How To Design The Best Blog Graphics With Free Tools

How To Design The Best Blog Graphics With Free Tools Writing awesome content for your blog is essential to earning your readers trust and attention.  Yet there’s another overlooked element that can largely increase your blog traffic: design. Studies have found that 60% of us are visual learners, while only 46% of blogs are actually using visual content. Design often gets a bad rap for just â€Å"making things look pretty† (which it should, don’t get me wrong), but more importantly, it guides your reader in their overall experience. In fact, design can even guide your readers decisions since 67% of consumers consider images to carry more weight than customer ratings, reviews, and product descriptions. What do you want their first impression to be? How can you make your reader read more content? What do you want your reader to take away? All of these questions can be answered by using the tool of design. How To Design The Best Blog #Graphics With Tools Anyone Can Use #blogging Have you ever tried any of these tools to design your blog graphics? Adobe color wheel for complementary colors. Aviary for imagery, editing, and more. Bannersnack  for banner ads and promotion. Buncee for combining visuals and text with your images. Canva  for awesome blog graphics, imagery, and more. Chisel for writing words on images. Da Button Factory  for... um... buttons. Freebiesbug for free fonts. Google Drawings  for sketching out a thought. Haiku Deck for turning words into graphics and presentations. imgflip for generating memes. infogr.am  for infographics. Magdeleine for imagery. Matthew Kosloski's hexbook for complementary colors. Online Image Editor for... editing images online. Paint Shop Pro  for sketching out your thought. Phonto for layering text on images. Photoscape  for editing images. Photoshop  for editing images (and a lot more). Picasa  for small graphics you could use on your blog. Picmonkey for free online photo editing. Piktochart  for infographics, reports, charts, and presentations. Pixel Buddha for fonts and icons. PixTeller for making awesome posters. Placeit  for free iPhone and iPad mockups. PowerPoint  for smaller graphics. Prezi  for animated presentations. Quotes Cover for making visual quotes. Recite for turning quotes into graphics. Sellfy for awesome fonts. Visage for  turning your data into beautiful graphics and charts. Visual.ly for imagery and brand creative services. Word Swag for adding visual words to images. Bonus: Skillshare for design classes. Note: Many of these are free, some of the more robust tools require just a bit of investment. This post will help you use any of these tools even better to make sure your blog graphics  are awesome and not just... a visual to have on your blog. The better the visual, the more social shares you'll get. The more shares you get, the more traffic you get. And the more traffic you get, the more opportunities you have to convert your readers into paying subscribers of your brand. 33 Design Tools That Will Help You Create  Awesome Blog Graphics #blogging1. Remember Your Audience And Purpose When you start a design, it's easy to get caught up in all the fun options you have: color, layout, typography, and tons of others.  But instead, you should begin by  focusing on who your audience is and what you want them to learn. Begin by doing some research. What are other people in your industry doing visually? What are they doing well? What are they doing poorly? Are there certain colors that your audience likes or dislikes? These questions will keep your attention on your audience, while guiding you into the beginning stages of design. Design for your audience, not just to have a visual on your blog. #blogging #contentmarketing2. Every Good Design Starts With A Good Idea It's easy to forget that every good design begins with a great idea. Before even getting into the design, consider what your blog topic should be, do some research, and create an outline. It’s really important to have your idea before designing, because without it, your graphics will either have nothing to point to or your graphics will only be an excuse to cover up your not-so-great idea, which never works. Find your idea and make sure it’s a good one so that your design can take it to the next level. Use design to take your  blog  idea to the next level. #blogging3. Design To Draw Attention To Your Content Your reader is probably drawn to your blog because they love the content, so rather than distracting them with the design, let it highlight your work! You’ve spent hours researching, editing, and refining your content- so the last thing you need is a distracting graphic flashing in the sidebar. In order to draw attention to your content, keep the design simple. Find a layout that keeps your line lengths short (about 50–75 characters) and contains a straightforward call to action in the sidebar. Next, find a color scheme that is easy on the eyes, rather than one that’s flashy and neon. This way, the design will direct your readers to the beautiful text, rather than distract. Good design helps  your content stand out. #blogging4. Practice The Fundamental Design Concepts Within the design world, there’s a few general principles that are known to help any design work to the best of its ability. Here’s a few I’d like to share with you. Number 1: Consistency Everyone enjoys what’s familiar. They find it to be safe and comfortable, which is exactly why it produces trust and dependability.  Just as producing consistent content is important, so is creating consistent design. Just as producing consistent content is important, so is creating consistent design.Within your blog, try to have similar styles for things such as your headline, main points, body text, and so on. You can use color, different typefaces, and size to organize your text while making it visually consistent so your reader can read uninterrupted. Just remember to choose a style, and then stick to it. This consistency will encourage your reader to read more content, which then develops familiarity and overall trust. Number 2: Repetition Everyone learns through repetition. I think we’ve all studied for school or practiced for a sporting activity. The more we do or see something, the more we learn. In the case of you blog, using repetition in your design can help the reader learn more from your content. By using repetition, they'll be able to begin recognizing certain visual cues and patterns that guide them through the content in a very successful way.   Number 3: Alignment While some of us may not be organized by nature, nobody wants to stay over at a messy house. The same applies to your blog. With alignment, you can create a grid in your layout that keeps things clean and tidy. A grid  will break up each section of your blog into different parts, making it structured and easier for your reader to find what they’re looking for. This  also keeps your blog consistent from post to post as they’ll have the same layout. By keeping everything organized, your reader will easily be able to read through your blog without tripping over a shoe. Number 4: Hierarchy This is a really fancy word for ‘order’. Within your content, there will be some things that matter more than others, such as your headline. Your headline is very important for drawing your readers in, and making a connection before even entering the blog. Using design, you can make your headline shine visually by making sure it's larger than your body text. You can also add a color that directs the reader’s attention to the headline right away. Within your content, you can create order with your headers and sub points simply by adjusting the sizes and colors. Another option is text formats. If the header is more important, try bolding it. If you have a list you’d like the reader to pay attention to, indent it. These are all ways to create order within your content. Number 5: Proximity â€Å"You are who you surround yourself with.† This is a common thing we all hear growing up, and  it's also true with design. We naturally make associations with things that are next to each other and separate things that are far away. Using blog design, you can make it easier to draw connections within your content if you become intentional with placement and white space. For example, if you have a main point within your blog, and then have a graphic to emphasize that point, keep them somewhat close together. Your reader can then draw a connection from the two combined because even though they’re different in format, they’re close together and have the same message. Then let’s say you want to move onto your next main point. Make sure to include some white space so that the reader can rest, and know you’re moving on. White space works as a period and space, breaking up each idea. While white space can be one of the most overlooked design tools, I highly encourage using it in order to let your reader relax and take a breather. Number 6: Color Everyone has their favorite color, but beyond our general opinion, colors have direct psychological implications. Color can make us feel loved, sad, embarrassed, or excited. Color can even make us feel overwhelmed or super relaxed.  Either way, color is a great way to visually communicate to your readers. Here’s a couple tips: First, don’t use bright colors. Instead choose ones that are more subtle, and have the brighter colors as accents for links and buttons.  Second, less is more. I generally recommend using two to three colors in order to have enough variety, while also staying consistent. Remember, color should be used to draw attention to your content, not distract. Number 7: Imagery In today’s culture, photos, videos, infographics, and charts, are all extremely popular and a great option for helping your audience understand your topic. Sometimes the imagery can even do a better job explaining the content than the text itself since  some of us are more visually orientated. Either way, there are a few guidelines to using your imagery successfully: Use human faces.  One of the first things a baby notices is the human face. Science has shown we’re naturally drawn to faces, so take advantage and use that in your imagery. Second, be creative. Stock photography is a very popular option, but that also means it’s often far less unique. Your audience wants to find gems and takeaways, not something they’ve seen before. In today’s mass-media culture, it's more important than ever to be genuine and unique. Plus, there  are  tons of  great tools out there that can help you in this! (Just check out that list at the beginning of this post.) Lastly, make sure you have the right proportions. Nobody enjoys a squished face or a fat word that’s hard to read. Keep it the right size, and you’ll be all set! Number 8: Icons Icons are a great way to communicate complex ideas super fast. They are little, simplified visuals that represent something greater. We can see them every day driving home, shopping at a grocery store, or on our social media platforms. While icons  don’t go into depth like your content will, they do begin the conversation and get your reader on the same page. Icons can also be a great way to mix up your imagery with some variety!   Number 9: Typography Did you know that some typefaces are easier to read than others? Government documents and traffic signs have a specific typeface for this very reason. In a blog, the ability to read your content is one of the most important parts, if not the most important, so make sure to choose a simple typeface that is easy to read. It’s also great to find one that has different styles such as bold and italic so you can stylize your different headers. In fact, some of the best typefaces are those that are known to be ‘invisible’ because they allow the readers to focus on the content rather than the appearance. Use typography to make your content as legible as possible. The best typefaces are invisible. They help  readers focus on content, not  appearance.Those are the fundamentals you should know about great design. While some of these concepts might seem more complex than others, if you use  them one by one, you’ll soon learn just how complementary they are.  By using a grid with alignment, you’re also creating consistencies†¦ and by using typography you can create an awesome hierarchy within your content, and so on. They overlap more than we think, so just take one step forward, begin with one or two, and watch them do their thing. 9 design fundamentals you need to know for #blogging5. Push Through Creative Block In every creative project, you'll most likely  experience what is known as creative block at some point. This happens for writers as well as designers. It's as if all your wonderful ideas have suddenly ran out, and no matter how hard you think, you feel like a new idea will never come. But don’t worry†¦ here are a few tips that I’ve found to be successful. First, change your atmosphere. Find a new room, new colors, new people to surround yourself with so your brain can switch gears and think along a different track. Second, try putting that aside and work on something totally different. Sometimes thinking through a different project will give you an idea for your previous one. If that doesn’t work, come back to it the next morning. Just as our bodies need rest each night, so does your design brain.  Take a break, relax, and come back with a refreshed mind. And if all else fails, just push through. I've found some of my best solutions because I forced myself to just keep going, reworking each option, until I finally found the solution. While creative block is something we all experience, there are ways to work through it and find awesome solutions. 6.  Here's a challenge for you. There are several awesome resources out there that can help you in your design endeavors. If you feel overwhelmed, just start small. Try out one of these tools and see how it goes. Maybe start incorporating one or two images in your first few posts, and see how it goes. For those of you who are familiar with your blog design, try taking it to a new level. Instead of purchasing your imagery, make something yourself. Get creative and see how far you can go. Finally, if you’re ready to go all in, try creating a graphic that you can give to your readers as a free download. Your readers will love the resource and you’ll get even more traffic. Bonus Tip: Repurpose your graphics for social media!  Tweets with graphics get up to 150% more click-throughs than those that don’t.

Sentences with Interrogative Elements Are Not Questions

Sentences with Interrogative Elements Are Not Questions Sentences with Interrogative Elements Are Not Questions Sentences with Interrogative Elements Are Not Questions By Mark Nichol Writers sometimes erroneously assume that when a statement includes a phrase beginning with who, what, when, where, why, or how (or what or which), it should be treated as an interrogative, or question. However, whether the sentence should be punctuated with a question mark depends on how a verb is juxtaposed with the interrogative word and how the sentence is otherwise structured. Each of the sentences below is incorrectly treated as a question. Discussion after each example describes the problem, and a revision solves it. 1. It is essential to ask why organizations have vendors, and how organizations get those vendors set up? This sentence is declarative, not interrogative, so a period should replace the question mark. However, the two key phrases in it can be converted to questions by inserting a verb after each of the interrogative words and posing the resultant questions as if they were being quoted: â€Å"It is essential to ask, ‘Why do organizations have vendors?† and ‘How can organizations get those vendors set up?’† 2. One has to question how is any award that includes  the words â€Å"Best Female† still a thing? To convert the sentence to a declarative statement, is must be relocated to precede â€Å"still a thing†: â€Å"One has to question how any award that includes  the words ‘Best Female’ is still a thing.† To enable it to function as a question, the sentence must be restructured so that the interrogative core is established as a conjectural quotation within a declarative statement: â€Å"One has to ask the question ‘How is any award that includes  the words â€Å"Best Female† still a thing?’† 3. We must prioritize and clearly identify what are these top infrastructure issues and make a meaningful decision about where do we spend the money as it relates to infrastructure? Just as with the previous example, the form of the verb â€Å"to be† must be moved: â€Å"We must prioritize and clearly identify what these top infrastructure issues are and make a meaningful decision about where we spend the money as it relates to infrastructure.† To enable the questions embedded in this sentence to function as interrogatives, the statement must be heavily revised and subdivided to isolate them: â€Å"What are these top infrastructure issues? Where do we spend the money as it relates to infrastructure? We must prioritize and clearly identify problems to answer the first question and make a meaningful decision about the second one.† 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 Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:12 Types of Languageâ€Å"As Well As† Does Not Mean â€Å"And†Preposition Review #1: Chance of vs. Chance for

Has the United Nations Failed to Fulfil Its Founding Promise to Research Paper

Has the United Nations Failed to Fulfil Its Founding Promise to Maintain International Security - Research Paper Example For the first time in the history of wars, America used nuclear weapons in WW2 and the world witnessed the destructive power of the nuclear weapons for the first time. Moreover, the potentials of a simple regional conflict in becoming a global conflict were also revealed to the external world through Second World War. Many countries forced to take part in the WW2 because of circumstantial pressure. The failure of League of Nations in preventing WW2 forced the global leaders to think in terms of a more powerful global body and the result was the formation of UN. Different subdivisions such as The General Assembly, The Security Council, The Economic and Social Council, The Secretariat, and The International Court of Justice etc were also formed inside UN in order to manage international disputes of various kinds. However, UN has failed to settle many of the international disputes developed after its formation and it failed to fulfil its founding promise to maintain international securi ty. UN & International security The 1971 Indo-Pakistan war is one of the major examples in which UN failed to interfere effectively. In 1965 also, both India and Pakistan engaged in a severe battle for the ownership of disputed Kashmir. Until now, Kashmir dispute has not been solved amicably and India and Pakistan come closer for a third battle recently after the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack. In one of the recently revealed cables, WikiLeaks revealed how India and Pakistan responded immediately after the 26 November, 2008 Mumbai attack by Pak terrorists. In the days immediately after 10 Pakistani Lashkar e Taiba terrorists killed 166 people in Mumbai, a man pretending to be India's then External Affairs Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, called Asif Zardari, Pakistan's president, to warn it was about to launch a military response. President Zardari immediately contacted the country's military leadership and ordered its air force to be put on high alert to confront a possible Indian attack. He also mounted a diplomatic campaign to put pressure on India withdraw its "threat"(Nelson, 2011). Irrespective whether the revelation of WikiLeaks is right or wrong, one thing is sure; India and Pakistan came much closer for a war after the Mumbai terrorist attack and the international community is responsible for avoiding this war. United Nations has not shown many interests in preventing this war. In fact none of the UN officials have shown any interest in this issue. The disputes between India and Pakistan are widening gradually and international community is afraid of a possible war between these two nuclear powers in the near future. Even at the time of writing this paper 9on September 7 2011), televisions flash news show that more than 10 people were killed and around 50 people injured in Delhi because of a bomb blast suspected to be conducted by the Pak terrorists. It should be noted that in the five years alone, India suffered three or four major terrorist attacks from Pa kistan. All these terrorist attacks were happened because of the disputes over Kashmir. UN seems to be not learning lessons from past experiences. It should be noted that UN failed to prevent two Indo Pak wars and it is doing nothing to prevent a third possible war between these two Asian powers. The 2001 World Trade Centre attacks and the subsequent development of war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan is another example for the failure of UN. It should be not

Extra-Credit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Extra-Credit - Essay Example ls with information dissemination of the status of the water quality in the city as well as the different guiding rules in relation to water use and waste water management. This is of utmost importance since the most common issue being faced by the local government is the water contamination. Scientist and researchers in the city are constantly studying the flora and fauna of the water system. In addition, periodic water analyses are undertaken and posted on the city’s official online information site (Terre Haute Website). Based on the study undertaken regarding the effects of the metropolitan water use on the Wabash River through the quantitative analysis of fishes, it had been concluded that in 1998 there is relatively lower overall impact as compared to the 1983 data (Gammon 224). The City of Terre Haute Wastewater Utility is one of the most important establishments in Terre Haute with the main objective towards ecological and environmental preservation of the quality of the water ecosystem. The facility works through the wastewater treatment composed of collection, water treatment process and maintenance (Terre Haute

Positive Effects of Media on Our Society Essay Example for Free

Positive Effects of Media on Our Society Essay Today i am going to aware you about the positive effects of media on our society. Media has served as a boon to mankind. It has provided us with an exposure to the world outside our cozy homes. It has resulted in an exchange of views on a variety of subjects of a wide variety of people from all around the world, thereby leading to a global exchange of information and knowledge. Mass media has given each of us a platform to voice our opinions on all sorts of social and political issues and share information with one another. It has brought out easy ways of communication and provided us with easily accessible means to reach out to people in various parts of the world. Thanks to technological development, we have been able to obtain a platform that enables us to present ourselves to the rest of the world. The negative influences of media that are a result of an overexposure to it, are most often talked about. It is true to a certain extent that media has affected the society in a negative manner. But, undoubtedly, media has proved being a bliss. The media like television, radio and the Internet increase an overall awareness of the masses. They enhance the general knowledge by providing us with information from all over the world. News broadcast through different media helps us know about the day-to-day events in the world. News, tele-films and documentaries revolving around social issues increase a social awareness in children and develop their concern towards society. Newspapers, apart from updating us with the latest news and new information, also contribute to the enhancement of our vocabulary. Newspapers are the best beginners in developing reading habits in children. Through the print media, they provide the general public with a platform to give updates about their parts of the city, exchange their views over different issues that the society faces and share their thoughts on a larger scale. Media serve as the best means for a speedy spread of news about important incidents or events taking place. What has happened in the remotest corner of the world can reach us within minutes, thanks to media. The speed that technology has achieved is helpful in times of crisis when media is to be used for reporting news needing immediate attention. Research has revealed that media is responsible for influencing a major part of our daily life. Media contribute to a transformation in the cultural and social values of the masses. Media can bring about a change in the attitudes and  beliefs of the common man. The persuasive nature of the content presented over media influences the thoughts and behavior of the general public. Media has a direct impact over the lifestyle of society.

Proposal To Implement Supply Chain Management Program Essay -- SCM ERP

Project Proposal Sheet 1.0 Idea HANA KIMI CO. would like to adopt an online Supply Chain Management System (SCM) whereby the customers may buy company's products online via company's website and able to track the status of the order including the availability of the stocks by integrating the Online Sales System with the company's Inventory, Manufacturing and Production System. 2.0 Type of Project √ Revenue Generating √ Cost Savings 3.0 Type of System Horizontal: The implementation of the online SCM will involve the operational level only Vertical: The following functions will be integrated: * Manufacturing and Production System * Sales and Marketing System * Inventory System 4.0 Business Imperative To perfectly match the supply side activities of procurement, production planning, distribution planning, production allocation, warehouse planning, inventory planning and so forth with the demand side activities of incoming orders and forecasts so that all demands are met with the least cost and most convenience, and as the initial step for the implementation of Enterprise Resource System (ERP). 5.0 Benefits The online SCM system and ERP support various business strategies for competitive advantage over other companies, among others: Support business strategy, and provide E-Business benefits. 5.1 Support Business Strategy At the business level, this system helps the company to: • Reduce operating costs The system attempts to integrate business processes across departments onto a single enterprise-wide information system. The major benefits are improved coordination across functional departments and increased efficiencies of doing business. The immediate benefit from implementing ERP systems w... ...e shared among various business functions, thereby resulting in tremendous cost savings and increased efficiency. When making the implementation decision, management must considered fundamental issues such as the organization's readiness for a dramatic change, the degree of integration, key business processes to be implemented, e-business applications to be included, and whether or not new hardware need to be acquired. In order to increase the chance of user acceptance, employees must be consulted and be involved in all stages of the implementation process. Providing proper education and appropriate training are also two important strategies to increase the end user acceptance rate. The organization is also going through a drastic change, with changes in the way businesses are conducted, the organization being restructured, and job responsibilities being redefined.

Nursery Rhymes Essay

So here I am, really scared and nervous, but here’s a secret my mum told me, adults are just as anxious talking in public, the trick is to picture everyone in clown suits; my Apa’s red nose really suits her. Hmm, my speech is supposed to be humorous and as a 6 year old nothing is more hilarious as old nursery rhymes I mean can you really picture a huge egg perched on a wall, and why on earth did the king send his army to help humpty when maybe a chef would’ve done instead. Again, why on earth was the king involved? Then you get insy wincy, for being a spider he wasn’t a very bright spark. He firstly climbed up a water spout.. let’s see, cloudy day, water sprout..rain..light bulb..ting†¦but no, he goes and climbs up the spout. Again next time use the wall, he must have been a male, duh.. We pass the old age home every day on our way to school. I always feel sorry for these poor people; I mean how can people leave their mom’s there. But then I think about the old women who lived in a shoe.. Now that’s really sad, sure do hope it’s a really big shoe. Nursery rhymes are really silly, but if you can’t beat them join them. There’s my version: There was an old woman who lived in a shoe. The place was disgusting and smelled like pee-ewe! The windows were drafty. The roof was a leaker. But that’s what you get When you live in a sneaker. Humpty Dumpty sat in a tree. Humpty Dumpty got stung by a bee. He fell out and hit his head, and now he thinks his name is â€Å"Fred.† The tighty-whity spider went down the waterslide. Got a water wedgie halfway down the ride. Jumped up and screamed and ran around in pain. Now the tighty-whity spider will not do that again.

Teen Mom Evaluation

Rachel Lee Prof. Goode English 190 October 24, 2012 Teen Mom: An Evaluation Don’t worry, everything is going to be fine. You’re just going to have to change the rest of your life. Many people think teen pregnancy is highly unlikely, until, well, your stomach starts to keep growing outward. The MTV show, Teen Mom, takes us into the lives of four pregnant teenage women who face the challenges and the struggles of having a child early in life.Many people might oppose my view and say that this show is completely worthless and just shows couples who have no idea what they’re doing, but for me, I believe that the show is an entertaining yet positive influence that brings out a visual reality of teenage pregnancy, a pregnancy that can change the rest of your life. One day back when I was around sixteen years old, I was flipping through the channels and stumbled upon MTV’s Teen Mom. The first thing that I realize about the show is that it is a reality t. v. show, which is the type of show I can usually get into.There may be some parts that are scripted, but honestly what reality t. v. show these days isn’t somewhat a little scripted? At first, the show had no effect on me. It was something I would only watch for around ten minutes then I would change to another channel, but before I knew it I had already watched all the seasons of it. Now Teen Mom is a guilty pleasure of mine. So what makes this show so easy for me to watch, and why do I like it so much now? First off, it’s not a show where you have to watch the very first episode and the next one picks off where the pervious one left off.You could watch any episode and understand what was going on. Another reason is that the show is so relatable since it is happening to girls who are around my age. I think back to my group of friends when watching the show and just think about what it would be like to have one of them on it. Also, the point of the show is very straight-forward . A girl gets pregnant while she a teen, she loses friendships, she loses her education, she loses money, and she gains disappointment from her family. Then you try to see how she copes with what happened, and how she continues to live her life, but this time with a child.Another thing that draws me to it is that I am a sucker for cute toddlers, and the show focuses not only on the lives of the couples but also on the child and how they develop through the parents’ struggles. I believe that the show scares teens with the reality of having a child. I think this show could be very practical for people who are in the same situation as the people on the show. I think this show was made to bring about peoples’ awareness of the issue on teenage pregnancy. To me, I think this was the purpose of the show, so the show has practicality.I think the show does a good job of being aesthetically pleasing. Instead of just focusing on one couple who undergoes the struggle of teen pregn ancy, they show the lives of four couples from around the world so you get a difference sense of how different people deal with this. The couples range from being well rounded and proper southern teenagers to teenagers who have no filter on their mouths and no discipline in their lives, which is a reason the show is entertaining for me. Each episode is never the same.There is always some new event going on in the lives of these teenagers, whether it’s a positive event or a negative event. The life of these teens seems to be an up and down rollercoaster that never stops. There is meaning to this show which is to inform people about teenage pregnancy so they will avoid it, and through the episodes you see that these teens learned that lesson, but learned it too late. Ethically, I believe that the show does bring about morally wrong decisions. One of the main women, Amber, is seen as an abusive wife to her husband, Gary.Throughout the season she is seen hitting, slapping, pushin g, and verbally abusing him. When things go downhill, she seems to take it out on him in front of their child, Leah. Also another woman, Farrah is seen in countless fights with her mother, some involving punches to the face resulting in black eyes, so domestic violence and abuse seem to be an issue with the show. Also, another woman on the show has a father who is seen in and out of rehab and prison due to drugs. The father has also been said to have abused his wife throughout the show.With this being said, there are some obscene events that do go on throughout the show that could offend some viewers. If you’re looking for a show that goes into the glamorous lifestyle of a famous family or couple, this probably would not be the show for you, but if you’re looking for a show that provides an entertaining look into the lives of your average teenage couple who deal with an everyday struggle, I would highly recommend this show. Some people may see the show as a comedy, but underneath it all it gives them the hard and scary truth about what it would be like to be a teen mom. Related post: Social Studies SBA on Teenage Pregnancy

The Heir of the Ancient Celtic Artistic Tradition Essays

The Heir of the Ancient Celtic Artistic Tradition Essays The Heir of the Ancient Celtic Artistic Tradition Essay The Heir of the Ancient Celtic Artistic Tradition Essay Celtic art is a complex, unique and beautiful style. Through its history it has undergone many changes and yet remained a distinct and identifiable style. Celtic art underwent a number of changes like the adoption of a number of Roman motifs, which continued to be used during the Christian era, during the Roman occupation of the Celtic heartland. Celtic art was also greatly influenced by foreign artistic styles, including Germanic and Mediterranean art, and underwent a rapid shift, from symbolic to realistic, during the Celtic conversion to Christianity. This essay will argue that the illuminated manuscripts of the 8th-9th centuries CE are the heirs of ancient, pagan Celtic style; that despite all the changes and foreign influence that Celtic art experienced that the genius, ingenuity and resilience of the Celtic artists and his artistic traditions allowed Celtic art to remain a distinct identifiable style. Early Celtic is full of complex and beautiful abstract patterns and aimed to situate itself between the two extremes of realism and abstraction1. The La Tene style of the last four hundred years BCE is described by Ramsey MacMullen as showing a fondness for abstraction [ through] the reduction of faces to triangles or in the rendering of hair in straight lines [ ] or in the reduction of the joints of an animals legs to mere circles. The La Tene style also utilized a more fluid type of abstractism illustrated by the wild patterns of whorls, spirals and volutes2. One of the best examples of the La Tene style is the Petrie Crown. It shows almost no foreign influence3. Early Celtic art also had a tendency to reduce three dimensions to two; it had a tendency to flatness, to decorate line. Motifs were designed to fill space, not to narrate4. But, the fact that some motifs are repeated throughout Celtic art fosters the belief that there was a meaning behind the some of the images. Those repeated symbols could have had a communicative property. According to D. W. Harding Celtic art [would have ] conveyed a meaning, overtly or subconsciously, to those who were aware of its significance5. Until it was engulfed by Rome, the heartland of Celtic art was in the Souths of them include paterae or skillets. Some of these skillets are decorated with the names of Roman outposts and/ or designs thought to be of representative Hadrians Wall9. During the occupation of Rome Celtic artists also attempted to imitate classical forms. The Celts were largely unaware of the meanings behind the images they copied and most attempts resulted in a very unrefined rendering. This was due, according to Ian Finlay, because the poetic abstraction of early Celtic art was unable to co-exist with classical realism10. As Roman pressure increased in the South, a number of peoples moved North into Wales, Scotland and Ireland. There, they were able to preserve their artistic traditions; because only where the legions did not penetrate did the [Celtic] style survive in sufficient strength to continue developing11. This is especially true of Ireland. There the basis of the next evolution in Celtic art developed. In Ireland, Celtic artists continued working in a[n artistic] tradition long forgotten on the continent12. The dominance of Rome in Celtic lands was not absolute. With the Celts Rome encountered a resistance never met within [the other] countries that had known Romes military domination13. This sentiment is echoed by Judith Mederos. She states that the Celts had a stubborn capacity to outlast [ ] alien conquers and still emerge as a victorious and imaginative people14. While the culture brought by the Romans probably never greatly influenced more than the ruling and official classes15 it did have a profound impact on the art of the early Medieval Celts16.

Hundred Years War - Joan of Arc and Siege of Orlans

Hundred Years' War - Joan of Arc and Siege of Orlans Siege of Orlà ©ans: Dates Conflicts: The Siege of Orlà ©ans began October 12, 1428 and ended May 8, 1429, and took place during the Hundred Years War (1337-1453). Armies Commanders English Earl of ShrewsburyEarl of SalisburyDuke of SuffolkSir John Fastolfapprox. 5,000 men French Joan of ArcJean de DunoisGilles de RaisJean de Brosseapprox. 6,400-10,400 men Siege of Orlà ©ans - Background: In 1428, the English sought to assert Henry VIs claim to the French throne through the Treaty of Troyes. Already holding much of northern France with their Burgundian allies, 6,000 English soldiers landed at Calais under the leadership of the Earl of Salisbury. These were soon met by another 4,000 men drawn from Normandy by the Duke of Bedford. Advancing south, they succeeded in capturing Chartres and several other towns by late August. Occupying Janville, they next drove on the Loire Valley and took Meung on September 8. After moving downstream to take Beaugency, Salisbury dispatched troops to capture Jargeau. Siege of Orleans - the Siege Begins: Having isolated Orlà ©ans, Salisbury consolidated his forces, now numbering around 4,000 after leaving garrisons at his conquests, south of the city on October 12. While the city was located on the north side of the river, the English were initially confronted by defensive works on the south bank. These consisted of a barbican (fortified compound) and twin-towered gatehouse known as Les Tourelles. Directing their initial efforts against these two positions, they succeeded in driving out the French on October 23. Falling back across the nineteen-arch bridge, which they damaged, the French withdrew into the city. Occupying Les Tourelles and the nearby fortified convent of Les Augustins, the English began to dig in. The next day, Salisbury was mortally wounded when surveying French positions from Les Tourelles. He was replaced by the less aggressive Earl of Suffolk. With the weather changing, Suffolk pulled back from the city, leaving Sir William Glasdale and a small force to garrison Les Tourelles, and entered winter quarters. Concerned by this inactivity, Bedford dispatched the Earl of Shrewsbury and reinforcements to Orlà ©ans. Arriving in early December, Shrewsbury took command and moved troops back to the city. Siege of Orleans - the Siege Tightens: Shifting the bulk of his forces to the north bank, Shrewsbury built a large fortress around the Church of St. Laurent west of the city. Additional forts were built on the Ile de Charlemagne in the river and around the Church of St. Prive to the south. The English commander next constructed a series of three forts extending northeast and connected by a defensive ditch. Lacking sufficient men to fully surround the city, he established two forts east of Orlà ©ans, St. Loup and St. Jean le Blanc, with the goal of blocking supplies from entering the city. As the English line was porous, this was never fully achieved. Siege of Orleans - Reinforcements for Orlà ©ans the Burgundian Withdrawal: When the siege began, Orlà ©ans possessed only a small garrison, but this was augmented by militia companies that were formed to man the citys thirty-four towers. As the English lines never fully cut off the city, reinforcements began to trickle in and Jean de Dunois assumed control of the defense. Though Shrewsburys army was augmented by the arrival of 1,500 Burgundians during the winter, the English were soon outnumbered as the garrison swelled to around 7,000. In January, the French king, Charles VII assembled a relief force downstream at Blois. Led by the Count of Clermont, this army elected to attack an English supply train on February 12, 1429 and was routed at the Battle of the Herrings. Though the English siege was not tight, the situation in the city was becoming desperate as supplies were low. French fortunes began to change in February when Orlà ©ans applied to be put under the protection of the Duke of Burgundy. This caused a rift in the Anglo-Burgundian alliance, as Bedford, who was ruling as Henrys regent, refused this arrangement. Angered by Bedfords decision, the Burgundians withdrew from the siege further weakening the thin English lines. Siege of Orleans - Joan Arrives: As the intrigues with the Burgundians came to a head, Charles first met with the young Joan of Arc (Jeanne dArc) at his court in Chinon. Believing that she was following divine guidance, she asked Charles to allow her to lead relief forces to Orlà ©ans. Meeting with Joan on March 8, he sent her to Poitiers to be examined by clerics and Parliament. With their approval, she returned to Chinon in April where Charles agreed to let her lead a supply force to Orlà ©ans. Riding with the Duke of Alencon, her force moved along the south bank and crossed over at Chà ©cy where she met with Dunois. While Dunois mounted a divisionary attack, the supplies were barged into the city. After spending the night in Chà ©cy, Joan entered the city on April 29. Over the next few days, Joan assessed the situation while Dunois departed to Blois to bring up the main French army. This force arrived on May 4 and French units moved against the fort at St. Loup. Though intended as a diversion, the attack became a larger engagement and Joan rode out to join the fighting. Shrewsbury sought to relieve his beleaguered troops, but was blocked by Dunois and St. Loup was overrun. Siege of Orleans - Orlà ©ans Relieved: The next day, Shrewsbury began consolidating his position south of the Loire around the Les Tourelles complex and St. Jean le Blanc. On May 6, Jean sortied with a large force and crossed to the Ile-Aux-Toiles. Spotting this, the garrison at St. Jean le Blanc withdrew to Les Augustins. Pursuing the English, the French launched several assaults against the convent through the afternoon before finally taking it late in the day. Dunois succeeded in preventing Shrewsbury from sending aid by conducting raids against St. Laurent. His situation weakening, the English commander withdrew all of his forces from the south bank except for the garrison at Les Tourelles. On the morning of May 7, Joan and the other French commanders, such as La Hire, Alencon, Dunois, and Ponton de Xaintrailles gathered east of Les Tourelles. Moving forward, they began assaulting the barbican around 8:00 AM. Fighting raged through the day with the French unable to penetrate the English defenses. In the course of the action, Joan was wounded in the shoulder and forced to leave the battle. With casualties mounting, Dunois debated calling off the attack, but was convinced by Joan to press on. After praying privately, Joan rejoined the fighting. The appearance of her banner advancing spurred on the French troops who finally broke into the barbican. This action coincided with a fire barge burning the drawbridge between the barbican and Les Tourelles. English resistance in the barbican began to collapse and French militia from the city crossed the bridge and assaulted Les Tourelles from the north. By nightfall, the entire complex had been taken and Joan crossed the bridge to re-enter the city. Defeated on the south bank, the English formed their men for battle the next morning and emerged from their works northwest of the city. Assuming a formation similar to Crà ©cy, they invited the French to attack. Though the French marched out, Joan counseled against an attack. Aftermath: When it became apparent that the French would not attack, Shrewsbury began an orderly withdrawal toward Meung ending the siege. A key turning point in the Hundred Years War, the Siege of Orlà ©ans brought Joan of Arc to prominence. Seeking to maintain their momentum, the French embarked on the successful Loire Campaign which saw Joans forces drive the English from the region in a series of battles which culminated at Patay.

Should Gays be Allowed to Adopt Children Research Paper

Should Gays be Allowed to Adopt Children - Research Paper Example They study. They work, and pay their taxes just as the heterosexuals do. There is no distinct quality that a heterosexual has that one would find missing in either a gay man or a lesbian. Gays and lesbians exhibit all the qualities that society feels should be observed. Qualities such as responsibility, ability to love, and trustworthiness et cetera. These are the qualities one should look at when deciding who is capable and who is not capable to adopt a child (Brodzinsky 165). Looking at sexuality is the same as looking at a person’s religion or political affiliation in order to determine their ability to adopt. It is wrong. The public should accept that apart from their sexual orientation the gays and lesbians are equal in every way to heterosexuals. There is no reason to deny them their adoption rights. If, the society does deny them this right, it would blatantly be exhibiting discrimination to sexuality which would lead to a rise in discrimination (Jackson 84). This discr imination would be against race, religion, gender et cetera. These are the exact vices the society has been trying all along to eradicate. In the United States alone, as of today only few states permit full legal adoption by the gays and lesbians with also a few states totally making it illegal for them to adopt. The other states are in a gray area. This is because the issue of adoption gets handled by the state courts which give their rulings also based on the state laws and depending on the judges and clerks. Some judges are liberal and permit these kinds of adoption whereas others are conservative hence do not allow for such adoptions to take place. States that permit gay and lesbian adoptions include Indiana, New York, California, Maine, Illinois, Connecticut, Oregon and Arkansas. This adoption is illegal in states like Louisiana and Arkansas. Others like Utah allow for a single person to adopt. At the same time prohibiting adoption by people who are cohabiting i.e., not in a le gally binding marriage. Since it does not allow gay marriages, it is practically making gay adoption hard to be successful (Brodzinsky 177). The antagonists view to laws that permit gay and lesbian adoption has little basis of argument to their case. The group believes that a child would benefit more growing up with a father and mother figure both involved in their upbringing. The group goes ahead to claim to allow such adoptions to occur undermines the balanced way of child rearing. On the other hand, protagonists to this ideology believe that a child does not need a distinct male and female parent as their role models when growing up. They argue reiterate that what the child needs is love, care and compassion from both parents. Some studies have shown that a child who gets raised by gay and lesbian parents on issues that society cares about nowadays such as school performance, self-esteem, social adjustment et cetera seem to statistically indistinguishable from those children rais ed by married heterosexual couples (Brodzinsky 123). The protagonists argue that promotion of the set up of a nuclear family should be avoided. This is because the world today is changing. This fact should encourage society not to cling onto the traditional family models of the past. The ideology of a nuclear family with a married father and mother is no longer the sole acceptable alternative. The reason countries are beginning to award legal rights to such couples is because they

Child Abuse at School Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Child Abuse at School - Dissertation Example From this discussion it is clear that in everyday terms, people use the word punishment to describe negative consequences imposed on people when they misbehave. Often, the term has moral overtones, suggesting that those being punished 'deserve' that punishment because their actions violate a rule, law, or social expectation. But when it comes to behavior management, it has a somewhat narrow definition.This paper highlights that  teachers should understand the pros and cons about using punishment in the classroom, as schools frequently use the method as a tool to manage student behaviors. Since punishers affect different students in different ways, so one punisher my not be effective against all students and should be suited to a particular student’s temperament. There are times at which punishment tends to put a stop to problem behaviors and would seem a strong and desirable behavior management tool. But there is a price for everything.  Discussion has been going on, on th e topic of punishment for many years. Educators cannot find agreement as to the best way to discipline students in schools. Hundreds of articles were written and lectures delivered on this subject.  Most students cannot comprehend what action or lack of action on their part does bring punishment. They feel that the teacher’s mood at a particular moment brings about the punishment.   Another expert supports this general idea.