Sunday, April 12, 2020

Looking for Free Pics for your Content Here Are 6 Great Free Stock Image Sites

When you only have a few seconds to grab people’s attention, images and photos can help your content stand out in a big way. Our brains can process visual information much faster than text, and content with images receives much more engagement than content without. Copyright infringement and the resulting legal hassles pose a real risk to marketers searching for great visuals. To avoid these issues you usually need to buy images from relable stock photo companies. But if your budget is tight, here are a few sources of free, legally-available images for you to tap when needed. 1. Flickr Creative Commons Stock images are usually available under a Creative Commons license, which allows for the free distribution of copyrighted material.Flickr makes locating images with this type of license easy. Go to Flickr’s advanced search, enter a keyword and narrow your search by your chosen Creative Commons license type –most of the time, you’ll find exactly what you need.Just make sure you give your free pics the proper attribution when you use them. 2. Unsplash This site only adds 10 new images every 10 days, but these royalty-free photos are usually spectacular. The photos here have a realness and honesty that you don’t always find with stock images. You’ll probably find yourself browsing through the site long after you found the image you needed. 3. New Old Stock This site contains a curated selection of photos from the Flickr Commons – a repository of photos from institutions all over the world that have no known copyright restrictions.Not to be confused with Creative Commons, the Flickr Commons contains photos that are old enough to be part of the public domain or belong to an agency that have granted its permission for use. New Old Stock shows you the best of these images. If you’re looking for something a bit different, try this amazing collection by web designer and artist Ryan McGuire.His quirky photos are free and require no attribution – just don’t try to sell or submit his free pics to another photography site as your own. 5. Death to the Stock Photo Don’t worry – the creators of this innovative service don’t really want to kill off stock photography.Instead, they want to do away with the stereotype of mediocre, uninspiring stock images. Users who sign up for Death to the Stock Photo’s email list will get new stock photos delivered to their inbox each month. Their license system is similar to Creative Common, and they do a good job explaining it in plain English on their website. 6. Jay Mantri This California-based designer and photographer adds new images to his site every week. Mantri tends to favor black-and-white photos, and his images rarely feature people – you’re free to choose any image from the site and do what you please with it.In addition to sharing his own free pics, Mantri also suggests new photographers to follow on Instagram each week. Low Cost Premium Images These sources will help you track down the free pics and photos you need to make your content more eye-catching and engaging.But free stock images to fit your content aren’t always easy to find or they are more likely to be overused. If you’re looking for high-quality images that are the perfect fit with your content at a low cost, Constant Content offers a catlog of over 70 million premium images through a partnership with Shutterstock for less than buying through Shutterstock directly.

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

Biography of Dr. Seuss, Popular Childrens Author

Biography of Dr. Seuss, Popular Childrens Author Theodor Seuss Geisel (March 2, 1904–Sept. 24, 1991), who used the pseudonym Dr. Seuss, wrote and illustrated 45 children’s books filled with memorable characters, earnest messages, and even limericks.  Many of Dr. Seuss’s books have become classics, such as The Cat in the Hat, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Horton Hears a Who, and Green Eggs and Ham. Geisel was a shy married man who never had children of his own, but he found a way as the author Dr. Seuss to spark childrens imaginations around the world. With the use of silly words that set an original theme, tone, and mood for his stories, as well as curlicue drawings of rascally animals, Geisel created books that became beloved favorites of children and adults alike. Wildly popular, Dr. Seuss’s books have been translated into over 20 languages and several have been made into television cartoons and major motion pictures. Fast Facts: Dr. Seuss Known For: Popular childrens book authorAlso Known As: Theodor Seuss Geisel, Ted GeiselBorn: March 2, 1904 in Springfield, MassachusettsParents: Theodor Robert Geisel, Henrietta Seuss GeiselDied: Sep. 24, 1991 in La Jolla, CaliforniaPublished Works: The Cat in the Hat, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Horton Hears a Who, Green Eggs and HamAwards and Honors: Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature (Design for Death, 1947), Academy Award for Best Animated Short  (Gerald McBoing-Boing, 1950), Special Pulitzer Prize  (for contribution over nearly half a century to the education and enjoyment of Americas children and their parents, 1984), the Dartmouth Medical School was renamed the  Audrey and Theodor Geisel School of Medicine (2012), Dr. Seuss has a star on the Hollywood Walk of FameSpouse(s): Helen Palmer Geisel (m.  1927–Oct. 23, 1967), Audrey Stone Dimond (m.  June 21, 1968–Sept. 21, 1991)Notable Quote: You  have  em; Ill entertain em. (Geisel, who had no children of his own, said this referring to children.) Early Years Geisel was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. His father Theodor Robert Geisel helped manage his father’s brewery and in 1909 was appointed to the Springfield Park Board. Geisel tagged along with his father for behind-the-scenes peeks at the Springfield Zoo, bringing along his sketchpad and pencil for exaggerated doodling of animals. Geisel met his father’s trolley at the end of each day and he was handed the comic page full of eccentric humor from the Boston American. Although his father influenced Geisel’s love of drawing, Geisel credited his mother, Henrietta Seuss Geisel, for the most influence on his writing technique. Henrietta would read to her two children with rhythm and urgency, the way she had sold pies in her father’s bakery. Thus, Geisel developed an ear for meter and loved to make up nonsense rhymes from early in his life. While his childhood seemed idyllic, all was not easy. During World War I (1914–1919), Geisel’s peers ridiculed him for being of German ancestry. To prove his American patriotism, Geisel became one of the top U.S. Liberty Bond sellers with the Boy Scouts. It was to be a great honor when former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt came to Springfield to award medals to the top bond sellers, but there was a mistake: Roosevelt had only nine medals in hand. Geisel, who was child No. 10, was swiftly escorted off-stage without receiving a medal. Traumatized by this incident, Geisel had a fear of public speaking for the rest of his life. In 1919, Prohibition began, forcing the closure of the familys brewery business and creating an economic setback for Geisels family. Dartmouth College and a Pseudonym Geisel’s favorite English teacher urged him to apply to Dartmouth College, and in 1921 Geisel was accepted. Admired for his silliness, Geisel drew cartoons for the college humor magazine Jack-O-Lantern. Spending more time on his cartoons than he should, his grades began to falter. After Geisel’s father informed his son how unhappy his grades made him, Geisel worked harder and became Jack-O-Lantern’s editor-in-chief his senior year. However, Geisels position at the paper ended abruptly when he was caught drinking alcohol (it was still Prohibition and buying alcohol was illegal). Unable to submit to the magazine as punishment, Geisel came up with a loophole, writing and drawing under a pseudonym: Seuss. After graduating from Dartmouth in 1925 with a B.A. in liberal arts, Geisel told his father that he had applied for a fellowship to study English literature at Lincoln College in Oxford, England. Extremely excited, Geisels father had the story run in the Springfield Union newspaper that his son was going off to the oldest English-speaking university in the world. When Geisel didn’t get the fellowship, his father decided to pay the tuition himself to avoid embarrassment. Geisel didnt do well at Oxford. Not feeling as intelligent as the other Oxford students, Geisel doodled more than he took notes. Helen Palmer, a classmate, told Geisel that instead of becoming a professor of English literature, he was meant to draw. After one year of school, Geisel left Oxford and traveled Europe for eight months, doodling curious animals and wondering what kind of a job he could get as a doodler of zany beasts. Advertising Career Upon returning to the United States, Geisel was able to freelance a few cartoons in the  Saturday Evening Post. He signed his work â€Å"Dr. Theophrastus Seuss† and then later shortened it to â€Å"Dr. Seuss.† At the age of 23, Geisel got a job as a cartoonist for Judge magazine in New York at $75 per week and was able to marry his Oxford sweetheart, Helen Palmer. Geisel’s work included drawing cartoons and advertisements with his unusual, zany creatures. Luckily, when Judge magazine went out of business, Flit Household Spray, a popular insecticide, hired Geisel to continue drawing their advertisements for $12,000 a year. Geisels ads for Flit appeared in newspapers and on billboards, making Flit a household name with Geisel’s catchy phrase: Quick, Henry, the Flit! Geisel also continued to sell cartoons and humorous articles to magazines such as Life  and Vanity Fair. Children’s Author Geisel and Helen loved to travel. While on a ship to Europe in 1936, Geisel made up a limerick to match the grinding of the ship’s engine rhythm as it struggled against rough seas. Six months later, after perfecting the related story and adding drawings about a boy’s untruthful walk home from school, Geisel shopped his childrens book to publishers. During the winter of 1936–1937, 27 publishers rejected the story, saying they only wanted stories with morals. On his way home from the 27th rejection, Geisel was ready to burn his manuscript when he ran into Mike McClintock, an old Dartmouth College buddy who was now an editor of children’s books at Vanguard Press. Mike liked the story and decided to publish it. The book, renamed from A Story That No One Can Beat to And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, was Geisels first published childrens book and was praised with good reviews for being original, entertaining, and different. While Geisel went on to write more books of exuberant Seuss lore for Random House (which lured him away from Vanguard Press), Geisel said that drawing always came easier than writing. WWII Cartoons After publishing a large number of political cartoons to PM magazine, Geisel joined the U.S. Army in 1942. The Army placed him in the Information and Education Division, working with Academy Award-winning director Frank Capra at a leased Fox studio in Hollywood known as Fort Fox. While working with Capra, Captain Geisel wrote several training films for the military, which earned Geisel the Legion of Merit. After World War II, two of Geisels military propaganda films were turned into commercial films and won Academy Awards. Hitler Lives? (originally Your Job in Germany) won an Academy Award for Short Documentary and Design for Death (originally Our Job in Japan) won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. During this time, Helen found success by writing children’s books for Disney and Golden Books, including Donald Duck Sees South America, Bobby and His Airplane, Tommy’s Wonderful Rides, and Johnny’s Machines. After the war, the Geisels remained in La Jolla, California, to write children’s books. The Cat in the Hat and More Popular Books With World War II over, Geisel returned to childrens stories and in 1950 wrote an animated cartoon titled Gerald McBoing-Boing about a child who makes noises instead of words. The cartoon won an Academy Award for Cartoon Short Film. In 1954, Geisel was presented with a new challenge. When journalist John Hersey published an article in Life magazine stating that children’s first readers were boring and suggested that someone like Dr. Seuss should write them, Geisel accepted the challenge. After looking at the list of words he had to use, Geisel found it difficult to be imaginative with such words as cat and hat. At first thinking he could pound the 225-word manuscript out in three weeks, it took Geisel more than a year to write his version of a childs first reading primer. It was worth the wait. The now immensely famous book  The Cat in the Hat (1957) changed the way children read and was one of Geisel’s biggest triumphs. No longer boring, children could learn to read while also having fun, sharing the journey of two siblings who get stuck inside on a cold day with a troublemaker of a cat. The Cat in the Hat was followed that same year by another big success, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! which stemmed from Geisels own aversion toward holiday materialism. These two Dr. Seuss books made Random House the leader of children’s books and Dr. Seuss a celebrity. Awards, Heartache, and Controversy Dr. Seuss was awarded seven honorary doctorates (which he often joked made him Dr. Dr. Seuss) and the 1984 Pulitzer Prize. Three of his books- McElligot’s Pool (1948), Bartholomew and the Oobleck (1950), and If I Ran the Zoo (1951)- won Caldecott Honor Medals. All the awards and successes, however, couldnt help cure Helen, who had been suffering for a decade from a number of serious medical issues, including cancer. No longer able to stand the pain, she committed suicide in 1967. The following year, Geisel married Audrey Stone Diamond. Although many of Geisels books helped children learn to read, some of his stories were met with controversy due to political themes such as The Lorax (1971), which depicts Geisel’s repulsion of pollution, and The Butter Battle Book (1984), which depicts his disgust with the nuclear arms race. However, the latter book was on The New York Times bestseller list for six months, the only children’s book to achieve that status at the time. Death and Legacy Geisels final book, Oh, the Places You’ll Go (1990), was on The New York Times bestseller list for more than two years and remains a very popular book to give as a gift at graduations. Just a year after his last book was published, Geisel died in 1991 at the age of 87 after suffering from throat cancer. The fascination with Geisels characters and silly words continues. While many of Dr. Seusss books have become childrens classics, Dr. Seusss characters now also appear in movies, on merchandise, and even as part of a theme park (Seuss Landing at Universals Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida). Sources Andrews, Colman. â€Å"Dont Be Obtuse, Get to Know Dr. Seuss.†Ã‚  USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 30 Nov. 2018.â€Å"Siblings.†Ã‚  Seuss in Springfield, 16 June 2015.â€Å"Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss).†Ã‚  Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation.

Sunday, February 23, 2020

Understanding Relationships Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Understanding Relationships - Essay Example It may be rather difficult, as it requires a lot of effort and understanding. But now I more deeply explored this question and may say that some years ago I had an awful lack of relationship tips to use. For instance now I understand the importance of looking into the eyes during a conversation with your partner all the time when he speaks and being sincere in own wish to understand his point of view - that is very captivating. If you do not understand something, you should not be shy to ask direct questions for clarification. You may also scroll in mind your understanding of what your beloved person tried to convey during the conversation. At least it will show that you care about good communication in your relationship, as well as that you really listen and understand his or her point of view. It does not necessary to agree with your partners point of view, but at least you should try to understand it. For me successful communication in relationships also includes expressing own feelings in a positive, constructive way. Accusations and arguments may only put the other person in the defending position. Instead, in my new relationship now I am trying to express what I feel about a particular situation and ask for my boyfriend’s opinion on how this issue can be resolved. It is important to be brief and do not wander from side to side during the discussion. For good communication it is very important to remain calm. It can be quite difficult, especially if the situation is heated up with emotions. In my previous relationship I tend to gain momentum during the conversation, and that made me more worried. It is important not to do this; otherwise the try to talk to the beloved person will fail. Finally, now I try to be sure that I have chosen the right moment to communicate with my partner about important issues, as communication in a relationship can be overshadowed by some inevitable distractions. For example it is a bad idea to

Friday, February 7, 2020

Russian Security Strategy of 2007, in regard to the new NATO strategic Essay

Russian Security Strategy of 2007, in regard to the new NATO strategic concept - Essay Example Russia seeks to create a regional security and cooperation system that differs from that of the West so as to ensure Euro-Atlantic regional unity3. The country has adamantly rejected NATO’s (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) further expansion, more so with respect to Georgia and Ukraine. The country seeks to engage several Eastern countries including China, India and Troika in alliances. In this respect, the country intends to oversee the creation of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)4. This organization is an alliance of seven countries that are members of the Commonwealth of Independent Sates (CIS). NATO’s new Strategic Concept outlines the roadmap for the security of its member states for the next decade, alliances being one of its areas of core focus5. The Concept focuses on the need for NATO to see the formation of alliances that will see the military based organization maintain its capacity to ensure international stability and collective defence . The Strategic Concept furthermore demands the formation of alliances that will invest in major capabilities to counter or otherwise contain emerging threats and to gain defence against cyber and ballistic missile attacks.

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Jim’s Training Needs Analysis Essay Example for Free

Jim’s Training Needs Analysis Essay Introduction In this case study the training needs analysis is lacking in job duties and responsibilities that create an unsafe environment. The training program is not consistent or is it cost effective in the trial and error method in backhoe procedures. Jim needs the organization to create a training objective in KSAs. Management needs to review the workplace methods in safe practices, regulations and work conditions that meet the goals and objectives of the organization. Potential Cost to Lack of Training This method in trial and error for a day to check an employee’s skills can mean they are doing well, but improvement is needed in their progress to determine their KSAs. Jim is adaptable to changing situations, but truly does not know the backhoe equipment, safety precautions, or the operating techniques of digging a hole. This type of training does not align in cost effective measures, the supervisor should observe and mentor Jim in his position as a backhoe operator and teamwork is essential to get the job done. There is no transfer of training to the task. It appears the organization is small and lacks resources to train their employees in new skills. There was no development phase of formulating an instructional strategy (Blanchard Thacker, 2013). The organization lacked high quality services, and continued to grow and Jim’s job satisfaction to a large degree is dependent on input from other co-workers. The crew chief and Bill Granger, gave credible advice, standards of performance and guidelines by providing proper instructions in operating the backhoe. However, Jim’s work quality was deficient in breaking waterlines or digging up underground telephone lines. According to Blanchard Thacker  (2013, p. 151) table 5-4 would have been cheaper in a training program, then constantly paying for the damage Jim imposed upon the company. It was as if there were no rules to work by, and Jim did not have a clear sense of appropriate behavior. In addition, his crew members were not happy in Jim’s operating techniques and they strived to get the job done safely and effectively. This type of non-training is detrimental to the organization, and can create a hostile work environment with individuals needing proper skills. Jim is performing inefficiently and lacks the application to perform the job satisfactorily. Recommended Methods and Training for the Organization The employee selection process starts with the job description. The employee employed is interviewed and other applicable testing for the position. This will include the pre and post-test method in screening the applicant according to the organizations policies and state, federal regulations. In addition, consider a ninety day probationary period. This would help the organization to determine if Jim’s performance, attitude, attendance measures to the organization’s standards. The business stakeholders want to know that the employees and training matches the experience, benchmarks and performance metrics (Saunderson, 2012). According to Saunderson (2012) the training needs to be transparent, solve problems, how to operate equipment and relay information and not provide redundant skills. According to Blanchard Thacker (2013, p. 155) table 5-6 verbs is transferring the training: Knowledge to analyze, cite explain and reproduce tasks. Skills to assemble, operate install and demonstrate. Attitudes align with the organization in commitment. Jim was deficient in these skills as the operator of the backhoe and the crew chief and team members realized he was not prepared for this position. Therefore, the TNAs would be cost effective for the organization. This means a combination of classroom and on-the-job training. The workplace training is to incorporate the latest organizational policies, procedures and state, federal guidelines. In addition, the training would be tailored to certifications, training materials, safe work conditions and ready reference  materials for the pretest/post-test final exam. Workforce training and planning trends today need to meet these objectives (Planning for people, 2012, Dec 29): Address skill gaps. Recruitment process, orientation, employee coaching, mentoring and development are specific and have compensation initiatives. Define goals in terms of human resource metrics, timelines and measure what is accomplished. Ensure senior management support. Involve management in overseeing the development of the workforce plan and it is linked to the corporate strategy. Ensure employees are updated/trained in new policies/procedure and are executed effectively. This would create an organization’s continuity plan towards the strategic direction. In addition, the organization implementation, maintenance and performance metrics. The Trainer and Training Environment The trainer and training environment will be within the workplace. This will eliminate any concerns that this training will not work at this plant, the boss generally makes those decisions and will better transfer the training to their specific job Blanchard Thacker (2013, p. 285). In a small business this is cost effective and the development phase input, process and output define the organizations objective goals. In the training and development process of equipment it will be done off-site to determine skills, safety practices and the actual physical operation of outdoor machinery. Throughout this implementation phase, the physical environment must be constantly monitored. This ensures learning has occurred. The learning process will be generalizability in jobs-relatedness and practice skills to the actual job Blanchard Thacker (2013, p. 294). The primary concerns in a training program is the learning impact, cost, time schedule without reducing productivity in the workplace environment. Therefore, the training program will be disseminated in advance throughout all levels of the organization. This will allow management, senior executive’s involved sufficient time to arrange employee’s schedules. This will be done so that work assignment can be adequately covered during the individual’s absence. The training will be evaluated and measured according to the skills learned  and transferred to the job. According to Blanchard Thacker (2013, p. 318) providing feedback to the trainer, can be used to modify the program and process to facilitate the training success. Conclusion The case scenario with Jim, truly demonstrated that trial and error method is not cost effective as a training and development program would be in an organization. In addition, when individuals are deficient in job skills it can create a hostile environment, lower morale and not encourage teamwork. In the above examples the best trainer would be within the workplace to diminish any barriers to the training methods. In addition off-site training for outdoor machinery would be effective in safe work conditions and actual operation of equipment. Jim needs the organization to create a training objective in KSAs. Management needs to review the workplace methods in safe practices, regulations and work conditions that meet the goals and objectives of the organization. References Blanchard, P.N. Thacker, J. W. (2013). Effective Training: Systems, Strategies, and Practices (5th ed). Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall. Planning for people. (2012, Dec 29). Winnipeg Free Press Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1265594428?accountid=32521 Saunderson, R. (2012). Transparency in training. Training, 49(1), 134-135. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1020618237?accountid=32521

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Creating Tension and Presenting the Themes in A View from the Bridge Es

Creating Tension and Presenting the Themes in A View from the Bridge Miller uses the climax of act 1 to create tension for the audience through the acting and the situation the characters are in, and to present the key themes of the play to the audience. Firstly, he uses dramatic irony to give the audience an insight into how the story is going to end, which creates frustration and tension for them, as although they can see how the story is developing, the characters can’t, this ties in with the theme of a Greek tragedy where there is a predestined conclusion. He uses the fact that in the 1950’s and especially in dockside and urban households, masculinity and being the ‘man of the house’ was a huge part of family life. He combines this with Eddies desire to control and obsession with authority, to put the audience on a knife-edge, as to when one of the characters will lose control and lash out. Miller also expands on the situation of relationships in the play, both within the family, and outside. This ties in with Eddie’s apparently incestuous feelings for Catherine, and this creates suspense and tension throughout the audience, as they don’t know what is going to happen about it. Stage Directions, play a large part of ‘A View From The Bridge’, as they give it the final touches which create tension for both the characters and the audience, they help show what a character is feeling, which allows the audience to empathize with the character, making it all the more believable and therefore creating more tension as they want to know what will happen. Alfieri’s monologue is also a main contributing factor to the tension, which slowly builds throughout the entire scene. The audience share Alfieri’s perspectiv... ...the play, just over there to send money home, but now it seems like he is taking an active part, and defending Rodolfo against Eddies slanderous onslaught. In conclusion, I feel that Arthur Miller creates tension in the climax to Act 1 in â€Å"A View From The Bridge,† in many different ways. These include the exploration and presentation of many of the key themes that Miller has sewn throughout the play, comprising mainly of: masculinity, incest, Greek tragedy, jealousy, pride and obsession. He uses surprise, and a ‘factor of the unknown’ to keep the audience in suspense as to when Eddie will lose control, but never in doubt to the fact that he will. All in all Miller uses a variety of techniques and themes to create tension for the audience and keep them in suspense for the whole play, and successfully draws on this to build huge climaxes at many points.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Malcolm X: Misunderstood

In the year of 1960s, the civil right movement was at its peak. At this time, blacks were mistreated and discriminated against and because of that, the Negroes were searching for a leader who can change the status of blacks. What is a leader? A leader is, according to a dictionary, a guiding or directing head, as of an army, movement, or political group. There is no doubt that Malcolm X, formerly known as El Hajj Malik El Shabazz, had many characteristics of a great leader written all over him, when he joined the Nation of Islam. As a result, African Americans looked up to Malcolm X, who called himself the angriest Negro in America, for leadership. In this paper, I am going to argue that Malcolm was a great leader, who gave his life for the struggle for equal rights in the richest and most powerful country of the world, the USA. In a country, where everybody seeks to fulfill â€Å"the American dream†, but where many people live in a nightmare. For that, he should be remembered along with Martin Luther King Jr. To fully understand how great of a leader that he was, we need to take a closed look at Malcolm X's life. Malcolm led three remarkable lives in less than four decades: first as Malcolm Little, a convicted burglar and con man; as Malcolm X, the Nation of Islam's flamboyant orator; finally, as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, organizing an international approach to the problems besetting African Americans. It all began when Malcolm Little's confidence and dream was shattered and crashed. His teacher told him that he had to be â€Å"realistic about being a nigger. † (Malcolm X 118) I don't think Malcolm would became what he was if it was not for his teacher's comment on his dream of becoming a lawyer one day. Then, we have Minister Malcolm X, who devoted his life to the teaching of Elijah Muhammad. â€Å"The Honorable Elijah Muhammad is giving us true identity, and a true position – the first time they have ever been known to the American black man. † (Malcolm X 356) Malcolm was fascinated by the discipline, the obedience, and the strong sense of community responsibility the members of the Nation showed, and soon became one of Elijah's most devoted followers. Finally, after his trip to Mecca, we see Malcolm as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz whose belief was now in world brotherhood and human justice. Malcolm X was a misunderstood figure of his time, in my opinion. If you have read or heard what he said, you would undoubtedly label him as a racist. He went as far as calling whites the â€Å"devils† and he stirred up both the black and white communities with his â€Å"anti-white† philosophy. Malcolm is usually projected as the uncompromising advocate of Black Nationalism. Malcolm, always brooding and alienated, is depicted as the architect of armed revolution and confrontation and he is presented as the hostile critic of White liberalism. Many people base this on his denunciation of racism and they misinterpret this statement to mean that now he endorsed the principles of integration as a solution to America's racial dilemma. What people didn't realize at that time was Malcolm's basic goal or objective never changed: He was totally committed to freedom for oppressed people. Malcolm wanted for blacks only what whites wanted for themselves, no more and no less. Also we have to realize that his trip to Mecca had changed the way he thought about white people and he was not given enough time to show the world his new point of view because he was assassinated soon after. That's why most people today have the impression that Malcolm was a â€Å"bad† guy, who would gain freedom by any means necessary. What made him so great? He was a man of word and action. Malcolm represents a leader, which all communities look up to as dynamic, intelligent, and most importantly revitalizing. The Muslims of today, from all parts of the world see Malcolm as a man who not only had strong convictions and beliefs, but was not afraid to voice them and stand up to a system of oppression from white supremacy over powerless and minority black people. Black people need a leader who speaks the truth even when white people don't want to hear it, and Malcolm X is filling that role. As Malcolm X traveled around the country, preaching and encouraging blacks to take pride in their history and strengths as a people, membership in the Nation of Islam grew from about couple hundred to hundreds of thousands. Furthermore, I think it was Malcolm's vigorous passion for Black self-determination and Black unity as well as his spiritual connection to Islam that attracted black people to Nation of Islam and Elijah's vision played only a little part of it. In addition, the reason why the number of followers increase in Nation of Islam was contributed by Malcolm's exceptional oratorical ability, his quick wit, and piercing analysis that he gave in front of many audiences. Analysis such as â€Å"US government make their citizens hate Germany and Japan during WWII and now US had again make the people love Germany and Japan after the war†. And the comment that he made about the racial problems of today â€Å"If you pull out a knife on my back, the wound left a permanent scar which you can get rid off†. Those points that he made were right on the money. He was very charismatic, and when he talks, people listen. Communication is a very powerful weapon to use if you want to spread your words and wisdom, and Malcolm took advantage of that. Armed himself with knowledge of Islam, books that he read, and debating skill, he went on television shows argued against his many critics and performed public speech day in and day out. He was so eagerly devoted to spread the teaching of Nation of Islam that he found himself out on the road and was away from his family for many weeks or months. The development of Nation of Islam was his priority. Why Malcolm had such impact on black communities? Because Malcolm was one of them before he joined Nation of Islam and became a minister. Came out from the heart of the Harlem ghetto, he knew the first hand experience of prejudice and inequality that impose on blacks. Therefore, many of his audiences can relate some of the things that he said in their everyday life. In addition, Malcolm transformed himself from a street hustler to an articulate leader and was convinced that others could change for the better as well. His message about self-improvement was loud and clear. Without education, you are not going anywhere in this world. In his autobiography he said, â€Å"My whole life had been a chronology of changes†. Such an extreme change seems to unbelievable, but after reading his autobiography; everyone can feel how much power this man had. Another reason why he was a great leader was that his readiness to revise his ideas and change them. People make mistakes and it takes courage to admit it publicly and try to change it so the mistake won't happen again. In the fields of politic and religion, which he was vigorously involved in, people usually don't change, even they proved to be wrong. Malcolm X was different. He turned all his beliefs and his way of life upside down when joining the Nation of Islam. He stopped drinking, smoking and abusing drugs instantly and dedicated his life to his leader, whereas he had been selfish and greedy his whole life before. Everything is going well till when the affairs of Elijah Muhammad with his secretaries made Malcolm questioned the leadership and belief of Nation of Islam. As a result, he left Nation of Islam and took a pilgrimage to Mecca where he experienced real brotherhood, being accepted and treated as a human being. The friendliness and respect he received made a great impression on him. â€Å"I saw that people who looked alike drew together and most of the time stayed together? KIt tucked it into my mind that when I returned home I would tell Americans this observation; that where true brotherhood existed among all colors. † (Malcolm 350) He became less militant and even admitted that white people could contribute to the black movement. Malcolm also got rid of Mr. Muhammad's doctrines and taught the real Islam he experienced in the East. When we remember Malcolm X, we cannot ignore that he did change from seeing race as a dividing issue to his final testimony as a Muslim who believed in a religion which spells out clearly that all humankind is created and judged equally. He declared that â€Å"all human beings should be respected as such, regardless of their color. † Malcolm often predicted that his leaving the Nation of Islam would lead to his death. When he heard of the Black Muslim's plot to kill him, he did not feel any fear; he just wanted his family to be safe. Before he died, he declared that he would be glad if he could have helped the black people, but that all credit is due to Allah. Only the mistakes were his. This is another admiration that I have for him. He did not fear death and went on doing his business as usual. Like I stated earlier, Malcolm put himself last and newfound religion and his family first. He was not afraid to accept the ultimate freedom for African Americans, as he stated, which is death. Today, nearly 30 years after the end of the Civil Rights Movement, some things have changed. A strong black middle-class has emerged, and some African-Americans have been able to get into leading positions in management or government. In several big cities with a majority of black citizens, black mayors are in office. Both civil right leaders Martin and Malcolm have become American heroes. Finally, Malcolm was a great man and a role model for all African Americans and Malcolm was a man who made people proud and showed them who they were. He dared to speak truth against the lies of racism, to stand tall before the blows of hatred and oppression. When they died, they left examples of wisdom, courage, and spiritual tenacity that few leaders of any race have matched. He didn't die in vain because things have improved since his death. We see the growth of strong black middle class.