Squidoo News

Archive for January, 2010

I can’t wait to see the movie Sherlock Holmes, but I admit I don’t know much about Sherlock and Watson other than a few jokes and stories I’ve heard over the years. To get up-to-speed on the history of Holmes, I’ve been checking out the Complete Sherlock Holmes Collection by lensmaster Laddoo.

This incredible lens won Best Book-Author Lens in the lensmaster-driven 2009 Giant Squid Awards, and rightfully so. Laddoo has it all: colorful effects, complete references, easy to read content, and possibly the best use of AllPosters images that I’ve seen to date.

http://www.squidoo.com/the-complete-sherlock-holmes-collection

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This week the Giant Squdc Challenge is teaming up with the RocketMoms and the Squidoo Music Blog on
Crabby’s Beach! How fun is that?

We’re going to be creating a music lens!

Think…The Blues, Classical Music, Traditional
& Folk Music, Classic Rock, Dance Party Music, Country, Music and
Joyful Music!

Then add your lens to: The Squidoo Music Awards
plexo. Remember you can make more then one lens!

AND Add your lenses to one of the
plexos on this lens! That’s 2 wonderful places to show off your
music lenses!

So are you wondering what to write about?

That’s
easy. We all love music of some sort or another. I grew up in the
1980′s and love Duran Duran, Berlin, the B-52′s, David Bowie, Meat
Loaf…the list goes on. Here’s a lens I did for an earlier session of
RocketMoms: Bonnie’s
Top 10 Favorite Songs Of All Time.

Remember that a music lens can be creative, fun and a wonderful
resource. Here are some ideas:

1) Use YouTube Videos and
the Amazon MP3 Module to showcase your favorite bands.

2) Create a
quiz about a band or the genre of music you love.

3) Do a
“Decade” lens about 1950′s music.

4) Create a Top 10 list of the
best bands from Ohio or the coolest hair bands or the best concerts of
1987.

5) Review a bands latest concert.

6) Review a CD,
DVD or music book.

7) Create a “story” lens about your first
concert.

Write a thank you note to a band that’s changed your
life.

There are so many great ideas for a music lens so have fun
and don’t forget to add your lenses to BOTH of these lenses:

Squidoo Music Awards

RocketMoms
Session 5: Music Lens

Have fun!

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Last Week’s GSTC – (Giant Squid Training Camp) lens challenge was to build a Hey MonkeyBrain! lens that really got people talking.

We had many awesome entries but here are the top two from each category that had the most discussion going on when I viewed them this morning.

Going for Giant

Cats are TOTALLY Better than Dogs

Twitter is Brilliant

Going for 100 Club

Animals Should be Rescued after a Natural Disaster

Who are you Calling a Monkey Brain?

Already in the 100 Club

Harmless Pranks Can be Funny

Is Reincarnation Real?

Visit the Hey MonkeyBrain Lens Challenge lens to see all of the wonderful participating lenses.

This week’s challenge is to create a Music Lens.  Read all about it here:  1/27/2010 GSTC Music Lens

Visit the So You want to be a Giant Section of Squidu to join us for Giant Squid Training Camp!

All are invited to join in, no matter how many lenses you have!

You’ll find all past daily tips and weekly lens challenges at the Official Giant Squid Training Camp Lens

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Doomsdayers and Hollywood alike love to talk about the world ending. But what are the facts about predictions of world disaster? Lensmaster and History Channel buff Teddi14 shares it all in Seven Signs of the Apocalypse ~ World Ends 2012 ~ Do You Agree?

Learn about our fascination with the end of the world as you explore jargon (Armageddon? Apocalypse?), people (Nostradamus? Fulcanelli?), and predictions (2012?) related to an assortment of world-changing possibilities. With all the incredible content offered in this lens, it’s hard not to join the controversial Duel and leave your two-cents about the possibility of impending doom.

This lens proves how simple it is to create an informative resource using pre-formatted modules such as Amazon, Wikipedia, Twitter, and YouTube. The right mix of shared and unique content has turned a potentially dry subject into a fascinating look at what we think and know about our collective future.

http://www.squidoo.com/seven_signs_of_the_apocalypse

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Over the next few week bdkz (that’s me), Robin (rms) and Kimberly (SquidooKimberly) are going to be sharing some super Squidoo How-to screencasts on the brand new Squidoo YouTube Channel. Interested in seeing a specific topic covered? Stop by Super Squidoo Screencasts and add your ideas to the plexo.

See you around YouTube!

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One of the most simple and delicious things in life is a slab of warm bread with butter or jelly. But who has time to mix, kneed, rise, kneed some more, and bake? Definitely not me, but now we don’t have to! How to Make Ciabatta Bread is StevenCousley‘s recipe for delicious bread without the hard labor.

Squidoo’s modules make a lens the perfect way to promote a recipe. This lens goes a few steps further to offer additional details, such as what to bake the bread on, why you should use only bread flour (yes, yes, I am the type of person who would be tempted to use something else), and videos to confirm that you’ve got it all under control.  It’s easy to understand and looks oh so good!

http://www.squidoo.com/how-to-make-ciabatta-bread

Nominated by Stazjia.

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Since it’s a special day for a special lady I thought I’d do a special Spotlight post.

Happy Birthday Bonnie!

As you probably already know, bdkz (Bonnie) is THE RocketMoms Organizer, and the better half of our Giant Squid Organizers team but she’s also a damn good lensmaster with 330 lenses under her belt.

In honor of this special occasion I wanted to share a few of my favorite bdkz lenses.  Enjoy!

bdkz’s Best Squidoo Tips is a must read if you are interested in joining the Giant Squids.

Bonnie is also a Zazzler and again, she’s willing to share her best tips.  If you are interested in learning about Zazzle, don’t miss this lens:  Zazzle 101: How to make a profit on Zazzle

Unique Toilet Seats For Your Home is a terrific example of a great (and successful)  shopping lens.  It’s also a lot of fun to look at!

Here’s a few lenses to help you get to know Bonnie better:

Who the Heck Is bdkz?

A Peek into my Closet.  The Clothes that Define Me.

Bonnie’s Top 10 Favorite songs of All Time

My Favorite 1970’s Electronics

Collecting Marbles

Yo Gabba Gabba Fan Site

Want even more information about Bonnie?

Read this:  Who is Bonnie Diczhazy?

Be sure to stop by one of bdkz’s lenses today and wish her a Happy Birthday!

Tell her Robin sent you! 

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If your only experience with ghost chili is the six-hour crop on Farmville, you’re in for a red hot treat today. Lensmaster ottoblotto‘s lens Chile Peppers – Seeds and Growing is a virtual tour of over two dozen varieties of spicy peppers and instructions on how to grow them at home.

“Planting and growing chile peppers is both fun and rewarding because you get to eat “the fruits of your labor.” Peppers are easy to grow if you get the right kind for your climate.

“You can start peppers from seed, or you can buy seedlings from your local garden center in the spring. Buying seedlings can give you a good start on the growing season, but typically there are fewer choices of pepper varieties.”

If you can’t grow them in your region, try a selection of Hot Chile Pepper Products for Cooking. Say that five times fast!

http://www.squidoo.com/chile-peppers-seeds-and-growing

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For many, Sunday brings a reminder of how awful we were during the past week, or the dread of sitting in church, or the guilt of not having done our Sunday School homework. The good news is faith studies don’t have to be boring, as lensmaster Gandree shares in her lens Does Bible Reading Sound Boring?

It’s “back to bible” reading with her tips for making time in your day to “kick start your bible reading and quiet your nagging conscience.” Her ideas are easy to incorporate, and I especially love the tip about making a Squidoo lens about your favorite character, event, or experience. It’s true! You’ll learn a ton while researching your lens contents.

The theme of “doing what you should/want to” is a great overall theme for a lens because everyone has that project they’ve been avoiding. Why not make your own lens about overcoming procrastination and making time for what’s important? Right after you read your bible, of course.

http://www.squidoo.com/Back-to-Bible

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