Squidoo : Lenses by SquidooKimberly

Using Creative Commons Images from Flickr

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:37:51 -0600

Creative Commons is a system that photographers can use to license photos for use by others. Flickr helps facilitate this sharing process by making it easy to find and use photos that Flickr users have licensed under Creative Commons. This is great news for Squidoo lensmasters, because it means you now have thousands of opportunities to add some bling to your lens and show off the awesome work of others. This lens describes the six types of licenses Creative Commons supports, how to tell which type of license a Flickr photo carries, how to find great images to use, and how to properly credit the author. Image used under Creative Commons from David_Reece.

Why is my lens "Under Construction?"

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:34:24 -0600

Welcome to Squidoo! At Squidoo, we're all about quality, that's why we give you a chance to finish your lens before showing it to the world. If your lens isn't finished yet, when you try to view it, you'll see an "Under Construction" sign. This lets readers know the lens is in progress, and will be visible once it's published.

Money Making Modules

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:38:10 -0600

You probably knew you could make money on Squidoo, but did you know which modules will earn you the most? Take a quick tour of our moneymaking modules and find out how to boost your earnings and donations power. Image courtesy of thefuturistics and a Creative Commons license.

How do I edit my forum signature?

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:26:35 -0600

If you're recently joined us at the SquidU Forum, you might be wondering, "How can I put a snazzy signature on my posts?" Simple! By making a few quick edits to your forum account preferences, you can add your name and custom lens links to your signature, and they'll automatically appear at the bottom of each post you make.

How do I edit my lens?

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:27:38 -0600

If you're here, chances are you're new to Squidoo. Welcome! As you know, we call our individual webpages lenses. Why? Like contact lenses or scope lenses, they're intended to focus on one niche topic. Each lens should have one main theme and everything on that lens should be related to your main topic. No off-topic rants or unrelated sales products; visitors should find your lenses a one-stop resource for everything they want to know about the best coconut macaroons or the health benefits of donkey milk or underwater basket weaving. (Ok maybe not that last one, but you never know.) Excited? We are. So let's help you get back to your lens edit screen, called the workshop, so you can see how it all works.

FAQ: General Lensmastery

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:26:45 -0600

We often get interesting questions about creating lenses that may not have obvious answers. If you're stuck on the process for making lenses, check here from some great tips and answers to questions other lensmasters have asked. If you were directed here by Tisha, our awesome bug sorter outer, and you still weren't able to find an answer, reply to Tisha's email, and she'll take a further look. Make your lenses sing. Image used courtesy of Creative Commons and Ayton.

How to Write a Critique

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:27:01 -0600

The Critique Me forum on SquidU is a great place for lensmasters to get feedback on their lenses. As lensmasters learn to use Squidoo and find out about more lensmaking features, their lenses tend to have better rankings, earn more money, and look more complete. While you can become a Squidoo expert in no time, we must remember we were all new at one point, and work critiques appropriately. Image courtesy of shyb and a Creative Commons license.

Adding Images to your Lens

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:38:21 -0600

Not only do images look great on your lenses, lensmasters and readers LOVE to see them! There are tons of great reasons to add images to your lenses - promote your hand-made crafts, show off your original artwork or photography, and add 1000 extra words to any article by putting the "show" in show and tell. Learn how to add your own images to lenses, plus how to find Creative Commons images to use free of charge! Show off artwork like this, and more! Image courtesy of midiman through Creative Commons.

Password and Email Help

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:27:25 -0600

From time to time, we all forget our password. Or we change email addresses and can't retrieve it. Oops! Whether you need a simple password reset or have forgotten your username altogether, read on to find out what information we need to prove that you're you and get you back on the path to making great lenses. Image above courtesy of zitona and a Creative Commons license.

Turn on your "Contact Me" Button

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:11:46 -0600

Squidoo offers many options for gathering feedback from readers and lensmasters, and email through the "contact me" button is one of them. By turning this feature "on," your readers can contact you directly to ask questions, offer solutions, and maybe even offer you a job! (You never know.) Find out how to make it appear on your lens.

Do Squidoo: A much requested guide to creating a successful Squidoo lens

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:27:58 -0600

Are you seeking information on how to use Squidoo effectively? Excellent, because this lens is made just for you! Find the answers to: - How do I do ...? - Why won't ... work? - How can I ...? - Why do you ...? - Where is the ...? Finally deciding to take the plunge and become a lensmaster? Click here to sign up and get started today. You can have a great lens in less than an hour! The awesome Tiki Squid God above was designed by Monica.

FAQ: Add Code to your Lens

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:46:01 -0600

Since Squidoo has gotten bigger and our users have gotten savvier, many lensmasters have question about adding codes to their lenses. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about adding code to lenses. If you were directed here by Tisha, our awesome bug sorter outer, and you still weren't able to find an answer, reply to Tisha's email, and she'll take a further look. Photo by clix

Your Squidoo Dashboard

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:56:16 -0600

Ok, we admit. There IS a lot to see and do at Squidoo, but managing your account shouldn't be tough. So we've made it easy with a tabbed dashboard and this cool visual tour. Now you can see a magnified view of the vital parts of your dashboard, with a short description of each. Yay! [Photo used under Creative Commons from Clover_1.]

Guestbooks and You

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:46:29 -0600

Guestbooks are great tools for your lens. They let you get great feedback from readers, ask questions, run conversations, ask for help, collect links, and any other fun thing you'd like them to do. If you're looking for some help managing the settings on your guestbooks and approving comments, you're in the right place! [Mailbox image used under Creative Commons from mrjoro.]

SEO Tips and Tricks

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:38:45 -0600

What is Search Engine Optimization and how does it apply to you? "If you build it they will come" does not apply to websites or lenses. They MAY come once they know it exists, so how can you help people realize you exist and be what they're looking for? Optimizing your lens for search engines means writing they type of content that: A. makes it easy for search engines' automatic systems to get you in their index B. makes other people want to refer to you as a quality resource, therefore increasing the number of links to your lens, therefore making the search engines think, "Well, if so many people think this is great, we should too!" Squidoo helps you easily optimize your lens by offering many easy ways for you to write tags/keywords and phrases to get you found, and promote your lens authentically and thus create links back to your lens (known as backlinks). Confused yet? Read on to break it all down. You'll be an SEO expert in no time!

Opt Out of Squidoo Lens Ads

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:46:47 -0600

At Squidoo we work hard to help monetize lenses and boost revenues in donations. These ad partners support Squidoo by helping us pay our bills, keep the site free for you to use, generate larger tier profits, and send more to charity. While we've found some successful ad partners, we understand not every lensmaster is crazy about banner ads. Learn how each ad displays and how to opt out.

Deleting a Squidoo Account

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:46:42 -0600

There are many reasons a Squidoo user may wish to delete their account. Maybe their username is misspelled (oops, can't be changed) or they wish to change it. Or maybe they're consolidating multiple accounts into one. In any case, anyone can delete their own Squidoo account in a few simple steps. Just beware - this is permanent, and we can't undo it. Image courtesy of voteprime and a Creative Commons license.

Opt Back Into Squidoo Lens Ads

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:50:39 -0600

Love them or hate them, it's true that ads on Squidoo lenses ARE generating new and improved income for lensmasters. If you've previously opted out and want to know how to get back in on the action, you can easily turn them back on.

My Sample Coffee Shop

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:52:49 -0600

Ah, coffee. Coffee shop owners are a special breed of people. They're able to get up at awkward hours so by the time I roll out of bed they have coffee made for me. But what an important job: getting commuters off to work, making sure bankers are properly caffeinated, and giving college students a convenient place to crank out those last-minute term papers. Now coffee shops can have great lenses from Squidoo. No muss, no fuss. And it can make money FOR you, instead of costing you like other website services. Perfect! Let's get started. This lens looks just like one you could create for your very own coffee shop, plus it contains bonus features. In many of the modules you'll notice italicized tips to help you create content. If you're totally new to Squidoo, here are our best tips for getting started and finding help. Image courtesy of yooakim through Creative Commons.

Reasons Squidoo Accounts Get Deleted

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:46:36 -0600

Squidoo loves lensmasters, and when they're new and trying new things, we love to give them the benefit of the doubt. But occasionally, we get bad actors who just aren't interested in creating great lenses and insist on breaking the rules. Below we've outlined our five main reasons why Squidoo lenses and accounts get deleted, plus a bonus reason, and a new reason. Image by mzacha.

It's Payday!

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:04:21 -0600

Just like the Co-Vantage Credit Union commercials, you can step into cash by using Squidoo. You can sell products on your lenses to earn commission, or get into high-paying "tiers" with a well-ranked lens. Read on to learn more about common payday related questions. Image above copyright DavidDMuir and used courtesy of Creative Commons.

How Lens G/R/X Ratings Work

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:54:21 -0600

Squidoo has three ratings for lenses, which allows users to freely write about adult topics, but also prevents young eyes from stuff they shouldn't be reading. The ratings don't just mark lenses G, R, or X, they also allow users to work interactively with each lens based on their viewing preferences. Here is a brief overview of how each rating works, and how to tell which one is best for your lens. Photo used under Creative Commons from buildscharacter.

Which Charity Deserves $3,000?

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:46:56 -0600

Our charities have been working hard! They're making lenses, promoting their cause, and rallying volunteer support for a great new project. In the last week, the charities below met our challenge to make 10 awesome new lenses! As a result, they've been entered in a special cash giveaway - the opportunity to win $3,000! Meet them, greet them, and vote for your favorite. And hurry - voting closes at 9pm EST on Tuesday, July 21st. We'll announce the winner on Wednesday! Image courtesy of gurdonark and a Creative Commons license.

Traffic and Stats FAQ

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:02:07 -0600

Finding out who has been to your lens and how they got there can help you get more eyeballs there in the future. If you're confused about stats, or just can't find what you're looking for, check out this visual tour of your stats and royalties section on Squidoo! Traffic. Get it? Photo used under Creative Commons by Burning Image.

The SquidU Forum

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 13:18:44 -0600

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Not only will it help you get more out of using the forum, it helps us keep the forum header smaller, so you don't have to read the rules every time you log in. As Megan always says, "When everyone plays nice, no one gets hurt." Thanks for playing nice! Image provided by clagnut via Creative Commons.

Deleting a Squidoo Lens

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:55:50 -0600

There are several reasons you may want to delete a Squidoo lens. Maybe you spelled the URL wrong (which can't be changed, oops!) or just want to start over. Deleting a lens is easy (but permanent!) and you can do it from your dashboard. Image courtesy of downthewaterfall and a Creative Commons license.

What's wrong with this lens?

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:01:49 -0600

It's true that it's easier to show examples of what NOT to do on lenses than what you SHOULD be doing. After all, there are a billion right ways to create a Squidoo lens, and the list of specific things not to do is much more clear in many respects. This lens is a game of sorts. For each puzzle, visit the lens and make a list of as many no-nos you can find. When you're done, highlight the text in the answer module to see if you were right! text Image courtesy of Creative Commons and blackbutterfly.

My Sample Cosmetology Shop

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:24:29 -0600

If you own or work at a hair or nail salon or spa, listen up! Using Squidoo lenses to promote your business, your services, and yourself could be the ticket to big recognition and big business. This lens is put together with ideas you can use to create your own lens. Most of the content is geared towards sample text you can use, and notes used especially to describe the Squidoo process are in italics. So kick back, have a view, then get busy setting up your OWN lens. I'm excited to see what you have in store! Image courtesy of mackro and Creative Commons.

FAQ: Donating to Charity

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:04:57 -0600

Squidoo is a great way to earn money for charity. Whether it's thousands of dollars or a steady, reliable drip of pennies and dollars, using lenses to earn donations for charity has helped thousands of people find resources they need. This lens will answer our most frequently asked questions about how you can send money to charity by doing something you already love - building lenses! Image by casanna1

Plagiarism, Copied Content, and You

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:55:43 -0600

For Squidoo and web veterans, plagiarism is a obvious and irritating offense. For new users, the distinction can be a confusing concept . Since Squidoo is built with high regard to unique, quality content, it's true we do have stricter standards about plagiarism and copied content. Learn what each is, what Squidoo allows, and how to write your own original, successful lenses. Image courtesy of wherearethejoneses and CC.

What Great Holiday Lenses Have in Common

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:26:22 -0600

Ah, fall. A crisp breeze, gorgeous leaves, and more upcoming family holidays than you can stand! All kidding aside (kindof), it's that time of year when we're knee deep in holiday lensmastery. On Squidoo, we're all about making great lenses, and holiday lenses are no exception. Halloween and Christmas lenses are two of our biggest trafficking lenses! Know why? Our lensmasters are great at designing lenses that get attention, share the goods, and make mega moola. So go ahead. Get in the know! [Photo above is a Creative Commons license from *SMILING PUG*.]

Polishing Your New Lenses

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:07:45 -0600

Whether you're a new lensmaster or a veteran, you've put a lot of work into your lenses! Don't let that work go to waste. By making a few simple changes on your lenses, you can greatly increase the chances that your readers will want to stick around and come back for more! On this list you'll find common mistakes that lensmasters make. The good news is they take only seconds to fix. Before getting a critique on the forum, make sure you review this list! Hopefully you're not using nail polish on your lenses (different kind of polish), but in any case, this cute photo is courtesy of Creative Commons and shannonkringen.

Plexo Module Tips

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:08:07 -0600

Plexo lenses are great ways to allow readers to add content to your lens, while maintaining control over what shows up and what doesn't. Learn more about which Plexo modules Squidoo hosts, plus how to set them up so they work for you! Image courtesy of leaks and a Creative Commons license.

Making Great Holiday Lenses

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:29:41 -0600

While I thought September 18th (the date on this photo) was a little early to be setting up Christmas trees in Kmart, there's no denying that the holidays are fast approaching. Even if you're not one to get in the holiday spirit so soon, millions of your potential visitors are, so now is the time to perfect those holiday lenses!

The Table of Contents Module

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:08:17 -0600

Just as a book has a table of contents, so can your lens. Now, you have more options than ever for showcasing a quick list of your lens contents with our recently improved TOC module, and the TOC settings in your Introduction module. Put this feature to good use by choosing from four display options, including three styles based on the original two-column list and an additional style that has lensmasters rushing to their workshops. Read about the display options below and get ideas for how and where to use each one on your lens. And hey, you can see the Table of Contents in use on this lens, in a few different creative ways! Image courtesy of alishav and CC.

Squidoo is switching to LemonRank

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:55:37 -0600

At Squidoo, we take your feedback seriously. So when you said you wanted changes made to LensRank, we made changes! On April 1st, 2010 we're launching LemonRank (TM), our new version of LensRank. LensRank rated your lens against other lenses based on computed information. While some savvy users have guessed what goes into LensRank, we've never given out the exact formula because we didn't want lensmasters to manipulate the system and cheat. But we're looking at LemonRank with a fresh set of eyes. In order to help you get the most out of your lenses, we're willing to tell you exactly what you need to do in order to succeed at Squidoo. Image provided courtesy of Creative Commons and jamelah.

HTML and Images FAQ

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:01:41 -0600

Lensmasters have lots of great questions about HTML and images. Here are some quickie answers from other lensmasters. The truth is, Squidoo was built so you wouldn't HAVE to know any HTML to get started. You can add links and photos in dozens of ways without knowing a scrap of code. But we also know our very excited lensmasters want way more than just the basics, and are eager to do more. Here are a few hints for using HTML in your lenses, recommendations for using (and not using) CSS, and tips for making your photos speak volumes. More questions? Ask below or visit our peer-driven forum to find out how other lensmasters just like you are turning their lenses in to HTML and photo friendly masterpieces. Super cute image used under Creative Commons from Ezu.

Great Ways to Use the New Dashboard

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:32:52 -0600

Hooray! The new dynamic dashboard is here! It offers some great new ways to keep track of projects, identify lenses that need a little help, and take advantage of your most popular lenses. Megan's got the official scoop on the new dashboard here and here. But I wanted to whip up a lens full of neat dashboard tricks, if you will, and less obvious treats that you should be sure to check out.

Best Uses for an RSS Mashup

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:04:48 -0600

The RSS Mashup is a module that allows you to add more than one RSS feed to a single RSS module. How awesome is that! It means never having to scroll from feed to feed to get all the latest and greatest news. We want to know, what is your best tip for using it? Weigh in below by posting your Squidoo lens in the guestbook. We'll pick the best examples and spotlight them here. Potato mashup photo courtesy of plasticrevolver and a Creative Commons license.

Kimberly Dawn Wells: Your Community Organizer on Squidoo!

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:58:38 -0600

I'm Kimberly, your Community Organizer here on Squidoo! As the Community Organizer, I'm a lot like the cruise director on the wild and wonderful LMM (Lens Making Machine) Squidoo. I organize contests and special groups of users to work on promotional and educational projects. I make sure the word gets out about important issues, help lensmasters learn how to use Squidoo, and promote good sharing of resources. Aren't you just feeling all the love? It's a lot of hats to wear, but it's all in good fun! Learn more about each of these areas on Squidoo and find out how you can get involved.

How to Create an About Me Lens

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:30:10 -0600

When I first got online ten years ago there were probably more personal webpages than commercial ones. Geocities and Tripod ruled and it was fun to play with this new toy that allowed us to tell everyone way more than they really cared to learn about us. Squidoo has made the personal page fashionable again, and it's easy to create a really great, organized one using the pre-formatted modules. Here are some tips and ideas for creating your own About Me lens.

If You Give a Charity $3,000...

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:30:17 -0600

The first step for each partner charity participating in our July 2009 $3,000 charity giveaway was to write in and tell us what they would do with $3,000. We were REALLY excited to read the results. Our partner charities can be quiet, but when you ask them what they need, they'll tell you! The projects these charities are working on are so effective, so efficient, so needed in our communities. Here are just a few things our charities would do with $3,000. Why not make a lens to support them? Just a few dollars a month from hundreds of lensmasters adds up fast, and could help charities complete all these projects and more. Thanks!

Mentor Matches

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:51:54 -0600

Here's your chance to match up with a Squidoo veteran who wants to help you do you best! Signing up is simple. Below is a module where interested mentors can sign up. If you're looking for a little help, just contact one of the mentors based on their directions. You get to choose who you work with. How simple is that? Image above courtesy of Marc Amos and Creative Commons.

What is THE one thing your charity is doing today to make a difference?

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:30:56 -0600

Squidoo has tremendous dedication to charity, and we get to see a lot of the great things charities are doing through their lenses, blog posts, and forum chatter. It's interesting to see what charities are doing on a daily basis to reach their goals. Each day, join us on Twitter by using the module below to tweet your most important to-do for the day. Don't forget to tweet it using your organization's Twitter account so volunteers and potential donors can visit you to learn more. Not on Twitter! *gasp* Get started here. This ONE important photo was made possible through Benefit of Hindsight and Creative Commons.

How to Create a Direct Sales Lens

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:21:05 -0600

Squidoo is a great place to promote your direct sales business. Lenses are simple to set up, even for complete beginners, and Squidoo has what we like to call the "Google juice," meaning you'll see your well-designed lens indexed at lightning fast speed. If you're looking for more information on what Squidoo is, start here. If you want to get started building your own lens, read on! Pampered Chef party pic courtesy of bas68.

Monday's To-Squidoo

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:01:22 -0600

My high school marketing teacher always told me that if we skipped Mondays we'd be missing out on 1/7th of our lives. Not only that, Monday is a great way to get an easy start on the week by going through your Squidoo lenses and making a to-do list for the rest of the week. Photo used under Creative Commons from davidburn.

How to Create a Genealogy Lens

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:19:19 -0600

The Internet has helped genealogy grow in popularity in the last 10 years, and now more and more people are not only finding their ancestors online, they're also creating their own family trees online. Squidoo is a perfect place to create your own family tree online. There are no hosting costs, weird coding things to learn, or connectivity issues. Just a simple, streamlined way to keep track of who's who in your family and what's going on. Now it's easy to keep up with the Jones's. And the Smiths, and the Johnsons, and the Carters...

Three Ways to Create Lenses

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:02:15 -0600

Now there are three options for creating "regular" Squidoo lenses, depending on your level of expertise and preferences. Each of them uses different tips to help you create awesome lenses, and you can always go back and make changes. Keep reading to learn how to access the three builders and decide which one is right for you. Image used under a Creative Commons license, by myfear.

Squidoo's Stylish Lens Themes

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:07:36 -0600

Squidoo has launched a new tool that allows you to change the theme of your lenses. It's as quick and easy as editing your lens, selecting your theme, and publishing. Get a taste of the new themes below, and decide which ones are best for your lens!

How would you rate this lens?

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:01:55 -0600

We understand that everyone has different ideas about what constitutes a G-rating and what should be classified as R. Of course we have our own standards, but we're curious to see what readers think. Take this survey to show us what you think about how ratings should work on lenses. Image courtesy of samvarians and Creative Commons.

The Etsy Module

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:47:21 -0600

The Etsy module will help you showcase your shop, create more interest, and generate more sales. Show off those goodies with the free version of a website. You can create one for each category or one for each item!

Instant News: Using the news modules

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 07:29:36 -0600

Squidoo offers many great news modules from a huge variety of sources that will enhance the content of your lens. Each of the feeds below can be found as a ready-to-install module in the Squidoo lensmaking module picker. Simply add it to your lens and create your custom title and description. You can select how many feeds to post, their update times, and how you want them to appear. No coding knowledge necessary. Image CC NSNewspapers.

The Module Picker

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:29:52 -0600

The new module picker makes it simple to add modules quickly, create a faves list, and find widgets you never knew existed. Learn how to make the most of this new tool, and create your own faves list in just a few simple steps.

Lens Promotion FAQ

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:01:59 -0600

SEO and promotion is a biiiiig topic among lensmasters. This lens won't answer all your questions about where and how, but it will answer some basic questions about policies and procedures, as well as the most frequently asked questions about search engines and linking. If you were directed here by Tisha, our awesome bug sorter outer, and you still weren't able to find an answer, reply to Tisha's email, and she'll take a further look. Image by topfer.

FAQ: Modules and Settings

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 23:23:26 -0600

There's a module for every lens, we like to say! Here are our most frequently asked questions about putting them to good use. If you were directed here by Tisha, our awesome bug sorter outer, and you still weren't able to find an answer, reply to Tisha's email, and she'll take a further look. Modules are the building blocks of Squidoo lenses. This image is courtesy of Creative Commons and Darren Hester.

Be the Action that Creates Results

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:33:00 -0600

Quote by Ernest Hemingway Creating a lens is a bit like setting a New Year's Resolution. It can seem daunting up front, but if you work at it a little at a time, it's easy peasy. The reverse is also true. At the end of the year, do you think of a hundred times you could have put just a LITTLE more effort into reaching your goals, or building your lens? In the case of a charity, that's a lot of potential donations you didn't make! That's why every small opportunity to take action, share your passion, and engage users is vital. Here are five easy steps for becoming an action-oriented charity on Squidoo. This chick is ready for action. Courtesy of micah.e through Creative Commons.

Sample Charity Template Lens

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:27:41 -0600

Hi readers! We are _____, an organization dedicated to ______. Here's where we're putting more of our bio. And we won't forget to upload a photo! Psst! What is all this about? It's a mock charity lens. No, not a lens that mocks a charity, a lens that aligns modules and content how a charity might create a lens. Need a lens for your charity? Build it to match this one...with all your own info, of course. Image courtesy of Creative Commons and yovenice.

What's wrong with lens #3?

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:04:01 -0600

PS - to take this quiz, visit What's wrong with this lens? Poker From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search For other uses, see Poker (disambiguation). A game of Texas hold 'em in progress. "Hold 'em" is currently the most popular form of poker. Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually (but not always) hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown (in some games, the pot is split between the high and low hands), limits on bets and how many rounds of betting are allowed. In most modern poker games, the first round of betting begins with some form of forced bet. The action then proceeds to the left. Each player in turn must either match the maximum previous bet or fold, losing all further interest in the hand. A player who matches a bet may also raise, increasing the bet. The betting round ends when all players have either matched the last bet or folded. If all but one player fold on any round, the remaining player collects the pot without showing his hand. If more than one player remains in contention after the final betting round, the hands are shown and the winning hand takes the pot.[1] Players feel that this betting system distinguishes poker from gambling games. With the minor exception of initial forced bets, money is only placed into the pot voluntarily by a player who, at least in theory, rationally believes the bet has positive expected value. Thus while the outcome of any particular hand is determined mostly by chance, the long-run expectations of the players are determined mostly by their actions chosen based on probability and psychology. Contents [hide] * 1 Variations * 2 Gameplay * 3 History * 4 See also * 5 Notes * 6 External links [edit] Variations WSOP Main Event Table Poker has many variations, all following a similar pattern of play and generally using the same hand ranking hierarchy. There are three main families of variants, largely grouped by the protocol of card-dealing and betting: * "Straight": A complete hand is dealt to each player, and players bet in one round, with raising and re-raising allowed. This is the oldest poker family; the root of the game as currently played was a game known as Primero, which evolved into the game Three-card brag, a very popular gentleman's game around the time of the American Revolutionary War and still enjoyed in the U.K. today. "Straight" hands of five cards are sometimes used as a final showdown, but poker is currently virtually always played in a more complex form to allow for additional strategy. * Stud: Cards are dealt in a prearranged combination of face-down and face-up rounds or "streets", with a round of betting following each. This is the next-oldest family; as poker progressed from three to five-card hands, they were often dealt one card at a time, either face-down or face-up, with a betting round between each. The most popular stud variant today, Seven-card stud, deals two extra cards to each player (three facedown, four faceup) from which they must make the best possible 5-card hand. * Draw: A complete hand is dealt to each player, face-down, and after betting, players are allowed to attempt to change their hand (with the object of improving it) by discarding unwanted cards and being dealt new ones. Five-card draw is the most famous variation in this family. * Community: A variation of Stud, players are dealt an incomplete hand of face-down cards, and then a number of face-up "community" cards are dealt to the center of the table, each of which can be used by one or more of the players to make a 5-card hand. Texas hold-em and Omaha are two well-known variants of the Community family. Other games that use poker hand rankings may likewise be referred to as "poker". Video poker is a single-player computer game that functions much like a slot machine; most video poker machines play draw poker, where the player bets, a hand is dealt, and the player can discard and replace cards. Payout is dependent on the hand resulting after the draw and the player's initial bet. Strip poker is a traditional poker variation where players remove clothing when they lose bets. Since it depends only on the basic mechanic of betting in rounds, strip poker can be played with any form of poker; however, it is usually based on simple variants with few betting rounds, like five card draw. Another game with the "Poker" name, but with a vastly different mode of play, is called "Acey-Deucey" or "Red Dog" Poker. This game is more similar to Blackjack in its layout and betting; each player bets against the house, and then is dealt two cards. For the player to win, the third card dealt (after an opportunity to raise the bet) must have a value in between the first two. Payout is based on the odds that this is possible, based on the difference in values of the first two cards. [edit] Gameplay In casual play, the right to deal a hand typically rotates among the players and is marked by a token called a 'dealer' button (or "buck"). In a casino, a house dealer handles the cards for each hand, but the button (typically a white plastic disk) is rotated clockwise among the players to indicate a nominal dealer to determine the order of betting. One or more players are usually required to make forced bets, usually either an ante or a blind bet (sometimes both). The dealer shuffles the cards, the player one chair to his right cuts, and the dealer deals the appropriate number of cards to the players one at a time, beginning with the player to his left. Cards may be dealt either face-up or face-down, depending on the variant of poker being played. After the initial deal, the first of what may be several betting rounds begins. Between rounds, the players' hands develop in some way, often by being dealt additional cards or replacing cards previously dealt. At the end of each round, all bets are gathered into the central pot. At any time during a betting round, if one player bets and no opponents choose to "call" (match) the bet and instead "fold", the hand ends immediately, the bettor is awarded the pot, no cards are required to be shown, and the next hand begins. This is what makes bluffing possible. Bluffing is a primary feature of poker, one that distinguishes it from other vying games and from other games that make use of poker hand rankings. At the end of the last betting round, if more than one player remains, there is a showdown, in which the players reveal their previously hidden cards and evaluate their hands. The player with the best hand according to the poker variant being played wins the pot. A poker hand consists of five cards, but in some variants a player has more than five to choose from. See betting (poker) for detailed rules regarding forced bets, betting actions, limits, stakes, and all-in situations. See List of poker variants and poker hand rankings for order of play and other details for the most common poker variants. [edit] History The history of is a matter of debate. One of the earliest known games to incorporate betting, hand rankings, and bluffing was the 15th century German game Pochspiel. Poker closely resembles the Persian game of As Nas, though there is no specific description of nas prior to 1890.[2] In the 1937 edition of Foster's Complete Hoyle, R. F. Foster wrote: "the game of poker, as first played in the United States, five cards to each player from a twenty-card pack, is undoubtedly the Persian game of as nas."[3][4] By 1990s some gaming historians including David Parlett started to challenge the notion that poker is a direct derivative of As Nas.[3] There is evidence that a game called poque, a French game similar to poker, was played around the region where poker is said to have originated. The name of the game likely descended from the Irish Poca (Pron. Pokah) ('Pocket') or even the French poque, which descended from the German pochen ('to brag as a bluff' lit. 'to knock'[5] ). Yet it is not clear whether the origins of poker itself lie with the games bearing those names. It is commonly regarded as sharing ancestry with the Renaissance game of primero and the French brelan. The English game brag (earlier bragg) clearly descended from brelan and incorporated bluffing (though the concept was known in other games by that time).[6] It is quite possible that all of these earlier games influenced the development of poker as it exists now. Harry Truman's poker chips A modern school of thought rejects these ancestries.[7] They focus on the card play in poker, which is trivial and could have been derived from any number of games, or made up on general cardplay principles.[8] The unique features of poker have to do with the betting, and do not appear in any known older game.[9] In this view poker originated much earlier, in the early or mid-1700's, and spread throughout the Mississippi River region by 1800. It was played in a variety of forms, with 52 cards, and included both straight poker and stud. 20 card poker was a variant for two players (it is a common English practice to reduce the deck in card games when there are fewer players).[10] The development of poker is linked to the historical movement that also saw the invention of commercial gambling.[1][11] English actor Joseph Crowell reported that the game was played in New Orleans in 1829, with a deck of 20 cards and four players betting on which player's hand was the most valuable. Jonathan H. Green's book, An Exposure of the Arts and Miseries of Gambling (G. B. Zieber, Philadelphia, 1843), described the spread of the game from there to the rest of the country by Mississippi riverboats, on which gambling was a common pastime. As it spread north along the Mississippi River and to the West during the gold rush, it is thought to have become a part of the frontier pioneer ethos. Soon after this spread, the full 52-card English deck was used and the flush was introduced. The draw was added prior to 1850 (when it was first mentioned in print in a handbook of games).[12] During the American Civil War, many additions were made including stud poker (the five-card variant), and the straight. Further American developments followed, such as the wild card (around 1875), lowball and split-pot poker (around 1900), and community card poker games (around 1925). The spread of the game to other countries, particularly in Asia, is often attributed to the U.S. military. The game and jargon of poker have become important parts of American culture and English culture. Such phrases and clich�s as ace in the hole, ace up one's sleeve, beats me, blue chip, call one's bluff, cash in, high roller, pass the buck, poker face, stack up, up the ante, when the chips are down, wild card, and others are used in everyday conversation, even by those unaware of their origins at the poker table. Poker Room at the Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City, New Jersey Beginning in 1970 a series of developments lead to poker becoming far more popular than it was previously: * Modern tournament play became popular in American casinos after the World Series of Poker began, in 1970.[13] Notable champions from these early WSOP tournaments include Johnny Moss, Amarillo Slim, Bobby Baldwin, Doyle Brunson, and Puggy Pearson. * Later in the 1970s, the first serious strategy books appeared, notably Super/System by Doyle Brunson (ISBN 1-58042-081-8) and Caro's Book of Poker Tells by Mike Caro (ISBN 0-89746-100-2), followed later by The Theory of Poker by David Sklansky (ISBN 1-880685-00-0). * In 1987, community card poker games were introduced in California, home of the largest poker casinos in the world.[14] These games proved far more exciting to players than the draw poker variants that were played up until that time. * In the 1990s, poker and casino gambling spread across the United States, most notably to Atlantic City, New Jersey.[15] * In 1998, the poker-themed film Rounders starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton was released.[16] * In 1999, Late Night Poker debuted on British television, introducing poker for the first time to many Europeans.[17] Poker's popularity experienced an unprecedented spike at the beginning of the 21st century, largely because of the introduction of online poker and the invention of the hole-card camera, which turned the game into a spectator sport. Viewers could now follow the action and drama of the game, and broadcasts of poker tournaments such as the World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour brought in huge audiences for cable and satellite TV distributors. Because of the increasing coverage of poker events, poker pros became celebrities, with poker fans all over the world entering into expensive tournaments for the chance to play with them. This increased camera exposure also brings a new dimension to the poker professional's game-the realization that their actions may be aired later on TV. Since 2003, major poker tournament fields have grown dramatically, in part because of the growing popularity of online satellite-qualifier tournaments where the prize is an entry into a major tournament. The 2003 and 2004 World Series Of Poker champions, Chris Moneymaker and Greg Raymer, respectively, won their seats to the main event by winning online satellites.[18] After the passage of the UIGEA in October of 2006, attendance at live tournaments as well as participation in live and online cash games has slowed, however they are still far more popular today than they were prior to 2003. [edit] See also Sister project Wikibooks has a book on the topic of poker Sister project Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Poker Sister project Look up poker in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. * List of poker related topics * Glossary of poker terms * Poker hand rankings * Rule variations (poker) * Poker strategy * Poker probability * Ring games * Poker chip * Poker room/card room [edit] Notes 1. ^ a b David G. Schwartz, Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling, Gotham (2007), ISBN: 978-1592403165 2. ^ Pagat.com: A History of Poker by David Parlett 3. ^ a b "History of Poker". Cardplayer.com. 2009-03-06. http://www.cardplayer.com/history_of_poker/article/7-poque-or-poqas-to-pokuh. Retrieved on 2009-03-20. 4. ^ "MSN Encarta: Poker". MSN Encarta: Poker. Encarta.msn.com. http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761574185/Poker.html. Retrieved on 2009-03-20. 5. ^ "Online Etymology Dictionary - term: poker". Douglas Harper. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=poker. Retrieved on 2007-10-03. 6. ^ "MSN Encarta: Poker". MSN Encarta: Poker. Encarta.msn.com. http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761574185_2/Poker.html. Retrieved on 2009-03-20. 7. ^ Reuven and Gabrielle Brenner, Gambling and Speculation: A Theory, a History, and a Future of some Human Decisions , Cambridge University Press (1990), ISBN: 978-0521381802 8. ^ Stephen Longstreet, Win or Lose: A Social History of Gambling in America , Bobbs-Merrill (1977), ISBN: 978-0672522536 9. ^ Reuven and Gabrielle Brenner, and Aaron Brown, A World of Chance: Betting on Religion, Games, Wall Street, Cambridge University Press (2008), ISBN: 978-04701273152 10. ^ Aaron Brown, The Poker Face of Wall Street, John Wiley & Sons (2006), ISBN: 978-0470127315 11. ^ Timothy O'Brien, Bad Bet : The Inside Story of the Glamour, Glitz, and Danger of America's Gambling Industry, Crown Business (1998), ISBN: 978-0812928075 12. ^ Henry G. Bond (ed.), Bohn's New Handbook of Games, Henry F. Anners (1850) 13. ^ "World Series of Poker: A Retrospective". Gaming.unlv.edu. 2007-10-22. http://gaming.unlv.edu/WSOP/history.html. Retrieved on 2009-03-20. 14. ^ Badger, Steve. "When Texas Hold'em Came to California". Playwinningpoker.com. http://www.playwinningpoker.com/poker/california/. Retrieved on 2009-03-20. 15. ^ "United States of Poker: New Jersey". Pokerplayernewspaper.com. http://www.pokerplayernewspaper.com/viewarticle.php?id=289. Retrieved on 2009-03-20. 16. ^ "Rounders (1998)". Imdb.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0128442/. Retrieved on 2009-03-20. 17. ^ "Late Night Poker: About the Show". Channel4.com. http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/P/poker/about_the_show.html. Retrieved on 2009-03-20. 18. ^ "Chris Moneymaker on". Answers.com. 1975-11-21. http://www.answers.com/topic/chris-moneymaker. Retrieved on 2009-03-20. [edit] External links * Poker at the Open Directory Project * Poker at the Yahoo! Directory Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poker" Categories: Anglo-American playing card games | Comparing card games | Gambling games | Multiplayer games | Poker

What's wrong with lens #2?

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:26:30 -0600

Need an office shredder? Find the best one for you. PS - to take this quiz, visit What's wrong with this lens? Want to know what you're doing here? This sample lens does a few things totally wrong. See if you can catch them all, then follow the link above to take the quiz.

Squidoo's Summer Sunshine Award for Charity

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:07:40 -0600

It's summer (or close enough) and we at Squidoo always enjoy a good celebration and good causes. That's why this summer, for 60 days, we're giving away $99 a day to benefit charities. But that's not all. The lensmaster will receive $99 too. One winning lensmaster a day, every day for 60 days, will get $99. Finally: A way to do good AND get a little kickback for yourself too. That's right. Build a brand new lens on a topic of your choice, set the earnings to benefit your favorite Squidoo charity partner, and if you win, you AND the charity of your choice will receive $99. Cash. Easy. Start now. This is an official contest supported by Squidoo. Don't miss out! Sunny sunflower image courtesy of archetypefotografie and a Creative Commons license.

Instant Blogs: Using the blog modules

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 07:15:56 -0600

You don't have to be a blogger to add blogs to your lens. Squidoo offers many great blog modules that will enhance the content of your lens. Each of the blogs below can be found as a ready-to-install module in the Squidoo lensmaking module picker. Simply add it to your lens and create your custom title and description. You can select how many feeds to post, their update times, and how you want them to appear. No coding knowledge necessary. Image CC tunruh.

Workshop Tour

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 09:21:41 -0600

Creating a lens on Squidoo has become so much faster and easier now that many of your favorite editing tools are found right in the workshop. Learn how to use the workshop to its fullest, by taking this tour. You might just find something you never knew existed! Image courtesy of Darren Hester and a Creative Commons license.

Super Squidoo Screencasts

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:30:46 -0600

Just when you thought the how-to lenses couldn't get any better, we're announcing screencasts! These fun videos from Giant Squid Organizers RMS and BDKZ, and Community & Charity Organizer KDW are helping lensmasters and charities get more out of Squidoo. Grab some java and a notepad before you click play, because we guarantee the idea wheels will be turning!

Tees and Gifts for Baby Squids

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:18:28 -0600

Mommy and daddy love Squidoo, but don't forget about the kids! These fun shirts, bibs, and hoodies for toddler and tykes are great gifts for the Squidoo lover's kids. Click on any design to see more styles at CafePress.com.

The Tick Tock Module

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:26:12 -0600

RSS feeds are totally handy for sharing blog posts, Twitter tweets, and Flickr photos. But if you want do more with how they look, you have to go graphic. Take your feeds to the next level with the Tick Tock Module, a fun way to showcase your favorite YouTube videos, Delicious links, and more. Just select what you want to show off, and the module puts it in a fun graphic format.

What do YOU need help with?

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:01:29 -0600

We're always excited to tell you about the new stuff WE'VE designed and discovered, but we also realize that may not be what's on the top of the list in your mind for important things to learn on Squidoo. Here's your chance to tell us what you want to learn about next. Question image courtesy of [F]oxymoron and Creative Commons.

SquidSwag: Get Your Squidoo Gear Here

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:08:52 -0600

Welcome to SquidSwag, the companion lens to the SquidSwag store on CafePress. Whether it's a laptop case you crave, or a shirt for a tiny tot future lensmaster, or a mug to show everyone how awesome your lenses are, we've got the goods. Buy your official Squidoo gear here, and learn a little about Squidoo along the way.

Creating your "About Our Charity" Lens

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:32:32 -0600

If you're thinking about becoming one of Squidoo's sponsored charities or non-profits, welcome and congratulations! For those willing to put forth the work, partnering with Squidoo gives you an amazing opportunity to put the internet to work for your organization. But first things first - number one on the list of Sign Up Steps is to create a lens about your organization. If you're new to Squidoo, getting to know how lenses work is an important part of being able to promote Squidoo to your volunteers. Signing up for Squidoo won't magically bring you thousands of donors, but showing your volunteers how to get started is a strong first step. So take some time with your first lens. Test the waters, peek around, and have fun. If you get stuck, help is just a few clicks away. To create this very real guide, I created a fake lens. Iwannapony International is a sample lens that shows you just a few of the many things you can do with a lens to share more about who you are, what you do, why you're worthy, and how to get started helping you. This lens will include some shortcut tips for making your About Us lens, as well as some examples from my fake Iwannapont nonprofit lens. And, of course, some real live examples of what other organizations have done, too.

Win $3000 For YOUR Charity

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:27:56 -0600

Money doesn't grow on trees, but with the help of your volunteers, you could be in the running for $3,000. As you know, Squidoo is a free platform that makes it easy for people to create useful pages about whatever interests them -- and earn a royalty for charity along the way. Last year alone we gave away hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars to hardworking charities. This year is no exception, and as one of many ways we give away money, in July 2009 we're running a contest to give away $3000 to one lucky charity. We'd love to do this over and over again, as much as possible, so make some noise and take advantage of this free opportunity! Read on for info. Image used courtesy of mr_blue_don and a Creative Commons license.

It's Computer Learning Month for Charity!

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 07:58:42 -0600

Did you know October is Computer Learning Month? Yay! What does that mean? It means, that you're one step closer to helping a deserving charity get the financial and in-kind support they need. And it's all about technology. What could be cooler? This month we've selected three charities that fit the computer theme: KIVA Young Inventors International American Institute of Architects My bet is you have some super creative ways to get attention for a lens to support one of these charities. Or all of them! When you're done, post your lens link below. It might end up featured.

Iwannapony International

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 17:02:46 -0600

Iwannapony International is a fake organization started in 2008 by Kimberly Dawn Wells of Squidoo.com fame. The inspiration for starting II came from Megan Casey, also of Squidoo.com fame, and her ability to generate enthusiasm by promising a pony to lensmasters that impress her. Although the idea of getting a pony is great, the reality is that not every family can afford one. II's mission is to help pony-loving-lensmasters get that bridled prize they've been seeking.