very professor- ­like and I almost feel  like I have a babysitter that keeps me writing.Maria is extremely different in that she confidently pokes holes in the work and makes  suggestions or asks questions. She causes you to wonder if the shape of your work is correct or  if it should be round or square in certain parts. She forces you to think through what you are  writing or meaning to say. This is super helpful to me since she adds light and allows air into the  work. I am saving a lot of her comments for my final manuscript where I will have the full  editorial review from my publisher. I have a feeling this is where I will get a full appreciation of  how brilliant Maria actually is. Maria is also so positive and encouraging... she actually made me feel like I am writing a bestseller of sorts!We know you cannot wait, get yourself a copy of  Who Will I Become here.Did Sallyann's experiences seem familiar to you? Let her know, join the conversation by leaving your  thoughts, comments, or questions below.

Friday, November 22, 2019

10 Tips for Critiquing Other Peoples Writing

10 Tips for Critiquing Other Peoples Writing 10 Tips for Critiquing Other People’s Writing 10 Tips for Critiquing Other People’s Writing By Mark Nichol You’ve agreed to review someone else’s writing. You’ve taken my advice and determined whether the person is requesting a general impression or is asking for an in-depth critique. If the writer has the latter in mind, you’ve offered to evaluate a brief sample as a guide to help the person extrapolate what they should look for when they revise their draft. (If you’re asked to critique an entire book in depth, you should do so only for pay or as part of a bartering arrangement, because you’re being asked to devote dozens of hours of your time.) You have also determined to be honest and objective, because that is what the writer wants and needs: If you note structural weaknesses or flaccid prose, a literary agent or an editor will certainly do so, and your task is to help the writer resolve such flaws so that they are absent from the manuscript the writer eventually submits to an agent or a publisher. Here are ten tips for a positive, productive critiquing experience: 1. Tolerate the Task When you write, you don’t have to be an aficionado or expert to produce an article or a story on a given topic. Editors don’t need these qualifications, either, and they don’t have to be enamored of the writer’s voice or technique. The same goes for someone conducting a critique: Don’t turn down a request for feedback just because you’re not interested in the subject or you don’t like the writing style. Help the writer succeed in reaching the audience they are writing for. (But don’t hesitate to express your opinion if you think the approach is flawed.) 2. Ask for a Clean Copy The manuscript sample you receive should appear exactly as it would look when it’s ready for submission to a publishing professional. Hard copy should be double spaced and must be free of handwritten annotations or emendations. An electronic document should be professionally formatted and at least mostly devoid of the writer’s notes to self. 3. Mark It Up If you’re reviewing an electronic copy, activate change tracking and edit it. Insert notes using the comment feature or by entering them in brackets, highlighted in boldface or with colored type or background, so they are easily located and distinguished from the content. If you’re working on hard copy, use a pen or a colored pencil for brief notes, and write or type your detailed queries and comments on a separate sheet of paper or in a computer document. 4. Evaluate the Writing, Not the Writer Compliments and complaints alike should focus on the product, not the producer. Refer to the sentence or the section, the character or their actions, the narrative flow or the exchange of dialogue rather than to the person who requested your help. Suggest how to improve the article or the story, not the writer. 5. Start and Stop with the Positive Whether you’re responding with general impressions or providing detailed feedback, begin by lauding the strengths of the sample, and reiterate your positive feedback when you summarize your critique. Refer to strengths, not weaknesses, and use positive language: â€Å"stronger,† â€Å"more interesting,† â€Å"a better approach.† Be frank but diplomatic: Even people who can take criticism need to hear that they’re doing something right, and that’s what you should start (and end) with. 6. Craft Your Critiques Be specific, not vague. Be active, not passive. Point out problems, but suggest solutions. Your goal is to clearly communicate to the writer about how they can more clearly communicate to their readers. 7. Guide, Don’t Carry The writer will appreciate focused feedback, and you should feel free to model precise changes in structure or tone and detailed revisions of narrative or dialogue, but do so sparingly. Think of your advice as patterns for the writer to use as templates, or you may end up rewriting the piece, and the writer will have learned little or nothing (except never to ask for your help again). 8. Invite Questions Set up a time to go over your critique after the writer has had a chance to review it. Welcome the writer’s requests for clarification and discussion. If the writer becomes defensive, mention that you have offered your perspective, and that they are free to act on your critique as they see fit. 9. Follow Up Check in with the writer and see how they’re progressing. No matter how careful you are about being diplomatic, the writer may feel a bit battered, and part of your unwritten contract should include a clause requiring you to keep in touch about the project. 10. Know Your Limits It’s reasonable for a writer to ask you for a second light look at the piece after they have made changes in response to your comments, or to request that you provide a general impression about a revision based on your in-depth critique. But establish boundaries about how much time and effort you expend on the writer’s work. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:35 Synonyms for â€Å"Look†Used To vs. Use ToHow Do You Fare?

Thursday, November 21, 2019

American Political Parties Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

American Political Parties - Research Paper Example Considering Britain as the best example to analyze the USA, republican political economy has the ability to link with debates within the different political parties – and the citizens’ politics outside of them (White and Seth-Smith p.4). The same case has been depicted in the USA since the second reign of Barrack Obama. The Democrats and the Republicans have sought to ensure that there exists transparency between them regardless of opposition. Similarly, it encourages unity among the US citizens and the political parties. Historically, the republicans lost their political supremacy and monopoly in Florida in the 2008 presidential election. It happened when the state shifted their political attention to Democratic Party for the first time since 1996 (Wolgin & Garcia p.4). Such repeated itself in 2012 and the Party is still dominant in USA. The fame has risen due to the party’s approaches to curb crime and promote the state’s economy. Such are the qualities that have made the party capture the attention of the natives of the Latino American. Statistics indicate that the Congress is composed of 541 individuals in the 50 states. Similarly, by 2014 November, there were 234 Republicans, 207 Democrats including 5 Delegates and the Resident Commissioner in the House of Representatives. There were no vacant seats in the parliament. The Senate had 45 Republicans, 53 Democrats, and 2 Independents, who caucus with the Democrats (Manning p.1). Notably, despite the Democrats being lesser than the Republican, the USA President has been the member of the Democrat Party since his senatorial governance till to date. The development of the Democrats has been majorly driven by some essential strategies and as such it has outdone the Republican. They believe in equal opportunity, freedom, and equal rights among others (Texas Democratic Party Platform p.1). Such have made it gain fame in Texas since 2012 to 2014 December as

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Constitutional Freedoms in the Law Enforcement Workplace Essay

Constitutional Freedoms in the Law Enforcement Workplace - Essay Example n that constitutional freedoms of law enforcement officials may reside in conflict with their job roles and responsibilities at times undermining or overpowering each other. Accordingly, framers of the US constitution comprehended that dividing powers, both vertically and horizontally, would help in safeguarding individual liberty within the nation, which were further used to frame the job roles and responsibilities in the law enforcement workplace. This republican theory helped in ensuring that individual rights were safeguarded from each and every type of government abuse, but lacked in ensuring or guaranteeing the same for officials or public employees working in the law enforcement workplace. This particular supposition undoubtedly raises many questions on the US constitutional feature to articulate the fundamental commitments for US citizens, including ‘democracy’, ‘liberty’ and ‘equality’ as its basic principles to meet both individual and national security requirements2. As can apparently be observed, the degree of confusion and debates eyeing the constitutional freedoms applicable in the law enforcement workplace demands a rigorous analysis of the context, elaborating on the limits imposed by constitutional freedoms and on circumstances when job responsibilities in the mentioned working environment overpowers individual constitutional freedom. This particular notion will form the base for the discussion undertaken in this study. Defining constitutional freedom can be referred as both simple and complex. On a simple note, constitutional rights refer to the freedoms guaranteed by the constitution of the country to its citizens. To be precise, it intends to protect them from potential but unreasonable harm from the operations of the constitution for a greater interest, i.e. to ensure national security at every dimension of the community. On the broader context, these freedoms encompass political, civil as well as personal rights entitled to a

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Components in US factories Essay Example for Free

Components in US factories Essay These criticisms of globalisation seem to undermine the possibility of any advantages arising out of the process. But there are indeed counter arguments that reveal the benefits to be derive from world trade. One benefit as H. Katrak suggests is that A country may overcome some of the difficulties of increasing investment from undemocratic resources by participating in international trade. Globalisation and openness make market access easier. Small firms which have been previously unable to export because of restricted access to foreign markets, or because of the high cost of overcoming administrative or technical barriers, can now sell their products and services abroad. The enlargement of their markets will enable them to produce more and benefit from scale economies, making them even more competitive. The resulting competition increases product quality, widens the range of available goods and keeps prices low. Globalisation is creating jobs and bringing more prosperity to developing countries which have joined the process. While labour standards in these countries are still lower than in industrialised nations, they are rising. There is considerable evidence that multinationals investing outside their home country or region pay higher wages than local firms, create new jobs at a faster rate, and spend much more on research and development (RD). While wage differentials will continue between rich and poor countries, they reflect factors like the level of qualification of workers and their relative productivity. Moreover, in answer to the critique of poor working conditions, workers who produce foreign products are grateful for their employment. Some multinational corporations do contribute to rural and urban development in their host countries. Shell Petroleum, the largest oil producing company in Nigeria has since the 1950s awarded scholarships to students in the oil-producing areas. Chevron spent $27,196,649 in 2000 on charitable contributions worldwide and in 2000 BP Amoco spent a total $81. 6 million on social investment in countries where it operates. Social investment: beneficiaries of Shells scholarships in Nigeria Technology and skill transfer is another benefit which globalisation brings along with it. Information technologies have opened up a huge potential for improving economic efficiency through e-commerce, the internet and the instantaneous delivery of information anywhere in the world, at any time. IT and telecoms are revolutionising business practices, both within corporations and in their relations with suppliers and customers. The introduction of overseas staff in modern plants in developing countries provides the basis for training a future workforce. Fedders, a room air-conditioners manufacturer that produces for the US market entered into a joint venture with a Chinese company in order to penetrate into the Chinese market. The Chinese company gets an injection of funds for investment and access to new technologies, while Fedders gets local expertise for its operations in China Globalisation also allows the expansion of businesses which have come to be seen as very vital to some national economies, and to citizens. Growth markets were embraced with glee in the twentieth century by businesses such as McDonalds and Coca-Cola. They are able to expand and remain competitive by offering franchises to interested businesses. The same advantage offers Fedders the chance to sell in the vast Chinese market and to export to other Asian countries, as well as to foster new relationships with Chinese component suppliers who may be able to meet demand for lower-cost components in US factories. Nevertheless, some groups feel that these multinational presences in their countries conflict cultural norms, as demonstrations by protesters in Russia and India against McDonalds shows. Conclusion Globalisation cannot be seen as a one-size-fits-all cure for poverty. But it is part of a broader mix of solutions for poverty eradication involving the international community and the self-help potential of the poor countries themselves. The alternative of complete poverty is far worse than their current situation and is inconceivable to most people from developed countries. The table below shows how due to globalisation countries have benefited. They have adopted domestic policies and institutions that have enabled people to take advantage of global markets and have thus sharply increased the share of trade in their GDP.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Essay --

Death and the King’s Horseman, Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, and The Storyteller all have multiple messages that can be obtained through reading these novels. Due to the great number messages that can be obtained throughout the readings, the authors have a lot of different, but also a lot of similar messages within the books as well. When reading these novels, the authors display a great deal of personal growth and change, a great empathy and compassion for others, and also a great image of what life is like in other cultures. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress written by Dai Sijie, is a story about re-educating in which is centered on the Cultural Revolution era. This story takes off early and gives you a great sense of what’s life was like during those days in China. The story is told by a seventeen year old boy, whose father and mother are very well known doctors throughout China. The young man and his friend are being sent away to a village on Phoenix Mountain to be re-educated. Once the Narrator and his friend Luo, are relocated at this village at they start the reeducated process right away which is an excess amount of manual labor. While there, both of the boys come across and strike an attraction towards the local tailor’s daughter, the Little Seamstress. The Little Seamstress can be describes as beautiful and delightful but has no sort of education or any ability to read. During those days, China was so heavily repressed and anybody that is being â€Å"re-educated† is p ermitted to read books of any sort, with only the exception of the little book of sayings written by Chairman Mao. A character by the name of Four Eyes, a son of a poet, has a hidden compartment which is filled with western novels. The boys c... ... is giving us an understanding of another culture in which most of the readers are not used too. Throughout reading these novel, with all the similar messages that are obtained within them, one main message from each other is similar, a better understanding of cultural difference. Authors Dai Sijie, Mario Vargas Llosa, and Wole Soyinka all exemplify what life is like in other cultures and regions of the world. The Machiguenga, The Yoruban tribe, and people involved in the Cultural Revolution era, are all timeframes and people that we will never understand or have to experience first handed due to where we come from. The life that we are used to is so different then what the life is like from the readings of these book, that these authors express that even if it’s different, we should be excepting of all lifestyles, even if we don’t fully understand their beliefs.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Explain religious teaching about what it means to be a human Essay

– Human has a embodied spirit who thinks, act, speaks and desires. Religious teachings say that humans are created in the image of god. They are different from animals because humans have the ability to love, be moral and have free will. Humans life is a gift from god. We must value life. God created us as intelligent beings with the ability to control our actions, urges and emotions. Christian teaches that free will is given by God. By free will, we shape our own lives. Bible says Humans are creation of God. God desired humans to exist. God gave us the ability to reason, speak and to live a moral life. Humans are mixture of earth and divine breath. Bible teaches that we are the incarnation of the divine and part of us is drawn from the earth. Everything created by god is perfect and it was intended. Of all the creatures in God’s creation, Humans are the only ones who enter into a dialouge with God which is by prayer. Most christians believe that humans are distinct from the animal word, and that the most important differences between animals and humans have is soul – a divine spark that sets them apart from other living things. This asserts that Christians do not treat animals as their equals, as only humans were made in the image of God. Christians believe in the sanctity of life, that there is something special and holy about life. Christians believe that humans have a soul which lives on after the body has died, this soul will then be judged and then can join God in heaven. God gave humans dominion over the non-human life, E.g. in Genesis ‘Let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air’ suggesting human life has a higher value than non-human life, this shows God has given humans a big responsibility to life which exempliflies the value. God made man ‘in his image’ many christians believe that God gave them the brains and the abilities to find cures for humans by experimenting on animals and not to use these abilities would be denying God’s plan for them. Some christians say that this gives them the right to use animals in  experiments because humans are of more value. As well in Genesis God said to Adam ‘Rule Over’ all living creatures suggesting animal testing is acceptable. However, Some christians may be very much against this, as when God created the world, he saw that all that was in ‘was good’. Some say this means we should not experiment on animals because they are wonderful part of God’s creation. ‘The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Human lives are special because it is a gift from God. Human lives distinct from any other creatures and are in higher positions. Humans have sanctity which relates to their dignity, which has both natural dimension, in terms of rational thought and moral decision-making powers. â€Å"Human beings have complete control over their own life and destiny.† (15 marks) How far might a religious believer agree with this statement? Everyone has a purpose of being in this universe because we all have a special position that is created by God. Humans make their own choices and lead on their life. But, God is always there to show people the right path. Only God has control over peoples lives. He decides when we die and when we born. Everything is in God’s hand as religious believer will say God created the world. God’s choices are always right. He is capable of carrying out any project to a successful conclusion without the possibility of fault or failure. Nothing in His universe happens by chance or accident. For every effect there is a cause. God is in control. We have freedom to choose within the constraints of who we are and the circumstances we find ourselves in. Yet while God controls those circumstances but does not control us. While God is able to control us, and if he wanted to he could override our freedom, he chooses not to. The concept of the control of God over everything is called the â€Å"sovereignty† of God. Nothing gives us strength and confidence like an understanding of the sovereignty of God in our lives. God’s sovereignty is defined as His complete and total independent control over every creature, event, and circumstance at every moment in history. Subject to none, influenced by  none, absolutely independent, God does what He pleases. God is in complete control of every molecule in the universe at every moment, and everything that happens is either caused or allowed by Him for His own perfect purposes. Religious believer might say that God is directing your steps down to the smallest details. He can make things happen that you could never make happen on your own. He is for you, on your side, and what He has purposed for your life will come to pass.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

How to Keep Fit

I'm at a payphone trying to call home All of my change I spent on you Where have the times gone Baby it's all wrong, where are the plans we made for two? Yeah, I, I know it's hard to remember The people we used to be It's even harder to picture That you're not here next to me You say it's too late to make it But is it too late to try? And in our time that you wasted All of our bridges burned down I've wasted my nights You turned out the lights Now I'm paralyzed Still stuck in that time when we called it love But even the sun sets in paradise I'm at a payphone trying to call home All of my change I spent on you Where have the times goneBaby it's all wrong, where are the plans we made for two? If happy ever after did exist I would still be holding you like this All those fairytales are full of sh*t One more stupid love song I'll be sick You turned your back on tomorrow Cause you forgot yesterday I gave you my love to borrow But just gave it away You can't expect me to be fine I don't e xpect you to care I know I've said it before But all of our bridges burned down I've wasted my nights You turned out the lights Now I'm paralyzed Still stucked in that time when we called it love But even the sun sets in paradise I'm at a payphone trying to call homeAll of my change I spent on you Where have the times gone Baby it's all wrong, where are the plans we made for two? If happy ever after did exist I would still be holding you like this All those fairytales are full of sh*t One more stupid love song I'll be sick Now I'm at a payphone†¦ [Wiz Khalifa] Man work that sh*t I'll be out spending all this money while you sitting round Wondering why it wasn't you who came up from Suavemente , besame I'm ready to do whatever If you take me away Suavemente, besame I'll make you do whatever If I take you away [Nayer] I know the craving, and I can save it You've been so patientAnd I've been waiting, for you to take it And you can keep it Just say you need me, make me believe it I wanna go-o-o Can't let you go-o-o Hey mami, damelo otra vez Da-da-damelo otra vez I wanna go-o-o Can't let you go-o-o Hey mami, damelo otra vez Da-da-damelo otra vez [Chorus] Sua vemente, besame I'm ready to do whatever If you take me away Suavemente, besame I'll make you do whatever If I take you away Suavemente, besame I'm ready to do whatever If you take me away Suavemente, besame I'll make you do whatever If I take you away [Pitbull] T he way you moving (suave) Makes me say (suave) Go head baby (suave)Do it my babe (suave) The way you moving (suave) Makes me say (suave) Go head baby (suave) Do it my babe (suave) [Mohombi] Dame good morning So I can get it Let's just be honest, you are the finest Got you surrounded, baby surrender Don't make me hunt you, I know you want to Nayer Suave (Kiss Me) lyrics found on http://www. directlyr ics. com/nayer-suavem ente-lyrics. html I wanna go-o-o Can't let you go-o-o Hey mami, damelo otra vez Da-da-damelo otra vez I wanna go-o-o Can't let you go-o-o Hey mami, damelo otra vez Da-da-damelo otra vez [Chorus] Sua vemente, besame I'm ready to do whatever If you take me awaySuavemente, besame I'll make you do whatever If I take you away Suavemente, besame I'm ready to do whatever If you take me away Suavemente, besame I'll make you do whatever If I take you away [Pitbull] M ohombi, Nayer, Pitbull, FIRE This is revolution in music and we co-write it Yeah, just try us Double domination And everybody knows that me no liar Redone, have them sent a one million year And here's my wire Armandito, tremenda gente Tenemos siempre calle elegante y decente Esta noche vamos hacer el amor Ya tu sabe bebita suavemente I want you to lose your mind, lose control What before, lose it now Cause I know we doing bigYou gotta be ready to lose it up, dale! [Chorus] S uavemente, besame I'm ready to do whatever If you take me away Suavemente, besame I'll make you do whatever If I take you away Suavemente, besame I'm ready to do whatever If you tak e me away Suavemente, besame I'll make you do whatever If I take you away Me not working hard? Yea right picture that with a kodak And better yet, go to times square Take a picture of me with a kodak Took my life from negative to positive And I just want y'all know that And tonight, let's enjoy life Pitbull, Nayer, Ne-Yo [Ne-Yo / Nayer – Chorus] Tonight I will love love you tonightGive me everything tonight For all we know we might not get tomorrow Let's do it tonight I will love love you tonight Give me everything tonight For all we know we might not get tomorrow Lets do it tonight Don’t care what they say All the games they play Nothing is enough Till they handle love (Lets do it tonight) I want you tonight, I want you today I want you tonight Grab somebody sexy tell ‘em hey Give me everything tonight Give me everything tonight Give me everything tonight Give me everything tonight [Pitbull – Verse 1] Get busy tonight Cuz to more and more to do bad before and for Prius Desperate tonightI can make you my queen And make love to you eanless This is insane, the way the name growin’, money keep flowin’ Hustlers move aside, so I’m tiptoein, keep flowin’ I gotta locked up like Lindsay Lohan Put it on my life baby I can make you feel right baby I can’t promise tomorrow But I promise tonight Dale [Pitbull – Pre Chorus] Excuse me But I might drink a little bit more than I should tonight And I might take you home with me if I could tonight And I think you should let me cause I look good tonight And we might not get tomorrow [Ne-Yo / Nayer – Chorus] Tonight I will love love you tonight Give me everything tonightFor all we know we might not get tomorrow Lets do it tonight I will love love you tonight Give me everything tonight For all we know we might not get tomorrow Pitbull Give Me Everything lyrics found on http://www. directlyrics. com/pitbull-give-me-everything-lyrics. html Lets do it tonight Lets do it tonight Don’t care what they say All the games they play Nothing is enough Till they handle love (Lets do it tonight) I want you tonight, I want you today I want you tonight Grab somebody sexy tell ‘em hey Give me everything tonight Give me everything tonight Give me everything tonight Give me everything tonightGrab somebody sexy tell ‘em hey Give me everything tonight Give me everything tonight Give me everything tonight Give me everything tonight [Pitbull – Verse 2] Reach for the stars And if you don’t grab em, at least you’re on top of the world Think about it Cuz if you slip I’m gonna fall on top of you girl Put on ‘em ball when they sleep at the Macy’s And it ain’t no secret My granny’s from Cuba but I’m an American Tied over money like Seacrest Put it on my life baby I can make you feel right baby I can’t promise tomorrow But I promise tonight Dale [Pitbull – Pre Chorus] Excuse me But I might drink a little bit more than I should tonightAnd I might take you home with me if I could tonight And I think you should let me cause I look good tonight And we might not get tomorrow [Ne-Yo / Nayer – Chorus] Tonight I will love love you tonight Give me everything tonight For all we know we might not get tomorrow Let's do it tonight I will love love you tonight Give me everything tonight For all we know we might not get tomorrow Lets do it tonight Don’t care what they say All the games they play Nothing is enough Till they handle lo WE ARE EVER NEVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER I remember when we broke up The first time Saying this is it, I’ve had enough Because likeWe hadn’t seen each other in a month when you said you needed space what? Then you come round again and say Baby, I miss you and I swear I’m gonna change Trust me Remember how that lasted for a day I say I hate you We break up You call me I love you Ooooh We called it of f again last night But oooh This time I’m telling you, I’m telling you We are never ever ever getting back together We are never ever ever getting back together You go talk to your friends Talk to my friends Talk to me But we are never ever ever getting back together Like†¦ ever I’m really gonna miss you picking fights And me Falling for it screaming that I’m rightAnd you Would hide away and find your piece of mind With some Indie record that’s so much cooler than mine Ooooh You called me up again tonight But this time I’m telling you, I’m telling you We are never ever ever getting back together We are never ever ever getting back together You go talk to your friends Talk to my friends Talk to me (talk to me) But we are never ever ever getting back together Oooh (yeah) Oooh (yeah) Oooh (yeah) Oh oh oh I used to say that we were forever, ever And I used to to say Never say never (talking) Uhh So he calls me up and hes like ‘ I used to love you† I’m just.. I mean like this is exhausting you knowWe are never getting back together Like ever We are never ever ever getting back together We are never ever ever getting back together You go talk to your friends Talk to my friends Talk to me (talk to me) But we are never ever ever ever getting back together We oooh We oooh You go talk to your friends Talk to my friends Talk to me but we are never ever ever ever getting back together WHISLTE Can you blow my whistle baby, whistle baby Let me know Girl I'm gonna show you how to do it And we start real slow You just put your lips together And you come real close Can you blow my whistle baby, whistle babyHere we go I'm betting you like bebop And i'm betting you love creep mode And i'm betting you like girls that give love to girls And stroke your little ego I bet i'm guilty your honor But that's how we live in my genre When in hell I pay rottweiler There's only one flo, and one rida I'm a damn shame Orde r more champagne, pull it down hellstream Tryna put it on ya Bet your lips spin back around corner Slow it down baby take a little longer Can you blow my whistle baby, whistle baby Let me know Girl I'm gonna show you how to do it And we start real slow You just put your lips together And you come real closeCan you blow my whistle baby, whistle baby Here we go Whistle baby, whistle baby, Whistle baby, whistle baby It's like everywhere I go My whistle ready to blow Shorty don't leave a note She can get any by the low Permission not approved It's okay, it's under control Show me soprano, cause girl you can handle Baby we start snagging, you come in part clothes Girl i'm losing wing, my bucatti the same road Show me your perfect pitch, You got it my banjo Talented with your lips, like you blew out candles So amusing, now you can make a whistle with the music Hope you ain't got no issue, you can do it Give me the perfect picture, never lose itCan you blow my whistle baby, whistle baby Le t me know Girl I'm gonna show you how to do it And we start real slow You just put your lips together And you come real close Can you blow my whistle baby, whistle baby Here we go Whistle baby, whistle baby, Whistle baby, whistle baby Go girl you can work it Let me see your whistle while you work it I'mma lay it back, don't stop it Cause I love it how you drop it, drop it, drop it, on me Now, shorty let that whistle blow Yeah, baby let that whistle blow Can you blow my whistle baby, whistle baby Let me know Girl I'm gonna show you how to do it And we start real slowYou just put your lips together And you come real close Can you blow my whistle baby, whistle baby Here we go Whistle baby, whistle baby, Whistle baby, whistle baby ZERO GRAVITY Tell me what you did to me Just air underneath feet Didn't even notice we were miles above the ground I'm not afraid of heights We crashed into the sky Didn't know that I could feel the way that I do now I'm not asking for an explanation All I kno w is that you take me away And you show me how to fly Nothing brings me down When you're around It's like zero gravity The world just disappears When you're here It's zero gravity When things get messed upI lift my head up And I get lost in the clouds There's no sense of time with you and i It's zero gravity Ohhh Ohhh no no no Hey ooohhh The ages fade away Till there's no more shades of gray You only have to whisper anything at all You opened up my eyes You turn my lows to high And that's the only way that I know how to fall Not gonna analyze or try to fight it Don't even care if it makes no sense at all ‘Cause with you I can fly Nothing brings me down When you're around It's like zero gravity The world just disappears When you're here It's zero gravity When things get messed up I lift my head up And I get lost in the cloudsThere's no sense of time with you around It's zero gravity As Long As You Love Me Dong gop: Ken Ho As long as you love me [x3] [Verse 1] I'm under pressure , Seven billion people in the world trying to fit in Keep it together, Smile on your face even though your heart is frowning But hey now, you know girl, We both know it's a cruel world But I will take my chances [Chorus] As long as you love me We could be starving, we could be homeless, we could be broke As long as you love me I'll be your platinum, I'll be your silver, I'll be your gold As long as you love, love, love, love me As long as you love, love, love, love me [Verse 2]I'll be your soldier, fighting every second of the day for your dreams girl I'll be your whole world You can be my Destiny's Child on the scene girl So don't stress, don't cry, we don't need no wings to fly Just take my hand [Bridge] As you love me we could be starving, we could be homeless, we could be broke As long as you love me I'll be your platinum, I'll be your silver, I'll be your gold As long as you love, love, love, love me As long as you love, love, love, love me [Big Sean] I don't know if this makes sense, but you're my hallelujah Give me a time and place, and I'll rendezvous, and I'll fly you to it, I'll beat ya thereGirl you know I got you Us, trust†¦ A couple of things I can't spell without you Now we are on top of the world, 'cause that's just how we do Used to tell me sky's the limit, now the sky's our point of view Man now we stepping out like wow (Oh God) Camera's pointed shoot, Ask me what's my best side, I stand back and point at you You, you the one that I argue with, I feel like I need a new girl to be bothered with, But the grass ain't always greener on the other side, It's green where you water it So I know we got issues baby true true true But I'd rather work on this with you Than to go ahead and start with someone newAs long as you love me [Chorus] As you love me We could be starving, we could be homeless, we could be broke As long as you love me I'll be your platinum, I'll be your silver, I'll be your gold As long as you love, love, love, love me As long a s you love, love, love, love me As long as you love, love, love, love me As long as you love, love, love, love me As long as you love me MOVE LIKE JAGGER Just shoot for the stars If it feels right And in for my heart If you feel like Can take me away, and make it okay I swear I'll behave You wanted control Sure we waited I put on a show Now I make it You say I'm a kid My ego is bigI don't give a sh*t And it goes like this [Chorus] Take me by the tongue And I'll know you Kiss me till you're drunk And I'll show you You want the moves like jagger I got the moves like jagger I got the mooooooves†¦ like jagger I don't even try to control you Look into my eyes and I'll own you You with the moves like jagger I got the moves like jagger I got the mooooooves†¦ like jagger [Verse 2] Baby it's hard And it feel like you're broken and scarred Nothing feels right But when you're with me I make you believe That I've got the key So get in the car We can ride it Wherever you want Get insid e it And you want to stirBut I'm shifting gears I'll take it from here And it goes like this [Chorus] Take me by the tongue And I'll know you Kiss til you're drunk And I'll show you You want the moves like jagger I got the moves like jagger I got the mooooooves†¦ like jagger I don't even try to control you Look into my eyes and I'll own you You with the moves like jagger I got the moves like jagger I got the mooooooves†¦ like jagger [Bridge] You want to know how to make me smile Take control, own me just for the night But if I share my secret You gonna have to keep it Nobody else can see this So watch and learn I won't show you twiceHead to toe, ooh baby, roll me right But if I share my secret You gonna have to keep it Nobody else can see this And it goes like this [Chorus] Take me by the tongue And I'll know you Kiss til you're drunk And I'll show you You want the moves like jagger I got the moves like jagger I got the mooooooves†¦ like jagger I don't even try to con trol you Look into my eyes and I'll own you You with the moves like jagger I got the moves like jagger I got the mooooooves†¦ like jagger GOOD FEELLING Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah I get a feeling that I never never never never had before, no no I get a good feeling, yeahOh oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah I get a feeling that I never never never never had before, no no I get a good feeling, yeah Yes I can, doubt that I leave, I'm running with this plan Pull me, grab me, crabs in the bucket can't have me I'll be the president one day January first, oh, you like that gossip Like you the one drinking what God sip dot com Now I gotta work with your tongue How many rolling stones you want Yeah I got a brand new spirit, Speak it and it's done Woke up on the side of the bed like I won Talk like a winner, my chest to that sun G5 dealer, US to Taiwan I hope you say that, I wanna play backMama knew I was a needle in a hay stack A Bugatti boy, plus May bach I got a feeling it's a wrap, ASAP Oh, oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah I get a feeling that I never never never never had before, no no I get a good feeling, yeah Oh oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah I get a feeling that I never never never never had before, no no I get a good feeling, yeah The mountain top, walk on water I got power, feel so royal One second, I'ma strike oil Diamond, platinum, no more for you Gotta drill a land, never giving in Giving up's not an option, gotta get it in Witness I got the heart of 20 menNo fear, go to sleep in the lion's den That flow, that spark, that crown You looking at the king of the jungle now Stronger than ever can't hold me down A hundred miles feelin' from the picture smile Straight game face, it's game day See me running through the crowd full of melee No trick plays, I'm Bill Gates, Take a genius to understand me Oh, oh, sometimes I get WILD ONES Flo Rida ft. Sia . . . Hey I heard you were a wild one Oooh If I took you home It'd be a home run Show me how you'll do I want to shut down the club With you Hey I heard you like the wild ones Oooh [Flo Rida] I like crazy, foolish, stupidParty going wild, fist pumping Music, I might lose it Blast to the roof, that's how we do'z it I don't care the night, she don't care we like Almost dared the right five Ready to get popping, ain't no surprise Take me so high, jumping no doubts Surfing the crowd Oooh Said I gotta be the man When they heading my van, might check one too Shut them down in the club while the playboy does it, and y'all get lose lose After bottle, we all get bit and again tomorrow Gotta break loose cause that's the motto Club shuts down, I heard you're super models [Sia – Hook] Hey I heard you were a wild one Oooh If I took you homeIt'd be a home run Show me how you'll do I want shut down the club With you Hey I heard you like the wild ones Oooh [Flo Rida] Party rocker, foot show stopper More shampoo Never one, club popper Got a hangov er like too much vodka Can't see me with ten binoculars So cool No doubt by the end of the night Got the clothes coming off Til I make that move Somehow, someway, gotta raise the roof, roof All black shades when the sun come through Oh, it's on like everything goes Round up baby til the freaky show What happens to that body, it's a private show Stays right here, private show I like em untamed, don't tell me how painTell them this, bottoms up with the champagne My life, coming harder than we hit play Do you busy with the bail, were you insane [Sia – Hook] Hey I heard you were a wil THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY Summer after high school when we first met We make out in your Mustang to Radiohead And on my 18th Birthday We got matching tattoos Used to steal your parents' liquor And climb to the roof Talk about our future like we had a clue Never planned that one day I'd be losing you In another life I would be your girl We keep all our promises Be us against the world In another life I w ould make you stay So I don't have to sayYou were the one that got away The one that got away I was June and you were my Johnny Cash Never one without the other we made a pact Sometimes when I miss you I put those records on Someone said you had your tattoo removed Saw you downtown singing the Blues Its time to face the music I'm no longer your muse And in another life I would be your girl We keep all our promises Be us against the world In another life I would make you stay So I don't have to say You were the one that got away The one that got away The o-o-o-o-o-one [x3] The one that got away [Bridge:] All this money can't buy me a time machine (Nooooo)Can't replace you with a million rings (Nooooo) I shoulda told you what you meant to me (Woooooow) Cause now I pay the price In another life I would be your girl We keep all our promises Be us against the world In another life I would make you stay So I don't have to say You were the one that got away The one that got away The o-o-o- o-o-one [x3] In another life I would make you stay So I don't have to say You were the one that got away The one that got away GIVE ME A HEART BREAK The day I first met you You told me you never fall in love But now that I get you I know fear is what it really was Now here we are, so closeYet so far, haven't I passed the test When will you realize Baby, I'm not like the rest Don't wanna break your heart I wanna give your heart a break I know you're scared it's wrong Like you might make a mistake There's just one life to live And there's no time to wait, to wait So let me give your heart a break Give your heart a break Let me give your heart a break Give your heart a break Oh, yeah yeah A Sunday, you went home alone There were tears in your eyes I called your cell phone, my love But you did not reply The world is ours, if you want it We can take it, if you just take my hand There's no turning back nowBaby, try to understand Don't wanna break your heart I wanna give your heart a break I know you're scared it's wrong Like you might make a mistake There's just one life to live And there's no time to wait, to wait So let me give your heart a break Give your heart a break Let me give your heart a break Your heart a break There's just so much you can take Give your heart a break Let me give your heart a break Your heart a break Oh, yeah yeah When your lips are on my lips And our hearts beat as one But you slip right out of my fingertips Every time you run Don't wanna break your heart I wanna give your heart a breakI know you're scared it's wrong Like you might make a mistake There's just one life to live And there's no time to wait, to wait So let me give your heart a break Cuz you've been hurt before I can see it in your eyes You try to smile it away Some things you can't disguise I don't wanna break your heart Baby, I can ease the ache, the ache So, let me give your heart a break Give your heart a break Let me give your heart a break Your heart a break There's just so much you can take Give your heart a break Let me give your heart a break Your heart a break The day I first met you You told me you never fall in love

Thursday, November 7, 2019

How To Make The Best Blog Graphics (For Non-Designers) - CoSchedule Blog

How To Make The Best Blog Graphics (For Non-Designers) Blog As bloggers and content marketers, one of your biggest challenges is making sure that your blog posts not only read well, but also look awesome. You probably know why: Posts with better graphics are easier to read and get more shares. The problem is that you may not  have the budget, nor the skills necessary for creating blog post graphics from scratch.  You also like to do things yourself, or just don’t have the means to hire a freelance designer every time you need a new header image for a blog post. That puts you at a slight  disadvantage against your competitors who are already rocking great blog graphics. The good news is that you can learn to create your own blog post graphics fairly quickly. A handful of dollars in stock graphics, a few hours in Photoshop, and you will be on your way to making your blog look better in no time. How To Make The Best #Blog Graphics (For Non-Designers) via @puranjaycomIn this post, I’ll share with you the exact strategies I use to create visuals for my posts, right from start to finish. But first, a quick overview of why your blog actually needs more visuals. Why Your Blog Posts Need More Visual Content Human beings are visual creatures. Our brains process images 60,000 times faster than text. This is a crucial stat for bloggers and content marketers- it means readers are more likely to engage with your visuals than with your words. (Which also explains why infographics tend to be so successful). There are dozens of reasons why you need to add more graphics to your blog posts, but the five  most important ones I can think of are: Higher engagement: Articles with relevant images get 94% more page views than those without. Highlight crucial data: In-post graphics are a good way to highlight the most important data points within an article. If there is something you really want your readers to see, you’re better off putting it into a mini infographic than the main post body (especially considering how most visitors read just 20% of a Web page on average). Get more shares: Pages with pictures see 50% more shares. Create better post structure: In-post graphics are a great way to give better structure to your post by dividing the content into different sections- an oft-ignored benefit. More credibility: 67% of consumers consider detailed images to carry even more weight than customer ratings, reviews, and product descriptions. Recommended Reading:  10 Stunning Examples Of Visual Content Marketing Now that we know why we need visuals, let’s look at how we can create our own blog  graphics. The Building Blocks Of Awesome Blog Graphics You don’t need to know a lot to create your own blog graphics. In fact, this article assumes that your design skills don’t extend beyond cropping an image and adding a filter to it in Photoshop (explained below). That said, you can greatly accelerate the graphic-creation process by mastering a few simple Photoshop skills and building up a library of stock graphics that will serve as the ‘building blocks’ for all your visuals. Let’s look at each of these in detail. Essential Photoshop skills to create blog graphics. You don’t have to master Photoshop to create good looking designs. Being familiar with the interface and understanding a few basic skills will be more than enough. At the very least, you should know the following: Cropping, resizing and selecting images, or parts of images. Layers and how they work. Blending modes and Layer blending options. Creating simple shapes such as circles, rounded rectangles, etc. Using the font tool. Importing and using patterns, brushes, and shapes. Using grids and guides to lay out individual elements. All this shouldn’t take you more than a couple of hours of work to learn. Everything else you can learn along the way. There are only 7 things you need to know with Photoshop to create awesome #blog graphics.Choose your colors. Color is the non-designer’s Achilles heel. We either use too many colors, or often, too few- neither of which leads to desirable results. â€Å"What colors should I use?† is the number one question I get asked by non-designers (and the question I often find asking myself). For answers, follow the two step process below: 1. Pick one dominant color. Take a look at any popular website and you will see one thing in common: They all use a single dominant color everywhere. Facebook has its blue, TechCrunch is green and Snapchat is overwhelmingly yellow. All reports, blog posts, and visuals they put out follow the same color palette. For your own blog  graphics, follow the same strategy: Pick one dominant color (ideally, the same as your site color) and use it everywhere. Complement it with lighter variations of the same color when needed. You can always branch out and experiment with more colors of course (it would be a dull world if you couldn’t), but for simplicity’s sake, stick to one dominant color when you’re starting out. Recommended Reading:  Why Visual Brand Consistency Is Important 2. For additional colors, use the Google material design color palette. One of the harder things to understand as an amateur designer is how different colors work with each other and the subtle differences between, say, #FA4B00 and #F04800 (two hexadecimal numbers for different colors). The good news: You don’t have to learn all this on your own. By taking advantage of pre-existing, professional color palettes, you can jump right in and use proven colors in your designs. To start with, use the Google material design color palette. These are Google-approved colors for the Android UI. They look good and cover a huge range of colors. If you get tired of your ‘one dominant color’, pick a few shades from this palette and start experimenting. Pro Tip: Download the palette as a swatch and open it in Photoshop to get immediate access to all colors. Recommended Reading:  Color Psychology In Marketing: The Complete Guide Pick your fonts. After color, typography is the most widely misunderstood aspect of design. You’ve probably seen this in action yourself: flyers with Papyrus, memos written entirely in Comic Sans, and websites that use nothing but Times New Roman. Designers can talk for hours about kerning and line height and letter spacing, but as bloggers, we don’t really need all that. Instead, all we need to know is: What fonts look good. How to pick a good font pair. Here are the answers to these questions: 1. What fonts look good? Some good fonts are expensive (a single license of a professional font can cost upwards of $200), so I’m going to focus entirely on free fonts for now. Fortunately for us, high-quality free fonts have never been easier to find. Your first stop should be Google Fonts. This free font library will give you access to all the fonts you need. It can be overwhelming at first, so I suggest sticking to these tried and tested fonts, for now: If you need something beyond this selection, stop by Typekit.com and check out the fonts that come pre-loaded with a free account (only 25k pageviews/month though- not for you popular bloggers). Next, check out Typography.com and the nearly weekly giveaways at CreativeMarket.com. If you are willing to splurge, you can also check out some boutique font foundries at FontShop.com. 2. How should you  pair fonts? There are two guidelines to pairing fonts: Fonts from the same family go well together.  For obvious reasons, if two fonts are from the same family (say, PT Sans and PT Sans-Serif), they will look good together. Combine serif with sans-serif fonts.  For optimum results, combine a serif font with a sans-serif font. If your posts are long and wordy, use serif in the body text, sans-serif in the headings. For shorter posts (under 2,000 words- a majority of posts), use sans-serif in the body, serif in headlines. (In case you are wondering, serif fonts are those with the little horizontal bar at the edges. Sans-serif, obviously, are those without.) Instead of experimenting with different pairings, pick a few tried and tested combinations to start with. For inspiration, install WhatFont extension and see what fonts your favorite websites are using. Wired.com, for instance, uses Exchange, while Buzzfeed uses Proxima Nova for both headings and body text. Choose your images. Most bloggers turn to SXC.hu, Pixabay, or any of the countless other stock pictures websites for their image needs. Images here are free and easy to find, but also tend to be low in quality and poor in contextual relevancy. Plus, since they’ve been used by bloggers ad infinitum, they tend to look jaded and overused. Recommended Reading: Should You Use Stock Or Free Images For Blog Posts? Below, I’ve shared some of my favorite methods to get better images: 1. Buy stock images. With prices as low as $1/image, you really don’t have an excuse for not taking this route already. The picture quality is far superior and they all look ‘fresh’ to readers since they haven’t been used by every blogger in existence. You also don’t need resolutions wider than 640px for most images, which brings down initial purchase cost as well. If you do plan to modify the image, make sure that the image license permits it. Check out ShutterStock.com, Fotolia.com, BigStock.com, etc. to get started. But what if you don’t have $1 to spare? In that case, use option #2, below. With prices as low as $1/image, you really don’t have an excuse to use great images. #blogging2. Use free hero images. Startups need high quality images to build their sites. Thankfully, a number of designers and photographers have stepped up to the challenge and started offering stunning pictures for free. These are called ‘hero’ images, and for bloggers, they are (largely) untapped goldmines. Here are some sites to get you started: Unsplash.com, DeathToTheStockPhoto.com, LittleVisuals.co, Superfamous.com, and PicJumbo.com. The image quality here is incredible, but you can’t search by keyword, so be prepared to dig deep to find the right image. Some pictures (especially from Unsplash.com) have also been overused by startups. If it looks a little too familiar, it’s probably a good idea to not use it. If a stock photo seems a little familiar, its best not to use it. #blogging3. Try paid hero images. An alternative to stock image marketplaces is to buy splash or hero images from marketplaces like CreativeMarket. You can either buy images individually, or you can buy image packs of hundreds of images for as low as $10. Its a useful strategy if you want something more exclusive than what Unsplash.com or the others have to offer. Choose your shapes, brushes, patterns, and icons. Strong colors, bold fonts, and breathtaking stock imagery are good enough to make your blog stand out.  But to create blog  graphics, you will need a few extra building blocks- namely brushes, patterns, icons, and shapes. You can find thousands of these design elements online on sources both free and paid. The hard part is figuring out what to download, and where to download it. For a start, grab the following: 1. Patterns. A clean, subtle pattern can make the most ordinary design pop and sparkle. There are countless websites peddling patterns online, but for the most projects, you don’t need to look beyond SubtlePatterns.com. Start with the following patterns – Concrete Seamless, Crossword, Stardust, Squared Metal, Notebook, Triangular, and Mooning- and grab more as you learn how to use them. 2. Icons. You will use icons a lot in your blog graphics, mostly to visualize data and highlight key points. I suggest starting out at IcoMoon.io, then exploring free icon packs such as  Line icons, Modern UI icons, 350 Pixel Perfect icons, flat icons, and  3600 flat icons. To get something more exclusive, buy a set of icon packs from  CreativeMarket. 3. Brushes, shapes, and vectors. There is no telling what shapes, vectors, and brushes you will need in your graphics projects. Since our aim is to keep costs low, I suggest grabbing the ones listed below, then buying up separate design elements as needed. Start with the graphics library at Pixeden.com. Grab virtually all the free stuff you can, then head over to MediaLoot.com, PremiumPixels.com, Brusheezy.com, and GraphicHive.net. For paid alternatives, check out CreativeMarket.com and GraphicRiver.com. I also suggest buying some credits at a stock marketplace such as VectorStock.com. A contextually relevant vector image can make your designs really stand out. Also look to grab some of the ‘infographics packs’ at CreativeMarket. You can use elements from these packs to create your own mini-infographics inside posts. This concludes the basic building blocks of our blog  graphics project. Now let’s take a look at some strategies for putting these together to create header images and in-post graphics. The Non-Designers Guide to Creating Better #Blog GraphicsHow to Create Better Blog Graphics Start with your header images. Header images are more than just design filler. They give readers a glimpse of your post’s content, and show up in social media. In essence, these are the ‘anchor’ images for your post and offer readers an idea of what to expect not just from a post, but the blog as a whole. It’s easy to get lazy with header images. You might very well be tempted to stick a stock image from SXC.hu on top and call it a day. The problem is that such stock images not only look bad, but they also don’t get as many page views. The alternative: customized header images. Let’s look at a couple of strategies for creating these. 1. Use good stock images, add text and a color tint. One of my favorite ways to create better header images in a jiffy is to use a high-quality stock image, add some text (usually the post title, shortened for clarity) and a color tint, like this: Creating this is easy enough: Grab a picture from Unsplash.com and add some text in a font from the list above. For the color tint, add a color layer in Photoshop, fill it with a color from the Google Material Design color palette, then drag it beneath the base image layer. Change the ‘blend’ mode for the base image to ‘Multiply’, and you’re all set. 2. Add borders, shapes, and different fonts. Add some complexity to your header image by throwing in some shapes, borders, and font combinations. Try the elegant font + light base color + dark border combination: Or the color gradient + pattern + gradient filled text. In the example below, I’ve used a blue-pink gradient on top of the Triangular pattern fill from SubtlePatterns.com: An easy way to make the post title stand out is to enclose it within a shape, like this: Another personal favorite is to use a vector graphic against a solid background. Below, I’ve used the ‘camera’ icon from the ET-Line icons set: None of these styles are complicated or particularly hard to copy. Try recreating them in Photoshop to get a hang of things. For further inspiration, see the header image gallery at Canva.com. Create your in-post graphics. In-post graphics are a wonderful way to give additional structure to your posts and highlight key information. They are also highly sharable. I try to add at least a couple of graphics to all my posts. With a set of existing templates, it often takes less than 10 minutes to create unique graphics for every piece of content.