No Regrets

October 1st, 2011 Posted in Music

I just love this song “No Regrest” by Dappy which is a monster number one smash overseas in the UK right now. The music video is very well-done too. It shows several nice storylines of people rising above their situations and circumstances. We always have the choice to just blame our lot in life and make excuses or choose to overcome it all.

This song is so good. The lyrics share a powerfully positive message about changing who you are which then changes your life and the world around you. It’s all connected. We can become a victim or the victor. It all starts with being honest with ourselves about who we are and who we want to be. This lyric demonstrates the self evaluation…point blank.

“Inside there’s a fire, cause I’m no longer looking at a reflection that i admire”

NO REGRETS
Dappy

oo-oh-oo-oh-oo-oh Na Na Na Na Na
oo-oh-oo-oh-oo-ohhh
hear me ouutt
this is my kings speech, im no where near the end,
if i s-s-s-start a sorry i aint heaven sent,
i messed my life up, and yeah ive been down
im a changed man now Chris Brown,
you know i feel your pain, coz i done been through it,
im Kurt Cobain, but i just couldn’t do it,
no point in turning back, just to hit rewind,
back to the future, ma marty mcfly
Inside theres a fire, coz im no longer looking at a reflection that i admire,
i paint a picture of a fighter, but as im looking back at me since im a liar
if i should die before i wake, the least that i could ever say, i made mistakes but held on to my faitthh,
Cause when i look in a mirror i don’t even recognize My Self,
got the heart of a winner,
but looking back at me is someone else.
No Regrets (x2),
No point in crying over yesterday
eh
No Regrets (x2)
cause we ain’t even seen the best of days!
oo-oh-oo-oh-oo-ohhh Na Na Na Na Na
oo-oh-oo-oh-oo-ohhh
second verse:
this is my last chance, im on my final straw,
i came so close to b b breaking like a spinal cord,
i came from nothing, some kid in camden,
now im flier than the birds richard branson
I’m a Prince and yes I will get the crown, Kate stays in my dungeon when her sister’s round,
so please forgive me, if i make mistakes,
but il blow the bloody doors off michael caine
if i should die before i wake, the least that i could ever say, i made mistakes but held on to my faitthh,
Cause when i look in a mirror i don’t even recognize My Self,
got the heart of a winner,
but looking back at me is someone else.
No Regrets (x2),
No point in crying over yesterday
eh
No Regrets (x2)
cause we ain’t even seen the best of days!
im freeeeee to be whatever i, coz im famous call me gallager coz im so shameless,
the papers saw the pages like the cost of my failures, victimised by the public dont know if i cant take this, so i sing,
so when you feel like theres no more, nothing left but the life youve broken, no regrets no turning back,
pick up yourself and tell em im just being me!
Cause when i look in a mirror i don’t even recognize My Self,
got the heart of a winner,
but looking back at me is someone else.
No Regrets (x2),
No point in crying over yesterday
eh
No Regrets (x2)
NO REGRETTTSSSSS
Cause when i look in a mirror i don’t even recognize My Self,
got the heart of a winner,
but looking back at me is someone else.
No Regrets (x2),
No point in crying over yesterday
eh
No Regrets (x2)
cause we ain’t even seen the best of days!

No regrets

Bright Star

September 21st, 2011 Posted in Movies, Writing

1 Comment »

BRIGHT STAR (2009) is as beautiful and as moving as the real life romance between poet John Keats and his beloved muse Fanny Brawne which is the focus of the film. Jane Campion, director of “The Piano” wrote and directed this masterpiece of the heart with brilliant colors and exhilarating depths of emotions. She never rushes anything and does not milk any scenes for more than they’re worth which is very difficult to do. You’re left satisfied but always wanting a bit more at the same time which is difficult to explain or understand.

I’ve always loved the poetry of Keats but never knew about this incredible love affair that inspired his best work for the final three years of his short life. He died at only 25 from consumption which was basically tuberculosis. It’s just such a tragedy that so many gifted geniuses like Keats perished because the physicians and medicine of the time were so weak. Still, I am thrilled to know that he did experience such a glorious love. He used to mock others for their silly feelings of love and always felt uncomfortable around women but that all changed when he fell in love with Fanny.

Fanny was such an extraordinary person in her own right. She was not the typical woman of her time and place and even made her own clothing and enjoyed learning new things such as poetry. In one of my favorite scenes they discuss poetry.

Fanny Brawne: I still don’t know how to work out a poem.
John Keats: A poem needs understanding through the senses. The point of diving into a lake is not immediately to swim to the shore but to be in the lake, to luxuriate in the sensation of water. You do not work the lake out, it is a experience beyond thought. Poetry soothes and emboldens the soul to accept the mystery.
Fanny Brawne: I love mystery.

Another favorite scene (and there were many!) was this one from the first letter to Fanny.
“I almost wish we were butterflies and liv’d but three summer days – three such days with you I could fill with more delight than fifty common years could ever contain.”

These quotes were outstanding too

“I am certain of nothing but the holiness of the Heart’s affections and the truth of the Imagination.”

“A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.”

“I cannot exist without you – I am forgetful of every thing but seeing you again – my Life seems to stop there – I see no further. You have absorb’d me. I have a sensation at the present moment as though I were dissolving… I have been astonished that Men could die Martyrs for religion – I have shudder’d at it – I shudder no more – I could be martyr’d for my Religion – Love is my religion – I could die for that – I could die for you. My creed is Love and you are its only tenet – You have ravish’d me away by a Power I cannot resist.”

The two leads were wonderful as Keats and Fanny. Ben Whishaw gives a subtle yet powerful turn as the poet and Abbie Cornish is the perfect angel that he calls Bright Star. There is a chemistry that lights up the screen.

The scenes where Fanny reads his letters are spectacular. Jane Campion uses luscious imagery that only compliments the majestic beauty of his words such as the use of butterflies and brightly colored flowers in the field. The music adds yet another layer of emotions to this gorgeous painting of the heart.

I know the film did not do great box office nor did it garner the same amount of critical acclaim as Jane’s previous works but to me this is one of my favorite movies of all-time. It touched me deeply and I believe changed me in some profound ways. What more can you ask for?

Here’s a playlist I’ve curated with videos about Bright Star. It includes scenes from the movie, the trailer, interviews of the director and the cast and more.

Portrait of John Keats by William Hilton. National Portrait Gallery, London

John Keats life mask by Benjamin Robert Haydon (1816) from the author’s private collection

Ambrotype of Fanny Brawne, lover of John Keats, taken circa 1850 (photograph on glass).

Watercolour of Fanny Brawne, 1833. This was done during her emergence from her six year long mourning over the death of her beloved Keats. She eventually married and had children. She passed away at the age of 65.

Bright Star
Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art–
Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night
And watching, with eternal lids apart,
Like nature’s patient, sleepless Eremite,
The moving waters at their priestlike task
Of pure ablution round earth’s human shores,
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors–
No–yet still stedfast, still unchangeable,
Pillow’d upon my fair love’s ripening breast,
To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,
Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever–or else swoon to death.

Selected letters

The complete screenplay for Bright Star!

John Keats‘ tombstone. He died on 23 February 1821 and was buried in the Protestant cemetery, Rome, Italy. His last request was to be buried under a tombstone, without his name.
On his grave is written:
This Grave
contains all that was Mortal,
of a
Young English Poet,
Who,
on his Death Bed, in the Bitterness of his Heart,
at the Malicious Power of his Enemies,
Desired
these Words to be engraven on his Tomb Stone:
Here lies One
Whose Name was writ in Water.
~
24 February 1821

Bright Star

overcome

September 11th, 2011 Posted in News

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The song “OVERCOME” by LIVE sums up everything for me regarding 9/11 on this the 10th anniversary of that tragic day. It was written long before that day but it sort of became an anthem. Here’s the song with video clips and audio clips about the events of 9/11.

Even now
The world is bleeding
But feeling just fine
All num in a castle
Where were always free to choose
Never free enough to find
I wish something would break
Cuz were running out of time

And I am overcome, yeah
I am overcome
Holy water in my lungs
I am overcome

These women in the street
Pulling out their hair
My masters in the yard
Giving light to the unaware
This plastic little place
Is just a step amongst the stairs

And I am overcome, yeah
I am overcome, baby
Holy water in my lungs, yeah
I am overcome

So drive me out, yeah
Out to that open field
Turn the ignition off
And spin around
Your help is here
But Im parked in this open space
But locking the gates of love

I am overcome
I am overcome, baby
Holy water in my lungs, yeah
I am overcome, yeah
I am overcome, oh lord
I am overcome, baby
Holy water in my lungs
Holy water, holy water
I am overcome

Beautiful drowning
This beautiful drowning
This holy water
This holy water, is in my lungs
And I am overcome
I am overcome, yeah
Heh, i, heh, i, heh, I am overcome
I am overcome lord

Vince Clarke

September 2nd, 2011 Posted in Music

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I have been a lifelong fan of Vince Clarke. I’ve loved his music from Depeche Mode (Just Can’t Get Enough) to Yazoo with Alison Moyet and Erasure with Andy Bell. The common thread being groundbreaking beautiful synthesizer music. Here are some of my favorite songs from Mr. Clarke.

Just Can’t Get Enough (Depeche Mode 1981)

Only You (Yazoo 1982)

Don’t Go (Yazoo 1982)

Situation (Yazoo 1982)

Nobody’s Diary (Yazoo 1983)

Walk Away from Love (Yazoo 1983)

Vince Clarke & Alison Moyet talk about joining forces for Upstair’s at Eric’s. Vince shares just how close he came to giving up on music after leaving Depeche Mode!!! If he couldn’t get a record deal with his music for Yazoo then he was prepared to get a regular day job! Amazing.

Vince and Alison reunited for the Reconnected world tour in 2008!

Who Needs Love Like That (Erasure 1985)

Oh L’Amour (Erasure 1986)

Sometimes (Erasure 1986)

Victim of Love (Erasure 1987)

Chains of Love (Erasure 1988)

A Little Respect (Erasure 1988)

Here’s his Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Alison Moyet, Vince Clarke

The Golden Circle

August 31st, 2011 Posted in Business, Marketing

1 Comment »

I was blown away by Simon Sinek‘s brilliant presentation of The Golden Circle which is part of his book “START WITH WHY“. It impacted me in a profound way that’s difficult to explain. In this amazing 18 minute TED talk, he gives solid, concrete examples of people and brands that prove his idea of Why, How and What (which he calls The Golden Circle). He uses Apple, Martin Luther King Jr. and the Wright Brothers to perfection in illustrating his points. In each case he explains how they were different than everyone else but still shared the same formula for success. This method of operating from the inside-out instead of the normal outside-in approach makes all the difference in the world.

The other amazing moment is when Simon points out that this isn’t based on his opinion but actually on biology. He then shows how the Golden Circle matches perfectly with the pathology of the human brain. The three sections of the brain correlate perfectly with the Why, How and What sections of the Golden Circle. The Why center being our emotional core…and the reason why we go with our gut feeling despite all facts and figures supporting the What aspects of a decision. It’s an amazing realization. He says “People don’t buy what you do, but why you do it” and “The goal isn’t to do business with everybody who needs what you have, the goal is to do business with those who believe what you believe”. This is the key to creating loyalty which is the holy grail in business.

The Wright Brothers story was also fascinating. Simon explains how the pursuit of flight at the turn of the 20th century was much like the dot com buzz of this era. Everyone was after this goal including someone named Samuel Pierpont Langley who had a great deal of funding and access to the greatest minds of the time and yet two brothers with little education and finances were able to make history with their plane. This was because they were able to get people to work for them not for the what (money) but for the why (they believed in their vision of flight and why it was a noble cause).

Also captivating was the part about “The Law of Diffusion and Innovation” where Simon talks about the different types of people. There are the innovators (2.5%), early adopters (13.5%), early majority (34%), late majority (34%) and the laggards (16%). I laughed when he said the laggards are the ones that get touch tone phones only because they stopped making rotary phones!

I think this whole Golden Circle idea is life-changing information, not just for doing business but how we live our life too. The concept is so simple and yet so powerful. If we focus on the inside (internal) reasons why we do things instead of the outside (external) reasons, we will find more joy and happiness and ultimately, success and fulfillment.

Simon Sinek, Start with Why

PaiChart for G+ Circles

August 20th, 2011 Posted in Google, PaiCharts

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Here’s my infographic which I call a PaiChart.

It’s a work in progress so please excuse the crudeness and any mistakes. I’m trying to learn as much as I can about Google’s new G+ circles and the flow of information and posts. At first glance everything seems simple and easy but as you use the service you learn about its intricacies and some design flaws that will be fixed in time. After all, it is still early field trial beta (though it’s almost 2 months old now and Google has spent over a year working on this).

In a nutshell, here’s what I believe our options are for publishing posts on G+

Private Posts

Private messages are easy. You send a message just to an individual or group of individuals by adding their names and removing all circles. Easy cheesy.

Circles

Sending a post to a circle or several circles only goes to the people that you have added to those particular circles and no one else.

Your Circles

When you select the circle called Your Circles that means the message will go to ALL of your circles.

Public

Posts here go to all of your circles as well as the incoming circle for all of the people that have added you to their circles but that you have not added to any of your circles yet. Phew, that was a mouthful! But wait, there’s more! Your public posts also go to your Google profile for all the world to see, hence the term, Public.

Extended Circles

Ah, this is where the plot thickens even more. Some people confuse “Your Circles” with this one but that could be a fatal mistake. Here’s why:

Posts to Extended Circles are unlike Your Circles because it goes beyond the scope of the people you’ve curated into your circles of trust. Again, hence the term Extended. So who gets to see these posts? While they are not as public as Public posts, they do appear in many streams of strangers you don’t know because your post is shared with circles of people in your circles and so on. How many levels or circles does that mean? Who the heck knows at this point. I mentioned it could be a fatal mistake because some people will share messages with extended circles thinking only the people they have in their circles will see it, but that is not true. Because of the extra reach this means those posts could be seen by people you don’t want reading them such as your boss, spouse, fringe friend, A-lister, etc. So please be careful. When in doubt, don’t send it out.

Conclusion

Like I said earlier, I could be off here, especially with the public and extended circles parts. Please let me know if you have a handle of this stuff.

Going forward, I truly wish Google would give us public circles which would allow us to share our circles and allow people to join/leave at will as well as public circles that can be managed like public groups where an admin can curate the members (such as for a company with many employees). We also need ability to nest circles within other circles.

Google, PaiCharts

Islanders

August 19th, 2011 Posted in Life

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When I was a kid I used to watch/listen to New York Islander hockey games and get so nervous that I would draw to calm down.

Here’s one of the drawings from an Islander vs Flyers game which would become the Stanley Cup finals showdown in 1980 when the Isles would win their first of four straight Stanley Cup titles. It should have been 5 in a row but Gretzky and the Oilers got help from the NHL when they changed the format from 2-2-1-1-1 to 2-3-2 which totally did the Islanders in.

Notice my boyhood heroes…Chico Resch, Bryan Trottier, Denis Potvin and my favorite scorer, Mike Bossy who was famous as a rookie for scoring 50 goals in 50 games!

5 Numbers Ones

August 18th, 2011 Posted in Life

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Katy Perry Makes Hot 100 History: Ties Michael Jackson’s Record with 5 number ones from same album! http://bit.ly/pnsp1G

This is exciting. I’ve been waiting for this for a few weeks. I knew she had a shot at this rare achievement.

Here’s a video playlist of all 10 songs. I call it the Katy Jackson playlist.
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDAF9C699173E697E

Katy Perry’s 5 number ones:
"California Gurls" (featuring Snoop Dogg)
"Teenage Dream,"
"Firework"
"E.T." (featuring Kanye West)
"Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)"

The late King of Pop sent five songs to No. 1 on the Hot 100 from "Bad" in 1987-88:
"I Just Can’t Stop Loving You" (with Siedah Garrett)
”Bad”
"The Way You Make Me Feel"
"Man in the Mirror"
"Dirty Diana"

Janet Jackson came extremely close to matching and even topping this achievement when she hit the top with 4 songs from Rhythm Nation 1814 and number two with 2 others songs! Talk about so close!!!

The songs were:
1. Black Cat
1. Escapade
1. Miss You Much
1. Love Will Never Do (Without You)
2. Rhythm Nation
2. Come Back to Me

Guzzle Extended Mode Beta

August 5th, 2011 Posted in News

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I like the new beta option for guzzle.it that provides a much improved layout of all the news feeds you select. Just login and click Customized page and select the Extended Mode (beta) option.

You will experience a more beautiful layout of your news feeds. This makes Guzze even more like Flipboard for your desktop. Just enter your keywords for the topics you want to track and you will be treated to fresh new resources on a regular basis. Subscribing to RSS feeds is nice, but this method is more fun because you never know which feed you will discover from day to day. You’re not locked into the same stale resources anymore.

guzzle

The Best Tools for Finding Free and Legal Images

July 29th, 2011 Posted in Blogs

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Every blogger knows they have to get permission to use any images in a post that they publish. In the early days that was a royal pain in the neck. However, times have changed and there are some fantastic tools available to help ease the pain and ultimately keep you legal and out of trouble, Here are just a few.

Creative Commons Search Engine
This is an awesome site to find many images that include permission to freely use in many forms. It searches the following sites for the following type of resources:

Google Web (Web)
Google Images (Image)
Flickr (Image)
Blip.tv (Video)
Jamendo (Music)
SpinXpress (Media)
Wikimedia Commons (Media)

Pay close attention to the type of search you’re doing by selecting the options to the right of the search box. They are for commercial purposes, modify, adapt or Build upon.

Another excellent search engine is the MorgueFile which has a vast archive of free images. As with all of these search engines, you should also read the fine print to ensure that you have sufficient rights to use the image.

U.S. Government Photos and Images
Believe it or not, you can find a boatload of free images to use on the U.S. Government’s website. However, you still need to verify that the image gives full permission for the type of usage you plan to use. Here is the full disclaimer.

Find photos and images by topic. Some of these photos and images are in the public domain and may be used and reproduced without permission or fee. However, some photos and images may be protected by license. We strongly recommend you thoroughly read the disclaimers on each site before use.

If your blog is running on a self-hosted WordPress platform then by far my favorite tool is the PhotoDropper plugin which makes it a breeze to find free images you can use. PhotoDropper searches not only the CreateCommons site but also Flickr’s creative commons catalog.

Not only that, it also inserts the photo into your blog post along with the image permissions along with links to the original source and photographer! You just pick from three different sizes (S, M, L) and then it does the rest of the dirty work for you.

Flickr’s Creative Commons
Yahoo’s popular Flickr photo service has an ever-growing library of CC images. Just make sure you use them the right way. They make it very easy to identify the types of rights available for each photo.

Stock.Xchng has been around a long time and just keeps getting better with time. It requires joining the service but it’s well worth it.

Once you do a search and find the image you like, look for the image permission link that comes with every image (bottom right of the image)

This is where you will find what you need to know. I’ve highlighted the three sections in Green (good to use), Yellow (good to use if the owner approves its usage) and Red (Do not use it in the manner stated)

Image License

The following is a legal agreement between You and the owners of SXC.hu ("Website"), HAAP Media Ltd. ("SXC", "We") which governs the use of non-watermarked images ("Images") downloaded from our Website. By downloading an Image You agree to be bound by the terms of this Agreement automatically, without any other conditions or declarations. If You do not agree with these terms, You are not allowed to download the Image.
All Images on the Website are copyrighted and they are the properties of SXC or its Image providers. All rights are reserved unless otherwise granted to You. Your rights to use the Image are subject to this agreement and the restrictions specified at each Image.
We hereby grant to You a non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use the Image on the terms and conditions explained in this Agreement and on the Image preview page FREE OF CHARGE.

You may use the Image

In digital format on websites, multimedia presentations, broadcast film and video, cell phones.
In printed promotional materials, magazines, newspapers, books, brochures, flyers, CD/DVD covers, etc.
Along with your corporate identity on business cards, letterhead, etc.
To decorate your home, your office or any public place.

You may not use the Image

For pornographic, unlawful or other immoral purposes, for spreading hate or discrimination, or to defame or victimise other people, sociteties, cultures.
To endorse products and services if it depicts a person.
In a way that can give a bad name to SXC or the person(s) depicted on the Image.
As part of a trademark, service mark or logo.
SELLING AND REDISTRIBUTION OF THE IMAGE (INDIVIDUALLY OR ALONG WITH OTHER IMAGES) IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN! DO NOT SHARE THE IMAGE WITH OTHERS!

Always ask permission from the photographer if you want to use the Image

In website templates that You intend to sell or distribute.
For creating printed reproductions that You intend to sell.
On "print on demand" items such as t-shirts, postcards, mouse pads, mugs (e.g. on sites like Cafepress), or on any similar mass produced item that would contain the Image in a dominant way.

Information on rights
Since SXC does NOT require a written Model Release for each Image that has identifiable people on it, We cannot guarantee that you will be able to use the Image for any purpose You like. Also, if there is a model release for the Image, We do not represent or make warranties whatsoever as to the legality or validity of it.
Furthermore, certain Images may be subject to additional copyrights, property rights, trademarks etc. and may require the consent of a third party or the license of these rights. SXC does not represent or make any warranties that it owns or licenses any of the mentioned, nor does it grant them. It’s your sole responsibility to make sure that You have all the necessary rights, consents and licenses for the use of the Image.
You acknowledge that by your download the ownership of Image does not get transferred to You and You must not claim that it is yours. Your license is non-transferable, which means that You are not allowed to sell, rent, give, sublicense, or otherwise transfer the Image or the right to use the Image to anyone else. The work You create with the Image must be used either by yourself or by your client. You warrant that You do your best to prevent third parties from duplicating the Image.
You also agree to take the time to comment on and rate the Image you downloaded and do your best to show the work you created with the Image to the photographer. This is a simple thing and means a lot to many of our contributors who simply would like to know how their work is used.
IMPORTANT!
SXC cannot be held responsible for any copyright violations, and cannot guarantee the legality of the Images stored in its system. If you want to make sure, always contact the photographers. You use the site and the photos at your own risk!
Indemnification
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless SXC and its officers, employees, shareholders, directors and suppliers against all claims, liability, damages, costs and expenses, including reasonable legal fees and expenses, arising out of or related to a breach of this Agreement, the use of this site and the use or the inability of use of any Image, your failure to abide by any restriction regarding the use of an Image, or any claim by a third party related to the use of an Image.
Warranty and Liability
THE WEBSITE AND THE IMAGES ARE PROVIDED "AS IS". WE OFFER NO WARRANTY, EXPLICIT OR IMPLIED, REGARDING ANY IMAGES, THE WEBSITE, THE ACCURACY OF ANY INFORMATION, OR ANY RIGHTS OR LICENSES UNDER THIS AGREEMENT INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. SXC DOES NOT REPRESENT OR WARRANT THAT THE WEBSITE OR THE IMAGES WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS OR THAT THEIR USE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR FREE.
SXC SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU OR TO ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FOR ANY GENERAL, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, OR LOST PROFITS OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES, COSTS OR LOSSES ARISING OUT OF YOUR USE OF THE WEBSITE OR THE IMAGES.

Summary

Ok, so now you should have no more excuses for breaking the law. You can find a ton of free AND LEGAL images, videos and music for whatever work you publish online and offline. Just remember to double-check the permissions.

Blogging, images, Photos

Doriano Carta

Renaissance 2.0

No Regrets

Bright Star

overcome

Vince Clarke

The Golden Circle

PaiChart for G+ Circles

Islanders

5 Numbers Ones

Guzzle Extended Mode Beta

The Best Tools for Finding Free and Legal Images

Summary

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