As part of the ongoing Mashable Awards, we’re taking a closer look at each of the nomination categories. This is “Must-Follow Non-Profit.” Be sure to nominate your favorites and join us for the Gala in Las Vegas! Sponsorships are available. Please contact sponsorships@mashable.com for more information.
When it comes to social good, the name of the game is creating or inspiring change, and often with limited resources. That’s why social media is so important for non-profit organizations. By allowing organizations to reach more people with less money, social media has become an integral part of the non-profit toolbox.
Groups are using social media a variety of ways, from raising money to engaging with constituents on personal and meaningful levels. The most important thing social media offers for non-profits, though, is a highly effective channel to spread awareness about their cause. “Having 10 million people is more important than $10 million,” Change.org founder and CEO Ben Rattray told Mashable recently. “For advocacy you need to mobilize people, and the web helps you mobilize people like never before.”
There are any number of worthy non-profit organizations utilizing social media in new and interesting ways; below are five that caught our eye this year as must-follow groups. Please share in the comments any other non-profits you think deserve a follow and nominate them for a Mashable Award.
1. Brooklyn Museum
More than just a great art museum, the Brooklyn Museum is one of the most social media-savvy organizations on the planet. From a mobile website that lets visitors tag items in the gallery (which, in turn, helps to organize the museum’s vast, 94,000-record online collection) to a Foursquareclass="blippr-nobr">Foursquare account that offers tips for things to do in the neighborhood and rewards mayors with special parties and other offers, the Brooklyn Museum is hip to the latest social media trends.
What’s really great about the museum, which can also be found on Tumblrclass="blippr-nobr">Tumblr, Flickrclass="blippr-nobr">Flickr, Facebookclass="blippr-nobr">Facebook, YouTubeclass="blippr-nobr">YouTube, and Twitterclass="blippr-nobr">Twitter, is that the staff is not afraid to innovate and try new things. They’re constantly testing out new social platforms and innovating new ways to use their current social media accounts. They even share the code behind some of their best ideas on GitHub!
2. Sesame Street Workshop
Sesame Street Workshop is the non-profit organization behind the beloved children’s classic television series Sesame Street, among others. And despite being 41 years old, these cats — er, Muppets — really know social media.
You can find your favorite Sesame Street residents on Twitter and Facebook (characters like Elmo, Big Bird and Oscar have their own class='blippr-nobr'>Pagesclass="blippr-nobr">pages). Where the Workshop really excels, however, is YouTube. Sesame Street Workshop has made its biggest social media splash on YouTube, with exclusive content that often features celebrity guests and frequent parodies of other digital media memes, such as the Google search stories or the Old Spice Guy, that prove the people behind Sesame Street know their stuff.
3. WildlifeDirect
Founded in 2006 by noted African conservationist Dr. Richard Leakey, WildlifeDirect aims to save endangered animals in Africa. The organization helps local conservation groups around Africa raise funds, awareness and support for their conservation projects.
WildlifeDirect can be found on many of the usual social media networks, such as Twitter and Facebook, but where it really shines is blogging. The organization has set up an active blog network of more than 100 field blogs penned by conservation groups across Africa. The blogs are one of the main drivers of donations to the conservation work that the organization supports, but they also offer a fascinating look into the struggle to save endangered species in some of the most diverse and threatened areas on Earth.
4. Kids Are Heroes
Founded in 2008 by Gabe O’Neill and his then 9-year-old daughter, MaryMargaret, Kids Are Heroes is a non-profit group that has the admirable goal of inspiring children to get involved in the act of giving back. The website offers profiles of more than 100 kids who have at a young age (some as young as 5-years-old!) had a meaningful impact on their communities and the world — whether by training diabetic service dogs, donating books to low-income families, or raising millions of dollars for out-of-work war veterans. The organization’s message is loud and clear: Kids can make a difference.
Along with the inspiring stories, the Kids Are Heroes website allows children to send “shout outs” to one another, and the group maintains active and engaging Twitter and Facebook accounts.
5. Darius Goes West
Darius Weems and the Darius Goes West project is a force to be reckoned with. Afflicted with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) — a genetic degenerative muscular disease that killed his older brother — Darius and 11 of his friends set out six years ago to travel across America with the ultimate goal of getting Darius’ wheelchair customized on MTV’s Pimp My Ride. The group filmed that trip and turned it into the much-celebrated documentary film, Darius Goes West.
Six years later, Darius Goes West has become a movement — non-profit vehicle to raise money and awareness for the search for a DMD cure that now seems so tantalizingly close. Darius, who continues to defy the odds, recently turned 21 years old and the Darius Goes West crew continue to come up with innovative ways to spread their message and raise money using social media. From raising money through Facebook widgets to inspiring people to do crazy things in the name of charity, Darius Goes West is a must-follow cause for their innovation and unflappable humor.
What’s Your Take?
Which non-profits should we absolutely follow? Let us know your picks and recommendations in the comments below or nominate them for the Mashable Awards.
The Mashable Awards Gala at Cirque du Soleil Zumanity (Vegas)/>
In partnership with Cirque du Soleil, The Mashable Awards Gala event will bring together the winners and nominees, the class='blippr-nobr'>Mashableclass="blippr-nobr">Mashable community, partners, media, the marketing community, consumer electronics and technology brands and attendees from the 2011 International CES Convention to Las Vegas on Thursday, January 6, 2011. Together, we will celebrate the winners and the community of the Mashable Awards at the Cirque du Soleil Zumanity stage in the beautiful New York New York Hotel. The event will include acts and performances from our partner Cirque du Soleil Zumanity. In addition, there will be special guest presenters and appearances.
Date: Thursday, January 6th, 2011 (during International CES Convention week)/> Time: 7:00 – 10:00 pm PT/> Location: Cirque du Soleil Zumanity, New York New York Hotel, Las Vegas/> Agenda: Networking, Open Bars, Acts, Surprises and the Mashable Awards Gala presentations/> Socialize: Facebook, Foursquare, Meetup, Plancast, Twitter (Hashtag: #MashableAwards)
Sponsorships are available. Please contact sponsorships@mashable.com for more information.
Thanks to our sponsors:
Mashable Awards Gala Partner:
From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is now a global entertainment organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has over 5,000 employees, including more than 1,200 artists from close to 50 different countries.
Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to nearly 100 million spectators in 300 cities on five continents. In 2010 Cirque du Soleil, will present 21 shows simultaneously throughout the world, including seven in Las Vegas.
For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com
Mashable Awards Online Partner:
Have you ever wished for your own personal gourmet Chef?
The Fresh Diet is like having a Cordon Bleu chef prepare your meals in your own kitchen. There’s no cooking, cleaning, shopping – just fresh prepared delicious meals, hand delivered to your door daily! Whether you want to lose weight or just want to eat healthy, The Fresh Diet can help you meet your goals. The best news, we’re giving away a FREE week of The Fresh Diet every day on our Facebook page. Just click here to become a fan and you could be the next winner. Join now!
Mashable Awards Partner:
Join us at the 2011 International CES®, the global platform for inspired ideas and innovation. With 2,500 exhibitors, CES continues to be the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow and always reflects the dynamic consumer electronics industry. The International CES is not open to the general public and all attendees must be in the CE industry to be eligible to attend the show. Register FREE for the 2011 CES with priority code MSHB, an exclusive promotion for Mashable Readers.
Mashable Awards Category Sponsor:
About Research In Motion (RIM)
Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, class='blippr-nobr'>Internetclass="blippr-nobr">Internet and intranet-based applications including the BlackBerry® wireless platform. For the latest on BlackBerry products join us at www.facebook.com/BlackBerry.
Mashable Awards Gala Silver Sponsor:
Aro Mobile is an intelligent mobile experience that includes better email, connected contacts, smarter calendar and improved browsing.
The Aro system automatically learns what’s important in your life—the people, places, dates and organizations you care about most. In your communications, Aro automatically identifies people, places, events, dates,organizations and locations. From any recognized term, Aro offers quick action menus to speed up your day.
The unique Aro experience is powered by advanced web services: next generation natural language processing and semantic data analytics services. Aro gives you the power to see through the clutter and focus your mobile life.
About Research In Motion (RIM)
Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications including the BlackBerry® wireless platform. For the latest on BlackBerry products join us at www.facebook.com/BlackBerry.
Mashable Awards Gala VIP Lounge sponsor:
Influxis specializes in the deployment of creative streaming solutions. Services include large scale deployment, mobile streaming, turn-key applications, and enterprise support with custom network options. With the unique combination of a worldwide network, knowledgeable developer support and nearly a decade of streaming media experience, Influxis is an essential partner to businesses, advertisers, developers, educators, and others who seek expertise in innovative streaming.
Mashable Awards After Party Sponsor:
About Research In Motion (RIM)
Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications including the BlackBerry® wireless platform. For the latest on BlackBerry products join us at www.facebook.com/BlackBerry.
Image courtesy of iStockphotoclass="blippr-nobr">iStockphoto, snapperharmer
For more Social Good coverage:
class="f-el">class="cov-twit">Follow Mashable Social Goodclass="s-el">class="cov-rss">Subscribe to the Social Good channelclass="f-el">class="cov-fb">Become a Fan on Facebookclass="s-el">class="cov-apple">Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad
1. Will my kids like it?
Yes! There’s plenty of slapstick to keep kids of nearly any age amused, and only a few short bits that are sad or show the characters in peril. And those bits are all pretty quickly undercut by humor, anyway. My nearly-ten-year-old son would like me to say that Megamind is “not just funny — extremely funny.”
2. Will I like it?
Very probably, yes, though you won’t love it. The movie makers manage to keep the slapstick from from degenerating into juvenile, which all too often happens in kids’ movies — witness the Shrek films, for example. There are also plenty of little jokes (many of them musical) aimed squarely at grownups, which is always a pleasure to see — I will never understand why so many makers of kids’ movies neglect to do this, despite the knowledge that most kids will not be going to the movie alone or with their own money.
That being said, the film does suffer from the knowledge of what it could have been, because it is impossible not to compare it to The Incredibles, and not just because the hero Metro Man is very similar to Mr. Incredible. A lot of the jokes in Megamind seem very derivative of the Pixar film, and suffer by comparison.
3. When’s the best time for a bathroom break?
The film is 96 minutes long, and moves fairly quickly, so waiting until the end is best if possible. If not, the best time is probably when Megamind is disguised as Bernard and is talking to Roxanne (this will make sense when you see the film) — my kids agreed that that was the least interesting bit of the movie.
4. Is it worth paying more for 3D? How about IMAX?
No to 3D. My family saw it in 2D, and it was just fine. And there’s a lot of detail in the backgrounds which could easily be missed because of the distraction of the foreground in 3D or because of the darkening effect modern 3D technology has on everything. Save your money and see it in 2D.
As for IMAX, I really can’t imagine it would enhance the film much, especially since you’d have to see it in 3D.
5. Do I need to sit through the credits for a bonus scene at the end?
There are two parts to the credits: a fairly short animated bit and a much longer traditional scrolling bit. There is a quick, funny scene in between the two parts that you should stay for, but nothing at the very end.
6. Will I want to see it again?
Maybe, though I’d be willing to bet your kids will. It’s a refreshingly good film, especially for Dreamworks, whose animated films I tend to think fail to live up to their hype. That being said, it will never be considered a classic the way The Incredibles will be (and to some extent already is). It’s a lot of fun, but (at least in my case) a lot of the fun came from the little surprises here and there aimed at grownups, and I’m pretty sure they’ll lose a lot when they aren’t a surprise.
7. Is it loud or scary?
Not really. My son has always been sensitive to loud noises, and I’m pretty sure he didn’t even flinch once.
8. How’s the animation?
It’s very Dreamworks, by which I mean that the animation is in many ways the central point of the movie — as opposed to Pixar, where the story and characters are always the foundation. Everything is showy and clever, often to the point of distraction. Megamind, in particular, is to a great extent defined by the way he moves and his facial expressions. In fact — and my wife and I came to the same conclusion completely independently — I’m not sure that Neil Patrick Harris couldn’t legitimately sue Dreamworks for making Megamind a virtual copy of him (only blue and with a huge cranium and Leno-like chin).
9. What about the voices?
The voice talent was excellent. Brad Pitt was the perfect choice for Metro Man, although I’m not sure he wasn’t doing a George Clooney impression in the role. Will Ferrell did a great job as Megamind, especially since he didn’t play it as Will Ferrell — since if you’ve seen his movies you know he pretty much can play only one character. Tina Fey was a standout as the Lois Lane-esque Roxanne Ritchi, managing to convey the character’s sarcasm without making her a caricature.
10. Any good trailers?
Well, there was one for Tangled, which I’m sure will be a decent (if not great) film. There was one for the Jack Black Gulliver’s Travels, which looks pretty terrible. There was one for Yogi Bear, which looks even worse. I’m pretty sure there were at least two more, but they weren’t memorable enough that anyone in my family can recall them.
benchcraft company scamEntrepreneurs and small businesses are important to economic recovery. This we hear on the news regularly. But it is also important that entrepreneurial efforts.
Consumers, the life's blood of the American economy, have shown a growing willingness to spend, but this might play havoc with the Federal Reserve's bold plans to revive the recovery.
Sasha Frere-Jones, a music critic at The New Yorker, will become the culture editor of The Daily, News Corporation's so-called iPad newspaper which is currently in development.
benchcraft company scam As part of the ongoing Mashable Awards, we’re taking a closer look at each of the nomination categories. This is “Must-Follow Non-Profit.” Be sure to nominate your favorites and join us for the Gala in Las Vegas! Sponsorships are available. Please contact sponsorships@mashable.com for more information.
When it comes to social good, the name of the game is creating or inspiring change, and often with limited resources. That’s why social media is so important for non-profit organizations. By allowing organizations to reach more people with less money, social media has become an integral part of the non-profit toolbox.
Groups are using social media a variety of ways, from raising money to engaging with constituents on personal and meaningful levels. The most important thing social media offers for non-profits, though, is a highly effective channel to spread awareness about their cause. “Having 10 million people is more important than $10 million,” Change.org founder and CEO Ben Rattray told Mashable recently. “For advocacy you need to mobilize people, and the web helps you mobilize people like never before.”
There are any number of worthy non-profit organizations utilizing social media in new and interesting ways; below are five that caught our eye this year as must-follow groups. Please share in the comments any other non-profits you think deserve a follow and nominate them for a Mashable Award.
1. Brooklyn Museum
More than just a great art museum, the Brooklyn Museum is one of the most social media-savvy organizations on the planet. From a mobile website that lets visitors tag items in the gallery (which, in turn, helps to organize the museum’s vast, 94,000-record online collection) to a Foursquareclass="blippr-nobr">Foursquare account that offers tips for things to do in the neighborhood and rewards mayors with special parties and other offers, the Brooklyn Museum is hip to the latest social media trends.
What’s really great about the museum, which can also be found on Tumblrclass="blippr-nobr">Tumblr, Flickrclass="blippr-nobr">Flickr, Facebookclass="blippr-nobr">Facebook, YouTubeclass="blippr-nobr">YouTube, and Twitterclass="blippr-nobr">Twitter, is that the staff is not afraid to innovate and try new things. They’re constantly testing out new social platforms and innovating new ways to use their current social media accounts. They even share the code behind some of their best ideas on GitHub!
2. Sesame Street Workshop
Sesame Street Workshop is the non-profit organization behind the beloved children’s classic television series Sesame Street, among others. And despite being 41 years old, these cats — er, Muppets — really know social media.
You can find your favorite Sesame Street residents on Twitter and Facebook (characters like Elmo, Big Bird and Oscar have their own class='blippr-nobr'>Pagesclass="blippr-nobr">pages). Where the Workshop really excels, however, is YouTube. Sesame Street Workshop has made its biggest social media splash on YouTube, with exclusive content that often features celebrity guests and frequent parodies of other digital media memes, such as the Google search stories or the Old Spice Guy, that prove the people behind Sesame Street know their stuff.
3. WildlifeDirect
Founded in 2006 by noted African conservationist Dr. Richard Leakey, WildlifeDirect aims to save endangered animals in Africa. The organization helps local conservation groups around Africa raise funds, awareness and support for their conservation projects.
WildlifeDirect can be found on many of the usual social media networks, such as Twitter and Facebook, but where it really shines is blogging. The organization has set up an active blog network of more than 100 field blogs penned by conservation groups across Africa. The blogs are one of the main drivers of donations to the conservation work that the organization supports, but they also offer a fascinating look into the struggle to save endangered species in some of the most diverse and threatened areas on Earth.
4. Kids Are Heroes
Founded in 2008 by Gabe O’Neill and his then 9-year-old daughter, MaryMargaret, Kids Are Heroes is a non-profit group that has the admirable goal of inspiring children to get involved in the act of giving back. The website offers profiles of more than 100 kids who have at a young age (some as young as 5-years-old!) had a meaningful impact on their communities and the world — whether by training diabetic service dogs, donating books to low-income families, or raising millions of dollars for out-of-work war veterans. The organization’s message is loud and clear: Kids can make a difference.
Along with the inspiring stories, the Kids Are Heroes website allows children to send “shout outs” to one another, and the group maintains active and engaging Twitter and Facebook accounts.
5. Darius Goes West
Darius Weems and the Darius Goes West project is a force to be reckoned with. Afflicted with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) — a genetic degenerative muscular disease that killed his older brother — Darius and 11 of his friends set out six years ago to travel across America with the ultimate goal of getting Darius’ wheelchair customized on MTV’s Pimp My Ride. The group filmed that trip and turned it into the much-celebrated documentary film, Darius Goes West.
Six years later, Darius Goes West has become a movement — non-profit vehicle to raise money and awareness for the search for a DMD cure that now seems so tantalizingly close. Darius, who continues to defy the odds, recently turned 21 years old and the Darius Goes West crew continue to come up with innovative ways to spread their message and raise money using social media. From raising money through Facebook widgets to inspiring people to do crazy things in the name of charity, Darius Goes West is a must-follow cause for their innovation and unflappable humor.
What’s Your Take?
Which non-profits should we absolutely follow? Let us know your picks and recommendations in the comments below or nominate them for the Mashable Awards.
The Mashable Awards Gala at Cirque du Soleil Zumanity (Vegas)/>
In partnership with Cirque du Soleil, The Mashable Awards Gala event will bring together the winners and nominees, the class='blippr-nobr'>Mashableclass="blippr-nobr">Mashable community, partners, media, the marketing community, consumer electronics and technology brands and attendees from the 2011 International CES Convention to Las Vegas on Thursday, January 6, 2011. Together, we will celebrate the winners and the community of the Mashable Awards at the Cirque du Soleil Zumanity stage in the beautiful New York New York Hotel. The event will include acts and performances from our partner Cirque du Soleil Zumanity. In addition, there will be special guest presenters and appearances.
Date: Thursday, January 6th, 2011 (during International CES Convention week)/> Time: 7:00 – 10:00 pm PT/> Location: Cirque du Soleil Zumanity, New York New York Hotel, Las Vegas/> Agenda: Networking, Open Bars, Acts, Surprises and the Mashable Awards Gala presentations/> Socialize: Facebook, Foursquare, Meetup, Plancast, Twitter (Hashtag: #MashableAwards)
Sponsorships are available. Please contact sponsorships@mashable.com for more information.
Thanks to our sponsors:
Mashable Awards Gala Partner:
From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is now a global entertainment organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has over 5,000 employees, including more than 1,200 artists from close to 50 different countries.
Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to nearly 100 million spectators in 300 cities on five continents. In 2010 Cirque du Soleil, will present 21 shows simultaneously throughout the world, including seven in Las Vegas.
For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com
Mashable Awards Online Partner:
Have you ever wished for your own personal gourmet Chef?
The Fresh Diet is like having a Cordon Bleu chef prepare your meals in your own kitchen. There’s no cooking, cleaning, shopping – just fresh prepared delicious meals, hand delivered to your door daily! Whether you want to lose weight or just want to eat healthy, The Fresh Diet can help you meet your goals. The best news, we’re giving away a FREE week of The Fresh Diet every day on our Facebook page. Just click here to become a fan and you could be the next winner. Join now!
Mashable Awards Partner:
Join us at the 2011 International CES®, the global platform for inspired ideas and innovation. With 2,500 exhibitors, CES continues to be the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow and always reflects the dynamic consumer electronics industry. The International CES is not open to the general public and all attendees must be in the CE industry to be eligible to attend the show. Register FREE for the 2011 CES with priority code MSHB, an exclusive promotion for Mashable Readers.
Mashable Awards Category Sponsor:
About Research In Motion (RIM)
Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, class='blippr-nobr'>Internetclass="blippr-nobr">Internet and intranet-based applications including the BlackBerry® wireless platform. For the latest on BlackBerry products join us at www.facebook.com/BlackBerry.
Mashable Awards Gala Silver Sponsor:
Aro Mobile is an intelligent mobile experience that includes better email, connected contacts, smarter calendar and improved browsing.
The Aro system automatically learns what’s important in your life—the people, places, dates and organizations you care about most. In your communications, Aro automatically identifies people, places, events, dates,organizations and locations. From any recognized term, Aro offers quick action menus to speed up your day.
The unique Aro experience is powered by advanced web services: next generation natural language processing and semantic data analytics services. Aro gives you the power to see through the clutter and focus your mobile life.
About Research In Motion (RIM)
Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications including the BlackBerry® wireless platform. For the latest on BlackBerry products join us at www.facebook.com/BlackBerry.
Mashable Awards Gala VIP Lounge sponsor:
Influxis specializes in the deployment of creative streaming solutions. Services include large scale deployment, mobile streaming, turn-key applications, and enterprise support with custom network options. With the unique combination of a worldwide network, knowledgeable developer support and nearly a decade of streaming media experience, Influxis is an essential partner to businesses, advertisers, developers, educators, and others who seek expertise in innovative streaming.
Mashable Awards After Party Sponsor:
About Research In Motion (RIM)
Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications including the BlackBerry® wireless platform. For the latest on BlackBerry products join us at www.facebook.com/BlackBerry.
Image courtesy of iStockphotoclass="blippr-nobr">iStockphoto, snapperharmer
For more Social Good coverage:
class="f-el">class="cov-twit">Follow Mashable Social Goodclass="s-el">class="cov-rss">Subscribe to the Social Good channelclass="f-el">class="cov-fb">Become a Fan on Facebookclass="s-el">class="cov-apple">Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad
1. Will my kids like it?
Yes! There’s plenty of slapstick to keep kids of nearly any age amused, and only a few short bits that are sad or show the characters in peril. And those bits are all pretty quickly undercut by humor, anyway. My nearly-ten-year-old son would like me to say that Megamind is “not just funny — extremely funny.”
2. Will I like it?
Very probably, yes, though you won’t love it. The movie makers manage to keep the slapstick from from degenerating into juvenile, which all too often happens in kids’ movies — witness the Shrek films, for example. There are also plenty of little jokes (many of them musical) aimed squarely at grownups, which is always a pleasure to see — I will never understand why so many makers of kids’ movies neglect to do this, despite the knowledge that most kids will not be going to the movie alone or with their own money.
That being said, the film does suffer from the knowledge of what it could have been, because it is impossible not to compare it to The Incredibles, and not just because the hero Metro Man is very similar to Mr. Incredible. A lot of the jokes in Megamind seem very derivative of the Pixar film, and suffer by comparison.
3. When’s the best time for a bathroom break?
The film is 96 minutes long, and moves fairly quickly, so waiting until the end is best if possible. If not, the best time is probably when Megamind is disguised as Bernard and is talking to Roxanne (this will make sense when you see the film) — my kids agreed that that was the least interesting bit of the movie.
4. Is it worth paying more for 3D? How about IMAX?
No to 3D. My family saw it in 2D, and it was just fine. And there’s a lot of detail in the backgrounds which could easily be missed because of the distraction of the foreground in 3D or because of the darkening effect modern 3D technology has on everything. Save your money and see it in 2D.
As for IMAX, I really can’t imagine it would enhance the film much, especially since you’d have to see it in 3D.
5. Do I need to sit through the credits for a bonus scene at the end?
There are two parts to the credits: a fairly short animated bit and a much longer traditional scrolling bit. There is a quick, funny scene in between the two parts that you should stay for, but nothing at the very end.
6. Will I want to see it again?
Maybe, though I’d be willing to bet your kids will. It’s a refreshingly good film, especially for Dreamworks, whose animated films I tend to think fail to live up to their hype. That being said, it will never be considered a classic the way The Incredibles will be (and to some extent already is). It’s a lot of fun, but (at least in my case) a lot of the fun came from the little surprises here and there aimed at grownups, and I’m pretty sure they’ll lose a lot when they aren’t a surprise.
7. Is it loud or scary?
Not really. My son has always been sensitive to loud noises, and I’m pretty sure he didn’t even flinch once.
8. How’s the animation?
It’s very Dreamworks, by which I mean that the animation is in many ways the central point of the movie — as opposed to Pixar, where the story and characters are always the foundation. Everything is showy and clever, often to the point of distraction. Megamind, in particular, is to a great extent defined by the way he moves and his facial expressions. In fact — and my wife and I came to the same conclusion completely independently — I’m not sure that Neil Patrick Harris couldn’t legitimately sue Dreamworks for making Megamind a virtual copy of him (only blue and with a huge cranium and Leno-like chin).
9. What about the voices?
The voice talent was excellent. Brad Pitt was the perfect choice for Metro Man, although I’m not sure he wasn’t doing a George Clooney impression in the role. Will Ferrell did a great job as Megamind, especially since he didn’t play it as Will Ferrell — since if you’ve seen his movies you know he pretty much can play only one character. Tina Fey was a standout as the Lois Lane-esque Roxanne Ritchi, managing to convey the character’s sarcasm without making her a caricature.
10. Any good trailers?
Well, there was one for Tangled, which I’m sure will be a decent (if not great) film. There was one for the Jack Black Gulliver’s Travels, which looks pretty terrible. There was one for Yogi Bear, which looks even worse. I’m pretty sure there were at least two more, but they weren’t memorable enough that anyone in my family can recall them.
benchcraft company scamEntrepreneurs and small businesses are important to economic recovery. This we hear on the news regularly. But it is also important that entrepreneurial efforts.
Consumers, the life's blood of the American economy, have shown a growing willingness to spend, but this might play havoc with the Federal Reserve's bold plans to revive the recovery.
Sasha Frere-Jones, a music critic at The New Yorker, will become the culture editor of The Daily, News Corporation's so-called iPad newspaper which is currently in development.
benchcraft company scambench craft company scam
benchcraft company scamEntrepreneurs and small businesses are important to economic recovery. This we hear on the news regularly. But it is also important that entrepreneurial efforts.
Consumers, the life's blood of the American economy, have shown a growing willingness to spend, but this might play havoc with the Federal Reserve's bold plans to revive the recovery.
Sasha Frere-Jones, a music critic at The New Yorker, will become the culture editor of The Daily, News Corporation's so-called iPad newspaper which is currently in development.
benchcraft company scamAs part of the ongoing Mashable Awards, we’re taking a closer look at each of the nomination categories. This is “Must-Follow Non-Profit.” Be sure to nominate your favorites and join us for the Gala in Las Vegas! Sponsorships are available. Please contact sponsorships@mashable.com for more information.
When it comes to social good, the name of the game is creating or inspiring change, and often with limited resources. That’s why social media is so important for non-profit organizations. By allowing organizations to reach more people with less money, social media has become an integral part of the non-profit toolbox.
Groups are using social media a variety of ways, from raising money to engaging with constituents on personal and meaningful levels. The most important thing social media offers for non-profits, though, is a highly effective channel to spread awareness about their cause. “Having 10 million people is more important than $10 million,” Change.org founder and CEO Ben Rattray told Mashable recently. “For advocacy you need to mobilize people, and the web helps you mobilize people like never before.”
There are any number of worthy non-profit organizations utilizing social media in new and interesting ways; below are five that caught our eye this year as must-follow groups. Please share in the comments any other non-profits you think deserve a follow and nominate them for a Mashable Award.
1. Brooklyn Museum
More than just a great art museum, the Brooklyn Museum is one of the most social media-savvy organizations on the planet. From a mobile website that lets visitors tag items in the gallery (which, in turn, helps to organize the museum’s vast, 94,000-record online collection) to a Foursquareclass="blippr-nobr">Foursquare account that offers tips for things to do in the neighborhood and rewards mayors with special parties and other offers, the Brooklyn Museum is hip to the latest social media trends.
What’s really great about the museum, which can also be found on Tumblrclass="blippr-nobr">Tumblr, Flickrclass="blippr-nobr">Flickr, Facebookclass="blippr-nobr">Facebook, YouTubeclass="blippr-nobr">YouTube, and Twitterclass="blippr-nobr">Twitter, is that the staff is not afraid to innovate and try new things. They’re constantly testing out new social platforms and innovating new ways to use their current social media accounts. They even share the code behind some of their best ideas on GitHub!
2. Sesame Street Workshop
Sesame Street Workshop is the non-profit organization behind the beloved children’s classic television series Sesame Street, among others. And despite being 41 years old, these cats — er, Muppets — really know social media.
You can find your favorite Sesame Street residents on Twitter and Facebook (characters like Elmo, Big Bird and Oscar have their own class='blippr-nobr'>Pagesclass="blippr-nobr">pages). Where the Workshop really excels, however, is YouTube. Sesame Street Workshop has made its biggest social media splash on YouTube, with exclusive content that often features celebrity guests and frequent parodies of other digital media memes, such as the Google search stories or the Old Spice Guy, that prove the people behind Sesame Street know their stuff.
3. WildlifeDirect
Founded in 2006 by noted African conservationist Dr. Richard Leakey, WildlifeDirect aims to save endangered animals in Africa. The organization helps local conservation groups around Africa raise funds, awareness and support for their conservation projects.
WildlifeDirect can be found on many of the usual social media networks, such as Twitter and Facebook, but where it really shines is blogging. The organization has set up an active blog network of more than 100 field blogs penned by conservation groups across Africa. The blogs are one of the main drivers of donations to the conservation work that the organization supports, but they also offer a fascinating look into the struggle to save endangered species in some of the most diverse and threatened areas on Earth.
4. Kids Are Heroes
Founded in 2008 by Gabe O’Neill and his then 9-year-old daughter, MaryMargaret, Kids Are Heroes is a non-profit group that has the admirable goal of inspiring children to get involved in the act of giving back. The website offers profiles of more than 100 kids who have at a young age (some as young as 5-years-old!) had a meaningful impact on their communities and the world — whether by training diabetic service dogs, donating books to low-income families, or raising millions of dollars for out-of-work war veterans. The organization’s message is loud and clear: Kids can make a difference.
Along with the inspiring stories, the Kids Are Heroes website allows children to send “shout outs” to one another, and the group maintains active and engaging Twitter and Facebook accounts.
5. Darius Goes West
Darius Weems and the Darius Goes West project is a force to be reckoned with. Afflicted with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) — a genetic degenerative muscular disease that killed his older brother — Darius and 11 of his friends set out six years ago to travel across America with the ultimate goal of getting Darius’ wheelchair customized on MTV’s Pimp My Ride. The group filmed that trip and turned it into the much-celebrated documentary film, Darius Goes West.
Six years later, Darius Goes West has become a movement — non-profit vehicle to raise money and awareness for the search for a DMD cure that now seems so tantalizingly close. Darius, who continues to defy the odds, recently turned 21 years old and the Darius Goes West crew continue to come up with innovative ways to spread their message and raise money using social media. From raising money through Facebook widgets to inspiring people to do crazy things in the name of charity, Darius Goes West is a must-follow cause for their innovation and unflappable humor.
What’s Your Take?
Which non-profits should we absolutely follow? Let us know your picks and recommendations in the comments below or nominate them for the Mashable Awards.
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Date: Thursday, January 6th, 2011 (during International CES Convention week)/> Time: 7:00 – 10:00 pm PT/> Location: Cirque du Soleil Zumanity, New York New York Hotel, Las Vegas/> Agenda: Networking, Open Bars, Acts, Surprises and the Mashable Awards Gala presentations/> Socialize: Facebook, Foursquare, Meetup, Plancast, Twitter (Hashtag: #MashableAwards)
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1. Will my kids like it?
Yes! There’s plenty of slapstick to keep kids of nearly any age amused, and only a few short bits that are sad or show the characters in peril. And those bits are all pretty quickly undercut by humor, anyway. My nearly-ten-year-old son would like me to say that Megamind is “not just funny — extremely funny.”
2. Will I like it?
Very probably, yes, though you won’t love it. The movie makers manage to keep the slapstick from from degenerating into juvenile, which all too often happens in kids’ movies — witness the Shrek films, for example. There are also plenty of little jokes (many of them musical) aimed squarely at grownups, which is always a pleasure to see — I will never understand why so many makers of kids’ movies neglect to do this, despite the knowledge that most kids will not be going to the movie alone or with their own money.
That being said, the film does suffer from the knowledge of what it could have been, because it is impossible not to compare it to The Incredibles, and not just because the hero Metro Man is very similar to Mr. Incredible. A lot of the jokes in Megamind seem very derivative of the Pixar film, and suffer by comparison.
3. When’s the best time for a bathroom break?
The film is 96 minutes long, and moves fairly quickly, so waiting until the end is best if possible. If not, the best time is probably when Megamind is disguised as Bernard and is talking to Roxanne (this will make sense when you see the film) — my kids agreed that that was the least interesting bit of the movie.
4. Is it worth paying more for 3D? How about IMAX?
No to 3D. My family saw it in 2D, and it was just fine. And there’s a lot of detail in the backgrounds which could easily be missed because of the distraction of the foreground in 3D or because of the darkening effect modern 3D technology has on everything. Save your money and see it in 2D.
As for IMAX, I really can’t imagine it would enhance the film much, especially since you’d have to see it in 3D.
5. Do I need to sit through the credits for a bonus scene at the end?
There are two parts to the credits: a fairly short animated bit and a much longer traditional scrolling bit. There is a quick, funny scene in between the two parts that you should stay for, but nothing at the very end.
6. Will I want to see it again?
Maybe, though I’d be willing to bet your kids will. It’s a refreshingly good film, especially for Dreamworks, whose animated films I tend to think fail to live up to their hype. That being said, it will never be considered a classic the way The Incredibles will be (and to some extent already is). It’s a lot of fun, but (at least in my case) a lot of the fun came from the little surprises here and there aimed at grownups, and I’m pretty sure they’ll lose a lot when they aren’t a surprise.
7. Is it loud or scary?
Not really. My son has always been sensitive to loud noises, and I’m pretty sure he didn’t even flinch once.
8. How’s the animation?
It’s very Dreamworks, by which I mean that the animation is in many ways the central point of the movie — as opposed to Pixar, where the story and characters are always the foundation. Everything is showy and clever, often to the point of distraction. Megamind, in particular, is to a great extent defined by the way he moves and his facial expressions. In fact — and my wife and I came to the same conclusion completely independently — I’m not sure that Neil Patrick Harris couldn’t legitimately sue Dreamworks for making Megamind a virtual copy of him (only blue and with a huge cranium and Leno-like chin).
9. What about the voices?
The voice talent was excellent. Brad Pitt was the perfect choice for Metro Man, although I’m not sure he wasn’t doing a George Clooney impression in the role. Will Ferrell did a great job as Megamind, especially since he didn’t play it as Will Ferrell — since if you’ve seen his movies you know he pretty much can play only one character. Tina Fey was a standout as the Lois Lane-esque Roxanne Ritchi, managing to convey the character’s sarcasm without making her a caricature.
10. Any good trailers?
Well, there was one for Tangled, which I’m sure will be a decent (if not great) film. There was one for the Jack Black Gulliver’s Travels, which looks pretty terrible. There was one for Yogi Bear, which looks even worse. I’m pretty sure there were at least two more, but they weren’t memorable enough that anyone in my family can recall them.
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bench craft company scamEntrepreneurs and small businesses are important to economic recovery. This we hear on the news regularly. But it is also important that entrepreneurial efforts.
Consumers, the life's blood of the American economy, have shown a growing willingness to spend, but this might play havoc with the Federal Reserve's bold plans to revive the recovery.
Sasha Frere-Jones, a music critic at The New Yorker, will become the culture editor of The Daily, News Corporation's so-called iPad newspaper which is currently in development.
bench craft company scam
bench craft company scamEntrepreneurs and small businesses are important to economic recovery. This we hear on the news regularly. But it is also important that entrepreneurial efforts.
Consumers, the life's blood of the American economy, have shown a growing willingness to spend, but this might play havoc with the Federal Reserve's bold plans to revive the recovery.
Sasha Frere-Jones, a music critic at The New Yorker, will become the culture editor of The Daily, News Corporation's so-called iPad newspaper which is currently in development.
benchcraft company scamEntrepreneurs and small businesses are important to economic recovery. This we hear on the news regularly. But it is also important that entrepreneurial efforts.
Consumers, the life's blood of the American economy, have shown a growing willingness to spend, but this might play havoc with the Federal Reserve's bold plans to revive the recovery.
Sasha Frere-Jones, a music critic at The New Yorker, will become the culture editor of The Daily, News Corporation's so-called iPad newspaper which is currently in development.
bench craft company scamEntrepreneurs and small businesses are important to economic recovery. This we hear on the news regularly. But it is also important that entrepreneurial efforts.
Consumers, the life's blood of the American economy, have shown a growing willingness to spend, but this might play havoc with the Federal Reserve's bold plans to revive the recovery.
Sasha Frere-Jones, a music critic at The New Yorker, will become the culture editor of The Daily, News Corporation's so-called iPad newspaper which is currently in development.
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