Blazing Minds

The Dictator – Blazing Minds Film Review

Karen — Wed, 16 May 2012 20:44:12 +0000

Sacha Baron Cohen returns to the big screen with his latest character, The Dictator is the story of a North African dictator called Aladeen who takes it upon himself to risk his own life to travel to America trying to stop democracy coming to his beloved, if what oppressed, country.

The Dictator – Blazing Minds Film Review

So I’m going to start of this review by saying that I’ve never been a fan of Sacha Baron Cohen, Ali G was painful, Borat was terrible and Bruno was just like being tortured, now I’ve probably upset a lot of his fans now and they are all sitting reading this review and foaming at the mouth, but wait, I haven’t finished yet, that just the opening of my review.

The Dictator is different from the other as it’s on a bigger budget and you can tell this from the production of the film for the costumes, cameo roles and complete style of the film compared to his earlier movies.

What I do have to say is that The Dictator isn’t afraid to poke fun and insult almost everyone and even to the point of making fun of 911 whilst on a sight-seeing helicopter ride with some American tourists, too soon, not too sure, but it does touch on a nerve.

The film is politically satirical and it is funny, funny to the point that the audience, during my viewing, were in stitches even at parts of the film where you laugh out loud and then quickly think to yourself “Oh No! Should I really be laughing at that!”, such as the woman going in to labour and Aladeen helping her deliver, leading to some rather uneasy shots of inside the woman with his hands in there and his mobile phone!!!!

It is nice that The Dictator is more like a film and by that I mean it’s not like the last to Sacha Baron Cohen films that seem to be reality/mocumentary style. This does flow a lot better than those, yes there are those moments where the film does have those slightly long pauses, but then bam! You’re hit with something that just has you in fits and giggles again.

I’m Not A Fan Of Sacha Baron Cohen!

As I mentioned earlier in this review, I’ve never been a fan of his and have usually shied away from most of the stuff he does, but The Dictator is a nice move away from his earlier work and this far is far more enjoyable to watch, now if he produces in this style more often, then I’ll probably make the effort to see more.

But if he falls back to the reality TV style then I wouldn’t bother, The Dictator is a good move on his side.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Overall Thoughts On The Dictator

If you love Sacha Baron Cohen, then you’ll love the film, if you don’t like him, then still give it a go, I don’t like him and I was laughing my way through most of the film, but do go in with an open mind as you will probably be offended or shocked at least once during the film.

Contraband – Blazing Minds Film Review #ApolloRhylFilmReviewer, John Carter 3D – Blazing Minds Film Review #ApolloRhylFilmReviewer, The Woman In Black – Blazing Minds Film Review

The Dictator – Blazing Minds Film Review is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2012. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoyed reading this article, then please support Blazing Minds with a donation or Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Dark Shadows – Blazing Minds Film Review

Karen — Tue, 15 May 2012 18:46:19 +0000

So today was “Tuesday Film Club day”, it was the perfect way to see a new film to review and this weeks film to review was the new Tim Burton film “Dark Shadows”.

Loosely based on the TV sitcom that aired in America on ABC in the 60′s-70′s, Dark Shadows is about Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) who is cursed by a witch, Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green), and turned in to a vampire and buried for 196 years, until he is released in 1972 and returns to his family home in Collinsport to find that his descendants have taken a turn for the worse and the town and family business has been taken over by somebody else.

Dark Shadows – Blazing Minds Film Review

So what we have with Dark Shadows is a typical Johnny Depp and Tim Burton film, full of dark satire, one liners, Johnny Depp looking rather odd and Helena Bonham-Carter as her usual nutty self

OK, you’re not getting a film which makes you think , it’s not a murder mystery, but it has some very funny moments, I do have to say that Johnny Depp always brings some outlandish and comic parts to the roles he takes and pairing up with Tim Burton always seems to bring out the charm when the two get together.

Though this may not be the best film in their partnership history, it’s still darkly funny and enjoyable. Let’s face it it’s a reworking of a TV show which not many people can remember, well the younger ones anyway.

With it’s groovy looking 70′s clothes, great soundtrack and cameos from Alice Cooper and the original Barnabas (Jonathan Frid), the film is just fun, yes there are those that have completely panned the film and hated it for everything, but at the end of the day, it’s a fun film, yes it’s quite camp and yes it’s reworking of a TV Show, but who cares.

Dark Shadows is going to be one of those films that divides the film going public in to those that love it and those that can’t stand it and for me I loved it.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Overall Thoughts For Dark Shadows

Go and see this if you like silly films, love Tim Burton and Johnny Depp sends you weak at the knees, forget about the TV series, just go and see the film and enjoy!

Related Posts

No related posts.

Dark Shadows – Blazing Minds Film Review is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2012. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoyed reading this article, then please support Blazing Minds with a donation or Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Three Social Media Strategies For Internet Marketers

mikolorich — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:00:05 +0000

Do you want to enjoy social media?

Truth be told, social media is powerful and if you approach it wisely, there is every tendency that your marketing would grow exponentially. Only few internet marketers have experienced meteoric growths from Facebook, Twitter and the rest. Other folks are just struggling to penetrate the market.

Social Media Outposts (Photo credit: the tartanpodcast)

Here are three social media strategies to keep you alive.

1.    Set A Realistic Goal

If you want everything from social media then, you’ve no realistic goal. It’s good to desire the best things of life and to see your business grow – but it takes time and focus. Setting a goal that’s tangible, smart and realistic can help you wave through the difficulty of initial stage.

There are stages of social media marketing where every step taken seems futile. But you’ve to hold on. Put your legs down and aim effectively. A realistic goal could be to generate 200 leads in 30 days from social media. Run with this single goal and give it all it takes.

2.    Leverage Freemium Tools

Freemium is a combination of free and premium. Social media might be free to use, but it wouldn’t hurt investing few dollars to buy premium social tools. We barely have enough time to keep up with blogging. It’ll be a total waste of time trying to tweet, share and pin on your social media profiles all by yourself.

Where is the time to write blog posts? What about market research and brand building? Thanks to programmers and developers who took time out to create scripts and software needed to automate web marketing.

Leverage on freemium tools – don’t be left behind. The World Wide Web is evolving at a faster pace. Only you can determine where you want to be and the success you’ll recount in years to come. If you ignore changes around, it may cause some serious havoc in your web business. Learn how to leverage twitter tools, Facebook Apps and other social apps for your profiting.

3.    Create a Landing Page

Social media marketing can only produce cognitive results if you have worked it out from the onset. Creating landing page can help convert strangers from these social media networks into paying customers. A landing page is also called a “squeeze page” with the primary aim of capturing email addresses and names of target audience.

When someone subscribes to your email list – they’re showing interest in what you’re offering. It actually speaks volumes and shows you’re on the right track to enhancing your web presence, soon.

Make your landing page simple. Avoid flashy colors and have a white background. Create a short report to share with visitors as they click through to your squeeze page. Building an email list with thousands of subscribers will never happen overnight, but it’s worthwhile to get started right now – gradually add the right prospects to your email database and start building good relationship that works.

Social Media: Over to you

What’s your social media strategy and how have you benefited from Twitter, Facebook and the hot fly around – Pinterest? Please share your comment, below. See you at the top!

Michael Chibuzor shares the htc phones, check out this android tablet blog to discover the best selected htc phones. Get informed on the right mobiles phones before spending money.

Related Posts
The Importance of using Social Media when you Guest Blog!, Why Restaurants Are Moving Towards Social Media And Mobile Apps [INFOGRAPHIC], Sneaky Social Media Tricks of the Pros

Three Social Media Strategies For Internet Marketers is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2012. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoyed reading this article, then please support Blazing Minds with a donation or Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

We Did It! Did What? We Finally Broke 15,000 Followers On Twitter!

Karen — Sun, 13 May 2012 16:29:37 +0000

OK so this may not mean a lot to everyone, but it means a heck of a lot to me, over the last few months I was running a slight Twitter Contest, to finally break that 15,000 followers on Twitter that seemed to elude the @BlazingMinds Twitter for a while.

I tweeted out to my followers asking to RT a tweet about a draw which will be made when the Blazing Minds Twitter finally broke the 15,000 mark, quite a few followers ReTweeted the tweet and several ReTweeted it several times.

We Did It! Did What? We Finally Broke 15,000 Followers On Twitter!

So I’ve sorted out who has won an Exclusive Blazing Minds T-Shirt, which will be specially customized for the winner, the winner has been chosen from the 15,000 followers and it is someone who is still following and has done the most Tweets in promoting the contest and believe me it’s taken a while to sift through all the entries, but I’ve finally got down to a winner who has put in quite a lot of tweets and is a loyal follower.

I do have to thank everyone and all my Twitter Followers for following and Tweeting the contest and ReTweeting the blog posts here on the Blazing Minds Blog, without you the blog wouldn’t be as popular on Twitter as it is, cheers.

And The Winner Of The Blazing Minds 15,000 Twitter Follower Contest Is ….

Congratulations to …. @GemmaHaughton1, Gemma took the time to RT the contest the most and spread the word out to other followers, so a big thanks to Gemma and I’ll be in touch shortly for your prize.

An Announcement For Something Special For My Twitter Followers

To celebrate hitting the 15,000 follower count, I’ve decided to run another little giveaway to Tweeters everywhere, but this time I’m looking for sponsors to give away some prizes in the next contest, these can be cash prizes, advertisement slots on a blog/website, physical prizes such as books etc.

I will be using Rafflecopter for the new contest and each sponsor will have their Twitter or Facebook page listed in the entry options, so sponsors could build their followers or fans via this competition.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor then, leave a comment or contact me via the contact me page (remember to select “sponsor a contest” in the subject box) letting me know what you would like to offer as a prize in the new Blazing Minds contest.

Related Posts

No related posts.

We Did It! Did What? We Finally Broke 15,000 Followers On Twitter! is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2012. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoyed reading this article, then please support Blazing Minds with a donation or Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Vue Acquires Apollo Cinemas For £20m

Karen — Sat, 12 May 2012 16:35:04 +0000

So It’s now official Vue has acquired Apollo Cinemas for the massive some of £20m, meaning that Vue will now have 85 cinemas across the country. The news spread across several newspaper websites such as The Financial Times, The Independent to name but a few the other day.

Vue Acquires Apollo Cinemas For £20m

Apollo Cinemas is smaller than some of the bigger cinemas franchises such as Odeon, Cineworld and Vue. Apollo Cinemas are also equipped with State of the art Sony 4K digital projection, 3D and some amazing Dolby Digital 7.1 surround systems.

Simon Gregg From Apollo Cinemas said: “I believe that the sale of my late mother’s company to Vue will place the circuit in good hands. We are very proud of what we have achieved and wish all our employees even more success in the future. Being part of Vue allows them new opportunities to progress their careers with the UK’s leading cinema company.”

The Future Of This Humbler Film Reviewer!

The questions that crosses my mind now is what happens to the Apollo Rhyl Film Reviewer, well hopefully nothing, I’ll still be reviewing films at the cinema, but with the change I may be known as the Vue Rhyl Film Reviewer.

The other down side is my reviewing gear, in time the Blazing Minds Film Reviewer sweatshirt and T-Shirt that I wear when reviewing the films will be obsolete, but with a little bit of hope and the kindness of Vue, they will allow me to use the Vue logo just like the Apollo Cinemas kindly did.

Suffice to say, my reviewing of the latest releases will not stop and I’ll still be supporting my local cinema in Rhyl and promoting the films to you all and giving you my honest and down to earth opinions on them as I have always done.

So as I mentioned earlier, hopefully @VueCinemas will allow me to continuing promoting the cinema with a logo on my back for the cinema and I also hope that they enjoy my earlier and upcoming film reviews as much as you, the loyal readers of my blog, do.

I do hope that Vue get in touch with me via this blog post and allow me to enjoy the film promotion that I’m doing for the Cinema.

Keep your eyes on my Twitter, Facebook and on this blog for any further updates and many thanks to @ApolloCinemas for supporting me and my reviews since the relaunch of the Apollo Cinema in Rhyl.

Related Posts

No related posts.

Vue Acquires Apollo Cinemas For £20m is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2012. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoyed reading this article, then please support Blazing Minds with a donation or Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Piranha 3DD – Blazing Minds Film Review

Karen — Sat, 12 May 2012 08:23:12 +0000

Ok boys and girls it was review night for me last night and though I did tweet out that I was going to review “Safe” at a last minute change of mind, mainly to one of my friends going in to see Piranha 3DD, I decided to go in and see that with him instead.

Let me start off by saying it’s extremely hard to take a film seriously that has a selling point of DD in the title and yes that is a a selling point to the male population of between 18-25, but hey, this film isn’t supposed to be serious it’s a comedy-horror and I say horror loosely.

Piranha 3DD – Blazing Minds Film Review

So after the complete carnage of the previous film (Piranha 3D), those hungry prehistoric Piranhas are back to cause more bloodshed and complete silliness in a water park called Big Wet, where scantily clad teenage girls flaunt their stuff to the patrons and to the cinema watching audience in eye-popping 3D.

The Piranha are vicious little buggers and they like nothing better than chomping down on some of the DD chested woman in the water park and boy do they make a meal of them.

Piranha 3DD is completely daft, with loads of bad acting, not much of a script, but it makes up for what it lacks in the laughs department. You find yourself laughing at things you probably shouldn’t be laughing at and without spoiling anything for those going to see the film, lets just say that a man’s private part aren’t safe from the Piranha in the bedroom during a bit of how’s your father

It all kind of reminds me of an early 80′s, badly made, slasher movie, but with Piranhas instead of a Jason or Freddy character to slash up the teenagers at the lack

I just loved the way that David Hasselhoff, takes the mickey out of himself during the film as he plays himself, even to the point of doing the famous Baywatch run in slow motion, only to stop half way through, crouch down and then say “F*** me, I’m getting old” had me in stitches.

Nice cameos from Ving Rhames reprising his role as Deputy Fallon and Christopher LLoyd back as Dr. Goodman.

Yes It’s In 3D!

It amazes me sometimes that you get a massive budget film made in 3D and the 3D is completely rubbish and then you get a film like Piranha 3DD that is probably made on a shoestring and the 3D is far better, there’s a good use of depth, the Piranhas do work extremely well in 3D, even the little ones, special at the beginning with Gary Busey spitting one out towards the audience.

So the moral of 3D is, if films on a small budget can do such a good job, then why the hell can’t the major big releases do the same, without making feeble excuses.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Overall Thoughts For Piranha 3DD

It’s daft, funny, the 3D is very good, did I say it was daft. The fact that there are so many laughs in the movie, made me ponder on what to rate the film, do I rate it on the production or the slightly bad acting or even on a merit that the film was so enjoyable with its comedic elements, so, I opted for the later. I’ve rated Piranha 3DD on the fact that it was funny and enjoyable in a B-Movie kind of way

Related Posts
Contraband – Blazing Minds Film Review #ApolloRhylFilmReviewer, Titanic 3D – Blazing Minds Film Review #ApolloRhylFilmReviewer, The Hunger Games – Blazing Minds Film Review #ApolloRhylFilmReviewer

Piranha 3DD – Blazing Minds Film Review is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2012. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoyed reading this article, then please support Blazing Minds with a donation or Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Local Currencies Or How I Learned To Print Money And Not Go To Jail

Guest Author — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:21:26 +0000

If you’re anything like me, and as a rule I assume everyone is like me, you love money. You love the way it can be used to acquire goods and services. You love the feeling of security you get from having huge piles of it. You love the way it feels against your skin, and of course, the way it tastes. Money is great.

But still, it’s possible to love something while still thinking that there’s room for improvement. For instance, I always thought a big failing in the £10 note was that it didn’t have my face on it, and maybe some pictures of dragons and unicorns. I just think it would look cool.

“Yeah, that sounds awesome,” I hear you saying. Yes, I can hear you when you talk at your laptop. “But there’s no way it’s ever going to happen is there? It’s not like you can just make up your own currency.”

Well, it seems like you just fell into my perfectly prepared rhetorical trap, because YES YOU CAN.

In fact not only can you do this, but people do. Often this isn’t because someone wants to realise my dream of finally printing “Robot Dollars” (instead of numerical figures, the value of the note is decided by the size of the robot picture printed on it) but because it’s actually a pretty effective way of keeping money circulating within local communities.

It’s tough to get started, mainly because people are often reluctant when you hand them a piece of paper with dinosaur pictures on it and expect them to take it as legal tender. It’s also becoming tougher as modern businesses tend to use cash less than they once did. But there are still communities all over the world that have managed to make their brand new currencies work.

In Ithaca, Time Is Money

In 1991 the average hourly wage in Ithaca, New York was $10. So when the community decided to launch its own local currency to help boost local trade, they decided that instead of “Ithaca Dollars” or “Awesome Coins” as I would have called them, they called their new currency “Ithaca Hours” to reflect the fact that money represent’s someone’s labour. Of course, it also emphasises how much you’re being ripped off if you’re earning less than an Hour an hour.

In Ithaca there currently about 600 members using the Hour currency, with about US$100,000, or just under eleven and a half years in circulation.

Brixton Pounds Stay In Brixton

The Brixton Pound sounds like something that gangsters would give to someone who owed them too many regular Pounds. However, it’s actually an alternative currency that’s intended to provide a boost to local businesses, encouraging trade.

They also made this rather nifty little animated video to explain it all.

The Brixton Pound is the first local currency in the UK to be used in an urban area, but follows in the footsteps of the Totnes Pound, Lewes Pound and Stroud Pounds.

Toronto Makes Money For The Community By Making Money For The Community

Toronto set up their own dollar in 1998. It’s worth… well pretty much the same as a Canadian Dollar. They’re also printed by the press that prints Canadian Dollars, and includes the same sort of security measures to prevent counterfeiting. The Toronto Dollar is accepted at over 150 businesses, with the goal of increasing the strength of the local economy and keeping the money circulating in the city.

The real twist though, is that when you exchange Canadian Dollars for Toronto Dollars, ten percent of the value of those dollars is donated to special fund that provides grants to local projects.

Chris Farnell is a freelance writer who writes about print jobs, business and social media. If he gets to design his own currency it will probably be made out of chocolate.

Related Posts

No related posts.

Local Currencies Or How I Learned To Print Money And Not Go To Jail is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2012. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoyed reading this article, then please support Blazing Minds with a donation or Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Chicago As A Vacation Destination

Danielle — Thu, 10 May 2012 13:00:43 +0000

The cultural and economic capital of the Midwest United States, Chicago is rich with historical, culinary and arts attractions that make the city a can’t-miss for travelers. The city has famously frigid winters and high winds, so plan your trip for spring, summer or fall to best take advantage of walking, shopping and views of Lake Michigan, the only Great Lake located entirely within America.

Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, located adjacent to the downtown financial area, is a blend of high-end shopping, historic landmarks, skyscrapers, restaurants and hotels. Book a room at the Hotel Drake, located at the start of the Mile, to stay in luxury in the heart of Chicago. The Drake offers afternoon teatime to help you unwind at the end of a busy day and a speakeasy-style bar that can help you get a taste for the Prohibition Era. Enjoy amenities of both modern living, including high-speed Internet and 1920s luxury in its well-appointed guest rooms and common areas. Leave plenty of time to experience other famous Chicago attractions. There are all kind of unique activities to fill your days, whether you’re enjoying a romantic getaway, luxury vacation or budget family trip.

Historic tours of Chicago

Fun for the whole family, the Weird Chicago Tour claims to show you the ghosts, ghouls and gangsters of The Windy City. Tours are three hours long and include a private coach with plenty of off-bus time to explore the city’s secrets. Choose from tours focused on gangsters like the famed Al Capone, true crime and serial killings or the “weird and haunted” tour. Learn about Chicago’s goblins or rough-and-tumble past from knowledgeable, passionate guides.

The Chicago Architecture Foundation does a range of impressive tour focused on the skyscrapers, architecture and secrets of Chicago, allowing you to experience the city on foot. Guides are knowledgeable about architecture and history and offer a range of tours daily. These tours are best suited for adults or older children capable of walking a fair distance. Learn about the Great Fire that shapes the city’s history and skyline and the architectural geniuses that created the skyscrapers. After the tour, why not return to the Drake for tea or cocktails?

Outdoor explorations

When the sun is shining on Lake Michigan, historic Navy Pier beckons. This site is a great choice for families with small children, who can let off some steam at the attractions. Navy Pier promises 50 acres of parks, gardens and restaurants. Originally intended as a commercial shipping and recreation spot, Navy Pier opened in 1916. It housed soldiers and Red Cross units during World War I and was a training location for naval pilots during World War II. Today the pier is home to carnival rides, boat tours of Lake Michigan and a Chinese acrobatic circus. Navy Pier is a fun location for budget travelers, families and military history buffs.

Museums

Chicago is rich with cultural attractions and unique museums. Try the Museum of Science and Industry, which was rated one of the seven “Wonders of Chicago” by Chicago Tribune readers. Housed in the only remaining building from the World’s Fair, this museum showcases science, technology and cultural artifacts from Chicago’s development.

After you explore Chicago’s vibrant and diverse history, be sure to sample local fare guaranteed to please your palate. In addition to assisting you with reservations for local tours, your concierge will be ready to recommend and make reservations for fine dining opportunities you can enjoy as part of your vacation to the United States.

Related Posts

No related posts.

Chicago As A Vacation Destination is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2012. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoyed reading this article, then please support Blazing Minds with a donation or Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

American Pie: Reunion (American Reunion) – Blazing Minds Film Review

Karen — Wed, 09 May 2012 08:37:40 +0000

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 10 years since the last American Pie Movie, I’m talking about American Wedding in 2003 with the original cast, not those four awful spin-offs that we had to endure over the last 10 years.

So 10 Years after Jim and Michelle got married, we have the American Pie: Reunion (American Reunion) hitting our screens bringing back the original cast of the class of 1999 and now we find out what everyone has been up to and how their lives have changed in the last 10 years. Of course you just know they are all going to be getting up to things they shouldn’t and now, as adults, they should know better, but do they!?

American Pie: Reunion – Blazing Minds Film Review

Let’s face it folks when we had American Pie: The Wedding back in 2003, we all thought that it would be the end of the series of movies and what almost killed the franchise was the spin-offs, “American Pie Presents”, these were really all a poor excuse to try to bring a fresh bit of life to the movies and perhaps introduce a new audience to the American Pie films, but sadly they were terrible.

But if you think about it, it was inevitable that a new American Pie film with the original cast would come out, in my point of view to try and save the franchise.

Having all the original cast back reminded how much fun the very first movie was back in 1999 with its rather funny and sometimes embarrassing moments that poor Jim (Jason Biggs) got himself in to, you all know what I mean, pie anyone

In the latest film it’s much about the same as the original film with the guys up to their old antics, though it does seem a lot tamer, but this is probably down to the age of the characters now than anything else.

There are it’s funny moments, it’s rather rude moments and it’s all out completely daft moments, but this is all part of the package with an American Pie film.

It’s nice to actually have some closer to the characters that we’ve known since 1999, though now I’ve said that, we will probably get another one somewhere down the line, but I hope not as this has really brought the series full circle with the characters and I don’t think they can go any further without spoiling it.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Overall Thoughts For American Pie: Reunion

It’s gross-out comedy that we’ve all come to love is still there, the characters are still the same, but a little older and it’s fun. It’s probably not the best comedy you’ll see and it’s still not as good as the first American Pie, but it’s a great night out and it does give those chuckle muscles a good little work out

Related Posts
This Means War – Blazing Minds Film Review #ApolloRhylFilmReviewer, The Woman In Black – Blazing Minds Film Review, The Devil Inside – Blazing Minds Film Review #ApolloRhylFilmReviewer

American Pie: Reunion (American Reunion) – Blazing Minds Film Review is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2012. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoyed reading this article, then please support Blazing Minds with a donation or Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Klout Is Now Available On Your iPhone – Klout On The Go!

Karen — Tue, 08 May 2012 07:22:38 +0000

So, if like me, you enjoying seeing your @Klout and getting informed about how your Klout has increased or finding out who has been generous enough to add you to their list of influencers or even given you a +K in a topic that you are listed in.

Now you can find out while you’re on the move with the Klout for iPhone app, yes it does seem that there is indeed an app for everything these days

Simply visit the iTunes store and download Klout for iPhone and you’re well on your way to getting all the latest information on your Klout account direct to your iPhone.

Features of Klout for iPhone:

-The Klout icon on your home screen shows your Klout Score so it’s always visible to you, even if you are not using the app.

-The Notifications tab updates you about changes to your online influence. You will know any time your Klout Score changes or when someone gives you +K.

-The Profile tab displays your Klout Score, your influencers and more.

-The Klout app is customizable, allowing you to choose what notifications you will receive and what features you want to use. If you wish, you can also turn off display of your the Score on the Klout icon.

Using Klout for iPhone

It’s really easy to use the iPhone app, simply log in and then you will see your latest notifications from Klout direct on your iPhone, such as the +K’s that you have received and who has been adding you as an influencer etc.

By selecting the profile option on the bottom right of the screen you will be given a clear, easy to read, screen of your profile, with those that you have influenced and your influencers as well as your Klout score and social networks. This is the same as when you click on any profile that you would like to view while on the iPhone app.

By clicking on the settings option on at the top right of the profile screen you can change the way that Klout for iPhone behaves with your notification, as you can see from the screenshot you have three options, which all have an on/off option.

Option 1: Tell me about score changes – This will send a message to your iPhones screen letting you know when your Klout score has risen or fallen.

Option 2: Tell me when I get +K: When someone is kind enough to +K you on Klout you will get a message letting you know who has done it, you can then enter the app and tweet a thank you to them for the +K, the same goes for adding you as an influencer etc

Option 3: Set app badge to Klout Score: Simple really your Klout score will be displyed on your phone on the top right of the apps badge, so you simple look at your phone and there’s your current score.

Overall Thoughts For The Klout For iPhone App

I quite like the way that you can be on the move and get updates on who is giving you Klout and who you are influencing, it’s a nice touch the only issue I have with the app is you can’t give Klout! Strange as it sounds the app doesn’t have the option, so if you want to +K someone you will have to go on your computer for that, which is a real shame as being able to do it from the app would be a really nice touch.

So besides not being able to +K through the app, it’s a fun app to keep you posted about your Klout.

Related Posts

No related posts.

Klout Is Now Available On Your iPhone – Klout On The Go! is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2012. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoyed reading this article, then please support Blazing Minds with a donation or Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

The Principles of Politics, Not

lasalk — Mon, 07 May 2012 13:57:14 +0000

Alice T. Jenkins (Photo credit: rockcreek)

Here’s the thing

On the right, there are Republicans who believe that government isn’t the solution to the problem. They want to snip government spending, as long as it’s not their pet projects, and advocate lower taxes for billionaires a.k.a. Congressmen.

On the left, there are Democrats who believe that government is the solution to the problem, want to raise taxes on the 1%, and spend money on their pet projects.

The argument against taxing the 1%.

Why should I pay taxes when government will just misspend it?

Uh, I have to pay taxes. Why is it okay to misspend my money but not yours?

Alice (Photo credit: Thomas Hawk)

Here are the distractions

Abortion

Stem cell research

Healthcare

Gay rights

Guns

God

And is Obama an US citizen?

Here are the problems

The deficit

Money in politics

Lobbyists

Government waste a.k.a spending

Special Interest Groups

High unemployment

Outsourced jobs

Bloated government bureaucracy

Congressional pork, which ain’t kosher

Political redistricting

Voter suppression

Confusing language in legislation that congressional staffers read

Here’s the reality

Congressmen are influenced by money and are under the ether of power. They hang out with other mucky mucks that look in the mirror and say, “Wow! I’m awesome.”

Birds of a feather that flock together in Armani suits are dismissive of birds that frolic about in off-the-rack outfits. It’s human nature to want to hang out with the same clothes.

A math problem

If Harry Deep Pockets hands you a check for $100,000 and asks you take out his garbage and then Alice America hands you an apple pie and asks to you take out her garbage, whose garbage are you going to take out.

You can buy a lot of apple pie with $100,000.

Government is corrupt

We’re just Congressional henchmen. We vote for the people with the toothiest grin and with whom we want to have a beer. Once our beer buddy is sworn in, our job is done, and Harry Deep Pockets sits in the Congressional commissary, saving a seat for our toothy-grinned Congressman.

Sherrod Brown - Caricature (Photo credit: DonkeyHotey)

Meanwhile, Alice America’s apple pie grows mold.

Related Posts

No related posts.

The Principles of Politics, Not is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2012. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoyed reading this article, then please support Blazing Minds with a donation or Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Google: Behind the Numbers [InfoGraphic]

Guest Author — Sun, 06 May 2012 13:00:41 +0000

The following info-graphic, brought to you by BusinessMBA.org, offers a stunning recap of Google’s rise to global domination of search engine and web-based applications. With revenues in excess of more than two dozen nations combined.

The info-graphic tracks the sources of Google’s revenue, as well as the impact the company is having on consumption of everything from time to energy. Jam-packed with facts that reveal ad impacts to legal challenges, this info graphic gives a quick snapshot of facts and figures that track the lucrative market this seemingly simple search engine has cornered. The record-shattering statistics on Google usage is best understood with crisp illustrations and a context that reaches back to the age of dinosaurs.

Complete with source citations, you’ll find this eye-catching graphic to be a great learning tool and excellent source of information on Google as it continues to capture headlines and impact daily lifestyles and habits throughout the world.

From: Business MBA

Related Posts

No related posts.

Google: Behind the Numbers [InfoGraphic] is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2012. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoyed reading this article, then please support Blazing Minds with a donation or Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Eyewear Of Movie Legends

Guest Author — Sat, 05 May 2012 13:00:24 +0000

We take a great deal of creative inspiration from our favourite singers, actors and celebrities in Hollywood. From mimicking singer Avril Lavigne’s pink hair to singer-turned-actor Justin Timberlake’s nerdy glasses, there is something we can take from each of our favourite stars by looking at their fashion file.

We take a look at some of the best eyewear sported by our favourite movie stars over the past century.

Justin Timberlake in The Social Network

Former N*Sync lead singer and all-round good guy Justin Timberlake has come a long way since his baggy jeans and t-shirt combo days in N*Sync. Here he is in The Social Network movie and at the premiere sporting some retro frames. Since the premiere, Timberlake has been seen wearing these nerd glasses out and about with fiancée Jessica Biel.

Tom Cruise in Top Gun

Although Aviator sunglasses were popular in the 1960s, in the 80s film Top Gun, Tom Cruise’s character pushed the sunglasses even further, and soon after the film was released there were fans all over the globe sporting the aviator wings sunglasses. Even now, these style of sunglasses maintain their relevance and style edge.

Zooey Deschanel in New Girl

Okay so whilst I realise New Girl is a television series and not a film, I couldn’t ignore Zooey Deschanel’s style in the series. Her trademark retro glasses complete her geeky character Jess and she teams her nerd glasses with printed dresses and ballet pump shoes. The tortoiseshell hue make these statement glasses more subtle against Zooey’s long brown hair.

Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s

The style icon that was Audrey Hepburn wowed audiences in 1961 with the stunning Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Her character wore a black dress, rows of white pearls and diamond earrings in addition to a classy up do and her signature black glossy sunglasses and those long black sleeve gloves.

The fashion legacy of Audrey Hepburn’s character in Breakfast at Tiffany’s has lived on many years since the 1960s, and her character is often a point of conversation in the fashion world.

Hollywood is known for its glamour and stars, and the above celebrities are no exception. Whether portraying their famous fashion choices through a character or in their real-life personas, each has an interesting and unique take on fashion where their personalities shine through.

Amy writes for DirectSight.co.uk, a leading provider of glasses online.

Related Posts

No related posts.

Eyewear Of Movie Legends is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2012. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoyed reading this article, then please support Blazing Minds with a donation or Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Time For The Blog Engage $500 USD Guest Blogging Contest

Karen — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:30:11 +0000

Hello fellow bloggers, readers and commentators, great news do you all today as I’m proud to announce that my good friend @Bbrian017 over at Blog Engage has another amazing Guest Blogging Contest up and running.

Time For The Blog Engage $500 USD Guest Blogging Contest #3

Yes as you see from above this is the third Guest Blogging Contest over at Blog Engage and as per usual there are some amazing prizes ($500 in total in the prize fund), so don’t you think you should take the time to enter the contest and try to get some of that prize money in your pocket

Entering the contest is really easy, the Guest Blogging Contest runs from the 1st May to 30th May:

Post Guidelines

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

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.

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

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.

All images must be picked and sent to Brian from Free Digital Images or Stock photography Please e-mail him the link directly to the image and the code needed to link back to the photographer.

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 Brian know your username

Blog Engage 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 Current Best of the Guest Blogger Sponsors

Dragon Blogger Technology Blog

Jamie Northrup Web Consultant

Free Twitter Chat Custom Branding

Think Security

Greenhouse Accessories

Best Gardening Gifts

Our Crazy Deals

Commercial Greenhouse Kits

HCG Diet

RX SEO

E-Cigarette Products

Orchidflowerhq.com

US Gardening Directory

Home and Garden Web Directory

So there you have it folks, if you want to learn more, then stop the Official Contest Page and get your Guest Blogging in to gear.

Good Luck

Related Posts
Join The Blog Engage $500 USD Guest Blogging Contest #1, The Blog Engage 1000 USD Best Guest Blogger of 2011 Contest, Join In The Blog Engage 500 USD Guest Blogging Contest 2 of 4

Time For The Blog Engage $500 USD Guest Blogging Contest is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2012. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoyed reading this article, then please support Blazing Minds with a donation or Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

3 Weight Loss Excuses That Sabotage Blogging Success

mikolorich — Fri, 04 May 2012 13:00:15 +0000

A lot of people who registered into weight loss programs failed woefully.

The program wasn’t the problem, neither is the fitness expert. We experience failure in life and business when excuses take the place of hard work and proper planning.

When you allow excuses to dominate the fabrics of your business, stagnation and failure begins to set in and that’s when you feel like giving up. I want to share with you the 3 weight loss excuses that sabotage blogging success.

Why Weight Loss In A Blogging Article?

It’s uncommon to find weight loss tips in a blogging article. Blogging and weight loss are interwoven and if you’re observant enough, you would see the major features of working-out and dieting in your blogging business.

When you want to lose weight, the fitness expert would instruct you on what to do.

There are guidelines to losing weight and if you’re not disciplined enough, none of the vegetables and high-intense exercise would work.

It takes focus, discipline and obedience to burn excess fats off the body. The same thing applies to blogging, if you aren’t disciplined and hard working; you may never make a dime. Here are the three weight loss excuses you should eliminate:.

1. I’ll Do It Later

I can imagine how many times you’ve said this to yourself. Procrastination they say is the thief of time. It has sabotaged a lot of blogger’s destiny. In weight loss, one of the best things you can do to bring about that stiff-shaped physique is to start exercising and eating right, immediately. Don’t put it off for tomorrow or next month.

I could remember when I started blogging. Before I could write a single 500 – 600 words article, I had to waste 4 hours, doing nothing but surfing and procrastinating. It was of recent I discovered the pain and illusion I’ve been working in. Stop procrastinating and do the task at hand right now. Just like you need to exercise and eat balance diet to keep fit, writing quality contents and connecting through social media networks can add a cubit to your marketing height

2.   It’s To Expensive

Yes, nothing is free!

Although, if you’re a good researcher, Google literally can provide you with information you need to succeed in this life – right, wrong? The best information and articles are hidden in quality e-books, premium newsletter and membership sites. If free information was enough to make you rich, then everyone would have become Donald Trump.

Getting started with weight loss programs might be expensive, but it’s worth it. If you spend a few hundred dollars to get the right physique, I think it’s a good investment. In the same way, blogging can be expensive. It takes time to write articles and build up an engaged audience. But it’s achievable.

So get started with your assignment today. Know that nothing comes easy. To become a professional blogger or business mogul, you need more than ‘luck.’ Hard work and honesty has to come in. Expensive clothes and cars are cherished by all – you’ll be cherished sooner than you expected.

3.   The Results Are Slow

Do you believe in instant results?

Achieving tremendous success in life will not happen overnight. A lot of people sold their blogs and went back to 9 – 5 job because no result was coming forth. They had expected to earn $1000 – $10,000 in the first month, but nothing happened. It’s the same thing with overweight people.

A lady hoped to lose 10 pounds in 7 days, and when her expectations weren’t coming forth, she was provoked to quit the program and went home dejected and heartbroken.

If you want to lose weight, hold on for some time. If you want to make money blogging, be patient and continue crafting excellent posts. Before you realize what’s happening, money would start to roll into your account and your reputation for providing top notch services will be appreciated.

Eliminate Blogging Excuses

These weight loss excuses are so common with bloggers. It’s the reason why upcoming bloggers spend precious time reading other people’s work, rather than investing quality time to grow theirs. Eliminate all these blogging excuses today and grow your business quickly. See you at the top!

Looking for more weight loss tips? Michael Chibuzor invites you to read his health and effective dieting blog. He promotes discount deals such as the latest bistro md promotional codes and a diet to go coupon codes . He writes blog posts about diet tips and offers you the best weight loss coupon deals.

Related Posts

No related posts.

3 Weight Loss Excuses That Sabotage Blogging Success is a post from Blazing Minds Copyright 2008-2012. Please link back when using this source material.

If you enjoyed reading this article, then please support Blazing Minds with a donation or Follow @BlazingMinds on Twitter

Blazing Minds

The Dictator – Blazing Minds Film Review

The Dictator – Blazing Minds Film Review

I’m Not A Fan Of Sacha Baron Cohen!

Overall Thoughts On The Dictator

Related Posts

Dark Shadows – Blazing Minds Film Review

Dark Shadows – Blazing Minds Film Review

Overall Thoughts For Dark Shadows

Related Posts

Three Social Media Strategies For Internet Marketers

1. Set A Realistic Goal

2. Leverage Freemium Tools

3. Create a Landing Page

Social Media: Over to you

Related Posts

We Did It! Did What? We Finally Broke 15,000 Followers On Twitter!

We Did It! Did What? We Finally Broke 15,000 Followers On Twitter!

And The Winner Of The Blazing Minds 15,000 Twitter Follower Contest Is ….

An Announcement For Something Special For My Twitter Followers

Related Posts

Vue Acquires Apollo Cinemas For £20m

Vue Acquires Apollo Cinemas For £20m

The Future Of This Humbler Film Reviewer!

Related Posts

Piranha 3DD – Blazing Minds Film Review

Piranha 3DD – Blazing Minds Film Review

Yes It’s In 3D!

Overall Thoughts For Piranha 3DD

Related Posts

Local Currencies Or How I Learned To Print Money And Not Go To Jail

Related Posts

Chicago As A Vacation Destination

Related Posts

American Pie: Reunion (American Reunion) – Blazing Minds Film Review

American Pie: Reunion – Blazing Minds Film Review

Overall Thoughts For American Pie: Reunion

Related Posts

Klout Is Now Available On Your iPhone – Klout On The Go!

Features of Klout for iPhone:

Using Klout for iPhone

Overall Thoughts For The Klout For iPhone App

Related Posts

The Principles of Politics, Not

Related Posts

Google: Behind the Numbers [InfoGraphic]

Related Posts

Eyewear Of Movie Legends

Related Posts

Time For The Blog Engage $500 USD Guest Blogging Contest

Time For The Blog Engage $500 USD Guest Blogging Contest #3

Post Guidelines

How To Win

The Current Best of the Guest Blogger Sponsors

Related Posts

3 Weight Loss Excuses That Sabotage Blogging Success

Why Weight Loss In A Blogging Article?

2. It’s To Expensive

3. The Results Are Slow

Eliminate Blogging Excuses

Related Posts