Monday, September 15, 2014
Saturday, March 15, 2014
When did America get so politically correct? It’s when we refuse to mock a group that we truly act like bullies
http://time.com
Would you make fun of a burn victim? Well, we did. Sort of …
We’re comics. In the most recent season of our TV show, in a sketch titled “Insult Comic,” a traditional stand-up comedian professes that he is “going to get everybody” in his set (the guy toward the front with big ears, the fat guy, the woman with comically large breasts). That’s the phrase, isn’t it, when a critic wants to praise a comedian for the fearless nature of his or her comedy? That he or she “gets everybody”? That “nobody is safe”? One of the club patrons in our sketch, however, is a wheelchair-bound burn victim. “You skipped me,” he calls from the audience, with a robotic-sounding artificial larynx. “Go for it,” he says, “I can take it.”
But can we, as a society, take it anymore?
Today it seems that we live in a world of extremes. On one end of the spectrum, we have anonymous Internet trolls looking for opportunities to dole out cruelty with impunity. But in mainstream culture, it often seems we’re drowning in a sea of political correctness that lapped up on our shores a couple of decades ago and has yet to recede.
It’s amazing to think how popular television shows like All in the Family and Good Times might fare today in a Hollywood pitch meeting. Films like Blazing Saddles and Silver Streak wouldn’t make it past the development stage at a studio. Too edgy.
Somewhere along the line, we’ve forgotten the true purpose of humor: to help people cope with the fears and horrors of the world.
Sure, sometimes at Key & Peele, we swim in the shallow waters of pratfalls, airplane observations and simple old-school punnery. But what we strive for–and what we think more people should strive for–is deeper: to make fun of everything.
It can be scary. We don’t want to lose our audience. Can we make them laugh at a sketch about slavery? Terrorism? The Holocaust?
At the same time, though, it’s our duty. To not make fun of something is, we believe, itself a form of bullying. When a humorist makes the conscious decision to exclude a group from derision, isn’t he or she implying that the members of that group are not capable of self-reflection? Or don’t possess the mental faculties to recognize the nuances of satire? A group that’s excluded never gets the opportunity to join in the greater human conversation.
Luckily, a lot of people get this–at least when it comes to their own cultures. Like the burn victim in our sketch, they plead, “You skipped me! Do me!”
There was the half-Hispanic, half–Native American man who told Keegan recently just how much gold there was to be mined from his hybrid culture. A young Arab man told us how much he loves Karim and Jahar (a couple of sexually repressed Arab characters we play). “You gotta do more of them!” he begged. Gay and lesbian couples tell us to “keep going … There’s plenty to make fun of … Trust us!”
Where a lot of people get nervous, however, is when it comes to laughing at other people’s culture or perceived weaknesses. That’s when we worry that we’re being insensitive–that we’re being mean.
But ask yourself again what’s worse: making fun of people or assuming that they’re too weak to take it?
The white whale of comedy is still out there. The day we can make fun of a black lesbian dwarf with Down syndrome who’s in a wheelchair, and someone who isn’t a black lesbian dwarf with Down syndrome is able to laugh–instead of trying to protect the dwarf’s feelings–we can pack up our artificial larynxes and retire.
Key and Peele are the creators of their namesake television sketch-comedy show on Comedy Central
Would you make fun of a burn victim? Well, we did. Sort of …
We’re comics. In the most recent season of our TV show, in a sketch titled “Insult Comic,” a traditional stand-up comedian professes that he is “going to get everybody” in his set (the guy toward the front with big ears, the fat guy, the woman with comically large breasts). That’s the phrase, isn’t it, when a critic wants to praise a comedian for the fearless nature of his or her comedy? That he or she “gets everybody”? That “nobody is safe”? One of the club patrons in our sketch, however, is a wheelchair-bound burn victim. “You skipped me,” he calls from the audience, with a robotic-sounding artificial larynx. “Go for it,” he says, “I can take it.”
But can we, as a society, take it anymore?
Today it seems that we live in a world of extremes. On one end of the spectrum, we have anonymous Internet trolls looking for opportunities to dole out cruelty with impunity. But in mainstream culture, it often seems we’re drowning in a sea of political correctness that lapped up on our shores a couple of decades ago and has yet to recede.
It’s amazing to think how popular television shows like All in the Family and Good Times might fare today in a Hollywood pitch meeting. Films like Blazing Saddles and Silver Streak wouldn’t make it past the development stage at a studio. Too edgy.
Somewhere along the line, we’ve forgotten the true purpose of humor: to help people cope with the fears and horrors of the world.
Sure, sometimes at Key & Peele, we swim in the shallow waters of pratfalls, airplane observations and simple old-school punnery. But what we strive for–and what we think more people should strive for–is deeper: to make fun of everything.
It can be scary. We don’t want to lose our audience. Can we make them laugh at a sketch about slavery? Terrorism? The Holocaust?
At the same time, though, it’s our duty. To not make fun of something is, we believe, itself a form of bullying. When a humorist makes the conscious decision to exclude a group from derision, isn’t he or she implying that the members of that group are not capable of self-reflection? Or don’t possess the mental faculties to recognize the nuances of satire? A group that’s excluded never gets the opportunity to join in the greater human conversation.
Luckily, a lot of people get this–at least when it comes to their own cultures. Like the burn victim in our sketch, they plead, “You skipped me! Do me!”
There was the half-Hispanic, half–Native American man who told Keegan recently just how much gold there was to be mined from his hybrid culture. A young Arab man told us how much he loves Karim and Jahar (a couple of sexually repressed Arab characters we play). “You gotta do more of them!” he begged. Gay and lesbian couples tell us to “keep going … There’s plenty to make fun of … Trust us!”
Where a lot of people get nervous, however, is when it comes to laughing at other people’s culture or perceived weaknesses. That’s when we worry that we’re being insensitive–that we’re being mean.
But ask yourself again what’s worse: making fun of people or assuming that they’re too weak to take it?
The white whale of comedy is still out there. The day we can make fun of a black lesbian dwarf with Down syndrome who’s in a wheelchair, and someone who isn’t a black lesbian dwarf with Down syndrome is able to laugh–instead of trying to protect the dwarf’s feelings–we can pack up our artificial larynxes and retire.
Key and Peele are the creators of their namesake television sketch-comedy show on Comedy Central
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Why Bilinguals are Smarter
Why Bilinguals are Smarter
http://www.howlifeworks.com/lifestyle/Why_Being_Bilingual_Can_Actually_Make_You_Smarter_229
What if you were told there was a way you may avoid dementia,
strengthen your cognitive skills, and heighten your intelligence, and
all you had to do was learn another language?It probably sounds great, because if you’re like most you would love to be able to speak a second language. But then, you recall your experience in high school foreign language – boring rote memorization and long hours with little progress – and perhaps it doesn’t sound so good any more.
But, what if you were told it would take only 10 days to be on your way to becoming bilingual? Most people recognize the many benefits of learning a foreign language: You can travel to foreign countries and feel comfortable, be a more productive and enticing employee in today’s competitive job market, and immerse yourself in the vast cultures that surround you.
But now, the collective evidence from a number of recent studies suggests that the bilingual experience improves the brain’s so-called executive function — a command system that directs the attention processes that we use for planning, solving problems, and performing various other mentally demanding tasks.*
These processes include the ability to ignore distractions to stay focused, switching attention willfully from one thing to another, and holding information in the mind — like remembering a sequence of directions while driving.
Even better, new approaches to learning mean you can learn a new language without the endless repetition, homework, and memorization. One of the most powerful, The Pimsleur Approach, actually trains people to start speaking a new language in as little as 10 days! In fact, it’s so powerful, even the FBI has purchased it!
What is the Pimsleur Approach?
The Pimsleur Approach aims each lesson at teaching you to use the core vocabulary of the language, so you can speak the most in the least amount of time. It's not how many words you know, but rather, which words you can use.
Each Pimsleur Approach lesson has been scientifically sequenced to rapidly lock language material into your brain after just one listen. Let the audio guide you; the program is based on what language learning should be: Quick, fun, and easy. You'll absorb your new language without any reading, writing, or computer use.
The Pimsleur Approach has a 100 percent guarantee: Speak in 10 days or you don't pay.
And, if that doesn’t tempt you, the benefits to learning a new language just keep adding up. In addition to keeping your mind sharp and your reflexes quick, it also may ward off the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
For those looking to get smarter in just 10 days, the company is offering new customers a special offer of half off the language of your choice including free shipping. The programs (which normally cost $29.95) are now available for just $9.95.
Better yet, they are also offering a full 30-day money-back guarantee (so, if you find you are not learning as fast as you want, simply return it for a full refund).
Click here to take advantage of this special offer and start speaking in 10 days. You’ll be smarter for it!
How You Can Start Speaking a New Language in 10 Days
How You Can Start Speaking a New Language in 10 Days
http://www.howlifeworks.com/lifestyle/How_You_Can_Learn_a_Language_in_only_10_Days_283
Most people recognize the many benefits of speaking a foreign
language: You can travel to foreign countries and feel comfortable, be a
more productive and enticing employee in today’s competitive job
market, and immerse yourself in the vast cultures that surround you.
Scientific studies have even shown that learning a new language helps to
keep memories sharp and naturally enhances overall brain function.But did you know that you can speak a new language in as little as 10 days? The Pimsleur Approach to speaking new languages helps users pick up new languages quickly. Even the FBI has purchased the Pimsleur Approach.”
Your brain is already wired to start speaking a language in 10 days. You just need to activate it.
Dr. Pimsleur, a Ph.D. and specialist in the field of applied linguistics, devoted his life and career to learning languages and understanding the psychology of language acquisition. He recognized through extensive research that effective communication in any language depends on mastery of a relatively limited number of words. And, trying to learn too many words at first can actually slow the language retention process. However, once this “core vocabulary” is mastered and used consistently, it provides a framework for accelerated language learning. The Pimsleur Approach aims each lesson at teaching you to use the core vocabulary of the language, so you can speak the most in the least amount of time. It's not how many words you know, but rather, which words you can use.
Each Pimsleur Approach lesson has been scientifically sequenced to rapidly lock language material into your brain after just one listen. Just sit back, listen, and start wiring your brain to pick up a new language today.
The Pimsleur Language Programs
The entire Pimsleur Approach is what language learning should be: quick, fun and easy. You'll absorb your new language without any reading, writing or computer use. The Pimsleur Approach has a 100 percent guarantee: Amaze yourself in 10 days or you don’t pay!
Who is Dr. Pimsleur?
Dr. Pimsleur was a language educator for more than 20 years. He noticed that children have an amazing ability to learn new languages quickly. He spent his life developing this course to let you, as an adult, speak a new language as easily as a child would. You might not realize it, but you've already learned one language using the Pimsleur Approach. Your first language.
Best Pimsleur Offer Ever! Incredible Value
The company is currently offering new customers a special offer of half off the language of your choice including free shipping.
The programs is now available for just $9.95. Better yet, they are also offering a full 30-day money-back guarantee (so if you find you are not speaking as fast as you want, simply return it for a full refund).
Click here to take advantage of this special offer and start speaking in 10 days. They guarantee it!
To Save Big, Nix the Lunch Breaks with Co-Workers
To Save Big, Nix the Lunch Breaks with Co-Workers
You probably know the scenario. The office clock says noon and the guys and gals decide where to go for lunch. In many towns, the drive time to a restaurant eats up most of the lunch hour, not to mention the gas.
It's hard to find lunch for less than ten bucks plus tip. You gobble down your food, share a few laughs with your co-workers and rush back to the office wishing you had time for a nap.
As you walk to your desk, you notice this guy putting away his brown bag. He appears calm, happy and ready to get back to work, some of which he did while eating his lunch. He's thinking how delicious it was, how much money he saved and the hassle avoided.
Is it worth it to prepare and bring your lunch to work each day? Well, looking at some basic examples let's say the cost to fix your own lunch costs about $3 a day. It's probably much cheaper.
That's $15 for a five day week. Eating out at approximately $10 a day comes to $50 for the week. You saved at least $35 not including drive time and gas. That's more than $1,800 a year saved. Interested?
Here are some brown bag tips. Prepare it the night before so you're not rushed in the morning. Keep it simple but be creative and think healthy. Sandwiches on wholesome bread are fine but include nuts, fruit or yogurt. Also, put in a little treat for yourself that you can look forward to, perhaps a health bar or your favorite cookie.
Plan ahead and buy in bulk with lunches in mind. Buy large chips and put them in smaller plastic bags instead of buying small individual bags. Don't pay more for convenience.
Cook a big dinner and save some for lunch the next day or the entire week. If it's home cooked you know it's good, healthy and cleaner. Put it in individual containers that night so you can grab and go in the morning.
If you're running late there's nothing wrong with occasionally taking a can of soup or vegetable chili. Most offices have ovens or microwaves you can use for heating.
Bring your drink too. You can probably get a 12-pack of soda for $2.99 and that comes to about 25 cents a can. Compare that with expensive vending machine drinks or coffee and you've saved even more.
It's up to you of course, but you can continue to work while you eat, catch up on your emails or other relaxing reading. It just might impress the boss and if you have to take off early, you don't feel as guilty. Don't be surprised if others ask you for tips on brown bagging.
There's a lot to be said for brown bagging your lunch. You eat better, save time, money and you're more productive. Now all you have to do is figure out where to invest all that money you saved.
Jony Ive Named One Of Time's 100 Most Influential People
Sir Jonathan “Jony” Ive has been named one of Time’s “100 most influential people in the world.”
The list features profiles of figures as diverse as Jay Z, Kate Middleton, and President Barack Obama. Time’s entry on Jony Ive was penned by U2′s Bono, who has collaborated with Apple numerous times over the years and is even said to have inspired the “Artists” tab’s silhouette image in the iOS Music app.
Bono writes of Ive:
Jony Ive is himself classic Apple. Brushed steel, polished glass hardware, complicated software honed to simplicity. His genius is not just his ability to see what others cannot but also how he applies it. To watch him with his workmates in the holy of holies, Apple’s design lab, or on a night out is to observe a very rare esprit de corps. They love their boss, and he loves them.For the full entry on Ive, along with profiles of the 99 other influential people hand picked by Time, click this link.
Our most recent articles on Apple’s Jony Ive include: Jony Ive Leaves His Mark As Skeuomorphism Concept Vanishes From One App, Jony Ive: Apple’s Attention To Detail Extends To The Naming Of New Products, and Apple’s Tim Cook Discusses Jony Ive, Apple’s Future And Even Prozac At Conference.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Blogger: Using Video on Your Blog
http://desktopvideo.about.com/od/videoonyourwebsite/p/Blogger-Using-Video-On-Your-Blog.htm
Blogger is a helpful blogging tool powered by Google. If you already have a Gmail account, chances are you've spotted blogger in the toolbar before, and, you won't even need to make a new account to get started. Simply log in with your existing Gmail account to start publishing.
Blogger is a helpful blogging tool powered by Google. If you already have a Gmail account, chances are you've spotted blogger in the toolbar before, and, you won't even need to make a new account to get started. Simply log in with your existing Gmail account to start publishing.
File Formats and Sizes:
Blogger
isn't upfront about the file formats it supports, or the file size
limits it allows for video uploads. While this helps to keep the user
interface friendly and simple, from a video maker's perspective, this is
information you need to know. After a bit of testing, It seems that
Blogger tops out at 100 MB, so don't try uploading video files any
larger than this. In addition, Blogger accepts all of the common video
formats like .mp4, .wmv, and .mov. Last but certainly not least, Blogger
doesn't monitor its users' usage at this time, so you can upload as
many videos as you want. This differs from sites like Tumblr, Blog.com,
Jux, Wordpress, and Weebly, which have storage limits.
Preparing to Upload Your Video:
To
prepare your video to be posted to Blogger, you'll need to compress it
so that you achieve the highest quality with the smallest file size
possible. I recommend using the H.264
codec with your original file format, and if the file is still too big,
switching file formats to .mp4. In addition, if you shot your video in
full HD, you can lower your file size by changing the aspect ratio to
1280 x 720. If you've already posted the video to another video hosting
site, you can skip these steps and embed the video directly into
Blogger, which I'll talk about later.
Posting Video with Blogger:
To
post your video to Blogger, simply log in to your Google account and
hit the 'post' button, which looks like an orange marker. Blogger's user
interface consists of actual pages, so the screen in front of you will
resemble a blank word document. Go to the icon that looks like a
clapboard to post your first video.
There are several options for putting video on your Blogger site. The file format and size specifications I mentioned above are only relevant if you choose to upload a video directly from your hard drive to the Blogger site. Doing so will mean that Blogger, or Google, is hosting your video, or storing it on their servers.
If you've already posted a video to YouTube, you can post the video to Blogger by embedding it on your blog. In the 'Select a File' dialogue, Blogger includes a search bar that lets you search YouTube for your desired video, and also has a personalized section of all the videos you've posted to YouTube using your linked account. Blogger doesn't support Vimeo at this time, so using an embed code on your Blogger page will only display a link rather than a video player.
Once you're satisfied with your Blogger page, simply click 'Publish', and the video will appear on your site within the format of your Blogger theme.
There are several options for putting video on your Blogger site. The file format and size specifications I mentioned above are only relevant if you choose to upload a video directly from your hard drive to the Blogger site. Doing so will mean that Blogger, or Google, is hosting your video, or storing it on their servers.
If you've already posted a video to YouTube, you can post the video to Blogger by embedding it on your blog. In the 'Select a File' dialogue, Blogger includes a search bar that lets you search YouTube for your desired video, and also has a personalized section of all the videos you've posted to YouTube using your linked account. Blogger doesn't support Vimeo at this time, so using an embed code on your Blogger page will only display a link rather than a video player.
Once you're satisfied with your Blogger page, simply click 'Publish', and the video will appear on your site within the format of your Blogger theme.
Posting Videos With Android and iPhone:
By
downloading the Google+ app for your Android of iPhone, you can post
videos from your mobile device to your blog. When you're in the G+ app,
you'll need to enable "Instant Upload". This will make it so that every
time you take video on your cell phone, it will be uploaded to a queue
that you can then see through the "Upload" dialogue on the Blogger site.
All of your videos in the queue are private, and chooses to publish
them on your blog will make them public.
Blogger offers a simple layout and flexible settings for posting video. If you're already a Google or YouTube user, Blogger will be well-suited to your needs.
Blogger offers a simple layout and flexible settings for posting video. If you're already a Google or YouTube user, Blogger will be well-suited to your needs.
Apps for children in 2014: looking for the mobile generation
Use of tablets among five to 15-year-olds in the UK tripled between 2012 and 2013, but they’re just getting started
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/mar/10/apps-children-2014-mobile-generation
The idea of tablets as devices for children didn’t come from the manufacturers: it came from parents. Apple’s first iPad in 2010, and the first wave of Android tablets that followed, were aimed at adults.
Hand your powerful multimedia computing device with its breakable touchscreen over to a jammy-fingered toddler? Not likely. And yet that’s what parents proceeded to do in their millions, creating a strong demand for children’s apps in the process.
Fast forward to the start of 2014, and that kid-apps market is bustling, with established children’s brands and fledgling startups alike competing to offer educational, creative and/or playful apps for children of all ages.
We’ve also seen dedicated children’s tablets from manufacturers including Samsung, Kurio and LeapFrog, with others – notably Amazon’s Kindle Fire range and Tesco’s Hudl – benefiting from a clear appeal to parents, even if they’re still pitched as general-purpose devices.
The children’s apps market has also seen its fair share of controversy and debate, too. There is concern about the rise of “free-to-play” games, with some high-profile cases of children spending four-figure sums on virtual items without their parents’ permission – even if these often involve games that aren’t intended for children.
There has been debate about privacy – what information developers could and should collect from children’s apps, even if their intention is simply to use the data to improve their products – and most recently an outlandish online hoax about one of the most popular children’s apps, Talking Angela being a front for paedophiles.
On a more serious note, schools around the world, from independent colleges in the UK to Indian village schools, are getting to grips with tablets and apps as educational tools, encouraged by a mixture of technology companies, governments, charities and individuals.
In the UK, the shifts in children’s media usage are already becoming clear. Communications regulator Ofcom reported last October that the use of tablets among 5-15 year-olds had tripled from 14% in 2012 to 42% halfway through 2013. It also found 28% of 3-4 year-olds using a tablet at home.
This is causing concern in some quarters, particularly among parents, teachers and publishers who worry about the possible impact on reading. A survey of 2,000 British children and parents in June 2013 suggested that the percentage of children reading books for pleasure dropped by eight points between 2012 and 2013, as use of app and games rose, for example.
Perhaps it will be increasingly relevant to ask questions about whether children are reading something for pleasure rather than “books” – there are plenty of storybook apps designed to encourage a love of reading, for example. Other apps, with Minecraft being the most prominent example, are stimulating other kinds of creative skills for kids.
Top children’s app developers have pushed back at suggestions that apps are replacing physical toys and books, or indeed parents. “People are very concerned about the idea of an iPad as a device that becomes a full-time babysitter for their kids. Well, not if you don’t use it like that!” Bjorn Jeffery, CEO of Toca Boca, told The Guardian last year.
“As an app developer, our intention is never to replace the parent, and I’ve never met a developer who tries to replace physical play with digital toys. The two aren’t mutually exclusive, and they can even be combined.”
There are hundreds of developers making apps for kids, as well as the biggest brands in children’s entertainment – from Mattel and Disney to Moshi Monsters, CBeebies and Nickelodeon. But companies big and small can find it tough to make money from children’s apps. That’s because many parents prefer to download free apps, yet don’t trust those with advertising or in-app purchases.
“The tough thing is that a lot of people expect everything for nothing, or at least for very little. At the moment, it’s hard to say that the price these apps are commanding is a reflection for the effort, expertise and thought that goes into them,” Kate Wilson, managing director of publisher Nosy Crow, told The Guardian earlier this year.
That’s a challenge that remains to be solved in 2014, although as more parents buy tablets – to share within the family or specifically for their children – so it may become easier for developers of the best apps to find their audiences.
Why is that important? Because what children read, play and create with is important, whether physical or digital. Apps are no different to books and toys in that regard: the more people discover the good ones, the better. Not to mention the fact that some industry observers think today’s apps are sparking something even bigger for the future.
“It’s such an interesting time: you’re seeing the great transition as kids move from laptops and fixed devices to mobile. It’s one of the biggest transitions you are going to see probably over the next 20 years,” SuperAwesome CEO Dylan Collins told The Guardian last year.
“They’re growing up with devices and internet connectivity that we never had, but the notion that they are going to fold into the same old patterns is a mistake. They are going to create their own new patterns, and the old content, information and media companies are completely unprepared for this.”
• Now read: 30 best Android apps for kids in 2014
• Now read: 30 best iPhone and iPad apps for kids in 2014
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/mar/10/apps-children-2014-mobile-generation
The idea of tablets as devices for children didn’t come from the manufacturers: it came from parents. Apple’s first iPad in 2010, and the first wave of Android tablets that followed, were aimed at adults.
Hand your powerful multimedia computing device with its breakable touchscreen over to a jammy-fingered toddler? Not likely. And yet that’s what parents proceeded to do in their millions, creating a strong demand for children’s apps in the process.
Fast forward to the start of 2014, and that kid-apps market is bustling, with established children’s brands and fledgling startups alike competing to offer educational, creative and/or playful apps for children of all ages.
We’ve also seen dedicated children’s tablets from manufacturers including Samsung, Kurio and LeapFrog, with others – notably Amazon’s Kindle Fire range and Tesco’s Hudl – benefiting from a clear appeal to parents, even if they’re still pitched as general-purpose devices.
The children’s apps market has also seen its fair share of controversy and debate, too. There is concern about the rise of “free-to-play” games, with some high-profile cases of children spending four-figure sums on virtual items without their parents’ permission – even if these often involve games that aren’t intended for children.
There has been debate about privacy – what information developers could and should collect from children’s apps, even if their intention is simply to use the data to improve their products – and most recently an outlandish online hoax about one of the most popular children’s apps, Talking Angela being a front for paedophiles.
On a more serious note, schools around the world, from independent colleges in the UK to Indian village schools, are getting to grips with tablets and apps as educational tools, encouraged by a mixture of technology companies, governments, charities and individuals.
In the UK, the shifts in children’s media usage are already becoming clear. Communications regulator Ofcom reported last October that the use of tablets among 5-15 year-olds had tripled from 14% in 2012 to 42% halfway through 2013. It also found 28% of 3-4 year-olds using a tablet at home.
This is causing concern in some quarters, particularly among parents, teachers and publishers who worry about the possible impact on reading. A survey of 2,000 British children and parents in June 2013 suggested that the percentage of children reading books for pleasure dropped by eight points between 2012 and 2013, as use of app and games rose, for example.
Perhaps it will be increasingly relevant to ask questions about whether children are reading something for pleasure rather than “books” – there are plenty of storybook apps designed to encourage a love of reading, for example. Other apps, with Minecraft being the most prominent example, are stimulating other kinds of creative skills for kids.
Top children’s app developers have pushed back at suggestions that apps are replacing physical toys and books, or indeed parents. “People are very concerned about the idea of an iPad as a device that becomes a full-time babysitter for their kids. Well, not if you don’t use it like that!” Bjorn Jeffery, CEO of Toca Boca, told The Guardian last year.
“As an app developer, our intention is never to replace the parent, and I’ve never met a developer who tries to replace physical play with digital toys. The two aren’t mutually exclusive, and they can even be combined.”
There are hundreds of developers making apps for kids, as well as the biggest brands in children’s entertainment – from Mattel and Disney to Moshi Monsters, CBeebies and Nickelodeon. But companies big and small can find it tough to make money from children’s apps. That’s because many parents prefer to download free apps, yet don’t trust those with advertising or in-app purchases.
“The tough thing is that a lot of people expect everything for nothing, or at least for very little. At the moment, it’s hard to say that the price these apps are commanding is a reflection for the effort, expertise and thought that goes into them,” Kate Wilson, managing director of publisher Nosy Crow, told The Guardian earlier this year.
That’s a challenge that remains to be solved in 2014, although as more parents buy tablets – to share within the family or specifically for their children – so it may become easier for developers of the best apps to find their audiences.
Why is that important? Because what children read, play and create with is important, whether physical or digital. Apps are no different to books and toys in that regard: the more people discover the good ones, the better. Not to mention the fact that some industry observers think today’s apps are sparking something even bigger for the future.
“It’s such an interesting time: you’re seeing the great transition as kids move from laptops and fixed devices to mobile. It’s one of the biggest transitions you are going to see probably over the next 20 years,” SuperAwesome CEO Dylan Collins told The Guardian last year.
“They’re growing up with devices and internet connectivity that we never had, but the notion that they are going to fold into the same old patterns is a mistake. They are going to create their own new patterns, and the old content, information and media companies are completely unprepared for this.”
• Now read: 30 best Android apps for kids in 2014
• Now read: 30 best iPhone and iPad apps for kids in 2014
Taliban threaten to attack Afghan presidential elections
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/10/taliban-threaten-attack-afghan-presidential-elections
The Taliban have threatened to attack Afghanistan's crucial presidential election next month, warning that anyone who goes near "electoral offices, voting booths, rallies and campaigns" is putting their life in danger.
Afghanistan is preparing for a poll that if successful will prepare the way for the country's first ever peaceful, democratic transfer of power. Security and fraud are seen as the two largest, and interconnected threats.
Some of the worst vote-rigging in the 2009 poll occurred in "ghost" polling stations, vote centres that were opened in violent areas where few or no locals were willing to risk defying the Taliban to cast a genuine vote but hundreds of ballots were registered.
The Taliban had earlier called the election a waste of time, but the English-language statement posted on Monday was more explicit in threatening violence against anyone associated with it.
"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan encourages all its countrymen to avoid becoming victims of the enemy conspiracies in the upcoming elections process; reject it wholly and do not put yourselves in danger," the statement said. "If anyone still persists on participating then they are solely responsible of any loss in the future."
There have already been several attacks against election workers. Last year, insurgent gunmen in northern Kunduz province assassinated the provincial head of the Independent Election Commission, the government body organising the logistics of the vote.
More recently, in western Herat province two men from the team of the leading candidate Abdullah Abdullah were gunned down the day before campaigning officially began, although that attack was not claimed by insurgents.
Repeating earlier allegations that the election is a rigged sham, the Taliban said the vote would continue US dominance of the country, even after foreign troops left, by selecting a head of state who was in effect a puppet.
"It [the US] will install a head of state who appears to be an Afghan but will have American mentality, vision, deeds, creed and ideals while openly being in conflict with the clear teachings of the sacred religion of Islam," the statement said.
The US has strenuously denied any meddling in this election, although the former defence secretary Robert Gates in his memoirs described efforts in 2009 to ensure Karzai was defeated, manoeuvring he described as a "clumsy and failed putsch".
The Taliban have threatened to attack Afghanistan's crucial presidential election next month, warning that anyone who goes near "electoral offices, voting booths, rallies and campaigns" is putting their life in danger.
Afghanistan is preparing for a poll that if successful will prepare the way for the country's first ever peaceful, democratic transfer of power. Security and fraud are seen as the two largest, and interconnected threats.
Some of the worst vote-rigging in the 2009 poll occurred in "ghost" polling stations, vote centres that were opened in violent areas where few or no locals were willing to risk defying the Taliban to cast a genuine vote but hundreds of ballots were registered.
The Taliban had earlier called the election a waste of time, but the English-language statement posted on Monday was more explicit in threatening violence against anyone associated with it.
"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan encourages all its countrymen to avoid becoming victims of the enemy conspiracies in the upcoming elections process; reject it wholly and do not put yourselves in danger," the statement said. "If anyone still persists on participating then they are solely responsible of any loss in the future."
There have already been several attacks against election workers. Last year, insurgent gunmen in northern Kunduz province assassinated the provincial head of the Independent Election Commission, the government body organising the logistics of the vote.
More recently, in western Herat province two men from the team of the leading candidate Abdullah Abdullah were gunned down the day before campaigning officially began, although that attack was not claimed by insurgents.
Repeating earlier allegations that the election is a rigged sham, the Taliban said the vote would continue US dominance of the country, even after foreign troops left, by selecting a head of state who was in effect a puppet.
"It [the US] will install a head of state who appears to be an Afghan but will have American mentality, vision, deeds, creed and ideals while openly being in conflict with the clear teachings of the sacred religion of Islam," the statement said.
The US has strenuously denied any meddling in this election, although the former defence secretary Robert Gates in his memoirs described efforts in 2009 to ensure Karzai was defeated, manoeuvring he described as a "clumsy and failed putsch".
The Pentagon’s Battle Against Sexual Assault Rages On
The Senate will vote on a scaled-back military reform measure after Sen. Gillibrand's bid fell short of the 60 votes it needed to beat a filibuster
http://time.com/17536/pentagon-military-sexual-assault/
The Pentagon kept running into bad sexual-assault news last week: the Army’s top sex-crimes prosecutor was suspended from his post following a female subordinate’s claim that Lieut. Colonel Joseph Morse groped her at a sexual-assault conference. Army Brigadier General Jeffrey Sinclair pleaded guilty to adultery and possessing pornography on the eve of his trial on sexual-assault charges. Army Sergeant First Class Michael McClendon pleaded guilty in a case accusing him of videotaping female West Point cadets in showers and locker rooms, and was sentenced to 33 months imprisonment.But none of this seemed to matter across the Potomac River. On Thursday, the Senate derailed a push to reform military justice by stripping commanders of the responsibility for prosecuting sexual assaults and other crimes, and giving it to military lawyers to prosecute. On Monday, the Senate is expected to pass milder reforms.
So what gives? Opponents of last week’s proposal — including the Pentagon and powerful members of the Armed Services Committee — said the change, championed by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a New York Democrat, would take too much clout away from commanders in their never-ending effort to promote good order and discipline in their ranks. “Too many of the members of the Senate have turned their back on these victims and survivors,” she said after the vote. She has pledged to try again, perhaps next year after the midterm elections change the Senate’s makeup.
The Senate is expected to approve lesser changes — among them making retaliation against an alleged victim a criminal act and barring commanders from reversing jury convictions — involving sexual assaults in the military. Senator Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat, led the charge for the Victims Protection Act with backing from Democratic Michigan Senator Carl Levin, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, and the Pentagon brass. “This debate has been about one thing: getting the policy right to best protect and empower victims, and boost prosecutions of predators,” McCaskill said. “I believe we’re on the cusp of achieving that goal.”
But it’s worth noting that Gillibrand’s Military Justice Improvement Act lost while garnering 55 Senate votes (including 17 of 20 female Senators) — a majority. That’s because it needed 60 votes to thwart a filibuster. “The American people know that a majority of 100 is 51,” says Eugene Fidell, a lecturer on military law at Yale Law School and former president of the National Institute of Military Justice. He argues that the Pentagon and key lawmakers opposed Gillibrand’s measure because it called for wholesale change in the Pentagon’s legal system, not just those pertaining to sexual assaults. “The military wasn’t worked up when this was about sexual assault,” he says. “The military only got worked up when it was about the role of command.”
One female Army veteran doesn’t think taking decisions whether or not to prosecute from the chain of command is necessarily the answer. “The controversy over sexual assault in the Army will not go away, to my chagrin and those of my fellow soldiers,” says Elspeth Ritchie, who left the service in 2010 as a colonel after 24 years in uniform. “However, the problem will not be solved simply by changing the decision on who prosecutes.” Ritchie, a psychiatrist, believes there is no one-size-fits-all answer. “If we look at sexual assault as an occupational hazard, we see that different strategies are needed for prevention in the varying scenarios.” Alcohol consumption is often a trigger and needs to be curbed, she says. And predators in the ranks need to be rooted out while keeping young soldiers out of situations where predators can strike.
Last year, the Pentagon reported a 35% jump from 2010 to 2012 in reported sexual assaults. Using anonymous surveys, the department estimated that the total number of “unwanted sexual contacts” had risen from 19,300 in 2010 to 26,000 two years later. The persistence of sexual abuse in the U.S. military is a stain that decades of effort have failed to stop or even reduce. It’s a problem that crops up time and again, often unexpectedly, when skimming Pentagon reports.
In 2010, for example, a special Defense Department task force completed a yearlong study into the causes of suicide among members of the military. It dedicated its efforts to those who had killed themselves, and offered several vignettes of what led them to take their lives. One told the tale of an unnamed Army private, the daughter of an Army chaplain:
During her initial advanced individual training, she was raped by a fellow soldier. She told her father that she was afraid to tell anyone about the sexual assault for fear that she would be “judged.” She graduated from training and was transferred to another installation for her first duty assignment. A month after arriving, she was deployed to Iraq … Seven days before she died, a female friend (also a sexual-assault victim) died by suicide in Iraq. The Private did not leave a suicide note, but her journal was discovered lying open to an entry describing the torment, pain and impact of her rape. She died by gunshot wound in Baghdad, Iraq.
Study: Syria’s Children Suffering ‘Barbaric’ Lack Of Medical Care
A new report by Save the Children New warns that children in Syria are dying from treatable or preventable diseases that have metastasized in the country during the civil war, which is about to enter its fourth year
http://time.com/18020/study-syrias-children-suffering-barbaric-lack-of-medical-care/
As Syria’s civil war enters its fourth year, a new report from global children’s advocacy group Save The Children has detailed how 10,000 children have died not just as a result of the fighting, but also from treatable or preventable diseases that have metastasized in the country.Save the Children, in its report “A Devastating Toll” published on Sunday, details the consequences of Syria’s collapsed health care system. Among the revelations are that children are having limbs amputated because clinics don’t have the right equipment for treatment, newborn babies are dying in incubators during power cuts and patients are being knocked out with metal bars because of the lack of anesthesia.
“Children inside are enduring barbaric conditions,” says Save the Children’s regional director, Roger Hearn. “The desperate measures to which medical personnel are resorting to to keep children alive are increasingly harrowing.”
The report notes the reemergence of deadly and previously easily treatable diseases such as polio and diarrhea that are now silently spreading across the country, where 60% of hospitals are either damaged or destroyed. Some 200,000 Syrians have died of treatable chronic diseases like diabetes—double the estimated numbers of those killed by violence.
The group, which drew its findings from data issued by organizations such as the United Nations and World Health Organization, says over 5 million Syrian children are in need of basics such as food and adequate health care.
Thursday, November 28, 2013
What is Affiliate Marketing?
What is Affiliate Marketing?
www.problogger.com
What is Affiliate Marketing?It seems that more readers are asking this question than I previously thought.
In a recent poll here on ProBlogger I asked readers whether they’d done any affiliate marketing on their blogs. The results revealed that:
- 29% of readers regularly do it
- 24% occasionally do it
- 27% have never done affiliate marketing on their blogs
- 6% used to do it but don’t any more
- 14% don’t know what affiliate marketing is
What is Affiliate Marketing?
Perhaps the simplest way to explain affiliate marketing is that it is a way of making money online whereby you as a publisher are rewarded for helping a business by promoting their product, service or site.There are a number of forms of these types of promotions but in most cases they involve you as a publisher earning a commission when someone follows a link on your blog to another site where they then buy something.
Other variations on this are where you earn an amount for referring a visitor who takes some kind of action – for example when they sign up for something and give an email address, where they complete a survey, where they leave a name and address etc.
Commissions are often a percentage of a sale but can also be a fixed amount per conversion.
Conversions are generally tracked when the publisher (you) uses a link with a code only being used by you embedded into it that enables the advertiser to track where conversions come from (usually by cookies). Other times an advertiser might give a publisher a ‘coupon code’ for their readers to use that helps to track conversions.
For example: when I recently released my 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Workbook I also give people an opportunity to promote the workbook with an affiliate program whereby they could earn a 40% commission for each sale. When you sign up to become an affiliate you are given a special code unique to you that enables you to promote the workbook and make $7.98 per sale. The top affiliates earned over $2000 in the first few weeks after launch through these commissions.
- Advertisers often prefer affiliate marketing as a way to promote their products because they know they’ll only need to pay for the advertising when there’s a conversion. I knew when I started this affiliate program that while I’d earn less for each sale that having a network of affiliates promoting it would almost certainly increase overall sales levels.
- Publishers often prefer affiliate marketing because if they find a product that is relevant to their niche that earnings can go well in excess of any cost per click or cost per impression advertising campaign.
Why Affiliate Marketing Can Work Well on Blogs
Affiliate marketing isn’t the only way to make money from blogs and it won’t suit every blog/blogger (more on this below) but there are a few reasons why it can be profitable in our medium. Perhaps the biggest of these reasons is that affiliate marketing seems to work best when there’s a relationship with trust between the publisher and their readership.I’ve found that as this trust deepens that readers are more likely to follow the recommendations that a blogger makes.
Of course this can also be a negative with affiliate marketing – promote the wrong product and trust can be broken (more on this below).
Affiliate Marketing – Easy Money?
While affiliate marketing can be incredibly lucrative it is important to know that affiliate marketing is not easy money. Most people who try it make very little as it relies upon numerous factors including:- traffic (high traffic helps a lot)
- finding relevant products
- finding quality products
- building trust with your readers
- having a readership who is in a ‘buying mood’
- you being able to write good sales copy (and more)
It’s also worth noting that affiliate marketing doesn’t work on all blogs. Some blogs are on topics where it is hard to find products to promote – other blogs attract audiences who are not in a buying frame of mind and for other blogs it just doesn’t fit with the blogger’s style or approach.
Tomorrow I want to continue the focus upon affiliate marketing with another post – this one on how to find affiliate products to promote.
Monday, November 25, 2013
How to Attract More People to Your Blog
Content Marketing: How to Attract More People to Your Blog
Image Credit: Laura Bell
Just Before You Get Started
Before you start a blog, you should honestly examine
your motives. If you’re going to blog for self-gratification or other
self-serving reasons then you will simply inhibit the growth of your
blog readership. Also, if your primary motive is making money online, then you need to re-think your purpose.
The truth is that people visit blogs because they want to find
valuable information that serves their needs. So, if you write
self-serving blog posts then you will lose big time. Having said that,
let’s now look at powerful ways of growing blog readership.
Promote Your Blog through Social Media
Social sharing is an easy way to increase the exposure of your blog
for online lead generation. Every time you write a post, you should make
sure that you embed the link to the latest post in your social media
accounts. You can use Google+, Facebook, LinkedIn Groups, and even Twitter to promote links to your latest posts.
While social media marketing channels are primarily used for network marketing, they
also play a vital role in attracting readers to your blog. Sharing
links to your latest posts gives readers an opportunity to read and also
share the links with their friends. Eventually, your readership and
subscription will grow to match your popularity in social media.
Encourage Readers to Share Blog Posts
It’s not enough for you to create and publish your blog posts
regularly. You have to encourage readers and prospects to share your
posts and content with others. You should add a call-to-action that
prompts your current readers to share links to your blog or blog posts.
To facilitate sharing, you should add social sharing buttons that allow
readers to sign into their social accounts and share or comment on your
article.
Provide Valuable Resources in Your Blog
If you want to attract visitors and convert
them into exuberant readers then you should provide FREE useful
resources in your blog. There are quite a number of things that you can
provide free. You can write and share a free downloadable eBook, a
whitepaper, a market report, or a podcast. You can also share links to
valuable resources located in partner sites or 3rd party
sites. When you share valuable resources, you will give readers a reason
to want to join your mailing list and to share the link to your blog
with others.
Be Charismatic and Approachable
Since blogging is about attracting people
and engaging them, you should learn to be charismatic and approachable.
You can easily connect with readers and establish life-long
relationships if you are witty, compassionate, and remarkable. When you
develop these traits, you will find it easier to leverage your blog as a
tool for attraction marketing. Besides that, people will want to
associate with you and even recommend your blog to their friends and
colleagues.
Use Audio Visuals and Captivating Graphics
You can also increase blog readership by creating and posting content
that features rich graphics. As part of online video marketing, you
should also post audio visuals that capture the attention of visitors.
Naturally, readers are attracted by captivating content. Images are more
attractive than plain content. So, instead of writing a plain and
boring blog post, create cool infographics and include them in your
posts. This will attract the attention of readers and give them an easy
time to digest the information and details of your blog post.
Create a Series of Great Tutorials
There is no better way of increasing blog readership than creating
and publishing a series of blog tutorials. Though you can attract some
readers, through your weekly blog posts, you stand a greater chance of
doubling blog readership by creating unique and relevant blog tutorials.
When you create tutorials, you’ll give readers the impetus to share
links to your posts.
Unfortunately, many people waste time sharing their lop-sided
opinions or writing boring subjects. It’s very important for you to
understand that some readers don’t just want a weekly dose of your
musings or rantings; they want good solid information that will add
value to their lives.
Optimize Your Blog Posts
The majority of customers and prospects use Search Engines to find
links to websites and blogs that are relevant to their needs. This
underscores the importance of search engine optimization in increasing
the visibility and traffic to your blog. If you optimize your blog posts
for targeted keywords, then you will rank higher for those keywords
than most of your competitors.
Besides optimizing your blog for the search engines, you should also
optimize them for readers. You can do this by posting unique and
relevant information that provides timely solutions that addresses their
specific needs.
Write Killer Guest Posts
You have probably heard people say “Content is King”. That’s true.
Successful blogs thrive because of good content. Writing killer guest
posts for another blog is a surefire way of increasing your exposure and
maximizing traffic back to your blog. You can write about a real life
story of someone who conquered a weakness, or someone who excelled in
his or her business, or someone who came up with a great innovation.
The other thing that you should know is that a guest post introduces
you to a new community of readers. By being a guest blogger in someone’s
blog, you will not only add value to the host’s blog, but also build a
relationship with existing readers. As you write more posts, your will influence will grow, and ultimately, you will find it easier to attract readers to join your email marketing mailing list.
To sum it up, there is no one magic formula to get readers to your
blog; it takes time, dedication, and effort to increase blog readership
and popularity. You have to be cognizant of the content marketing needs
of your readers. It also pays off to optimize your blog posts and to
encourage readers to share your content. When you back all these with an
inviting personality, you’ll attract more readers and build lifelong
relationships with them.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
How Can I Write a Successful Blog and Get More People to Read It?
Dear bloggers,
Congrats on your new blog baby. Starting and maintaining a blog can definitely be rewarding, and not just in the financial sense. As you know, though, it’s not just enough to choose a platform and set up a blog or spend hours carefully crafting posts. To be successful, you need to build—and continue to grow–an audience. So here are seven tried-and-true methods for increasing your blog’s traffic, whether this is just a hobby or something you want to do for income.
Congrats on your new blog baby. Starting and maintaining a blog can definitely be rewarding, and not just in the financial sense. As you know, though, it’s not just enough to choose a platform and set up a blog or spend hours carefully crafting posts. To be successful, you need to build—and continue to grow–an audience. So here are seven tried-and-true methods for increasing your blog’s traffic, whether this is just a hobby or something you want to do for income.
1. Find Your Niche
The
broader and more general your blog’s topic (e.g., technology), the
harder it’ll be to gain an audience, because of all the bigger, already
established websites competing for the same readers. At the same time,
you want to make sure your blog isn’t so specific that there
aren’t enough people looking for that particular information or you run
out of things to write about. Focus your blog on a unique angle (e.g.,
technology for young kids), and make sure your subject is one that
you’re both passionate about and feel you could write tons of posts on.
Not sure
what your blog’s main subject should be? Think about: Your hobbies,
topics you like to talk about and debate with others, and subjects you
love reading and researching. Boost Blog Traffic offers straightforward guidelines
for how to tell if you’ve chosen the right blog topic or not. Among the
recommendations, measure your interest and the topic’s viability by
checking: how many books you own on the topic, if there’s already an
audience for your topic, and whether you can come up with at least 52
different post ideas (one for every week of the year).
Once you’ve
decided on your blog’s theme, stick to it. (That means no
middle-of-the-night, out-of-the-blue rants!) Consistency is the key to
getting the audience you’ve already attracted to keep coming back for
your great content.
2. Keep Writing Great Content
Speaking of
great content, what makes posts popular and more likely to be shared?
Generally speaking, great posts: answer a question, solve a problem,
make readers laugh, or make them cry (in a good way).
Also, no matter how long or short a post is, format it so readers can quickly scan the content by using:
- subheads
- bulleted or numbered lists
- blockquotes or captions
- line breaks
- bold fonts
- images
- and other formatting to break up large blocks of text
If you can
build a habit of writing every day, awesome. Quite simply, the more
useful content you have out there, the better your chances of readers
finding your blog. Even if you can’t write every day, aim to post often
and regularly so readers will keep coming back for more and you can
build a loyal audience base.
On the other hand, as blogger Cherly Harrison advises, don’t
blog just for the sake of it or just because you’ve set a Monday,
Wednesday, Friday schedule. Publish when you have quality content:
I have never heard anyone say “I unsubscribed from Blog X because he didn’t post this week.” I have heard dozens of people say “I unsubscribed from Blog X because it was obvious he was stretching for content.”
There’s no perfect blogging schedule
for everyone, but to get to the point where you’re posting regularly
without pushing it, focus on what you enjoy writing about and carve out
time to work on it.
Know
also that it can take quite a bit of time to grow your blog, and you'll
need to keep at it, especially if you plan to make money by blogging.
(See this post from The Financial Blogger for a reality check.) So don't get disheartened if you don't see quick results. Persist.
3. Write Catchy, Head-Turning Headlines
Headline
writing is an art unto itself, and it’s one of the biggest drivers of a
post’s popularity and success. Attention-grabbing headlines can make or
break your post. One huge example is how Forbes repackaged a New York Times article
titled “How Companies Learn Your Secrets” to “How Target Figured Out a
Teen Girl Was Pregnant Before Her Father Did” and got all the traffic:
680,000 page views versus the original article’s 12,902.
Taking a cue from some of the best copywriters of all time, Copyblogger suggests you spend half the time it takes to write a blog post on the headline,
because it’s that important. The writing blog offers this approach from
the American Writers & Artists association about the Four U’s of
writing headlines:
Headlines, subheads and bullets should:
- Be USEFUL to the reader,
- Provide him with a sense of URGENCY,
- Convey the idea that the main benefit is somehow UNIQUE; and
- Do all of the above in an ULTRA-SPECIFIC way.
Just make sure if your headline promises a lot, the post itself fulfills that promise.
Here at
Lifehacker, I’ve benefited a lot from bouncing headline ideas off of my
fellow editors. You can do the same for your important blog posts by
asking friends for their opinions or just taking a look at similar,
highly popular blogs to see what kinds of titles tend to be more
intriguing to readers.
4. Join in on the Blogging Community
No blog is
an island. Now that you have a blog, you’re part of the blogging
community, and reciprocation plays a large part of that. A few things
you can do to connect with other bloggers (and probably get reciprocal
traffic):
- Link generously. It’s not only good form to cite your sources, but links in your posts make your posts more search engine friendly.
- Leave comments and trackbacks on fellow blogs. Leaving a trackback posts a comment on the other blog noting that you’ve linked to that post. It has a dual effect of virtually tapping the fellow blogger on the shoulder and also putting your blog link in front of more readers.
- Update your blogroll. The list of “blogs you like” in the blogroll help other bloggers notice you. (And if you get listed on other blogs, more readers noticing yours.)
- Try to turn random readers into loyal ones as well. Engage with commenters on your blog, set up an email newsletter, and encourage feedback.
- Invite others to guest post or even ask readers to contribute to your blog. You can double your promotion power this way.
- See if you can guest post or contribute to other, larger blogs. This is another great way to get noticed. In fact, a lot of bloggers have done just that here at Lifehacker. You can get started contributing to Lifehacker in a number of ways: from starting your own Kinja blog, to becoming an author on Hackerspace, or emailing submissions@lifehacker.com with your original posts for consideration.
Even
if you just give a larger site permission to republish your content, it
can be a huge boon for you. For example, we republished a post from Jonnie Hallman of Destroy Today, which generated a whole lot of traffic to the source blog:
Expand
Even getting a mention or link back to your post from a popular site can drive a lot of traffic and get your blog noticed, your content read, and more readers.
5. Learn From Your Existing Audience
Perhaps the most important thing to do is know your audience and make sure your content continues to interest them. Tips & Tricks HQ advises:
Audiences are far more prone to read something that continues to appeal to them and gets updated regularly, and thus a happy medium between consistency and diversity without compromising quality or credibility is what’s going to give you results.
If you install Google Analytics
on your blog (or use another analytics program), you can see which
topics your audience particularly likes, where your readers are coming
from, and lots more. Once you know that, you can create more content to
attract similar people and also keep your audience coming back.
Also, social media can be a really
powerful tool for getting more readers. In addition to adding the share
buttons on your site, share your links on Facebook, Google+, and
Twitter—in as non-sleazy, non-spammy way possible.
6. Make Your Blog Google-Friendly
You may
have heard the term SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, before. It
basically means writing your blog in a way that makes it more likely to
show up in search results, and while it seems like an annoying buzzword,
it can be a big help. But you don't need to go crazy. Frankly, the
rules are changing all the time, and it’s probably not worth your time
chasing them or changing your content every time Google does an
algorithm change that affects search engine rankings.
That said,
we do know a few things search engines like, and following those best
practices could help your blog get listed higher in search results. Google’s Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide (PDF) recommends you:
- Use unique, accurate, and brief page titles
- Use the “description” meta tag
- Make sure your site is easy to navigate
- Use words for your URLs and avoid very long URLs
- Write good anchor (link) text. (E.g., “Read my SEO report” instead of “Click here”)
- Use headings to mark important sections
- Add an “alt” description to images
Search Engine Watch also has a list of 6 basic steps to step up your blog’s SEO mojo.
Among them: add related posts to the end of all your blog posts, add
social sharing buttons, and make content easier to find by classifying
posts into categories.
For further reading, see Google’s quality guidelines and other recommendations.
7. Write Like Yourself
There
are millions of blogs on the web today, so it isn’t easy to stand out.
However, if you notice, the top or most popular bloggers have large
readerships because of their unique voices and perspectives and the
interesting things they share. While you’re crafting your posts, don’t
be afraid to let your personality show through so you can really connect
to your readers. After all, in the end it’s all about the reader.
There’s
much more to learn about making your blog more successful, but hopefully
the basics above will get you started. For further reading, consider
these sources of excellent blogging and content marketing information:
- ProBlogger: Lots of advice for making a living as a blogger
- About.com Blogging: Comprehensive information for starting, growing, and monetizing a blog
- CopyBlogger: Advice for creating killer online content
- DailyBlog Tips: Quick, practical tips for becoming a better blogger
Good luck!
Love,
Lifehacker
Lifehacker
Photos by Olivier Le Moal (Shutterstock), mikecogh.
Typhoon Onslaught Phillipines
Typhoon Onslaught Phillipines
http://www.indiatimes.com/news/asia/shocking-pics-typhoon-onslaught-in-phillipines-110979-4.html
Typhoon Onslaught Phillipines
Tacloban city is
covered by debris Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013 after powerful Typhoon Haiyan
hit the city in Leyte province, central Philippines.It Happened in India!
It Happened in India!
A Shi'ite Muslim is sprayed with rose water as he flagellates himself during a Muharram procession to mark Ashura in Mumbai November 15, 2013. Ashura, which falls on the 10th day of the Islamic month of Muharram, commemorates the death of Imam Hussein, grandson of Prophet Mohammad, who was killed in the seventh century battle of Kerbala. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui (INDIA - Tags: RELIGION TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)
A Shi'ite Muslim is sprayed with rose water as he flagellates himself during a Muharram procession to mark Ashura in Mumbai November 15, 2013. Ashura, which falls on the 10th day of the Islamic month of Muharram, commemorates the death of Imam Hussein, grandson of Prophet Mohammad, who was killed in the seventh century battle of Kerbala. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui (INDIA - Tags: RELIGION TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)
Exclusive: The Crusader Sub-Culture in the US Military
Exclusive: The Crusader Sub-Culture in the US Military
http://www.loonwatch.com/2013/11/exclusive-the-crusader-sub-culture-in-the-us-military/Jacob Hausner
The US military’s “Islam problem” captured news headlines even before Wired.com ‘s 2012 breaking story about a military course teaching soldiers that the USA was at “war with Islam.” Since 2007 the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) and its founder Mikey Weinstein have diligently documented violations of religious freedom within the military. During that time many of MRFF’s documentation of violations have included cases of anti-Islam/Muslim propaganda and activities.
In addition to these very troubling stories reported in the mainstream press and by rights organizations, Islamophobia Today has uncovered facts indicating that the pervasive “Crusader” sub-culture within the ranks of Islamophobes isn’t limited to internet forums and blogs but also exists within the US Military.
Anti-Muslim/Islam and pro-Crusader themes tied to military-use paraphernalia, including: T-Shirts, insignias, bullet coating, rifle scope cases as well as tattoos inscribed “Kafir,” and “Infidel” have become common within a sub-set of the US military.
Many soldiers have expressed deep concern about this Crusader sub-culture. A growing network of e-stores, as well as large chains such as SEARS (online) to this day are selling the aforementioned anti-Muslim/Islam commodities.
Most troubling, Crye Precision, which is under Department of Defense contract for the production of Multicam camouflage for the US Military is also involved in the anti-Muslim/Islam trade with a brand of “Infidel” themed clothing wear and accessories.
Allow me to provide some examples:
USMC Marine with “Kafir”/Infidel Tattoo
- Possible Navy SEAL (AOR pattern 1 camouflage- exclusive to Navy SEALS) with a menagerie of patches including “Infidel strong”, “Hadji Don’t Surf”
“Infidel strong”
“Hadji Don’t Surf
U.S. ARMY 3rd infantry division soldier- photo #1
Army 3rd ID soldier- photo #2 “infidel” tattoo
USAF Helicopter Crewman with “Infidel” patch
“Infidel Patch”
U.S. ARMY 10th Mountain Division soldier in Wardak Providence, Afghanistan, 2009. “Kafir” tattoo
Unknown
SPEC OPS soldiers (Crye Precision Multicam uniform, OPS-CORE “FAST”
ballistic helmet; both products designated to SPEC OPS community)
conducting training in northern California. “Hadji Don’t Surf” patch
“Hadji Don’t Surf
German
soldier, Afghanistan. Part of the NATO ISAF (International Security
Assistance Force) forces. Note that the patch is in Arabic as well as
English so that the meaning isn’t obscured.
For a country that has invaded two Muslim nations, continues drone strikes in several more and suffers from a severe deficit of trust with 1.5 billion Muslims, claiming to want to seek to “win hearts and minds” may well be viewed in an altogether different, more cynical light.
There are a number of internet businesses that propagate this culture. Two of the more well known sites to purchase “infidel” clothing and accessories are http://www.opsgear.com and http://www.milspecmonkey.com. Milspecmonkey.com is the manufacturer/e-retailer of the: “Infidel,” “Infidel Strong,” “Pork Eating Crusader, and “Hadji Don’t Surf” patches shown in the body of this report. Opsgear.com especially caters to military, law enforcement, and aficionados with their infidel t-shirt line:
“Infidel” t-shirt and cap.
“American Infidel”–Arabic & English
What makes them stand out in particular is the fact that Crye is the manufacturer of Multicam, which is the new camouflage for all US armed forces. Crye is also under DOD contract to produce newer camouflage for the Department of Defense as well as (of 2012) to supply uniforms to US forces.
Crye’s side project apart from the Department of Defense contracts is a line of product called the “Major League Infidel” line. The most alarming part of this is that Crye manufactures camouflage and uniforms for the US Military and manufactures this brand of infidel products (which are also aimed towards service personnel). Here are some examples of what one can find at http://cryeprecision.com :
One of the most alarming aspects of this cottage industry may be that the “infidel” label is creeping into the mainstream. I came across Kafir/Infidel items for sale at a major retailer, SEARS.
From rifle scope covers to t-shirts and more, SEARS is selling all the aforementioned on their website:
Sold at SEARS: Eotec rifle scope case with Kafir/Infidel embedded in it
Sold at SEARS: Kafir/Infidel t-shirt
Another extremely concerning aspect within this industry of hate is a product called Silver Bullet Gun Oil (www.silverbulletgunoil.net/), or SBGO.
It is quite clear what Silver Bullet Gun Oil is used for by the rhetoric on their websites blog:
SBGO claims that it sends Muslims ‘straight to hell’ if a shooter uses the product in their weaponry. I should point out that the gun oil contains 13% liquified pork fat and that it is directly marketed towards coalition soldiers and law enforcement in Western nations:
And:
This product is symptomatic of a greater Islamophobia that permeates deeper than clothing and tattoos. Because the product (reportedly) sends “Allahs’ followers to HELL”, or at least– that is the language employed by it’s manufacturer– one can say that it is actively pushing an agenda of Holy War against Muslims, as that is the language employed throughout the website:
While the US Military took action against Sgt. Dooley, suspending him for teaching courses that discussed “total war on Islam,” it is vital that the military also address the Crusader sub-culture within its midst.
A corrective course of action that both acknowledges the existing sub-culture and makes amends where it can is the only way to nip such sentiments in the bud. The belief that the USA’s “War on Terror” is really a “War Against Islam” is widespread in Muslim nations, by not addressing these issues the military will provide AlQaeda and its affiliates with a propaganda coup.
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