Twitter Fast Start Guide for Newbies

Posted on April 23, 2009 
Filed Under Internet Tools | Leave a Comment

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Welcome to the easiest, fastest way to get started with Twitter.

What is Twitter?
Micro-blogging or think of it as internet txting, you send messages up to 140 characters.

Why use to Twitter?
To communicate or receive communication from people.

Step 1: Get Connected
- Sign up for a Twitter account.
- Enter your name and other relevant details, upload a profile pic and customise your Twitter profile look under ‘Settings’.

Step 2: Enhance Your Browser
- If you use Firefox, download the Twitbin addon for your browser, it’s FREE.
- Twitbin adds a left sidebar to Firefox so you can view Twitter while using your browser as usual.

Step 3: Get Mobile
If you have a Blackberry, install the TwitterBerry app, it’s FREE
or
If you have an iPhone or iTouch ipod, install FREE version of Twitterific
or
If you have normal mobile phone with java capability, install the Tiny Twitter app, it’s FREE
- This is so you can use Twitter away from your computer (requires data connection).
- You can also make SMS updates once you set your phone up with Twitter under ‘Devices’ in ‘Settings’.

Step 4: ‘Follow’ People
- Go to people’s Twitter profiles and click ‘follow’ ie. go to Twitter.com/ChrisYong and follow me!
- Go to WeFollow.com and find some famous people to follow.
- Go through other people’s ‘following’ and ‘followers’ list to find people to follow.

Step 5: Enjoy Reading Tweets
- Tweet = short message sent through Twitter.
- Some people tweet occasionally, some people will tweet a lot. Some tweets are personal, some tweets are informative. People can tweet about anything

Step 6: Enjoy Making Tweets
- Share with people whatever is on your mind or what you’re currently doing, if you wish to.

Using Twitter
- Standard tweet - can be seen by anyone following you.
- Reply tweet - ‘@person’ is prefixed to your tweet. That person and any of your followers that follow that person will see tweet.
- Direct message - private message to that person.
- Favourite - save someone’s tweet to read again another time.
- Retweet - forwarding someone else’s tweet on to your followers. ‘RT’ is prefixed to your tweet.

Enjoy!
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Iron Maiden: Flight 666 movie review

Posted on April 21, 2009 
Filed Under Musician | 1 Comment

This movie documents the first leg of Iron Maiden’s most ambitious tour ever, the ‘Somewhere Back In Time’ world tour 2008. In 45 days they play 23 sold out shows that span 13 countries in Asia, Australia and North, Central and South America.

For two whole hours, you are given an Access All Areas pass to what it’s like on the road touring with Iron Maiden as they board Ed Force One for the first time not knowing whether the plane will actually take off with 12 tonnes of gear plus 70 crew, through to playing shows for the first time ever in South America and giving metal fans the experience of a lifetime they never ever thought would happen ie. Iron Maiden playing in their ‘asshole’ country as one fan put it.

There is plenty of behind the scenes footage revealing what the band got up to before and after shows, as well as how they passed the time on days off which include playing golf, tennis and time in the studio when they weren’t confined to their hotel rooms.

You also get to hear from all the band members about what they think of their band mates. By the end of this movie, you feel like you know the band almost personally.

What I got out of the movie is how down to earth all these guys are at the end of the day despite their phenomenal success. They don’t take anything for granted and truly live to give each show they play the very best they can because their fans deserve that much from them.

This movie is an absolute must see whether you are a Maiden fan or not. The madness, the mayhem and the inspiration of a world class touring rock band is captured so at least everyone now has the chance to partially experience a day in the life of a touring rockstar!

More movie info available at www.ironmaiden.com/flight666/

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Will Smith talks about the power of thought

Posted on April 11, 2009 
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The law of attraction, the power of positive thinking, the secret, visualisation, call it whatever you want, successful people know how powerful it really is to focus your thoughts on what you truly want and to go after it wholeheartedly.

Here are a couple of videos I found of Will Smith talking about this concept:
Will Smith on the Power of Positive Thinking
Will Smith on the Law of Attraction

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NIN iPhone application - Trent Reznor’s latest cutting edge idea

Posted on April 7, 2009 
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Trent Reznor is one of those remarkable musicians who has fully embraced the internet and what it can be truly capable of. He let go of the traditional record label music business model years ago and since then has been doing what he can to move forward.

His latest innovation is he’s developed a Nine Inch Nails iPhone application which is truly something else!

You really do have to see how he’s taken web 2.0 to another level to help build a nurture his own community amongst Nine Inch Nails fans.

Read more about it and watch the video on the Nine Inch Nails iPhone application.

Sweden’s web usage drops by nearly half from copyright law

Posted on April 6, 2009 
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For a country’s web usage to drop by 40% is certainly saying something, and that is what has exactly happened in Sweden by introducing their copyright law.

It is believed file-swappers have reduced their activity for fear of getting caught.

Read the whole story at www.nzherald.co.nz

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Def Leppard and Lionel Richie record same song ‘Long Long Way To Go’

Posted on March 28, 2009 
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Def Leppard has always been a favourite band of mine since I first heard Hysteria and Pyromania back in the day.

In 2002, they released their 8th studio album called ‘X’. There is a ballad on there called ‘Long Long Way To Go‘ which I always thought was a great sentimental pop song which deserved to be a hit.

I have since discovered Lionel Richie also did a version of the very same song!

I still prefer the Def Leppard version but I like hearing the slighly different interpretation from Mr Richie.

Check it out and see what you think!

Def Leppard - Long Long Way To Go

Lionel Richie - Long Long Way To Go

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Finally understanding songs from the past

Posted on March 25, 2009 
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Have you ever listened to a song you loved from yester-year just to have its meaning click now and you can fully relate to it?

For me, especially when I was younger, it was the melodies and hooks that drew me into a song and at times I’d just sing along without really understanding what the lyrics meant or what the emotion was behind the song.

I recently listened to a Mr. Big track that I hadn’t heard in years. As soon as it started, the words came flooding back to me and I started singing along.

The difference this time was that as I started to sing along, the meaning of the words really hit me as I could relate to them now where as I hadn’t before.

Mr. Big are best known for their hit acoustic song ‘To Be With You‘ but the song I’m referring to is ‘Just Take My Heart‘, both are from their album ‘Lean Into In‘ released in 1991.
Mr Big. - Just Take My Heart

Mr. Big - To Be With You

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John Mellencamp’s thoughts on the current music industry

Posted on March 24, 2009 
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John Mellencamp’s perspective on the current climate of the music industry is very interesting to say the least. He recently made a blog post over at the Huffington Post where he goes into great detail on how the music industry has progressively dug itself into the current state.

As an artist for 35 years, he’s seen the music industry go from nurturing artists to being completely being about the bottom dollar that can be made.

He states “If we have any hope for survival of the music that we all love, compassion must replace name-calling, fairness must replace greed and we need to come together as a musical community and try to understand each other’s problems.”

Read On My Mind: The State of the Music Business by John Mellencamp

Heated music industry debate between Gene Simmons and Bob Lefsetz

Posted on March 23, 2009 
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Here is a very interesting video of a recent music industry debate where rock star Gene Simmons of KISS fame takes on online music industry critic Bob Lefsetz.

Old school music promotion thinking versus new school? You decide.

Quick Musical Thought To Ponder

Posted on March 17, 2009 
Filed Under General | 1 Comment

As musicians, we strive to make a career from music, to earn money from our art form and to live off what we love doing.

So what happens if a musician then performs strictly motivated by the money?

Hmmmmm.

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