Blazing Minds

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 3D – Blazing Minds Movie Review

Karen — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:18:22 +0000

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 3D has now been released to a world that has probably seen the film that many times they know it off by heart.. I remember that day when the original Star Wars was released in 1977, waiting in a queue for a film that was going to be something different and a film that would change Sci-Fi movies forever, followed by two sequels and three prequels, Star Wars still brings fans together for films that stand the test of time.

Image via Wikipedia

Now Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 3D has been released in a converted 3D format, ok we know that The Phantom Menace isn’t the best in the Star Wars saga, but I suppose George Lucas decided that this time around he would release the films in episode order, rather than before in the original releases of episodes 4, 5 and 6 then 1,2 and 3.

Personally for me I would have liked A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and then Return Of The Jedi released first, but that could be something to do with that’s how I saw them first time around and yes I did see them in their original non-updated releases, which I do prefer!

So anyway, let’s get on to Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 3D, as I said earlier this is probably the Star Wars film that gets a lot of criticism from film goers worldwide, on its original release the critics didn’t like it and poor Jar-Jar Binks came in with so much flak it was hard to believe that a character in a film could be so hated!

But besides that, we have to tip our imaginary hats to George Lucas for bringing the origin of the Star Wars saga to life, though it can be a little daft in places and hugely hated by the professional film reviewers (but hey what do they know anyway!).

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 3D – Blazing Minds Movie Review

So for this review I’m not going to review the film as new film, because it isn’t, I’m going to review the film on what it is, it’s a relaunch in 3D and that’s the point of the review!

Now I have always been one that will shun a converted 2D – 3D film, but as this is Star Wars, and I do love Star Wars, I did have to see the movie to see if George Lucas had pulled off the 3D conversion process or would it be another one of those films that even in 3D still seemed flat!

Wearing my Pod Racing 3D glasses and ready for a night out at @ApolloCinemas Rhyl, I sat with abated breath for the Star Wars introduction text to appear and get myself in to the Jedi mood, if all else failed I could succumb to the dark side of my Gingerbread latte.

So here we have a 2D converted movie and believe me you can tell, yes the film is in 3D but barely, most of the film still feels “flat” with only a few scenes showing off the depth that a true 3D film would show, which to be honest is very disappointing.

But you are bound to get this with a converted film, but being a Star Wars fan anyway I still enjoyed the experience, it was great to see Star Wars on the big screen again.

My hope now is that as technology advances through the next five years George Lucas will be able to make better Star Wars 3D conversions of the next five films in the Star Wars saga.

But for now, just enjoy seeing the film on the big screen with amazing sound and if you’ve never seen it on the big screen then it an added bonus.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Overall Rating For Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 3D

‘Star Wars’ fans look forward to weekend’s 3-D release of ‘Phantom Menace’ (VIDEO) (goerie.com)
Awesome Fan-Made STAR WARS Art for THE PHANTOM MENACE (geektyrant.com)
STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE 3D Interview with Joel Aron (CG Supervisor THE CLONE WARS) (collider.com)

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 3D – Blazing Minds Movie Review is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Beat The Winter Blues With This Feel Good Food Infographic

John — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:32:48 +0000

If you’re a UK resident, then you’ll be no stranger to the dark, cold conditions that permeate throughout the winter months (and often even the summer months). During these darker periods, the lack of sunshine has been proven to cause the levels of the chemical serotonin (the so-called ‘feel good’ chemical) in the brain to dip, resulting in a feeling of depression often referred to as the ‘Winter blues’.

So how can you beat these Winter blues? What steps can you take to help you feel better during the colder, darker months? According to Put Pork On Your Fork, you can help beat the blues by eating what they refer to as ‘mood boosting’ foods (including pork, spinach, chilli, mango, bananas, walnuts, salmon, pineapple, chocolate and avocado).

Put Pork On Your Fork recently carried out in-depth research in the United Kingdom, which revealed that an incredible 53% of British people suffer from the January blues, and that 70% of Brits believe what you eat affects your mood. So to help people beat these Winter blues, they produced the following fantastically designed infographic, aimed at informing you which foods are best to help improve your mood (they’ve even included a menu for the ultimate feel good meal):

(Click for a larger version).

As always with our infographic posts feel free to take the infographic for your own blog or website, just please try and remember to link back to either the Put Pork On Your Fork or the Blazing Minds website.

Related posts:

An Infographic On The Benefits Of Estimating Software Packages

The Broadcast Spectrum [INFOGRAPHIC]

A Look At The United Kingdom Gaming Statistics [INFOGRAPHIC]

Beat The Winter Blues With This Feel Good Food Infographic is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Chronicle – Blazing Minds Movie Review

Karen — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:32:58 +0000

There have been so many films that are based around the recording of events on a hand-held video camera, with most of them lately being paranormal type movies, so after seeing the trailers for Chronicle it looked like this could be something a little different. But is it? Or is it another one of those home-made movie looking films?

Chronicle – Blazing Minds Movie Review

So last night I braved the cold weather and ventured out to @ApolloCinemas Rhyl to see Chronicle film which has had a lot of social networking promotion and hype via Twitter and Facebook, the story of three college kids who stumble upon a strange object underground that gives them powers beyond their wildest dreams, but soon, not everything goes as well as they would expect.

Has Chronicle Lived Up To The Hype?

For me I would have to say yes, I’ve seen Cloverfield and Paranormal Activity, two films that are in a similar style of film making and I have to say that Chronicle is far better, 26 year-old director Josh Trank, who has been hailed as the youngest ever director of a chart topping movie, has done a superb job and you do really start to believe that isn’t a film, it’s a home movie recording the events of the three college students.

The slow start of the film does put you off a bit and you do start thinking “Is this actually going to be any good!”, but as the film progresses and the boys develop their superpowers and learn from mistakes they make and what they are capable of doing, the story just pulls you in. The idea that shy teenager Andrew (Dane DeHaan) is recording everything from the beginning when his drunken father tries to get in his room is the start of the recording process, hence the title “Chronicle”.

The use of the camera develops as the film moves along with it no longer being a hand-held but a free-floating camera able to film from any position, all down to Andrews superpowers.

Through the movie things do go sour and the final battle sequence, which reminded me of a video game, Akira and Superman up against General Zod is amazingly done, the use of CCTV, police cameras etc is so well done, it’s hard to think that Chronicle was made with only $15 Million, but it’s enjoyable and probably one of the best movies I’ve seen in this style for a long time.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Overall Thoughts For Chronicle

Though the film is slow to start and at times you do wonder if it’s going anywhere, it’s a well made film, which builds and builds as it goes up to the final all out sequence for the superpower face off, if you enjoyed Cloverfield or similar films then this is certainly the one for you, if you haven’t then give this a shot as it’s much, much better

Final Rating 4/5 (Yes I am using a new rating system

Related posts:

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 3D – Blazing Minds Movie Review

Underworld Awakening 3D – Blazing Minds Movie Review

The Grey – Movie Review On Blazing Minds

Chronicle – Blazing Minds Movie Review is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Best Albums For A Long Car Journey In The Country

digifreelancer — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:08:45 +0000

We’ve all been in the position where we’ve been taken in by a beautiful spot in the country, and want to have a weekend or a week break there – only to find it is hours away in the car. When this happens, you have to be ready to pick up the best albums in your house, load them onto your ipod and enjoy the journey.

But, what are the best albums to listen to? Are there certain picks that are better suited for travelling through the country? For example, The XX are more of a band to listen to in and around the city. Here we will have a look at a few to help you on your way when your en-route to one of the many Sykes Cottages around the United Kingdom.

Bruce Springsteen (Image via RottenTomatoes.com)

• Born To Run, Bruce Springsteen – Let’s face it, the song itself is enough reason to carry the whole album as you make your way through the country to the cottage that you will be enjoying. But, the full album is worth bringing along. Surprisingly, it only made number three in 1975, but it’s straight in the list. To be fair though, you could create your own Springsteen album to ensure that all the big songs from the years were involved – now, that would be priceless.

• Greatest Hits, Texas – Everybody has a memory of this being part of their life, and if you’re going through the country in the height of summer then this is the perfect album to go with your happy holidaying faces.

• Rumours, Fleetwood Mac – Going back to the Springsteen era, and this British-American rock band have to have a spot in the chars. With so many songs that hit the charts as singles, when they are brought together it is wondrous how good the band actually was – get your sing-a-long voice ready.

• Pet Sounds, The Beach Boys – You don’t have to be going to the beach to enjoy them but they are one of the finest bands to take with you to enjoy a car journey. Everyone knows how good they were and you can all dance in the car through the country as you enjoy the sounds of the Californian band.

• Lungs, Florence and the Machine – As we become a bit more modern, we move to this album that came out in July 2009. Getting to number one, there were so many singles in there that did the rounds – and are still going now. From “Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)” to the often remixed “You’ve Got The Love”, there is so much on there to enjoy.
Now that you have a big five to take on your trip, you’ll be even keener to find country cottages to rent

. In fact, you’ll probably want to find them even further away so that you can enjoy these albums even more! Happy driving.

Related posts:

Top Albums Of 2011

Rating Albums and Artists with Twitter and Musicvault.fm

What to do with your old Vinyl albums

Best Albums For A Long Car Journey In The Country is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Join Me On Affiliate Lights And Get Your Hands On $10 Just As A Bonus!?

Karen — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:58:49 +0000

I was just sitting here reading my tweets and comments, when I got an email from Affiliate Lights an amazing platform for earning some revenue from your blogging via some rather appealing and extremely useful websites.

How Do you Get Your $10 Bonus?

Well it couldn’t be easier, all you have to do is sign up with Affiliate Lights via my link and you will get a $10 bonus in your account, now how cool is that? But, if you also write a blog post about Blog Engage and the RSS Syndication Services that Blog Engage offers to bloggers then you will also get an additional $5, that’s $15 just for signing up and writing a blog post, easy or what!?

Why Join Affiliate Lights?

Well besides the $10 signup bonus, you also get:

Pay-Per-Sale 25% for each sale you deliver. – Including 25% recurring and referral tier recurring commissions

$25.00 USD – Minimum balance required for payout.

Payments are made once per month, for the previous month.

A large collection of images and links to help you earn money from your blog.

Friendly customer support.

Yes, I use Affiliate Lights Myself

I’ve been using Affiliate Lights myself for sometime and have had some great payments coming my way, not only are you earning with it, but you can help promote the brilliant Blog Engage website and it’s service and get paid for doing it, I do

So if you want to earn money from the internet and perhaps help your fellow bloggers find Blog Engage then this is going to be ideal for you, give it a shot, it’s FREE to join and don’t forget that $10 bonus you will get for joining as well as the extra $5 bonus for blogging about Bloge Engage and the RSS Syndication services (both of which you can use your Affiliate Lights links for).

Like what you have read? Want to join and get your $10 Signup Bonus? Then Join Affiliate Lights Now!

Related posts:

Blogging – Can You Really Use It for Affiliate Marketing?

Join The Blog Engage $500 USD Guest Blogging Contest #1

HOT NEWS: Earn Some Money With BlogEngage Syndication And Blog Serp

Join Me On Affiliate Lights And Get Your Hands On $10 Just As A Bonus!? is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Top 5 Social Media Lessons You Can Learn From Skin Care Magazines

mikolorich — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:51:36 +0000

What lessons can you learn from skin care magazines to boost social media promotional system?

We will critically look at the crash courses under this topic, because, social media education is the key to being productive.

If you want to know how social media works, you need to learn consistently. The answer you’re looking for might not be present within your niche, or it could be very difficult to get your hands on the right substance. But by researching and metric testing, there would be an overflow of ideas to improve your social media returns on investment.

1.    Choose Your Offer Carefully

Skin care magazines know how to target the right audience.

Some offers will perform well in one social media network and fail woefully in another. That’s where testing come in. You need to know the type of marketing offers which suits your audience.

Social media users are selective. If Twitter is your promotional system, then you need to understand what your followers are currently interested in, and work towards fulfilling them.

It begins with knowledge of your niche, the intensity of the problem they face and how desperate they need answers. Is someone looking for ways to tan his skin? That’s a quick point to capitalize on.

Twitter is like a quick-release network. Choose your marketing offers carefully. It’s vital to your success.

2.    Focus On Proven Marketing Formats

“You shouldn’t reinvent the wheel!”

Over the years, several skin care magazines have been made commercial and the popularity of these information products are booming. But what’s the secret to their huge readership and patronage? Their marketing formats have been proven for years.

There is nothing stopping you from trailing the same path of success, provided you come with a unique voice without copying outright. If you try to reinvent the wheel, you may run into mud waters.

Press release distribution is a proven marketing format. Take your social media marketing to the next level by concentrating on proven track records.

3.    Skin Care Magazines Are Colorful

As a graphic designer, I know how to combine colors to get a perfect touch. The importance of colors and its impact in social media marketing cannot be overemphasized.

You need to be colorful in your social dealings. But I’m not just talking about graphics colors and those catchy words; I’m saying you should package your social profiles beautifully. Your “about me” page should speak the same language with your blog. Have a custom logo and header. Choose your colors with wisdom and you’ll reap the rewards of savvy marketing.

4.    Savvy Marketing Strategy

One thing I like about Skin care magazines is the way they promote their products. Although, they still use the traditional article marketing and social media optimizing, but recently, guest posting became phenomenal.

Are you a blogger, internet marketer or webmaster and you’re still struggling to build brand, generate leads and convert sales, plan your guest posting system and stick to it.

Just like skin care magazines and what dermatologists recommend, promote your business without adulterating your credibility. Be honest, stay on the track and walk the talk. What else can I say about guest posting? It’s the secret ingredient used in growing my blog that shares free clarisonic discount coupon and skin store discount code.

5.    Craft Clickable Headlines

The large icing on the cake to succeed with social media is “attractive headlines.” I learnt this lesson from skin care magazines and gazette newspaper. If you flip the magazine pages and read the content, you might not be pleased with it, but the headline attracted you anyways.

If someone must click-through to your blog or web page, you need to win their heart first before building trust. Trust takes having a deep knowledge with someone. It’s what we call “relationship building.”

So, get prospects unto your blog from Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook etc. Don’t allow skin care magazines and popular newspapers to dominate catchy headline mastery. It will change your business 100%.

Skin Care Magazine Recap

I hope you’ve enjoyed my 5 social media lessons from skin care magazines. It’s your turn to implement these few nuggets into your business and see if it works. Who knows, the breakthrough you’re seeking for, might be right under your nose. See you ahead!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michael Chibuzor is a skin care enthusiast & build niche blogs to promote affiliate programs. At leisure, he writes for skin store discount and clarisonic.com coupons deal sites and occasionally for skinstore.com. Use these  skin store discount code and clarisonic discount coupons to save on skin care products.

Related posts:

Extra Marketing Secrets You Don’t Know About Social Media And Coupon Deals

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How to choose the right platform for Social Media Marketing?

Top 5 Social Media Lessons You Can Learn From Skin Care Magazines is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

The Grey Leaves You Thinking About Survival

Business.com — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:39:13 +0000

Those who make movies for a living know that there are different motives behind their movies.

Of course they want to make lots of money, but some also make films that will get the audience to place themselves in a situation and question themselves how they would handle it.

So as I journeyed to the movie theater over the weekend to see the new Liam Neeson (plays the character John Ottway) offering The Grey, I was curious to think about how I would deal with such unforgiving circumstances should I ever be placed in them.

For those who are not aware of the film or are waiting to view it, the basic plot revolves around a plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness that claims the lives of a number of Ottway’s co-workers who are members of an oil crew.

Surviving the horrific plane crash for Ottway is all the more intriguing given the fact that he comes close to committing suicide early on in the movie, only to be deterred by hearing the howl of a nearby wolf. In the opening moments of the movie, Ottway is seen picking off a wolf with his rifle, given the fact the wolves have become a nuisance to his company’s oil producing efforts.

With the plane down and no one coming to rescue them, Ottway and those who survived the crash must not only fight the brutal winter elements, but also a pack of wolves that go from being the hunted to the hunters.

One-by-one, the wolves demonstrate their intent to pick off the crash survivors, making for quite a bunch of red being left in the white snow.

As the remaining survivors fight to live, Ottway and the crew recover the wallets of the deceased, with the intent of passing them on to surviving family members. As the gravity of the situation begins to fully set in on those who are left, the wolves are like a small band of military fighters, tracking the survivors and moving in for the kill.

With the survivors quickly dwindling, no surprise here that the last man left is Ottway.

After crying out for God’s help and feeling that just about all hope is lost, Ottway comes face-to-face with the reality that he has made his way right into the den of the wolves. Can you say trouble?

With the Alpha male ready to take out the last remaining survivor, Ottway is shown thinking back to his dying wife and also reciting a poem about life and death his late father read to him as a boy.

At that point, Ottway takes some small alcohol bottles that were left on the plane and breaks them in half, taping the jagged edges to his hands. From there, he is seen charging the Alpha male and then the screen goes black.

Now mind you, I had seen some online comments prior to seeing the movie that you should wait past the credits for something of interest.

As we know the Internet never lies, we discover a scene just after the last credit rolls of Ottway with his head resting on the Alpha male’s body.

My first inclination of course is to think that the producers are leaving the door open to a sequel.

Then again, we can also take from that final scene that Ottway either died with the wolf or he survived and the other wolves in the den will not attack having seen their leader killed.

Given how none of us truly know what we would do in such circumstances, the movie left I and probably others thinking afterwards.

If its mission was to get you to think, then it definitely accomplished that.

Photo credit: Montreal Gazette

Footnote from Karen (Owner of Blazing Minds)

Those reading the blog will have also seen my take on The Grey, thanks to Business.com for letting me post my review first

Related posts:

The Grey – Movie Review On Blazing Minds

How To Develop Your Critical Thinking Skills

The Grey Leaves You Thinking About Survival is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Star Wars In 3D – Got My 3D Pod Racing Glasses And My Preview Tickets!

Karen — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:00:38 +0000

Star Wars in 3D is the buzz racing around the internet at the moment, it was trending on Twitter only the other day and it also seems that lots and lots of people are getting excited about the release of The Phantom Menace on the 10th February, I’m getting excited myself

Ready for my Pod Race (Photo credit: Blazing Minds)

So the other day I popped in to @ApolloCinemas Rhyl and picked up my special Pod Racing 3D glasses, which @SlappyBear seams to have claimed for himself, cheeky little bear, I will probably have to fight him to get them back, now where did I leave my light sabre

Star Wars In 3D – Got My 3D Pod Racing Glasses And My Preview Tickets!

Today, I stopped in at Apollo Cinemas Rhyl to pick up my tickets for the preview showing of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace which is on the 9th February at 8:30 pm, suffice to say I really can’t wait, there are so many scenes that I’m hoping will really look really good in 3D, the trailer showing the Pod Race in 3D looked pretty awesome, so fingers crossed for the rest of the movie.

That’s two premier seats, yes the comfortable leather reclining seats, what can I say you’ve got to have the best

Now the question is! Who is going with me, now I’m not too sure to be honest, I was with my wonderful mum when I picked up the tickets and I said to her, “Are you sure you want to see Star Wars?”, “Yes” was her response, then after getting home she looked at me in a vacant way and said, “Star Wars! I hate Star Wars!”. Seriously mother, come on!!!!!

So now that I have the two tickets I may have to put a call out to my Facebook friends and see if anyone wants to join me for it, what will probably be THE 3D movie release of 2012 We will see, it all depends on what kind of generous mood I’m in

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 3D Reviewed

Look out on the 10th February for my full-blown review and experience of the first in the series of the Star Wars films to get the 3D conversion treatment and also watch my twitter, @BlazingMinds, on the 9th for tweets of the event itself

But until then, may the force be with you……

Related articles

‘Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace 3D’: The Darth Maul Glasses You’ve Been Waiting For (news.moviefone.com)

The Pod Racer 3D Glasses Are The Real Phantom Menace (gizmodo.com.au)

Phantom Menace 3-D Featurette Says “We Know You’re Coming Anyway, Fanboys” (screencrave.com)

Related posts:

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 3D – Blazing Minds Movie Review

Project 365 – Photo A Day #42: Star Wars X-Wing

5 Sci-Fi Stars From a Galaxy Long Long Ago…

Star Wars In 3D – Got My 3D Pod Racing Glasses And My Preview Tickets! is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Taking Care Of Yourself And Your Home During The Cold Snap

BigDaddyCash — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:53:42 +0000

It’s just possible that you haven’t noticed but we’re in the first few days which could last at least until the end of the week, probably longer.

What Could Happen If Your Pipes Burst

The elderly and infirm should get their winter warmth allowance which means that they’ll be ok, the young and spritely will be fine too, we’ll turn the heating up a notch, put an extra pair of sock on and see it through but we should all remember to take some precautions against the cold around the house.

Protecting your house against the winter isn’t just about lagging the loft and double glazing the windows. Frost and other effects of the cold can do terrible damage to your home and property, precautions are often simple yet effective and certainly cheaper than the cost of repairs once the damage is done.

During particularly cold spells pipes can freeze, this will lead to burst pipes once the weather warms up a little. The cost of repairing the pipes is not unsubstantial, the cost or repairing and replacing damaged belongings and fixing water damage after a flood is going to be considerably more. It’s particularly important if you’re going to go away from home while the weather is at its worst. Should a pip burst while you’re away the cost of repairing damage caused by flooding could run into thousands of pounds.

Leave A Light On, And A Little Heat Too

If you are leaving home, no matter for a few days or even weeks you should leave the heating on low. This will pipes from freezing and therefore minimise the risk of pipework inside the home from splitting. If you’re leaving for an extended period it might be wiser to drain the entire central heating system and leave it switched off.

Leaving interior doors open can help prevent pipes from bursting as they allow warm air from the sunny side of the house to circulate around. Leaving the doors to the cupboard under the sink will help prevent the pipes bursting there; this is where the pipes are at their coldest, having just left the out doors and running up against the inside of an exterior wall.

Lagging On The Outside

If there are any pipes that run up the outside of your house you should lag them with thick fabric or old blankets to prevent them from freezing up. If you discover that you have missed something and your pipes burst you should cut the supply off at the mains stopcock to prevent further damage. If your pipes have frozen but they’ve not yet burst the putting hot water bottles or towels on them is a much better way of thawing them out than applying heat from a blowtorch or electric paint stripper as the stresses caused by direct, extreme heat is likely to cause more damage than it will solve.

If your pipework is damaged or frozen already, don’t try to thaw it out by putting the heating on. The boiler won’t get enough water and is likely to overheat causing even more problems than you started with.

@DanCash is a blogger with very cold feet on the south coast. With all the shops that are standing empty these days estate management companies are going to have their work cut out dealing with all the commercial properties to let.

Related posts:

Taking the Twitter Plunge (If You Haven’t Already)

How to be Successful while Working from Home

Cut The Costs Of Luxury Breaks; Fly BA and Leave The Kids At Home!

Taking Care Of Yourself And Your Home During The Cold Snap is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Join The Blog Engage $500 USD Guest Blogging Contest #1

Karen — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:00:14 +0000

Don’t you just love competitions? And @Bbrian017 over at Blog Engage has another amazing competition running through February, yes, that’s this month and as usual with any of the Blog Enage competition, this one has some truly amazing prizes up for grabs!

Anyhoo, enough of the chit-chat let’s get on to the do’s and don’ts on how you can win in this brilliant big prize competition and a mention of the sponsors.

Start Date

February 1st, 2012

End Date

February 29th 2012

Prizes

First Place – $250 USD
Second Place – $150 USD
Third Place – $100 USD

The Rules

First let’s discuss some of the rules. It’s very important you read and follow these rules as it will determine if your going to be included into the contest or not. In order to enter you have to write an article about the contest including our sponsor links on your blog. You can find the sponsor link code below. Please if you are entering our $500 USD guest blogging contest make sure to write about our contest and link to our sponsors prior to posting your guest article on our blog.

Who can participate?

All Blog Engage members can write for us and have the opportunity to win any prize offered in this contest. We only ask that you have a valid paypal account to accept your winnings and prizes. If you are not a member please purchase an account and or sign up to a RSS and Marketing Package.

Post Guidelines

1. Guest posts must be at least 900 words, not to exceed 2000 words.

2. You may have as many links as you wish in the body of the content. However, please limit links to your projects or websites to your bio. Absolutely no affiliate links allowed.

3. Your bio must have a Gravatar. Please use a picture of yourself and not a logo.

4. Keep your post relevant to the overall theme of this blog. You can write about any of the following topics Making Money Online, Blogging Tips, Traffic, Design, Social Networking, SEO, Marketing, Technology and other industry or niche specific topics you think blog engage members would be interested in reading.

How To Win

You must be a member of the blog engage community

You must write about the contest including the contest sponsors links When done e-mail Brian the link

Register for an account here and fill out your bio info Also please get a gravatar if you don’t have one.

Contact Brian at admin (@) blogengage dot com letting him know your username

He will review your account and upgrade it so you can write for the blog

Write your post, save it and it will be reviewed and published

A high value is placed on the number of and quality of comments received on your guest post. Also, be sure to interact with and respond to your commentators. This will help you win! Ambiguous and/or spammy comments will not help you.

Spread the word about your post through all your social media channels: Twitter, Facebook, Sphinn, etc. A high value will be placed on number of Tweets and overall social media promotion.

The Points System

Tweets, 50 points per tweet up to a max of 15000 points
Linked In Votes, 50 points per vote, up to a max of 15000 points
Facebook Likes, 50 points per tweet up to a max of 15000 points
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Join The Blog Engage $500 USD Guest Blogging Contest #1 is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

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The Grey – Movie Review On Blazing Minds

Karen — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:34:35 +0000

Some time back I saw the trailer for The Grey and just couldn’t wait to get the chance to see the new movie starring Liam Neeson, so the other night I popped in to @ApolloCinemas Rhyl for my weekly dose of movie viewing to check out the movie.

So here we find Liam Neeson and a bunch of oil-rig workers surviving after a horrific plane crash, as if that wasn’t bad enough they now have to contend with not only the cold but also from the threat of a pack of wolves hell-bent on protecting their territory.

The Grey – Movie Review

Image via Wikipedia

Now a note to anyone expecting this film to be an all out action packed non-stop moive, it isn’t, yes there are those fast paced, heart pounding moments in The Grey, but it is fairly slow-paced and upon leaving the cinema I did hear a few people saying that is was “too slow”, “there wasn’t enough action” and “they preferred Taken!”

The Grey isn’t meant to be an all balls out action movie, it’s more of a journey, yes there is a lot of narrative around the camp fires, but for me this only built on the characters that we were slowly getting introduced to as they are viciously picked off in some really gruesome ways. The story, based on a short story “Ghost Walker” by the co-writer Ian Mackenzie Jeffers, is not going to appeal to everyone in this action packed, sci-fi age of movies, but it’s gripping all the same.

Agree Or Disagree About The Grey

I know there are those that will totally disagree with this review and my thoughts, but for me, The Grey is a film that can be enjoyed in its style and production values, CGI, real and animatronic wolves are used extremely well as are the superb scenery and camera work, show he fast emptiness that the survivors must navigate to try to find safe haven from the wolves. Even the 7.1 surround sound gave you a feeling of being in the snow storms and being completely traps from all sides from the bone chilling winds.

Ok, some may find it boring, but not every film has to be so fast that you can’t keep up with what’s going on, isn’t it nice just to take things a little easy for a while, look at the scenery, get engulfed in the conversation and then get the shock of your life as the peace and tranquillity is shattered by a massive wolf chomping down on human flesh!!!

I personally loved every minute of The Grey and can’ wait for it to come out on DVD so I can see it again.

So my overall rating for The Grey has to be 8.5/10.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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The Grey – Movie Review On Blazing Minds is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Mobile Trends In 2012 [INFOGRAPHIC]

John — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:04:21 +0000

Both 2010 and 2011 saw some major developments in the mobile industry, with extremely sophisticated and multi-functional smartphones the norm in the current market (at least in Europe and the US). But what does this year hold for the mobile industry? What kind of developments can we expect in 2012?

It seems I’m not the only one asking these kind of questions, as mobile TV streaming and encoding specialists Gorillabox producing the following infographic with some great information on the subject:

I’m especially interested in the mobile integration and applications of HTML5, as well as the utilisation of the cloud for mobile processing (the latter is particularly exciting, providing users with more sophisticated applications and much faster service).

The infographic also highlights the incredible growth of mobile advertising; estimating that retailers in the UK alone will spend around $15billion on mobile advertising in 2012.

You’re welcome to publish the above infographic on your own blog, just please place a link back to Gorillabox or Blazing Minds if you do decide to use it.

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Mobile Trends In 2012 [INFOGRAPHIC] is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

The New Year’s Resolutions You Should Have Made (But still Can)

Danielle — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:04:52 +0000

img source: http://www.lorinbellerblake.com

People around the world make New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, because February is here, it means many of those resolutions are probably kaput. The feeling of a New Year can inspire ambition—which is fantastic. But if the luster of a blank calendar is the only thing making someone proactive, then her/his resolutions will go flat faster than the champagne. One doesn’t need to make big gestures to improve. Follow these suggestions for the New Year’s resolutions that get over looked, but need to be made for the sake of humanity or, ya know, just so we don’t turn into jerks.

Phone Etiquette

Text messaging has completely revolutionized they way we communicate. It’s a wonderful way to send information without interrupting someone or ask a question that isn’t pressing. Texting is perfect for exchanges like “I got home safe,” “I’ll be there around six,” or “What’s the name of that magazine?” The point is that it doesn’t interrupt people’s day. Unfortunately, texting has done the opposite. When you are eating lunch with someone, do not text. When you are at a party, if you need to text, go into a different room. When you reach for your phone, you trigger other people’s desire for texting as well, so now you’ve got a party full of texters. And when you text repeatedly you are telling those around you that you’d rather be somewhere else. If you want to have a conversation with someone call them or better yet, send them a text … and meet in person.

Try Something New

Times are changing and they always will be. Becoming a lifetime learner will strengthen your adaptation muscles. Start trying new things for leisure and the next time someone hands you a brand new gadget or computer program, adjusting will be no sweat. You’ll be able to surf the new wave as opposed to drowning beneath it. Try something new—the farther out of your comfort zone the better. Go to a hot yoga class, explore a new language, learn to make sushi at home, pick-up some woodworking tools and build something. Learning something new can be daunting, but it’s always rewarding.

Eat Breakfast

This is another thing, like hand written letters or direct eye contact, which is sadly slipping from our daily lives. Many people’s eating has shifted into a two-meal-a-day routine. In my opinion, this is also one of the larger proponents of weight gain. When you don’t eat breakfast, you get hungry. When you are actually hungry, you’ll gorge on whatever junk is around you—much less healthy than eating small portions throughout the day. Add some time into your morning and eat breakfast at home. Additionally, eating at home is cheaper than grabbing something out. Picking up your morning meal on the move is costing you big bucks. Eat at home for one week and see if the savings are worth it; they will shock you.

Our society, and your life, can be positively affected by the small decisions. Changing a few simple things as you move through your year could create noticeable improvement. At the very least—it’s certainly worth the risk.

Danielle has been setting and achieving New Year’s resolutions for 17 years. She’s been blogging on behalf of Sears and other trusted brands since the success of her DIY resolution in 2007. Read her work at eatbreatheblog.com

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The New Year’s Resolutions You Should Have Made (But still Can) is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

A Monster In Paris – Apollo Cinemas Film Review

Karen — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:30:23 +0000

So there I was the other night Tweeting and Facebooking as I do most of the time when one of my friends from @ApolloCinemas asked me if I fancied going and seeing A Monster In Paris, how could I resist, I do love a good animated movie and this did look quite charming from the trailers that I had seen.

A Monster In Paris – Apollo Cinemas Film Review

Based in Paris during the great flood on 1910, a monster, created by two bumbling friends while delivering to a scientists address, is let loose on Paris, but his love for music and his Jazz playing guitar brings him to nightclub singer, Lucille (Vanessa Paradis) and so the adventure begins with the mayor trying to capture the Monster, so Lucille, Raoul (Adam Goldberg) and Emille (Jay Harrington) try to save his life.

So here we have a touching film, that was originally released in French and then dubbed in to English for a wider audience and being that the film is CGI, you aren’t really looking for those awkward lip-synced moments, those all the writing in the film is in French, but that’s not a problem.

Now when I originally saw the trailers for A Monster In Paris, the first thing that crossed my mind was that this is a working of The Phantom Of The Opera, how wrong I was!

The film is nicely done and the CGI is lovely, as is the film, I was laughing at parts of the film and thinking to myself, what a lovely film for the kids to see and I bet they would love it, it’s quite fast paced and they really isn’t a moment when I child could get bored, though they are those moments when little boys will say “Ewwwww they’re kissing”, but that’s part of the charm of the movie

You’re not going to get a Beauty and the Beast style movie here, yes there is a monster, yes there is a beautiful girl and yes there is an evil villan, but the film is in itself very French and charming

A Monster In Paris – Worth A Viewing?

I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the film, both adults and children will enjoy it together as well, it’s charming, fun and extremely enjoyable, so if you are looking to see a film this weekend in your local cinema, then I would certainly recommend A Monster In Paris.

So my overall rating for 8/10

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A Monster In Paris – Apollo Cinemas Film Review is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Taking the Twitter Plunge (If You Haven’t Already)

Deborah Anderson — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:55:33 +0000

Ok, I admit it. I haven’t tweeted. Take a couple parts guilt feelings, a part procrastination, a part “where-do-I-start” and a dash of OCD/perfectionism and you get a social media nut who isn’t tweeting. Why? Simply because I love people so much that I want to thank each and every one and realize the more days that pass, the more people there are that I haven’t thanked, and how far back do I go with the thanks and should I thank yesterday’s tweeps first, or a month ago?… Ok, do you get the picture? I told you it was crazy, so consider yourself having been fore-warned!

And, to top it off. While I sit back, chasing my tail, wondering where to start, my Klout score plummets, and plummets, and plummets… OK, don’t go looking, now. Seriously, I am embarrassed! So, I fell down on the playground and skinned my knee. Not like I can’t stand up, brush myself off, and go on skipping rope in the playground called “Life,” in the sandbox called “Twitter.”

Now, I really appreciate all of you gusto-grabbing people who are able to just pull out the stops and Tweet (or blog, or Facebook status, or whatever the case may be). I applaud you and I send you congratulatory warm virtual hugs. If you know me, you know that I am not patronizing you, I mean it!

For those of you who may have “issues,” whatever they may be (fear of people, momentary lapses of memory, spending too much time with your pets or your cars, etc.). Hey, join the club! I don’t think any of us is perfect. But, you know what, I am going to take the plunge. I am going to send out personal tweets starting today and realize that you can’t change the past. Not only that, but who said you have to be perfect?! Enjoy your humanity and make a few boo boos. We all do! So, what are you waiting for? You ready to take the plunge (or re-plunge) with me? If so, see you on Twitter!

P.S. To all of you who have “Thanks” coming, in appreciation for your mentions and shout outs, to you I send a special, global “Thank you.”

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Taking the Twitter Plunge (If You Haven’t Already) is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2011. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoy reading my blog, then please support me with a donation and Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter