For over one year, Dan Nickerson and I co-hosted a live video stream every Wednesday at 11 am. The show was called Joel Comm LIVE!. For one hour we would discuss internet marketing, answer questions from viewers, welcome guests and be silly. However, with my travel schedule becoming busier and busier, it became more difficult to pull off a regularly scheduled live program. Continue Reading

In the fifteen years I've been doing business online, I've done just about everything. In the beginning, it was all about content sites. My first domain, WorldVillage.com, is still online. In fact, it's getting a facelift soon. I started adding games to the site and soon launched ClassicGames.com. The site was acquired by Yahoo! in 1998. As I became enamored with saving money online, I decided to build my own bargain-hunter site in 1999. DealofDay.com... Continue Reading

I offer a lot of different products. Some of those products I create myself. Others have been created by people I know. All of them, I firmly believe, can bring real benefits to the people who use them. If I wasn't 100 percent convinced that someone who is prepared to use the ideas contained in my books and products, and in the products that I recommend, couldn't achieve massive success, I wouldn't offer them for... Continue Reading

Some of you may know that I own one of the web's oldest and most popular deal sites, DealofDay.com I've watched the growth of online shopping and deal sites over the years and trust me... it's not slowing down. That's why I was intrigued by the launch of The Blastoff Network recently.  It's a cashback shopping portal which also pays you on the purchases of those in your network.  Continue Reading

I seem to spend a lot of time on the road these days. I've been up and down the country, backwards and forwards, and from state to state. I've even been to the other side of the world and back. It's hard work, with lots of jet-lag and too much time away from my family. That always hurts. But I enjoy it. I like speaking. The people I meet at events and conferences tend to... Continue Reading

Last week the FTC dropped a bomb on the marketing world. They released new guidelines for the use of testimonials and endorsements in marketing. I immediately contacted my attorney, Kevin Houchin, to get his take on the latest guidelines. With Kevin's permission, I am republishing the entire text of his interpretation. It is essential that all marketers, online and offline, pay attention to this content. And understand that if you have ANY questions, you should... Continue Reading

I've had a ton of different business ideas. At the time I dreamt them up, they all looked like winners. It didn't always pan out that way. There have been a number of business ventures that I've started only to see them fizzle and die. It's just a part of business. No one ever goes through life without making a mistake. Continue Reading

Alright, so maybe it wasn't the legal dispute of the century. But you've got to admit, for two little iPhone flatulence apps, we sure did make a stink! As you may recall, the fun and games began when Air-O-Matic, the creators of Pull My Finger, contacted me with a demand for $50,000. Why? They claimed that my use of the phrase "pull my finger" in a small portion of our online marketing campaign was responsible... Continue Reading

Big changes don't usually happen overnight. There are usually a few quiet moves first -- little tweaks and adjustments that no one really notices. And then suddenly, one more little change makes a huge difference, pushes it over the tipping point and forces everyone to pay attention. Continue Reading

The Internet has been good to me. No, I'll say that differently. The Internet has been fantastic to me. It's changed my life, brought me some incredible deals and continues to deliver a reliable and generous revenue stream. It's allowed me to build a successful business and lead the kind of life I've always dreamed of. I don't know where I'd be without the Web. Still selling encyclopedias probably. Or disc jockeying at weddings. We... Continue Reading

Affiliate products make up a large part of my income. They're one of the revenue streams that I use on my websites and I often recommend selected products to the people on my mailing list. I use them for all sorts of reasons - and money is only one of them. Sure, an affiliate commission will always be worth more than an ad click but that's only the start of it. I also like the... Continue Reading

I've made a lot of money out of Internet marketing. I live in a beautiful home in a wonderful part of the country. I work with some fantastic, clever, creative people who together generate more profit-making ideas than we know what to do with. And most importantly, I have an amazing family and while I do have a busy life, being my own boss gives me the freedom to enjoy time with them. I feel... Continue Reading

It's all your fault. I'm not going to beat about the bush. Nor am I going to try to save your feelings. I'm going to be brutally honest because I think direct is always the best way to go - and because you can handle it. It's all because of you. Continue Reading

Whatever your biggest motivation for starting your business, you want to make your life easier. You want to make it wealthier, happier, freer, more comfortable... but also easier to manage. That doesn't go too well with running a website, even a small one. Being an entrepreneur is difficult, especially at the beginning when you'll be doing almost everything yourself. Even if you hire freelancersfor coding or design, you'll still have to manage their work, set... Continue Reading

There are about seven billion people on the planet. Every one of us is different. Every one of us has opinions, tastes, inclinations and preferences. And every one of us is difficult to please. If you work hard at marketing your website and your products, you'll be able to put them in front of a few thousand of those people. Work really hard and build successful products, and maybe millions will see them. Continue Reading

By now, you know that I am the creator of the world's most-talked about iPhone application, iFart Mobile. Although most people know me these days as the best selling author of "Twitter Power - How To Dominate Your Market One Tweet At A Time" and a successful internet entrepreneur, my staff and I eagerly jumped into iPhone development as soon as the app store launched. If you have been following me on Twitter, you are... Continue Reading

I love meeting new Internet entrepreneurs. I love seeing the sparkle in their eyes, the passion for their new businesses and their drive to succeed. I think it's great that people know where they're going. It's fantastic that they understand it is possible to build a successful online business, something that can give them a stable six- or even seven-figure income, and it's wonderful that they're determined to get there. Continue Reading

What do users really want? It's a question that publishers ask themselves all the time. We look at the comments our articles receive. We review our stats. We check the popularity of keywords. We ask for ideas on Twitter. And we do all sorts of other things that try to second-guess what's going through our users' minds so that we can deliver content that interests them most. But maybe we're asking the wrong question. Continue Reading

You've heard of the "paralysis of analysis." It happens when you think too much. That's not something that many people have accused me of doing very often (the opposite does tends to crop up quite a bit though) but it is something that I know afflicts many entrepreneurs, especially new ones. Continue Reading

Apart from Twitter's own terms of service which prohibit obvious things like harassment, transmitting viruses and spamming other members, there really aren't many rules to the site. You can essentially use Twitter however you like. However, for people and businesses who want to use Twitter successfully (eg: build a following and grow their circle of influence), there are a number of best practices that can be observed. I cover many of these in my book... Continue Reading

There's a rumor going around. It's growing. It's dangerous. And I think I may have encouraged it. People are starting to believe that Twitter is a sales tool. They see the site as a valuable resource that allows them to broadcast their sales messages and land new deals. Continue Reading

When I was working on Click Here to Order, I had a problem. How could I describe all of the accomplishments achieved by the people I was interviewing? Although each of the marketers I spoke to was usually best known for creating one unique model, which they were now sharing with others, almost all of them had hugely rich pasts as well. Continue Reading

The people behind Twitter were incredibly lucky. They weren't lucky because they had a great idea. They weren't even lucky that no one else had thought of their idea before them. They were lucky that the system took just two weeks to build. My staff and I get together for regular brainstorming sessions. We toss out ideas left, right and center. By the time we walk out of that room, we've got a white board... Continue Reading

I've been doing a lot of traveling lately. I've been from California to New York, to Utah and Seattle, and to Denver more times than I can count. In theory, none of that traveling should be necessary. Twitter, after all, is the ultimate networking tool. I can be sitting anywhere and by firing up Tweetie on my iPhone, find myself swapping tweets with Tim O'Brien of the New York Times or exchanging ideas with best-selling... Continue Reading

I consider myself very fortunate. I have a beautiful home with a beautiful view of the Rockies in a beautiful part of the country. I also have a great office staffed with fantastic people. And the two are separate. That isn't everyone's goal. I've met lots of people whose dream is to give up the commute and start working from home. I can understand that. I've done that. Continue Reading

I've been an Amazon.com Associate since the beginning. I'm not sure when they started their program, but it's been over ten years that I've promoted Amazon's products and services. Imagine my surprise when I received an email from Andrea, an Associates Account Specialist (is that for people who can't get jobs with the post office? I'm kidding.. relax...), that informed me my account was being closed. First of all, let me say this. I am... Continue Reading

A recent question in USA Today by Steve Strauss in the "Ask the Expert" column asked the question, "Should Entrepreneur's Twitter?" Mr. Strauss answered the question with a definitive "No" and gave several reasons. One must wonder how someone who so clearly does not understand Twitter was able to speak as an "expert." As a true expert on the subject, I wish to set the record straight and dissuade entrepreneurs from acting on Mr. Strauss... Continue Reading

Twitter has experienced massive growth in the past year, with the number of people signing up each month accelerating. It has also become the media darling of the day. It seems that everyone is Twittering. However, with only 10-12 million people on the site, its clear that everyone is NOT Twittering. Don't fret. They will be soon. So where is the media paying the most attention to Twitter? You guessed it. It's all about the... Continue Reading

With Twitter becoming such a powerful force on the social media scene, there are those who get it and those who don't get it. There's a certain number of the "don't get it" crowd who will invariably take an outright aggressive posture and make a statement like this... "Twitter is a waste of time. Who cares what you had for breakfast?" Many on Twitter will hem and haw about the content of the question, almost... Continue Reading

Editors are newspapers, radio shows and television programs are human beings, just like the rest of us. They have deadlines to meet and a never-ending stream of work they must do in order to deliver newsworthy content to the public. You can imagine how difficult it must be for them to find quality sources for stories on a regular basis! Continue Reading

Every time I go to a conference or take part in a seminar I meet a bunch of amazing people. I meet people who are experts at marketing. I chat to entrepreneurs who are wizards at search engine optimization. I swap ideas with other bloggers who are making six-figure incomes on the strength of their posts. Every one of those people is special. But they aren't successful because they're special. They're special because they're successful. Continue Reading

Now that my book, Twitter Power, is moving up the charts (#15 on Bookscan last week!), I have a lot of people asking me how effective Twitter actually is for business. Certainly, it is difficult to put a price tag on relationships that have been built on Twitter. It's also very hard to quantify the effects of branding on a Twitter profile page correctly designed. But the question remains... Does Twitter use convert to sales? Continue Reading

I like to think I've come a long way since I first started turning The Dallas/Fort Worth Software Review into WorldVillage.com. I now have a string of profitable websites. I speak regularly at conferences across the country. I've produced a top-selling iPhone app. And I've written a bunch of books, including a New York Times bestseller. But I know I didn't do any of this alone. Not only did I always have the support of... Continue Reading

In a landmark decision that will be sure to usher in a new world Internet order, a World Wide Web judge has just granted Internet marketing guru and entrepreneur Joel Comm the exclusive trademark rights to the ".com" web address suffix, placing all websites everywhere with a ".com" domain under the jurisdiction and discretion of Joel Comm. The decision came about when Joel Comm successfully sued Al Gore, who had previously laid claim to "inventing... Continue Reading

I remember when Guerrilla Marketing came out. I was so excited. Here were a bunch of different methods to run powerful marketing campaigns without spending a dime. It was revolutionary. At last, the average Joe could build a business even with a marketing budget no deeper than his pant pockets. The philosophy laid out in that book still holds good. It is still possible to sell products without buying a 30-second spot during the Superbowl. Continue Reading

I've seen some really clever things done with ads on the Web. I've seen some pretty dumb things too, like whack-a-mole banners and flashing skyscrapers that make you want to look anywhere but at the ad. But some of the ideas have been incredibly creative. When Kontera first wheeled out its system, I loved the fact that its ads were so unobtrusive. When Chitika created its eMiniMalls and then its Premium ads, I thought the... Continue Reading

You've heard the saying about not being able to fool all the people all the time. You probably also know then that you can't please all the people all the time too. It's an impossibility. It doesn't matter how good your content, how wonderful your website or what a great job you do, you're always going to get people who write in and complain. Continue Reading

I recently attended a mastermind event featuring some of the greatest thought leaders of our generation. Attendees included Tony Robbins, Alex Mandossian, Les Brown, Tony Hsieh, Ivan Misner, Chet Holmes, Bill Bartmann, Stephen Pierce and many others. It was a fantastic three days of learning, networking, and building relationships. On Saturday evening we were told that we had a surprise speaker. It turns out that Janet Atwood has a friend that knows Paula Abdul. I'm... Continue Reading

Wow. I should probably just end the blog post with that one word, as I am speaking about Tweet-a-Thon 2009. Just wow. But you know I can't stop there! It's the morning after. I am still exhausted. But I am basking in the afterglow of what I shall remember for the rest of my life. Continue Reading

I wish I hadn't done it. And I wish I could tell you all the things that I wish I hadn't done but there are too many incidents to remember them all. I probably smack my forehead about a dozen times a day and wonder what I've let myself in for. I know lots of people say that they have no regrets. They might even be telling the truth. But that doesn't mean that they've... Continue Reading

I get asked for joint ventures all the time. A day doesn't go by without some message landing in my mailbox from someone saying they've got a killer product and that I should tell my entire list about it. And each of those days ends with just about all of those emails landing in my trash box. Yes, some products I'll be happy to recommend to people who are trying to build Internet businesses. Usually... Continue Reading

My team and I came up with the idea for an iPhone fart application in summer of 2008. We knew it would be a hit. We just needed to develop it. We took great pride in developing iFart Mobile. It was more than another iPhone application. It was a true entertainment machine with a unique interface. It didn't LOOK like an iPhone app. When we submitted the application to Apple, it was put "in review... Continue Reading

There are lots of great things to say about being an Internet entrepreneur. You get to be your own boss, setting your own hours and working from home if you want. You get to define your own goals and connect your earnings directly to your efforts. And you get to be in full control of your life, instead of working a J.O.B. that you just can't stand. All of those things are true but there's... Continue Reading

There are two kinds of people in the world. There are people who dream. And there are people who act. Both types of people are important, and both skills are needed when you're trying to succeed. What's rare though is to find both those skills in the same person. Most of us are either brimming with ideas or overflowing with energy. We're either the type who spots opportunities or the type who spots the problems... Continue Reading

There are all sorts of reason I love my work. I get to be my own boss. I work with some fantastic people. I get nice checks from Google and others every month. All of those things are fantastic. Continue Reading

Here's a confession... Not every idea I've had has been golden. In fact, I can say that many of the business ideas I've tried have managed to bring me... well, let's just say something was funding one or two lunches per week. That's one of the advantages of marketing. Everyone gets to know about your successes but your failures just fade away. Continue Reading

On today's broadcast Dan and I discussed the latest goings-on at InfoMedia HQ. We messed around with the co-host feature of uStream.tv and found out how difficult it can be to have a discussion with a 20-second delay! Dan created a new list featuring the top ten worst ideas for iPhone applications. It's funny stuff. Watch the replay below and be sure to leave your comments! Continue Reading

There are a lot of worried people out there. You might even be one of them. People are losing their jobs, seeing their wages cut, watching their revenue charts change from a steep hill to vertical cliff. These aren't great times. But they are times of opportunity. When I was researching Click Here to Order, there was one story that I came across time and time again. It was the story of the entrepreneur whose... Continue Reading

I'm sure you've heard all the reasons for working for yourself. You can set your own schedule. You can be your own boss. You won't have to commute. You can work in your underwear. (Does anyone ever do that?) Yada yada. All true, all wonderful (except maybe the underwear bit) and all good reasons for setting up your own business. Bu there's one reason that no one ever talks about, and that's very strange because... Continue Reading

As of this writing, There are over 13,000 applications in the iTunes app store. There are games, utilities, novelty apps, lifestyle apps, social networking, weather and several other categories. New apps are appearing every day. Some apps are original, but many are just more of the same. That's why I am excited to announce an entirely new genre of apps. Several months ago I and my team were considering ways to deliver our content to... Continue Reading

You already know that most small businesses fail. It's a warning that's been given out to every entrepreneur with an idea, drive and the imagination to succeed for as long as people have been saying, "I should be working for me." Well, here's something you probably don't want to hear. Most blogs die too. People start them with the best of intentions. They tell themselves that they'll write every day, they'll pick up masses of... Continue Reading

The start of any new business always contains the scariest moments. On the one hand, you're never going to feel more enthusiastic about your idea than during those first few months. You'll get to see your plan take flight and discover whether it really does have wings. On the other hand, you also have to cope with the fear that it's going to fail -- that what you thought was going to bring you a... Continue Reading

Yesterday I posted a video of my brother-in-law's legendary karaoke performance. Many have asked if I was going to post my performance. Being a high-profile marketer, I should no better than to do that. After all, why would I want people to see how badly I sing? But I thought about it and decided that transparency is a good thing. In fact, the more you share your life with your customers, the more they have... Continue Reading

It's all changed. It happened so fast, we hardly even noticed. But looking back, it's incredible how different everything is today. When I started out in Internet Marketing, no one had any idea who I was. No one needed to. All they had to do was know where my websites were and enjoy the content I was putting up. It was impersonal and it worked both ways. My users might only have thought of me... Continue Reading

You know what I like best about Twitter? It isn't the fact that it's easy to use and a ton of fun (although those are important). It isn't the fact that I can communicate with some fantastic people, get answers to questions and pick up information and advice that I couldn't have learned any other way (although those are important too.) And it isn't even that it's a fantastic marketing tool that drives traffic, builds... Continue Reading

'Twas the night before Christmas and all across Twitter Tweeples eyes were lit, they were all a-glitter. The tweets they were flying with speed and delight as each one made plans for that great winter's night "I'm traveling", "I'm eating", "I'm hanging with family" "I just wrapped the presents, I can say now so happily" The news it broke fast, from Mumbai - attack we all were there to say "we've got your back" And... Continue Reading

How many people REALLY use Twitter? And what percentage of people account for most of the activity on Twitter? These are questions I posed on Twitter today. I asked "Would you say that 1% of Twitter members do 99% of the tweets?" Some answers from my followers and some of my own research has uncovered some interesting data. Continue Reading

I believe that anyone can make money as an online publisher. I've always believed that and I've seen enough people set up websites and generate income to keep believing it. But I know there's something wrong with this picture. I'm not going to kid myself and it would be plain wrong to try to kid anyone else. Some publishers are going to have an easier time than others. Continue Reading

I'm getting ready to bust loose with a four-letter word. You aren't going to like it. It might make you cringe. Too bad. It needs to be said. "Debt" There I said it. Do you feel relieved or does the word stress you out? Continue Reading

"Focus on what's meaningful, not what's measurable." I wish I'd said that. It wasn't me though. It was Warren Buffet, a man much smarter -- and a great deal wealthier -- than me. And not surprisingly, it's great advice and it's especially important for online marketers. The Web gives us access to all sorts of figures. Our AdSense stats tell us our clickthrough rates, our eCPMs, how our channels are doing and of course, our... Continue Reading

There are two ways to write a blog. The first is to sit at the computer and type up the first thing that comes into your head. If you have interesting ideas, fun experiences and can write well, that can certainly work. There are plenty of bloggers who make a good income writing about themselves, their lives and their families. But it isn't easy. Continue Reading

It happens even before your site really starts to make money. You post articles, market your content, pick up comments and find that other sites are talking about you. All of a sudden, you've moved from being one person with ideas you want to share to being the center of a community, part of a circle of online friends with a keen interest in what you have to say. Continue Reading

The Internet has opened up business in all sorts of ways. It costs nothing to start a website. Anyone can write a blog. Putting ads on your pages takes minutes and requires no selling, no effort and almost no work at all. And the revenues can be fantastic. Millions of people have joined the Internet business revolution and have either swapped their day job for days of writing articles, or are enjoying some useful extra... Continue Reading

Whenever I attend a conference I always try to listen to as many of the other speakers' talks as possible. I can't think of a single talk that hasn't taught me something. But some of the most powerful and valuable information that I've learned at conferences didn't come while sitting in front of a professional marketer. It came while sitting in the café afterwards and chatting with my students. Continue Reading

Black Friday is upon us once again, and it is time to hunt down the best deals online. I will not be braving the Friday morning crowds. It makes much more sense to sleep in and find deals at my favorite online merchants. Where do you go to find those great deals? No doubt about it. It's DealofDay.com The oldest and best bargain-hunting site, you'll find tons of online bargains here. Ready to save money... Continue Reading

Life must be hard for television executives. To decide how much to charge advertisers and whether they should commission another season of a show, they have to know the size of their audience. The only method they have to do that is by using a survey. The Nielsen ratings track what television viewers watch and then, based on demographics, make certain claims about what everyone else was watching at the same time. Those figures could... Continue Reading

If you've got nothing nice to say, say nothing. It's a great rule to follow when you're offline. Online though, saying nothing just isn't an option. As an online publisher, you have to publish. You have to keep a steady stream of new content appearing on your website so that your users will keep coming back, your ads will keep appearing... and your money will keep rolling in Continue Reading

What would you say if I told you that you can boost your profits by typing just 140 characters? (That's about the length of this paragraph.) If you're smart, you might say "Which ones?" If you're really smart though, you'd say "I know." That's because the power of Twitter isn't a secret any more. CEOs are using it. Bloggers are using it. Marketers are using it. Everyone's using it (including me) and not only are... Continue Reading

No, this isn't another invitation to a webinar. (There will be another of those along soon, don't worry.) And it's not about another live video release. (There will be another one of those soon too.) In fact, it's not about me at all. It's about you. Continue Reading

Me and my family traveled to Steamboat Springs for fall break this year. This has always been my favorite place to ski, but there is no skiing taking place here... yet. Pretty soon the snow will fall and the slopes will be crowded. As it turned out, we were here for Halloween. And Halloween in Steamboat Springs is a big deal! They shut down the main street going through downtown, the merchants all have a... Continue Reading

Google AdSense. Over the years, I've generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in passive income with this incredible program. Believe it or not, there are a lot of people who have no idea what it is all about. The fact is Google takes in $15 billion (that's Billion with a B!) dollars each year in advertising revenue. The best part is that they are sharing a portion of that revenue to people like you and... Continue Reading

I've written a lot of content since I became an online publisher. I'd like to think that I've got better and better as the years have gone by but sometimes I'm not so sure. Although there are plenty of posts that still make me proud when I read them again, there's also no shortage of articles that really make me wince. They might have sentences I want to rephrase, points that aren't made clearly, and... Continue Reading

I don't go to the movies much. I enjoy movies, I just don't enjoy the theater experience. Why pay top dollar to sit in a crowded cinema with chatty teens and people noisily crunching popcorn and nachos when I can buy or rent the DVD for less and enjoy the peacefulness and comfort of my home theatre. I choose to go to the Metrolux today in order to get a glimpse of An American Carol... Continue Reading

Want to know the difference between a successful entrepreneur... and an entrepreneur who wants to be successful? It's really very simple... An entrepreneur acts. An entrepreneur who wants to be successful thinks of acting. But successful entrepreneurs don't just act. They act at the right speed. Continue Reading

Recently, I wrote a post laying out what I think of multi-level marketing (MLM). I thought long and hard before I wrote that post. I knew that there would be a lot of people who wouldn't like it. I knew that some people might even stop reading my blog as result of it. And I also knew I wanted to write it. Continue Reading

I was on Twitter the other day, noticing that I had passed 3300 followers (thanks everyone!), and also noticed that Twitter has no slogan. Well, there's "What are you doing right now?" But that's so 2007. So I asked my followers for some ideas for new Twitter slogans. Here is sampling of the responses I received... Continue Reading

It's probably the most important decision you can make as a publisher... What are you going to create a website about? So much depends on your choice: The value of your ads. The pleasure you get out of writing your content. Continue Reading

I've got no idea how many blog posts, articles and pages of content I've written for the Internet. I've been doing it for years, so if you're wondering if there are ever times when I sit in front of the computer and wonder what I can write about today, the answer is... Yes. Continue Reading

I'm always going on about the importance of networking at conferences. That's because I don't know of any strategy that can improve an online publishing business's success rate faster. Networking puts you in touch with opportunities that you can't find any other way. It builds the sort of business relationships that can last for many profitable years. It really does make running a business fun. And there's just no better place to do it than... Continue Reading

It sounds like a terrible idea. You spend ages thinking up an idea for an article, doing the research and writing it out... then you give it to someone else to put on their website. They get all the ad revenue and you get... what, exactly? Well, you get a link and if the site is good that could be worth more in steady streams of traffic than Continue Reading

You've probably noticed that I'm often talking about seminars and conferences. That's not just because I talk at some of them. It's because I think that they're essential stepping stones to online business success. I'd like to believe that's because the information that I and other marketers provide at these seminars is more valuable than magic-encrusted gold dust. As soon as someone takes it home and applies it to their business they immediately become an... Continue Reading

With all the speculation that John McCain would select Mitt Romney to be his running mate in the 2008 election, I find it rewarding to see that he has chosen far wiser. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has been thrust into the limelight as McCain has selected her to be his Vice President should he be elected in November. I am very pleased with this selection for a number of reasons. Continue Reading

Social Media is all the buzz right now. It started with MySpace, continued with YouTube and has brought about Facebook, Twitter and a host of other sites promising the help people interact in new ways. These sites have become very popular and two were purchased for a tidy sum. Rupert Murdoch's News Corp purchased MySpace for $580 million and Google bought YouTube for for $1.65 BILLION. I'm sure the boys from Facebook and Twitter have... Continue Reading

Twitter is one of the web's leading innovative sites. People are just discovering new ways to interact with others, build relationships, share ideas AND market themselves and their products/services online. I've put together a 30-page report that will give you an overview of Twitter and how you can use it to help accomplish your goals. Things are changing VERY quickly online, so forgive me if some of the material is dated by next month! What's... Continue Reading

Thor Schrock is catching a lot of heat over his online reality program, The Top Affiliate Challenge. I remember when Thor first told me about his idea for the show. I encouraged him to do it, but I warned him that it would take a miracle to pull off a quality show on a daily basis. When Eric and I produced The Next Internet Millionaire, we filmed for two weeks straight and had a two-week... Continue Reading

Question: What is the one of the biggest obstacles that people have to creating an online business? Answer: Building a web site! I have a confession to make. I am NOT an expert at building websites. In fact, I hire out all website design and creation. I am just not good at it. But what if you can't afford to pay someone to do it? Continue Reading

I need to back up a bit because I left out Sunday from my journal. On Sunday, I spoke at Chris Howard's "Ultimate Wealth Symposium" on the grounds of the Sydney Olympic Park. I had a fantastic time sharing my story with 800 or so people. I've got to say, the Aussies are a bit difficult to get moving, but I think everyone had a good time and learned a thing or two. I also... Continue Reading

What is it that makes successful people stand out from the crowd? Or perhaps I should ask the question this way... What are the things that successful people DO that everyone else does not do? I believe we are all dealt a hand in life. On very rare occassion that hand is stacked with a full house, but in most cases we're fortunate if we are dealt a pair of twos. And whether or not... Continue Reading

I was helping my wife clean out the closet yesterday and I've got a feeling I didn't pick up a box correctly. Yesterday afternoon, my lower back began hurting... all the way down at the base of my spine. I tried heat. I tried ointment. I tried advil. I managed to sleep through the night without any trouble, but man am I hurting today! Continue Reading

Everyone has heard of Chicken Soup for the Soul and the zillion titles that were derived from this massive best-seller. What you don't know is that I am friends with the man who helped make that series so huge! His name is Rick Frishman and he knows a few things about getting attention. ;-) Rick has just released a new book of his own called "Where's Your Wow?" that reveals 16 ways to make your... Continue Reading

I remember seeing Ben Stein for the first time in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Who could forget the monotone deadpan teacher repeating "anyone... anyone... Bueller... Bueller". And then there was "Win Ben Stein's Money", a campy television quiz show that demonstrated Ben's ability to stand toe-to-toe with the best of them. I sure would have liked to have seen him go up against Ken Jennings. As a columnist for the Wall Street Journal and a... Continue Reading

I was going to write something really interesting, but I couldn't think of what to say! Writer's block. It hits every blogger from time to time. So what do you do to overcome and push through? I've got some ideas. check out the video below to see what I think. Continue Reading

Shopzilla is one of the largest online shopping sites. You've probably used them before for their price comparison tool. Recently, Shopzilla has been beta-testing a contextual ad program that would allow site publishers to place Shopzilla ads on their pages and get paid every time someone clicked on an ad, in the same vein as AdSense. I'm impressed with their program and I decided to research them further. My research led me to write a... Continue Reading

Can I be honest with you? I have written the first few lines of this entry several times and I just can't seem to find the words to tell you what I want to tell you today. The fact is... I'm so freakin' excited about something I just came across that I couldn't wait to share it with you! Continue Reading

While I'm still enjoying my family vacation here in Hawaii, I wanted to take a moment to let you know about a ground-breaking new tool that is guaranteed to increase your sales. Part of the reason I am able to enjoy vacations like this is because I've leveraged technology and employees to keep my business running, even when I'm away from it. Most people understand the concept of hiring employees, but many people don't understand... Continue Reading

What would you do if you were able to come to my home and office and ask me whatever you wanted? Would you have some questions for me? Dave Woodward did. A few months back, Dave contacted me and told me he was putting together a brand new series called "Legendary Marketers", and he asked if he could come visit with me at my home and office to find out what made me tick. Of... Continue Reading

What is the definition of true success? Is it having a large bank account? Is it having a garage full of cars? Is it having a mansion with so many rooms you can't fill them all? I would say that all of these material things are an indicator that a person may have succeeded in business, but without one key component I don't believe a person is truly successful. Continue Reading

In March of 2006 I attended Yanik Silver's Internet Marketing Underground seminar in Washinton, DC. It was a life-changing date with destiny, for it was there that I met my future JV Partner, Eric Holmlund. I was also impressed by the high caliber of people who attended this seminar. It seemed that there was an awful lot of success in the room filled with over 300 people. Two years later and Yanik does not disappoint... Continue Reading

I'm not a big fan of the major airlines. In fact I have written several entries that demonstrated poor customer service by United and American. However, I had a uniquely good experience on United a couple days ago and wanted to share it with you. I was traveling to Los Angeles with Joel Ownby and Tim Prince, en route to Yanik Silver's Internet Underground conference in Los Angeles. The three of us board the 737... Continue Reading

Be careful... If you don't add the right amount of each ingredient, you could ruin the entire meal. Easy now... If you mix those chemicals incorrectly, it could be explosive. Watch it... If the calculations aren't perfect, the shuttle may never make it off the launching pad. Many things in life demand precision. There are some absolutes that do not allow for the least bit of give. One wrong step and the greatest ideas can... Continue Reading

I've got a pretty colorful past. I got my first job when I was fourteen-years old, working behind the counter of a fast-food restaurant at Northbrook Court shopping mall in Northbrook, Illinois. After all, I needed to save up money to buy a TRS-80 Model I computer from Radio Shack! Once I acquired my driver's license, I worked in the health & beauty department at Venture. Yes, I was a stockboy. At the age of... Continue Reading

I am a victim of BSOS. What is BSOS, you might ask? Bright Shiny Object Syndrome. Yes, I am easily distracted by whatever amuses me. A few weeks ago, Dan Nickerson came to me with an idea for a new product. He pointed out that the product would require a domain and began seeking out the domain. I'm always on the lookout for new domain names. Continue Reading

Here we are knee-deep in the political season. Who will be the next President of the United States? Regardless of the results, you can rest assured that the political discourse will not cease. I used to spend a good deal of time discussing politics online. But I had a hard time finding sites where people would not flame each other. Continue Reading

So I've got this great idea for a screenplay. The story goes like this... Due to severe beatings she had received as a child, a thirty-something year old woman develops a strange phobia and doesn't leave the bathroom for two years. I know, bizarre, yes? It gets more interesting. The woman spends the majority of her time on the toilet. Yes, on the toilet. In fact, she spends SO much time on the toilet that... Continue Reading

I try to be very transparent about the ways I make money on the web. It's really no secret and I've nothing to lose by sharing this information with you. I don't like to hold back as that doesn't contribute to your success at all. So I'm about to reveal one of my biggest secrets for profiting online. Ok, it's really more along the lines of "incredibly obvious", but I'm amazed at how many people... Continue Reading

I'm about to share a hard truth with you. I hope you are sitting down, cause here we go... Most of the people reading this newsletter will never make money online. Ouch. Sure, read it again. You heard me right. Now before you go questioning me, calling me insensitive or flat out cursing me out, let me say this... Continue Reading

I have a confession to make. I love shopping online and I love using online coupon codes. I've been doing online shopping online since Amazon.com launched in 1995. In the early years, merchants would regularly offer fantastic discounts on merchandise in order to get new customers to their stores. For example, Reel.com (nbow defunct?) used to offer $10 off coupons on a regular basis. So I would buy DVDs for approximately $5 each. What a... Continue Reading

Whenever something big happens in the world of online advertising, I'm left scratching my head and wondering what it means for me. It doesn't get much bigger than Microsoft offering tens of billions of dollars for Yahoo!. So what does that mean for me... and for you too? At the moment, nothing. Yahoo! has rejected Microsoft's bid and probably holding out for more money. If the deal goes through, it won't happen overnight. Even then... Continue Reading

I regularly receive joint venture proposals from people. A small percentage of them have some really good ideas and products, but the majority of them are not good at all. Today I received an email from a couple gentlemen in Australia. I hope the email and my response will be instructive for the recipients and for others as they seek to do joint ventures. Continue Reading

You can have a great idea for a web site. And developing the site can be a very rewarding experience. But without one thing, it doesn't matter how nice your site is... That thing is traffic. Traffic is really the "life blood" of our business. Without traffic you can't make sales, you can't generate affiliate commissions, you can't build a list... (you get the picture). So today I want to focus on traffic, and tell... Continue Reading

I've just spent an incredible three days in Las Vegas at the Affiliate Summit. This gathering of nearly 3000 people was one of the largest concentrations of affiliate marketers in history. While I did enjoy some of the workshops, the greatest benefit was from networking with others in the industry. I finally got to meet famous bloggers such as Amit Mehta, John Chow, Andrew Wee and Zac Johnson, just to name a few. All these... Continue Reading

I've been wanting to meet Jason Calacanis face-to-face for some time. For those that don't know, Jason is the co-creator of Weblogs, Inc., which was sold to AOL for $25 million. I'm at Affiliate Summit in Las Vegas where Jason Calacanis delivered the keynote address this morning. I really didn't know anything about Jason as a person, so I was looking forward to an insightful talk with fresh ideas. Wow, was I in for a... Continue Reading

What are people talking about when they talk about RSS feeds? Let me make it simple. In fact, let me make it REAL simple. RSS stands for "really simple syndication". Basically, it is a format for distributing and gathering content from various sources across the web. This can include newspapers, magazines and ablogs. Using something called a "news reader", you can monitor headlines and summaries from many of your favorite sources without having to go... Continue Reading

A few months back, I launched this groundbreaking Internet marketing course to the world... The Secret Classroom ... and the feedback has been fantastic! I regularly receive emails from people telling me what an impact this course has had on their online business. I wanted to take a moment today and share one of these emails with you. I think it says way more about the value of The Secret Classroom than I could ever... Continue Reading

The Pink Floyd classic album, Dark Side of the Moon, is though to be the greatest rock album of all time. I might support that assertion. If you listen all the way to the end of the album, Roger Waters says, "There is no dark side of the moon. Actually, it's all dark." I know, it's profound. Still, the album is an absolute classic and one for every music-lover's collection. And speaking of the moon... Continue Reading

Last week, I sat down in my office with several members of my team and we began doing a brain dump of all the great ideas for sites, services and products that we had. We filled my fairly-large whiteboard in no time at all. The fact of the matter is that we have more ideas than we have time or manpower to accomplish! But ideas are not exactly in short supply, are they? There are... Continue Reading

I consider myself a fortunate person. Every day, I sit in a beautiful office, surrounded by great people and look out of my window towards a fantastic view of the Rockies. I think it's a great thing. Not everyone agrees with me. I know that lots of people want something different. They want to work from home. Continue Reading

I'm a big fan of Amazon.com. I spend far too much money there but they also give me a fair bit of money too through book sales and affiliate links. I think they've done a fantastic job of selling products online and helping website publishers earn from their content. They might be the Walmart of Internet retailing, but they're definitely not the Apple of whiz-bang gadgetry. Their new Kindle book-reading machine is a great idea... Continue Reading

I grew up watching The Three Stooges. There was nothing better than watching Moe, Larry and Curly do their schtick. Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk, and woob woob woob woob... absolutely classic. I apologize to those of you who have no idea what I am talking about. Go buy a Three Stooges DVD and enjoy. One of the Stooges' greatest comic routines was little more than a poke in the eye. Continue Reading

I just got done having an email conversation with my friend, Jeremy Gislason. We communicate via email because he is in Japan and on a totally different schedule. Anyhow, Jeremy and Simon Hodgkinson have been working on putting together a new member site that has tons of great content to help you build your member site! Basically, this site teaches you everything Jeremy and Simon know about building member sites... and they have over 100,000... Continue Reading

Does American Airlines have good customer service? Once again, I find myself on the "I can't believe this is happening" end of a telephone conversation with a customer service rep. Here's the story. I had booked a flight using reward miles to fly someone from Dallas to Denver in a couple weeks. As it turns out, he is going to drive here a few days early and won't require the initial leg of the flight... Continue Reading

Blogging is a huge opportunity... and a lot of people are missing out. They're missing out for one reason. They don't believe they can write. They might have slept through their English classes at school. They don't know what a semi-colon is for. And since entering the workforce, they might never have had to write anything longer than a grocery list. And now I'm telling them that they can make their living -- and more... Continue Reading

I love living in Colorado. Ever since I moved my family here in February of 2007, I really can't imagine living anywhere else. I love the mountains. I love the change of seasons. I love zero humidity. And I've met some really great people here. But there's one thing that is still lacking... Continue Reading

I make no secret of it. I am a 43-year old man who loves playing computer and video games. And why not? I was a teenage when Space Invaders, Asteroids and Centipede took over the arcades. I was sixteen when I bought my first computer, a TRS-80. It was great for primitive gaming. And I've got a great collection of old computer software in a special room in my basement. Perhaps I'll do a video... Continue Reading

Before we left Oklahoma, we used to eat at Moe's, a tex-mex fast food joint. It was pretty good. I especially liked the way they trained their staff to yell out "Welcome to Moe's!' every time someone walked in the front door. It made for a friendly environment where they recognized every customer on every visit. As a sidebar, Moe's only played music featuring dead musicians in their restaurant. Interesting... But when we moved to... Continue Reading

At conferences, you can spot them a mile away. They're shaking hands with everyone they meet. They're passing out business cards like they're free hundred dollar bills. They attend every talk and scribble notes furiously through each of them. And you can bet that when they go home they'll spend every waking hour -- which might be twenty in a day -- sitting in front of their computer working on their site, building traffic and... Continue Reading

Happy New Year! It's officially 2008, and you know what that means. It means I'll probably mess up a bunch of checks by writing 2007 as I get used to the idea of the new number! But it also means the holidays are over. Time to get back to work. It's a good thing I enjoy my work! How about you? Maybe you've bought revenue-generating training material and software but you aren't using it. Is... Continue Reading

I'm at Will Rogers airport in Oklahoma City, getting ready to make the trek home to Colorado after a week of visiting with family and friends. I've had some time to reflect on the year and would like to take a stroll down memory lane. The year started with a crazy idea. I knew that others had dabbled with the idea of doing an Internet reality show, but no one had really taken the concept... Continue Reading

I don't know where I'd be without joint ventures. I'd still have my AdSense income, which is nice, but I'd certainly be a lot poorer. I'd have fewer friends. And the people who acted on my recommendations would be a lot worse off too. Joint ventures are a vital part of my business. They should be a vital part of yours too. I still say that the best place to find joint venture opportunities is... Continue Reading

You've heard this phrase a thousand times. "It's not what you know, it's WHO you know." Do you believe it? It's true! At the age of 17 I got a dream job at the local computer and video store... ... because I knew the owner. At the age of 20 I got a summer job at an advertising agency and learned a ton... ... because my mother worked there. At the age of 24 I... Continue Reading

It's a sad moment, but it was easy to see coming. Google has now officially killed off site targeting. The function that allows advertisers to choose to advertise directly on your Web pages still exists. But now it's called "placement targeting." There are two differences. Continue Reading

A few months ago I wrote an article discussing why I dislike network marketing. One of the main reasons is because many organizations suggest that you recruit your family and friends to join you in your quest to get rich. Bah. I just don't like that. BUT, as I mentioned on my blog, the Internet now affords an opportunity to get involved in network marketing without having to sell to your "warm" market. Continue Reading

I don't know about you, but I am still stuffed from the Thanksgiving meal! Anyhow, today is Black Friday. It's not a holiday, but with all the crazy shopping, you would think it is. You know how I always talk about building sites that interest you? Well, back in 1999 I was big into saving money online with coupon codes. Continue Reading

It's not always easy thinking up something to write about. However frequently (or otherwise) you update your site, you have to think of a topic, decide whether your users will find it interesting, estimate whether it will bring in ad clicks and turn it into content. Often, that's not a problem. You might be bursting with things you want to say. Sometimes though, you'll be left scratching your head and wondering what on earth you... Continue Reading

What if I told you could pick the brain of a former Google employee for $100. Would you seize the opportunity? Frankly, I can't imagine anyone with even the slightest curiousity not taking advantage of that offer. What if I told you that this person was on the original Google AdWords team? I don't know about you, but I'd pay over $1000 to hear what this person has to say! Well, I've got some bad... Continue Reading

It was a communal moment. I was thirteen-years old, and I remember standing in line with all the others. We were eagerly waiting... anticipating... fully aware that we were about to experience something that would be groundbreaking and revolutionary. Oh yes, there was a great deal of buzz. And we knew it. It was just a matter of time before we would be able to take our seats in the theater... ... and enjoy seeing... Continue Reading

Last month I was in Atlanta for the Big Seminar. Now usually I'm not much of a morning person, but when I took a peek at Friday's schedule, I knew I had to wake up early... Over the past five years or so I'd been hearing the first  speaker's name over and over again... "Joel you've got to check out this young kid Jermaine. He's from the inner-city, but Corey Rudl is taking him under his... Continue Reading

Are you an entrepreneur? From Dictionary.com, an entrepreneur is "a person who organizes and manages any enterprise, esp. a business, usually with considerable initiative and risk." Considerable initiative and risk. Because of this, entrepreneurs expect to win some and lose some. But one thing an entrepreneur will never do is stop trying. Continue Reading

It's one thing to have consenting adults eat worms on a reality show. It's a totally different story when children are being exploited for entertainment. And that is exactly what is taking place with Kid Nation, CBS television's much-hyped reality show. Continue Reading

I know I am opening myself up to criticism for this post, but it's been on my mind and I really just want to put it out there. I dislike the way multi-level marketing has been done by many companies. I don't dislike multi-level marketers, mind you (well, most of them anyway). I just think that business model has proven destructive to many individuals and families. Continue Reading

If there's one thing I keep saying time and time again, it's that anyone who wants to make lots of money online needs to go to conferences. And every time I say it, I see some people looking back at me with blank faces. I understand. Conferences cost money. If you're just starting out, it can feel like they cost a lot of money. And if you've never been to a business conference before, it... Continue Reading

One penny. One cent. 1/100th of a dollar. Uno centavo. That's all it takes for you to instantly own your own Internet store! Yes, I'm serious. My customers have been asking me for a simple solution where they can tell people about great products and earn easy commissions... Continue Reading

Facebook. The first time I heard about this site had to be over a year ago. I was told it was a social networking site for college students, so I didn't give it much of a look. After all, I've been out of college for many years. (I won't tell you how many!) But about a month or so ago I started receiving invitations to use facebook from some friends and associates of mine. Hmmm... Continue Reading

I have a confession to make. I haven't watched the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon in years. And I honestly feel like I am missing something. As a child, I would watch the show religiously, year after year. I remember the parade of celebrities, Jerry Lewis' banter with his guests, Ed McMahon, the volunteers answering phones, and of course, the magical toteboard that would light up with huge numbers indicating that the cure for... Continue Reading

Deciding on a topic for a blog post isn't always easy. Sometimes, you'll know exactly what you want to write. Other times, you'll struggle for an idea. But there are times when a subject just seems unavoidable. Whenever Apple releases a new product, Nintendo brings out a new game system or Harry Potter hits the news again, it seems as though everyone is writing about the same thing. And of course, those aren't the only... Continue Reading

Tag me once, tag me twice. What the heck. Both Rosalind Gardner and Kris Jones 'tagged' me to create this blog entry. Here goes... Continue Reading

If you've created some new AdSense code recently, you've probably noticed that you now have an extra decision to make. Once you've picked your format and chosen your color schemes, you have to decide how you want the corners of your units: square, slightly rounded or very rounded? For most of us, the answer to that question is going to be "Who cares?" Continue Reading

It was fall of 2005. I was in Charlotte, North Carolina, preparing for my very first public speaking engagement. I would be speaking before an audience of 25 people who had paid to hear me and a handful of other Internet marketers share how we make our millions online. It was at this time that I had begun preparing the manuscript for my first traditionally published book. But I was lacking a title for the... Continue Reading

Whenever I see a news story about Google's development plans, I usually give it a read, make sure it's not going to affect my AdSense earnings... and daydream for a minute or two about running a multi-billion dollar business. Google's recent spat with eBay though caught my attention. It was one of those rare times when Google's news could actually affect my income. In case you missed it, Google scheduled a party to promote its... Continue Reading

Video is definitely the wave of the future online. Our world has already become accustomed to television and movies, so it makes sense that video will become a dominant force for information delivery and entertainment on the web. Naturally, this is one reason I've chosen to launch the reality show, The Next Internet Millionaire, on the Internet. But I just came across something very cool on YouTube. Continue Reading

"It was a dark and stormy night." That may as well be the beginning of this newsletter, because I have started writing it five times now. I get past the first line, read it, and delete it. So I figure you just can't go wrong with "It was a dark and stormy night." Well, perhaps if I was writing fiction... The fact is that I've got a lot to tell you this week and I'm... Continue Reading

You've heard it all before... $20,000 in one day! $100,000 in a week! A Gazillion dollars in a month! The Internet marketing community is being inundated with messages telling people how they can make outrageous sums of money in a very short period of time. Sometimes these claims are valid. Other times they seem like "pie in the sky". Continue Reading

When Google takes action, they really take action. The forums have been buzzing recently with news that Google is in the middle of a content "quality initiative." There's nothing about it in the AdSense blog, but Jennifer Slegg of Jenstar.com has reported that a number of publishers have received emails telling them that they have "an unsuitable business model" and that their account will be closed within two weeks. They will be allowed to keep... Continue Reading

"Take this job and shove it... I ain't workin' here no more" And so went the lyrics of the popular country-western song belted out by Johnny Paycheck. It is a common practice to place a phone call to a local radio station and ask them to play this song when you "fire your boss" Let's face it. It's a fun tune. And more people than ever before are telling their bosses to "take this job... Continue Reading

Thank you to those who submitted questions on my blog yesterday. I really appreciate your input and will be sharing some exciting news with you soon. By now, you probably know that I like to provide as much free information as possible. There is a lot of worthless junk passed off as valuable in the Internet marketing niche, and I like to make sure you get good stuff for absolutely nothing when possible. In celebration... Continue Reading

Darren Rowse's blog at ProBlogger.net is always worth a read. He's a guy who's making a great income out of online publishing, and he's not afraid to share his knowledge. Recently, Darren put up a very interesting post about giving a second chance to old content. Sometimes, he points out, you'll put up a post that you're sure will get lots of traffic only to find that it dies away without doing anything special. There... Continue Reading

OK... We all know most people are concerned about hackers and the safety of shopping online. And we all know that trust seals can help. But is there a best seal program to address this problem? Are there any real, proven benefits of one over the other? HACKER SAFE is proven to be the most effective trust seal... Ever! Think about it for one minute... * Used by over 75,000 websites * Seen on over... Continue Reading

Writer's block. Like the cement barricade at the end of an unfinished highway, the writer's block stands before me... mocking me... challenging me... It happens to everyone, but I sure didn't expect it to hit today. Because content creation is such a critical part of making money with your blog, writer's block can be the site owner's worst nightmare. What do I write about today?!?! Here's how I handle writer's block. Continue Reading

What is The Secret? No, no... not THAT Secret. That's an email for another day. MY secret is actually going to be revealed live at Armand Morin's Big Seminar on Friday morning. And the buzz is building. Everyone is asking me "What IS it, Joel?" My reply? You'll have to wait until Friday to see... just like everyone else. Continue Reading

There isn't a day goes by that I don't receive at least two or three emails asking me to do a joint venture. Everyone and their mother (and their mother's dog?) has a product, ebook, software, telecourse or some other idea that will make me a zillion dollars. Now don't get me wrong. I am all for people pursuing their dreams and fervently believing in their product. It's just that I can't possibly look at... Continue Reading

I'm impressed. I don't say that much these days. While on the hunt for the absolute best resources and services that actually help people make money online, I find myself wading through a lot of nonsense. A LOT of nonsense. When a friend told me about a new product called "My Affiliate Store", I had to laugh. Continue Reading

Friday the 13th? This is your lucky day! I'm not superstitious, and I believe that this Friday the 13th is going to be a huge winner for you! Why? Because I've just had the opportunity to speak with Brad Fallon of Stomper fame, and he is doing something that is about to rock the Internet marketing world! (And it won't cost you a dime, so breath easy, ok?) Continue Reading

A few days back, I told you I was working on some very significant projects. I am now prepared to reveal the first of them. What I am about to show you will be valuable to you on several levels... 1) When you see what it is, you will immediately want to use it on your web site. 2) Others will want it as well, and I will pay you 100% commission to share it... Continue Reading

*** This just in! *** Actually, TWO things just came in. Please read both items carefully... 1) I JUST received an email from John Reese, the Internet marketing legend who created the now-famous Traffic Secrets course. When this course came out, it was considered pricey, and somewhat out of reach for people. Don't get me wrong... At $997 it was worth EVERY penny. But STOP THE PRESSES! John just told me that his inventory is... Continue Reading

Easter morning. New beginnings. A reminder that although the world seems somewhat messy, there is hope. I must confess. I enjoy marshmallow peeps, coloring easter eggs and baskets filled with goodies. But the Western world's twist on Easter is not what it is really about any more than Santa Claus has anything to do with Christmas. No, Easter means much more. Continue Reading

I was on the phone with Armand Morin last night, and I've been thinking about something he said ever since. We talked about the great ebooks that are out there... We talked about some of the cool software tools that are now available... And of course, we talked about AdSense. But here's what he said that stuck with me. Continue Reading

Everything has changed. I remember when I first discovered computers. I was in high school when Radio Shack came out with their TRS-80 Model I personal computer. I remember going to the store and staring at it... ogling it... feeling the power of its keyboard... Hey, I guess I just wasn't into girls yet. That time came along eventually as well. ;-) Oh, those were the days. Continue Reading

It seems like everywhere you turn, people are talking about Web 2.0. What's the deal with Web 2.0 and why should we care? In the past weeks, I have shared with you how I built my lists, increased my visibility and made more sales by using Squidoo. Many of you have written me thanking me for the free report on the topic as you are seeing results from using this new web technology. But did... Continue Reading

I recently saw a post on a forum that described me as an Internet marketing "guru". I had this picture of me sitting on a mountaintop in the lotus position with a line of inquisitive people waiting to ask me my secret for making money online. Then I had a good laugh and realized how ludicrous the term really is. I'm not a "guru". I'm just a guy who found success online and now pass... Continue Reading

I love to write my own newsletter. It gives me an opportunity to share my thoughts and feelings with you in a very personal way. However, my friend Eric Holmlund has written such a brilliant piece that I have asked him if I can reproduce it in its entirity. Being a great guy, Eric said no problem. With no further ado, here is Eric's post... ---------------------- I want to tell you about a young woman... Continue Reading

I love it when people add comments to my posts. Sure, I write a blog to share my information and tips... and to tell the world what I think sometimes too. But it helps to know that someone out there is actually reading what I'm saying. It helps even more to see what they think about what I'm saying! But comments at the end of articles aren't just a nice boost for the writer of... Continue Reading

Darren Rowse has an interesting post over on ProBlogger.net. He explains the most common reasons that users unsubscribe from blog RSS feeds. Can you guess which reason came out on top? Nope, it wasn't poor content. (That came in at numbers 6 and 7.) It wasn't the advertising. (Only three people said that.) And it wasn't too much selling. (That was number 14 on the list.) It was too many posts. Continue Reading

I'm going to do something I've never done before. No, I'm not talking about sky-diving or bungee-jumping. I'll leave those for my friend, Yanik Silver. I'm talking about giving you an opportunity to resell one of my best-selling AdSense ebooks... ... and keep 100% of the profit! Here's the deal... Continue Reading

NOTE! - This issue has been resolved by American Furniture Warehouse customer service as of February 22nd. Please see this blog entry for the rest of the story. We now return to you the initial entry as originally posted... American Furniture Warehouse in Fort Collins, Colorado is officially on my "naughty" list. I write this entry today as an open letter to Jake Jabs, owner of this furniture chain. Since we moved to Colorado this... Continue Reading

It's Sunday and I'm getting ready to head to church with my family... so I'll be brief. In fact, I usually don't mail on Sundays, but it is to your benefit that I do so today. I'm going to let you in on a little secret that can put cash in your pocket today. Continue Reading

I love the way Google works. The company has created a fantastic system for turning space on Web pages into fat checks. Even though it's got a bunch of competitors all with their own methods of delivering contextualized ads, Google is still top of the pile. But not everything Google does is as big a success as AdSense. Its referral programs, for example, never brought me a great deal of revenue. I haven't heard of... Continue Reading

I hope it got your attention, because what I am about to share with you can be HUGE. And I have THREE things I need to share with you. So be sure you read all the way to end or you might miss out on the best stuff! Ok, here's the deal (pardon my excitement, but this really is big!) As you know, AdSense is not the only contextual advertising service on the web. Google... Continue Reading

Creating a successful online business is tough. Sure, creating a site is simple. You can buy a domain name, find a hosting service and use a template to have your site up and running within a day or two (or even less) of first thinking up your business idea. Affiliate systems and contextualized ad programs can then have you earning without ever touching a product or a shipping form. That's the easy part. The hard... Continue Reading

People have been asking me three questions about the AdSense program, and their new terms of service and AdSense support team have now clarified all of these issues. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Question 1) Does Google allow other ads to run on the same page as AdSense Ads? Answer 1) The official word is a qualified "yes". You may not run ads that are designed to resemble AdSense ads. For example, Yahoo! Publisher Network ads look very similar... Continue Reading

Ack! It was the only word uttered by Bill the Cat of Bloom County fame. If you don't know who I am referring to, here's a quick refresher course. Bill the Cat And now that we are on the same page, I felt a bit like Bill the Cat yesterday when I received questions about my Monthly Templates membership program. They were very GOOD questions. And I can't believe that I blew it by not... Continue Reading

Take a look at your calendar. You probably have it marked up with important dates. Many calendar manufacturers do us a favor by including holidays and other special days preprinted for convenience. Christmas New Years Day Valentine's Day President's Day Groundhog Day Yes, they take time to remind us of the furry little rodent that somehow is able to predict the weather every February 2nd. Whatever. Now, I don't suppose the calendar's will ever come... Continue Reading

It's time to drag out the cliches. "Wow, can you believe it's 2007 already?" "Man, that year zipped by so fast!" "Before you know it it'll be 2008..." You get the picture. It's another turning of the page. Continue Reading

Yesterday, we went to church for Christmas Eve service. And the pastor put a twist on the message that I hadn't really considered before. He asked "How many of you believe that Jesus is the reason for the season?" Hands went up throughout the sanctuary. And then the room when silent when he said, "Jesus is NOT the reason for the season!" Continue Reading

I remember when I bought my first DVD player, many years ago. I instantly fell in love with the high quality audio and video that came from the DVD. And I also loved the "special feature" aspect that DVDs allowed... deleted scenes, out-takes, behind the scenes documentaries, etc. I've got a DVD collection featuring over 750 discs to date. Now I just need time to watch them! And speaking of DVDs, my friend Russell Brunson... Continue Reading

Deck the Halls with boughs of holly... Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way... Frosty the Snowman, was a jolly happy soul... You'd better not pout, you'd better not cry... You get the idea! Christmas is coming! And you can spice up your AdSense blocks with a little holiday cheer using their "themed ads". Want to know how? Continue Reading

I'll be the first to admit that I have made some mistakes in my life. Hey, I'm human and I don't expect to always get it right. It was a mistake for me to tell people about Mike Filsaime's report, "The Death of Internet Marketing" before it was actually time to do so. Ooops. My bad. Sorry, Mike. It was a mistake to accidently use another marketer's trademarked name in reference to a different marketer's... Continue Reading

The information age really does move at the speed of light. Technology is advancing faster than we ever conceived possible. I've been online for 26 years now. In 1980, I bought my first computer, a TRS-80. This machine had 4K of RAM (not 4MB... 4K) and a cassette player that was used as a storage device. There wasn't even a floppy disc drive! I owned a 300 baud modem that I used to dial into... Continue Reading

You know, I haven't always taught people how to make money online. In fact, I didn't write my first ebook until January 2005. But I've been creating content-rich sites since 1995. One of my most popular sites is perfect for this time of year when everyone is looking for great deals and coupon codes DealofDay.com has become one of the web's leading bargain-hunting sites. With dozens of new coupons, bargains, discounts and special offers added... Continue Reading

For those who were online in 1999, you may remember the very first "Get paid to surf" program. It was called AllAdvantage. Basically, by displaying the AllAdvantage toolbar while you surfed, you got paid. And when you referred people to the program and they surfed, you got paid. It worked VERY well, except that the management team at the company messed up the opportunity. Don't get me wrong. I earned THOUSANDS with this program. And... Continue Reading

Like most things on the Internet, marketing can be divided into two distinct periods: Before Google and After Google. Before Google, getting a link to your site on other sites took a huge amount of work. You'd have to write to each publisher separately. You'd have to try different CPC networks until you found one that worked for you. And you'd have to create a new Web page just for reciprocal links. After Google... well... Continue Reading

When I first started playing around with AdSense, I knew nothing. Now, I like to think that I know a few things about AdSense, but I am still learning. Want to design direct-mail flyers? Don’t ask me. I haven’t a clue. Need to know how to fill a restaurant to the rafters every night? Never owned a restaurant. Not my thing. Want to build a deck? Follow my advice and you’ll just end up with... Continue Reading

Remember the hype about "The Death of AdSense" a few months back? Of course, that turned out to be a load of silliness because AdSense is more alive than ever before. So what are we to think when Mike Filsaime releases a free report called "The Death of Internet Marketing"? At first glance, I thought Mike was going to give away this report and then try to sell me something. Guess what? Continue Reading

I regularly receive questions from my readers and subscribers. In fact, I get WAY too many questions to even begin to address them all. Today, I have a question for YOU! In fact, I am soliciting your input. First, a little history... Continue Reading

Most new businesses fail. It’s a fact we’re all familiar with... and as entrepreneurs, one we all ignore. It’s easy to do. For one thing, online those statistics probably aren’t that bad. With AdSense, you’re almost guaranteed some income. Use the right strategies and techniques, and there’s no reason why that income shouldn’t be very good indeed. Continue Reading

We live in a reciprocal Universe. All of us are trained at a very young age to take. Hopefully, we are also trained to give. Give and take. Someone asks you how you are doing... ... and you ask them how they are doing. Someone gives you a gift... ... and you are more likely to give them a gift in the future. Give and take. That's the way the Universe operates. Continue Reading

It's just been an incredible month for new revenue-generating resources! First we had the SEO product of the year, The Stomper from Brad Fallon. Then Instant AdSense Templates helped people get a site up and running quickly. Next, Anik Singal and Rosalind Gardner launch their Blog Classroom, which is only available for a couple more days, by the way. If you haven't signed up yet, visit Blog Classroom And now, there's this... Continue Reading

I've been looking back at what's been happening in the world of AdSense over the last ten months or so... and I've been amazed at what I've found. I was able to count at least fifteen innovations that could affect the way publishers earn through AdSense. Some of those changes, such as larger image ads, are relatively minor. Others, such as video ads and multiple channels for ad units, have the potential to radically change... Continue Reading

I've had a BUNCH of people ask me if Brad Fallon and Andy Jenkins' product, StomperNet, is a bunch of hype... or if these guys and their product is the 'real deal'. I've known Brad Fallon for six years. He and I have shared many meals and spoken at length about what he does... and what he knows. I can say without a DOUBT, that Brad is THE leading expert on search engine optimization on... Continue Reading

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! The rumors of the so-called "death of AdSense" have gone too far. Now, it is time for someone to SHATTER the Myths and TELL THE TRUTH! I invite you to download my new report... "AdSense is ALIVE!" The report contains an entertaining fable and a point-by-point rebuttal to the half-truths that are being believed by way too many people. Can you handle the truth? Download "AdSense is ALIVE!" Now! Continue Reading

Listen... Can you hear it? It's the sound of panic. Hysteria. It's the sound of fearmongers, making as much noise as they can... to scare you. I can hear it. Can you? Continue Reading

On September 27th, I am going to award FIVE people with a free one-year membership to the Premier AdSense Coaching Club, my members-only site designed to help people increase the profitability of their web sites. How can you enter to win one of these five memberships? Easy! I present you with... The AdSense Code Sightings Contest! Here's the deal... Continue Reading

November 4, 2005. That date stands as a milestone for me, and for the growth of my business. It was the date I stepped out on faith, put my money on the table, and attended Armand Morin's Big Seminar in Los Angeles, California. Why was it such a milestone? Continue Reading

People are always looking for information online. One of the most frequent questions people ask is "How Do I"... followed by whatever they are wanting to learn how to do. That's why this site can be pretty useful. How Do I? answer questions from readers. Current questions and answer include... How do I convert movies to play on my Ipod? How do I find the best coupons and deals? How do I tell if it... Continue Reading

Once upon a time I promoted an offer from Ray McNally. I've only met Ray virtually and it was my understanding that he would do as promised. Due to the number of complaints received for his "pay once hosting" offer, and the apparant inability for people to contact Ray for support, I have redacted my support for the offer. I am leaving this entry online because of the comments only. Continue Reading

I've gotten to know Mike Filsaime over the past year, and consider him a good friend. Not only is he an incredibly smart marketer, but he is a good-hearted guy who really wants to see people succeed. When Mike launched Butterfly Marketing earlier this year, he hit a huge run. Not only did he sell tons of copies of his course, but the results have been equally impressive. Testimonial upon testimonial of success stories find... Continue Reading

Bionicles. A Lego creation that has an incredibly rabid fan base and has spawned numerous made-for-DVD videos and a comic book series. Why am I writing about Lego Bionicles? Because my son has been collecting them for years. And because he just dropped over $100 on the newest sets to hit the market and is incredibly upset. So much so that he is returning them to the store, disheartened and disappointed. I suggested that he... Continue Reading

In every industry, there's a powerbroker in the background - an advisor who is known to just a handful of people, but who helps build empires for the top "stars" who are household names. I recently discovered Janet Switzer. For the last 16 years, Janet has been quietly creating empire-building campaigns, products, promotions, deals and distribution for many of the biggest celebrity experts you've heard of. Jay Abraham... Mark Victor Hansen... Chicken Soup for the... Continue Reading

The kids have gone to bed and it is getting late. I decided to check in to the database of questions that have been asked recently at AskJoelComm.com and attempt to answer a few of them here briefly. As you might imagine, I receive more questions than I have time to answer. So if don't get to your question, please don't think I am ignoring you. There just isn't enough of me to go around... Continue Reading

I picked up a copy of Crash on DVD this week because I had heard that it was a fantastic movie. Mary and I watched it last night. I really wanted to like it, but I feel like it fell short. When I learned that it was awarded "Best Picture" by the Academy, I was amazed once again at how out of touch Hollywood is. Continue Reading

After the huge success of 500Words.com, niche word sites are starting to pop up on the web. Here are just a few of the ones you might want to look at grabbing a word on... 300 Jobs for Moms - This is a great one for work-at-home moms who have job opportunities to share. Why not grab a word and link it to your opportunity? 500 Top Blogs - If you are a blogger, this... Continue Reading

I knew my word cloud advertising page, 500Words.com would get some attention. I had no idea that it would be as big as it is! In the first 12 hours that the site has officially launched today, more than one-third of the words have been claimed! Traffic is pouring into the page and I see no end in sight. It may very well sell out its first week. So what's next? Continue Reading

I've been writing about Anik Singal's upcoming affiliate training course, The Affiliate Manger 1st Edition, for a week or so now. I created a special 15 minute video review of this course that has been viewed hundreds of times at Affiliate Classroom. This much-anticipated comprehensive course will go on sale at 12 noon on Tuesday, June 27th. And I've got a special BONUS DVD for those who order a copy of Anik's course through a... Continue Reading

Remember the pixel ad craze started by milliondollarhomepage.com last year? It was definitely a novelty that fuled a huge windfall for the owner of the site and a bit of notoriety for some of the sites that bought pixels. However, there was ultimately no linking benefit to the sites that paid for the pixels. Enter 500Words, a site that takes linking to the next level... one that should be of far greater interest to those... Continue Reading

Did you know that I have been doing business online since 1995? Many people assume that I came out of nowhere with my AdSense training materials, but the fact is that I've been online creating profitable websites for eleven years now! (Wow, has it been THAT long?) One of the ways I generate revenue is with affiliate programs, that is, where I make a commission on products that I sell for OTHER merchants... Continue Reading

Who would have thought that my post about Arbonne would have generated so much discussion? Admittedly, it does get heated from time to time. But I have allowed the post to be a forum for free speech as long as people keep it clean and don't abuse each other. If you try to read it, expect to spend at least an hour... it just keeps going and going... A few months ago, I put up... Continue Reading

About six years ago, I met a guy named Todd Vinson. Todd is one of the most incredible people I have met in my life because he has dedicated his life to serving others. In particular, he has a heart for helping teenage boys who are displaced or whose families are in crisis by providing a long-term home solution where they will be properly cared for. This happens at Willow Springs Boys Ranch in Chandler... Continue Reading

If you've been following my life at all, you know I've been working with my mother to help her build her website, TravelsWithSheila.com. Acting on my advice, my mom has issued a press release today. Continue Reading

I met Scott Hildenbrand in the WorldVillage chat room in 1996... that's an eternity in Internet time. I got to know him and found out that he was a talented young programmer with an affinity for basset hounds. Scott has since done a great deal of work for me and I am proud to have him on my team. He has launched his own site with some very interesting content. Scott discusses a variety of... Continue Reading

I've known Russell Brunson for a year of so. He is an incredibly smart young man who has become very successful online in a very short amount of time. Wildly successful. How has he done it? He has learned how to master the power of affiliate marketing. And now, Russell is offering a FREE CD called Affiliate Inferno. Continue Reading

I am leaving Las Vegas after speaking at Carl Galletti's Internet Marketing Superconference. It has been a great weekend of learning, networking and hanging out with friends. Before I spoke on Saturday, I ordered some breakfast at the hotel restaurant. The portion was very large and I just didn't want to eat it all. So when I took the platform to speak, the first thing I did was ask if anyone was hungry! A lady... Continue Reading

Deal or No Deal. Admit it. You watch it too. It's like the irresistable black light of a bug zapper, drawing you in to the flavor of the day... Howie Mandel, the briefcases, the ladies, the contestants and the banker. It's Deal or No Deal. Continue Reading

Lara Croft is back. And this time she means business. Back in the late nineties, Lara Croft came on the scene in the game Tomb Raider. A female "Indiana Jones"-style character, Lara spelunked tombs in ancient ruins of Rome, Mexico, Egypt and Atlantis, fighting off creatures and bad guys while on the hunt for priceless artifacts and treasure. Rather than just shooting to kill stuff, Tomb Raider challenged the player mentally with a series of... Continue Reading

Tupperware. Say it with me. Tupperware. One more time. Tupperware. Continue Reading

So here's the deal. I met this bloke in Charlotte, North Carolina last November. I can call him a "bloke" because he is decidedly British. His name is Robert Puddy... Continue Reading

There are so many ways to promote business online. Adsense is a focus for me, because it has been so lucrative, and because there are so many businesses building their brand through the Adwords program. What's very interesting is that there are entire worlds of promotion outside of the Adwords Pay Per Click model. "Sponsorship" type programs are one example, which can bring traffic to not only your web site, but to your brand, through... Continue Reading

There are two things you can't avoid in life. Death and taxes. And McDonalds. Ok, THREE things you can't avoid in life. Out of the three, one of them signifies the end, one of them tastes bad and one of them becomes more prominent every April. I hate taxes. But I am a good citizen and I pay my taxes. "Render unto Caesar" ... yada yada yada If you haven't filed your return yet, April... Continue Reading

I am currently in a top-secret location with an unnamed group of people. What do we have in common? We are all online entreprenuers. Why gather? Because when people get together and begin discussing their lives, powerful stuff takes place. Continue Reading

I occassionally receive email that looks like this... "Dear Joel, I have purchased your ebook and applied your strategies to my web pages. It's been a week and I am not making any money. It just doesn't work" Welcome to our microwave society. We want our popcorn done in sixty seconds. And if we can get someone else to put it in the microwave and prepare it for us, all the better. So what is... Continue Reading

I'm coming to you live from Yanik Silver's Underground Seminar in Washington, D.C. I'm sitting in my hotel room with Tim Carter and Christopher Knight. We've just enjoyed a long meal at a fancy-schmancy restaurant a few blocks from the JW Marriott. And, of course, we've all got our laptops jacked in as we catch up with our email and discuss ways to capture more doubloons! But I have another reason for blogging tonight... Today... Continue Reading

I was flying at 30,000 feet, gazing out at the horizon and the cities below. I was somewhere between Raleigh and Memphis, but I wasn't sure where. I wondered exactly what city I was looking down upon from so high in the sky, and I thought of my recent dabbling with Google Earth. If you haven't used Google Earth yet, you are missing out on an extremely cool application that allows you to soar across... Continue Reading

When I came out with "What Google Never Told You About Making Money with AdSense" in January 2005, I never imagined that it would become so popular. Since that time, I have released a second edition, several other ebooks, a member site, a telecourse series and find myself booked for multiple speaking engagements. Life is funny... Today marks another milestone for me as I am pleased to announce the revised and expanded third edition of... Continue Reading

Three months ago, I told you that my cholesterol levels were high. My LDL (bad cholesterol) was approximately 138. My total cholesterol was 214. My primary care physician immediately wanted to place me on Lipitor. I told him that I was not eager to get on this medication as I heard it had some long-term side effects. I also do not like the idea of becoming dependent on the chemical compound du jour. So I... Continue Reading

Courageous people take courageous action. I applaud South Dakota for being the first state to stand up for women and the unborn in the battle to put an end to the culture of death. I have no doubt that the history books in the future will reference two points when discussing abortion in America. Continue Reading

I don't like fishing. I couldn't care less if I ever catch another fish the rest of my life. However, my alter-ego, Zorigon, enjoys fishing quite a bit. It's even more enjoyable when I am providing fish for my son, BRMadcat. Sound weird? It's just another day in the alternate universe known as World of Warcraft Continue Reading

Ok, so Dick Cheney accidently shot a guy. The mainstream media has had a grand old time focusing on absolutely nothing. I figured by this weekend it would be over. Not so. Continue Reading

Ever since I attended Armand Morin's Big Seminar in Los Angeles last November, I have been telling others about the incredible experience and value of this bi-annual Internet marketing event. I can say with no reservations that Big Seminar CHANGED MY LIFE! The conference opened my mind to new possibilities and revenue streams that I had under my nose all along. And the networking opportunities... the people I met... were the most valuable part of... Continue Reading

In November 2005, I saw Dave Lakhani speak for the first time at Armand Morin's Big Seminar. Dave's presentation on how to use press releases to get noticed by the media and as tool to generate traffic really caught my attention. I had the privilege of spending some time with Dave this past weekened in Raleigh, NC, and found out a few things. Not only is he a brilliant PR strategist, but he is a... Continue Reading

When I was in Las Vegas, I spent a little time with Paul Colligan. Paul is an expert in Affiliate marketing. But recently he has began beating the drum for podcasting. Now admittedly, I have been slow to come to the podcasting table. However, after spending some time with Paul and Declan Dunn in Las Vegas, the light has turned on above my head. Ding! Continue Reading

I'm in San Francisco, which is over 1000 miles from home. I'm attending Harlan Kilstein's Six-Figure Copywriting conference (which I am scheduled to speak at tomorrow and Sunday). The conference is taking place at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport Hotel. I had a serendipitous event take place around 10 am. Continue Reading

There are many activities one can partake in in order to grow their business. Whether engaging in the creative process, developing product and/or services or executing a long-term vision, all components are critical to success. However, I have found that one activity stands above the others in terms of long-term value to me personally, and to my business. Thus the title of my post. Continue Reading

It doesn't always feel like Christmas in Oklahoma. The temperature on Christmas Eve peeked at 58 degrees. There is no snow on the ground. It's a far cry from my childhood in the freezing Chicago lakefront suburbs. And yet, Christmas really has very little to do with snow. It has little to do with jingle bells. And it has little to do with the materialism which drives our economy at this time of year. Continue Reading

Several months ago I was going through email from readers. As you might imagine, people have a lot of questions, not just regarding AdSense, but also related to other areas of Internet business. I began noticing a recurring theme in these emails. Continue Reading

Two totally conflicting stories out of Hollywood today that explain absolutely everything you need to know about how out of touch Hollyweird is with the American mainstream. Continue Reading

Republicans and Conservatives are having a great time this week as the far left continues to repulse more and more Americans with their extremists views. Continue Reading

For the past few weeks, I have gone on and on about what I learned at Big Seminar in Los Angeles. I continue to review my notes from this conference and my mind is still reeling with ideas. And beyond that, I have began developing great relationships with people that I met at the conference. Continue Reading

"Bush is stupid" is always a great way to start a conversation. Seriously... bold, definitive statements are the doorway from which we can expand our knowledge base and increase in wisdom. Continue Reading

We awoke at 8 am so, preparing for our Thanksgiving journey to Chicago. You won't believe how smoothly that journey went. Continue Reading

I just got back from one of the the most educational and inspiring seminars of my entire life. My friend, Jeff Walker, suggested that I go to Armand Morin's Big Seminar in Los Angeles. On his advice, I registered just a couple weeks ago. It cost $2000, but I trust Jeff and took his advice. Words cannot describe the weekend I just experienced. Continue Reading

In 1978, I was just a youthful fourteen-year old. But I knew the future when I saw it, and I wanted a piece of it. It was this year that Tandy released their first home computer, the TRS-80, via their Radio Shack stores. As soon as I saw this black and gray beauty, I knew I had to have one. Continue Reading

My family recently returned from a fall vacation to Eureka Springs. While it was unfortunately cut short by a death in the family, we still enjoyed a few days in a tranquil and beautiful setting. Continue Reading

I've been keeping my eye on this one for some time. GreenZap is a new idea in online payments. They now offer $50 in web cash just for signing up when you follow this link. Web cash allows you to buy stuff from online stores at a discount. Plus, you can earn real cash as part of the program. It's free, so I signed up. How about you? GreenZap Continue Reading

This cold is really the pits. I am megadosing on vitamin C and other stuff. Cough cough, sneeze sneeze. Blech. I remember being sick when I was a kid, glad that I got a day off of school. But times have changed. Having a cold now has absolutely no side benefits. And so, I blog. And I test some new ideas for linking. What else is there to do? Continue Reading

All you hear from the liberal democrats these days is "Bush lied... no weapons of mass destruction... Get out of Iraq... Saddam was not tied to terrorists... etc and so forth." I came across this series of quotes from the beloved liberal leadership that should make anyone who has supported them in the past go "hmmmm" Their own words nullify their objections with this administration, and make clear that they have absolutely no platform to... Continue Reading

I'm global! I was contacted several months ago by a man named Kuruma in Japan. He asked if he could translate my ebook into Japanese and sell it to the market in his native tongue. We shook virtual hands on a deal, and the product is now available! AdSense Secrets in Japanese It's pretty exciting as it is taking off already! The ebook is also available in a Spanish edition at Secretos Adsense An Italian... Continue Reading

If a conservative would have said what Howard Dean said on Hardball with Chris Matthews, the mainstream media would deem it worthy of front page mockery. But since it was far-left wacko Dean, he gets a pass. That's ok. The entertainment value is to good to pass up. So what did Howie say? On the October 5th edition of "Hardball with Chris Matthews", the chairman of the Democratic National Committee was asked this question in... Continue Reading

I received an 8 1/2" x 11" envelope today addressed to my business. Real official looking stuff. I open it up and it is a notice of estimated cash payment and claim form for a class action suit. Apparantly, my company is a member of the Class in the Visa Check/MasterMoney Antitrust Litigation. Don't ask me how I got in the class. I have no idea. The cash payment that I am entitled to as... Continue Reading

My primary website, WorldVillage.com, turned ten years old this year. Wow, it's gone by fast. Starting today, I am announcing the WorldVillage Blogger Network, a new portion of WorldVillage that allows bloggers to write articles for WorldVillage and share in the revenue that their article pages earn! Anyone can apply to write for any category within the range of topics available. Major categories include Home, Health, Arts, Business, Sports, Recreation, Computers, Science and Society. Within... Continue Reading

I've had the privilege to meet quite a few people in the Internet industry over the past ten years. I've had the pleasure of turning many business associates into dear friends. One such friend whom I am honored to know is Dave Taylor. Dave is one of the brightest, thoughtful individuals I know. And that's on top of being a super nice guy! Dave is also a "go-to" guy when it comes to blogging. In... Continue Reading

One of my friends recently said to me, "I'm surprised you haven't written anything about Cindy Sheehan." Truth of the matter is, I have felt sorry for this woman. She is clearly being used as a pawn of the far-left radical socialists. She is allowing the tragic death of her son as a platform to advance anti-American ideals that are incredibly damaging to the war we are fighting. Here she is being carted away by... Continue Reading

So what was the deal with hurricane preparedness in Louisiana? Who was really at fault? Perhaps this article from the L.A. Times can shed some light. Louisiana Officials Indicted Before Katrina Hit Federal audits found dubious expenditures by the state's emergency preparedness agency, which will administer FEMA hurricane aid. By Ken Silverstein and Josh Meyer, Times Staff Writers WASHINGTON — Senior officials in Louisiana's emergency planning agency already were awaiting trial over allegations stemming from... Continue Reading

Let's play a word game. I'll say the name of a popular camera-hogging celebrity, and then I'll say the first word that comes to mind. Yeah, I know. Not much fun for you, but it's not your blog. Here we go. I say "Reverend Jesse Jackson" First word? "Racist" "Al Sharpton" Racist Kanye West "Stupid Racist Punk" Oops, that was three words. I guess I lose. Actually, the minorities in America lose when these so-called... Continue Reading

Man, I've been wanting to get my hands on one of these babies for quite some time. Now that I've got one, you ought to see the smile on my face. The photo probably doesn't do it it justice as you can't get the overall sense of scale. But this 24" Dell Widescreen LCD Monitor is just what the doctor ordered. Crisp picture 1920 x 1200 resolution Plenty of desktop space to spare Dell charges... Continue Reading

Google AdSense has becoming a primary source of income for many Internet publishers. The ubiquitous AdSense text ad has brought life into many sagging business models and created opportunity for mom and pop site owners to actually make some money. In response to many requests from the readers of my AdSense ebook, last week I quiety launched AdSenseChat.com, an online discussion board for site owners who use Google AdSense. Continue Reading

I've been in the Internet business for over ten years. (Wow, has it been THAT long?) During this time, I have seen the highs and lows of riding the Internet roller coaster. If I have learned one thing, it is that there is more opportunity out there than anyone really realizes. I sat down at my computer this past week and I started compiling a list of unique ways that I make money online. After... Continue Reading

Tupperware. The word just flows from the mouth like margarine, conjuring images of neighborhood wives gathered around the living room discussing the latest method of food storage and preparation. While the Tupperware Party is still around, the Internet has paved the way for virtual Tupperware parties! And the Tupperware business opportunity to riper than ever. So where do Tupperware consultants go to discuss the ins and outs of the Tupperware business? BurpIt.com, or course! The... Continue Reading

Netflix, Blockbuster, Wal-Mart and many others have entered the online DVD rental game. It is a very competitive market with each merchant bringing something different to the table. Today, I ran across a novel approach to DVD viewing. Peerflix.com invites you to TRADE DVDs instead of renting them. It's a pretty spiffy idea, and they have a free DVD offer which is very attractive. Here's what they offer: - Risk-free trial today. - Free DVD... Continue Reading

Every now and then I come across a site that takes a familiar concept and turns it into something new. I recently was introduced to Got-Zip.com, a fascinating concept that mixes geographically based shopping with a killer money-making concept. When you visit Got-Zip, the first thing you do is enter your zip code. Once in the site, you can read about this pretty cool opportunity to claim your own zip code territory and EARN commissions... Continue Reading

I present this story without commentary. It stands on its own. CABLE CONTROVERSY: CNN AGREES TO AIR BLOODY ABORTION AD ON JUDGE ROBERTS Tue Aug 09 2005 19:41:54 ET CNN has reviewed and agreed to run a controversial ad produced by a pro-abortion group that falsely accuses Supreme Court nominee John Roberts of filing legal papers supporting a convicted clinic bomber! The news network has agreed to a $125,000 ad buy from NARAL, the DRUDGE... Continue Reading

In the midst of a global war on terror, it's good to see the President coming out for some of the battles on the home front. WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush reignited debate over evolution by advocating teaching concept of intelligent design in schools. That view promotes the idea that an unseen force is behind the development of humanity. Scientists claim intelligent design has no supporting evidence and is an attempt... Continue Reading

My post on the Arbonne business has continued to generate a great deal of interest. So I've decided to post my take on multi-level marketing in general here to start a new thread. What are the problems with Multi-Level marketing? 1) Most people are not mature enough to work the business truly looking out for other people. Greed is a huge motivator in MLM. There is the facade of "I have something to tell you... Continue Reading

By now everyone knows the news. It is a tragedy, without any doubt. Innocent people once again slaughtered at the hands of animals. And we knew this would happen. It was just a matter of time. Make no mistake. This was not an attack on London. This was an attack on Western Civilization, which these animals despise with every fiber of their being. Perhaps this will silence the Chucky Schumers, Howard Deans and Dick Durbins... Continue Reading

Tonight, I grudgingly sat through War of the Worlds. I went with Mary and another couple because we wanted to do something and all the other movies looked like garbage. The movie promised that I would be "on the edge of my seat". And I was. But that was only because I was slumped so far into my chair that my butt was hanging over the edge of the seat. With the exception of some... Continue Reading

I believe there are insidious forces at work in America to tear down the fabric of this great nation. I believe these forces primarily reside in the extreme leadership of the Democrat party and the mainstream media. I believe these forces are the ones responsible for swaying public opinion against our brave men and women fighting the war on terror. These people despise our President and the tremendous successes he has had in this war... Continue Reading

After many months of programming, design and delays, I've finally got an almost finished site that I am excited to tell you about. Since 1999, DealofDay.com has been a leader in online coupon codes. We post dozens of deals each day from many of the web's leading merchants. Whenever someone makes a purchase through one of our links, we get a commission. Now I am providing others with the tools to create their own coupon/deal... Continue Reading

As one of my frequent readers recently noted, our world is filled with people living in poverty or under a totalitarian government. While we do have many poor people in America, our version of poor looks rich by the standards of many third world countries. And even with money, some countries treat people as disposable objects. In China, boys are treated as worthwhile, but girls are unwanted. The orphanages are overrunning with children, most of... Continue Reading

I do. I love Howard Dean. Yes, THE Howard Dean, former Vermont Governor. Left-wing extremist. Defeated by John Kerry in 2004 Democratic Presidential Primaries. (how does one lose to John Kerry???) And now, Chairman of the Democratic National Convention. I love Howad Dean. Why? Because he guarantees that Democrats will continue losing major elections. Check out what this bozo said yesterday. "You know, the Republicans are not very friendly to different kinds of people. They're... Continue Reading

The schizophrenic thinking of our increasingly sick culture continues unabated. Check out this story from Texas. Teen Gets Life Sentence For Helping Girlfriend End Pregnancy 19-Year-Old Stepped On Stomach While Girl Punched Self LUFKIN, Texas -- A 19-year-old East Texas man faces a life prison sentence for causing his teenage girlfriend to miscarry twins, even though she wanted to end the pregnancy. Gerardo Flores was accused of causing the miscarriage by stepping on his girlfriend's... Continue Reading

Are you reading my blog? I know. Silly question. I ask because I ran into a friend at IHop yesterday and I found out that he reads by blog from time to time. (You know who you are!) I guess he must be really bored, or perhaps it is some sort of punishment. Nevertheless, I guess I need to pay attention to what I say because you never know who is reading these words. If... Continue Reading

A long time ago in galaxy far, far away, a thirteen-year old boy discovered a new world of action and adventure which had captured his imagination unlike anything before. Star Wars hit the theaters in 1977, and I still remember sitting in the very front row, completely in awe by the images on the screen. I probably saw the film ten times in our local cinema, and waited patiently for George Lucas to churn out... Continue Reading

I love my blog. I love that I can share whatever thoughts and ideas come my way and that people actually enjoy reading it. And I guess it really doesn't matter who reads it. I just enjoy blogging. It's my little corner of the web. However, my site is about to get a face lift. I have deciding to test the waters of Internet consulting. After all, I've got ten years of Internet experience and... Continue Reading

Howard Dean as head of the Democratic National Convention. Could this be any more fun? The Democrats are imploding and it is a joyous site to see. Check out this story... Dean Says Democrats Will Make Schiavo Case an Election Issue Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said Friday that his party would wield the Terri Schiavo case against Republicans in the 2006 and 2008 elections, but for now needed to stay focused battling President... Continue Reading

I've been slaving away attempting to make sense of this thing we call the Internet. In order to put things in proper perspective, I have composed this paper which I hope will prove useful. Continue Reading

I've been running my coupon site, DealofDay.com, for over five years. (That's 35 in dog years). I decided to be innovative and start including all the coupons on WorldVillage. So, I present you with WorldVillage Coupons. Continue Reading

Have you caught any of the recent news stories about (the lack of) Internet security for people with Windows PCs? I have and it concerned me enough to actively seek help. Frankly, there are some frightening threats out there that you need to be aware of. For instance, are you familiar with "Spyware?" This is monitoring software that is secretly copied onto your computer without your knowledge or consent. Its purpose? To record as much... Continue Reading

After a long drawn-out fight, Michael Schiavo has succeeded in his goal to starve his wife to death. Terri Schiavo is dead and has entered eternity. Michael Schiavo must live on with the consequences of his murderous choices. It is a dark day in American history. We have been tested ethically and morally, and have failed as a nation. We are moving towards the European model of euthenasia, where other people decide whether or not... Continue Reading

It is true. I am an Arbonne consultant. (Actually, that may be past-tense by the time you read this...) For those unfamiliar with Arbonne, they are a fast-growing company focused on health care and skin care products. They claim the products are all natural and most of the people who try them truly love them. The downside is that they are ridiculously expensive. Still, you get what you pay for. For the record, I have... Continue Reading

Finally, a documentary about the left that I can't WAIT to see. This just in from Drudge... HBO MOVIE SHOWS RADIO 'AIR AMERICA' CHAOS HBO is set to air a behind the scenes look at the launching of liberal radio network AIR AMERICA. The DRUDGE REPORT has obtained a director's cut of LEFT OF THE DIAL, a grossly entertaining docu-drama of life on the other side of the AIR AMERICA microphone. The doubts. The lies... Continue Reading

And the award for Scumbag of the Year goes to Michael Schiavo, a reprehensible man that may be the very person responsible for his wife, Terry, being in the state she is in today. Ask yourself these questions... 1) Why won't Michael Schiavo divorce Terry and let her parents take care of her? 2) Why does Michael Schiavo care so much about Terry now when he is with another woman? You would think his current... Continue Reading

If you have followed my blog at all, you know that I am a long-time Tivo user. I have been a subscriber for approximately five years, making me an early adopter. Tivo has been going through the ringer lately and it looks like they have just made a deal that is going to seal their fate as a household brand. Today, Tivo announced that they will be creating a custom-built digital video recorder for Comcast... Continue Reading

You may be wondering, "What happened to Joel? How come he isn't blogging?" Then again, perhaps you could care less. It's called "a vacation'. Sure, it's a novel idea, but one I like to test from time to time. See you when I am rested. Or if I just can't stand it and have to say something. Continue Reading

A few years back, I was into selling on ebay big time. Since I am collector of old computer games, I found a market for like-minded collectors on ebay, reselling some of my $1 floppy disk software for as much as $50. It was a sweet deal. But I also learned a little bit about how the collector's market works on ebay, and I began looking out for retail products that would eventually become collector's... Continue Reading

Galoshes. Mukluks. Gazeebo. Macadamia. Blubber. Baluga. When you read those words, you either know what I am talking about and are busting out laughing, or you think I am totally insane and should be committed (well, you may be right on both counts). Continue Reading

You know the kind I am talking about. The wife is sick, so I am up early to take them to school. The server is crashing, so I am on the phone with my webmasters attempting to resolve it. The call comes from school. My son may have chipped his tooth. He can't eat anything solid, so I pick him up and buy him a bowl of soup and take him to the dentist. Overwhelmed... Continue Reading

It is getting easier and easier to rent dvds and video games on the web. With BlockBuster and Wal-mart in the game, pricing is going down and service is getting competitive. I have used Blockbuster online for several months now and have been quite happy with the service. For $14.95/month, I can keep up to three DVDs at one time. On top of that, I can print out two coupons that I can take the... Continue Reading

If you have played computer games for many years, you may recall an early real-time strategy game called Lemmings. Available on many computer and video game platforms, Lemmings was one of the first truly addictive real-time strategy games that appealed to boys and girls (er, men and women?) The idea was simple. Escort a predetermined number of lemmings through a level by assigning them various skills, such as digging, building staircases, climbing, floating, bashing and... Continue Reading

It is with much fondness that I bid adieu to World of Warcraft. I've been playing my character, Riathamus, for just over a month, and I have experienced a great deal of what the game has to offer. However, the game is so enormous, so huge, and so seemingly endless, that I am in turning in my two-handed mace and calling it quits. This game is simply too good. It's too beautiful. It's too much... Continue Reading

The Amazing Race 6 has turned into a hit show, gathering more steam as each season goes by. Pretty impressive for a show many thought would not return after season 2. Unfortunately, this season contains some of the least likable people the show has seen. The producers have opted for cookie-cutter model types for many of the couples. Several of the others have just been utterly uninteresting. Fortunately, the exotic locations and unusual tasks continue... Continue Reading

About a month ago, Mary got pulled over for speeding. The cop let her off the hook for whatever reason, but he noticed that the tags on the minivan had expired. I always take care of tag renewal and recalled that I had just sent a check in a few days prior. The city record showed that the tags had been expired for 8 months. Mary got a ticket and we had a court day... Continue Reading

Perhaps I am trying to do too much. My site roster continues to multiply and I keep thinking up ideas for more. The majority don't make any money, but the few that do manage to carry the load. The face of the Internet keeps changing and you never know what is going to happen next. I wish my crystal ball wasn't so darned fuzzy! Now, what is the next BIG THING? Continue Reading

I just got back from seeing The Aviator with Leonardo diCaprio as Howard Hughes. I believe Leonardo has gotten a bum rap as an actor for some time. I liked him in What's Eating Gilbert Grape. I thought he was perfectly cast in Catch Me if You Can. And whatever else you say about Titanic, his part as Jack Dawson will go down in history. But as eccentric inventor/businessman/aviator Hughes, diCaprio should be awarded an... Continue Reading

We are in the process of designing a new home which we intend to build this year. A few years ago, we bought two acres of land in our city. We have been holding on to it and think the time is ripe to place a home on the property. My father is an architect, so he is drawing the plans. Thanks Dad! But I thought it would be a fun thing to play with... Continue Reading

If you haven't shopped at Amazon.com, you probably aren't reading this entry. Let's face it, just about everyone has made a purchase from Amazon.com at some point. But have you ever tried to contact Amazon customer service? I challenge you to find a phone number on the Amazon.com web site. Go ahead. Look. You won't find it. Why not? They don't want you to. Amazon would rather deal with customers via email. But that doesn't... Continue Reading

The biggest earthquake to hit planet earth in 40 years hit Southeast Asia with a vengeance today, triggering tidal waves and tsunamis that have killed thousands of people. JAKARTA, Indonesia - The world's most powerful earthquake in 40 years triggered massive tidal waves that slammed into villages and seaside resorts across southern and southeast Asia on Sunday, killing more than 7,200 people in six countries. Tourists, fishermen, homes and cars were swept away by walls... Continue Reading

Over the years, many atheists and agnostics have enjoyed mocking Christians and people of religion who choose to believe in God. The most frequent criticism is that belief in God is unscientific, therefore it is foolish. What many people don't realize is that the Bible and the stories within have an incredible amount of evidence to support them. More and more scientists are recognizing that the complexity of the universe necessitates a divine Creator as... Continue Reading

Someone on Deal of Day introduced me to an amusing online toy today. It is called The Mini Mizer, where you can picture yourself as a Lego character. Created by Chris Doyle of ReasonablyClever.com, this little gadget allows you to select from different heads, bodies, limbs and more to customize a Lego character that looks like whatever you want. Here is me, with the addition of an airbrushed goatee. Fun stuff, huh? To create your... Continue Reading

I love Amazon.com. Even though I probably shouldn't shop there due to the amount of smut they sell, I still love shopping there. But they really ticked me off today. I ordered a copy of Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Suite 6.0 a couple weeks back. We are thinking of building a new home and I wanted to get an idea of what it might look like. Well, the program was not what I... Continue Reading

Not that anyone should be surprised, but this story out of the Netherlands gives a glimpse into what will undoubtedly be heading towards our borders in the future. AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) - A hospital in the Netherlands - the first nation to permit euthanasia - recently proposed guidelines for mercy killings of terminally ill newborns, and then made a startling revelation: It has already begun carrying out such procedures, which include administering a lethal dose... Continue Reading

I am ticked off at Target. We shop there regularly, but not today. You may ask "why Joel, why?", and I'll tell you. For years, the Salvation Army has stood in front of various department stores and chain outlets ringing their bells, spreading good holiday cheer and collecting funds for very worthwhile causes, such as feeding the hungry and clothing the poor. When I was at Target earlier this week, I remember noticing the absence... Continue Reading

What kind of Internet entrepreneur would I be if I didn't point out that today is Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year? And what kind of friend would I be if I didn't point you to Deal of Day in order to find the best coupons, deals and discounts that online merchants have to offer? I hate to toot my own horn (well, not really), but we have added more offers to... Continue Reading

I really have been too busy to blog. I keep coming up with ideas for new web sites (I've got TWO sites planned for launch within 2 weeks). I've begun work on my first ebook. I want to help Z launch his Internet empire. Mary is working on a new site that needs my attention. I've got innumerable Internet babies that are already begging for my attention. Yes, I'm having fun. But I am TOO... Continue Reading

The Incredibles is Disney/Pixars' latest cash cow. Can these people do no wrong? Pixar has animated toys, bugs, monsters and fish. But one realm they had not covered to date was people. The wait is over. I took the kids to see The Incredibles yesterday and we all thoroughly enjoyed it. The Incredibles is a story of super heroes who have been exiled by the government and the people, due to ever-increasing litigation incurred as... Continue Reading

There's something about building new web sites that stokes me. It's that feeling of making something from nothing that gets my creative juices flowing. Certainly, it is important to run a profitable business. But sometimes it is more satisfying to build a site that people enjoy. It seems I am always in the center of two or three new projects, and I rarely run out of ideas to build more. My biggest weakness is not... Continue Reading

What would happen if you took 150 digital video camcorders to Iraq, handed them out to the people, and allowed them to film whatever they want? You get a film titled Voices of Iraq, an independent film hitting theatres October 29th. The filmmakers wanted to let the Iraqi people create the content for a documentary that would allow people to see what life is really like for those living in this war-torn nation. The producers... Continue Reading

Charles Krauthammer, writing for the Jewish World Review, has come out with an article that precisely nails down the problem with John Kerry and John Edwards. Highlights from Krauthammer's article... This is John Edwards on Monday at a rally in Newton, Iowa: "If we do the work that we can do in this country, the work that we will do when John Kerry is president, people like Christopher Reeve are going to walk, get up... Continue Reading

The second Presidential debate took place this evening and President Bush took John Kerry to the woodshed on foreign policy and domestic issues. After an extremely disappointing first showing in last week's Miami debate, the President was focused, personable and knowledgable. Kerry came off as stiff, repetitive and a bit unsettled by Bush's strengths. The President made a strong case for the war in Iraq, the economy, the environment, stem cell research and numerous other... Continue Reading

About fifteen years ago, I started using bulletin board services online. These were pre-world wide web servers that ran out of people's homes. You would dial up the BBS on your 1200 baud modem and connect to a text-only based site. These sites would provide forums for discussion, information for reading and programs for downloading. Some of the more progressive boards had games you could play online, text only of course. Way back then, I... Continue Reading

Mary and I had the opportunity to enjoy a "date night" on Friday. First we enjoyed a nice dinner at Johnny Carinos Italian restaurant. Next we went to the mall and pigged out on ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery (superior to Marble Slab in case you are wondering). Finally, it was on the cinema to take in a showing of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. I received a great deal of chastisement... Continue Reading

After the somewhat scathing replies I got regarding my review of the Christian film, Gone, I am somewhat reluctant to step up to the plate again. Regardless (or irregardless if you want to annoy people), I will now attempt to convey my thoughts on a film I viewed today. Six: The Mark Unleashed is a futuristic end-times thriller focusing on the coming one-world government and the ubiquitous "mark of the beast" which must be taken... Continue Reading

I came across some very interesting information regarding the history of charitable contributions for the President and Senator Kerry. Check this out. John Kerry's charitable contributions from 1991-1995 Kerry's returns from 1995 and earlier, before his marriage to Heinz, have sometimes attracted criticism over the issue of charitable giving. In 1995, according to published reports, Kerry reported a taxable income of $126,179, and charitable contributions of $0. In 1994, he reported income of $127,884, and... Continue Reading

There has been a great deal of talk about outsourcing jobs to other countries recently. I never thought that I would have an interest in the topic, but I was wrong. I have been looking for a talented programmer and web designer to tackle some new Internet projects. I found a site called elance.com, a fairly comprehensive site for finding professionals to do just about any computer/internet related job. Logo design, web design, programming of... Continue Reading

Amazingly, there are still liberals and democrats repeating the "Bush lied about WMDs" mantra. Let's put it to rest once and for all. Before we went to war in Iraq, what did DEMOCRATS say about the connection between Saddam and WMDs? "One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to develop weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them. That is our bottom line." - President Clinton, Feb... Continue Reading

Over my lifetime, I have seen a handful of Presidents come and go. From my earliest memories of Richard Nixon to our current President, each have brought their own beliefs and personality to the White House. I remember that Ronald Reagan was a man of quiet faith. Jimmy Carter was supposed to have been a born-again Christian, though his failed policies leads me to believe he was listening more to special interest groups than to... Continue Reading

Remember the Rocky and Bullwinkle show? "Hey Rocky, watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat!" Among the other characters that were featured on this classic cartoon were a pair named Sherman and Mr. Peabody, in a bit called Peabody's Improbable History. In this toon, Mr. Peabody (the dog) would send Sherman to a period in time to see living history. The machine he used was called the WABAC (pronounced "wayback" machine). Fast-forward to... Continue Reading

">Ok, this doesn't really fit in the "free stuff" category, but it is ALMOST free. ">Restaurant.com offers discount gift certificates to restaurants around the country. You can buy $25 gift certificates for as little as $10. But if you have the secret code (which I happen to know), you can save an additional 40% on your certificate! I have already tried this, ordering a $25 gift certificate for Coach's Restaurant in Edmond. It cost... Continue Reading

Mary and I attended a marriage conference at our church the past two days. It featured Gary and Michael Smalley of the Smalley Relationship Center. Gary is a best-selling author and speaker, with over 30 books in print. He has spoken to millions regarding relationships, marriage, parenting and so forth. His son, Michael, is equally gifted, and now has a counseling center and his own syndicated radio talk show. The seven hours spent in the... Continue Reading

The culture of death continues to make inroads into all that is good and decent about America. Take this latest item now available at the Planned Parenthood online store. I won't link to this site because I refuse to send them any traffic. But take a look at what they are selling! I am skeptical that many people would buy this shirt, let alone actually wear it, but just the fact that Planned Parenthood is... Continue Reading

One of the more popular articles on this site has been my review, and the subsequent discussion, of the IBIZ Virtual Keyboard. I received a review unit of the VKB and was led to believe that it was an IBIZ unit. As it turns out, the unit was manufactured by Enterprise Capital in Israel. Each side claims that they have severed ties with the other and it has gotten ugly. It seems that litigation is... Continue Reading

I'm wiped out. It's not that we did a LOT today, but combining the altitude with the activity seems to have taken its toll on me. We started the day with a complimentary breakfast at the lodge. Bread, cereal, fruit, etc. Then it was off to the Steve Jones Stables for horseback riding. We scheduled a one hour scenic ride. All four of us are a bit more seasoned riders than we were a few... Continue Reading

One of the reasons we wanted to get out of Oklahoma and visit Colorado was because of the intolerable heat. Ninety degree days just don't agree with us. Wouldn't you know it... Boulder is having a heatwave! According to the temperature gauge in the minivan, it got up to 98 degrees today! Needless to say, we didn't feel much like hiking of being outside. However, since it is so beautiful here, it is hard to... Continue Reading

Here is a great find. For years, diehard Clinton supporters have stuck by the former national embarrassment, applauding what a fantastic President he was. In my estimation, he will go down in history as little more than a blip. Yet, tell that to the people who waited up to EIGHT HOURS in line to get an autographed copy of My Life, Clinton's autobiography which even the New York Times called "sloppy, self-indulgent and often eye-crossingly... Continue Reading

I just finished reading Shadowmancer by G.P. Taylor. I bought it for my son to read and he really enjoyed it. On his recommendation, I gave it a read. A fantasy novel with a spiritual twist, Shadowmancer turned out to be a pretty good read. In the past, authors such as Frank Peretti and Randy Alcorn have managed to write some excellent Christian fiction that dealt with the spiritual dimension, that being the world of... Continue Reading

How cool would it be to have your own private jet? Shoot, I'd settle for having the money to charter my own private jet! It's such a pain dealing with the major airlines. I hate the cramped cabins, the smell, the uncertainty of flight schedules, dealing with their policies, attempting to book a flight. I just hate it all. Ah, but a private charter jet! Check out this beautiful Cessna... There are those who say... Continue Reading

A Review of the IBIZ Virtual Keyboard Up until now, portable keyboards for PDAs have been clunky and fragile This review is being written on a device the size of a cigarette lighter with a keyboard that is invisible. I am speaking of the IBIZ Virtual Keyboard, a new device from IBIZ Technologies that combines infrared and laser technology to deliver a keyboard that is both functional and portable. Using a standard laser, the VKB... Continue Reading

And now, the continuing saga of the T-Mobile Sidekick, as featured in yesterday's entry. So my Sidekick finally activates around noon today. Around 2 pm, my phone number is ported from Sprint. All is well and good. (except dealing with Sprint.. but I'll save that rant for another time...) I am able to surf the web and received a couple calls. However, I immediately noticed that the "e" key sticks a bit. Sometimes it works... Continue Reading

Earlier this year, I went to my local T-Mobile store and purchased a Sidekick, a unique cell phone and PDA that is pretty slick looking. T-Mobile has a 14-day trial period, so I took advantage of it, not really sure if I would want to keep it. Plus, I had already decided that I would be returning this phone as I found I could get it cheaper on Amazon.com. The phone retails for $350, but... Continue Reading

Over the past few years, Google has come on strong as a leader in the Internet search engine industry, giving Yahoo!, MSN and AOL a run for their money. With an initial public offering just around the corner, can anything stop this behemoth? I hope not. I love Google! One of their most recent additions to the site is their pay-per-click advertising program, Google Adwords. Here's how it works. You advertise your site on Google... Continue Reading

Satellites are roaming the atmosphere, seeking out interesting sites. Actually, Microsoft's Terraserver contains 3.3 tera-bytes of high resolution USGS aerial imagery and USGS topographic maps. Basically, you can get an up close and personal aerial view of just about anywhere in the United States. Here is our home town of Edmond, OK. Zooming in reveals our house. It is the house on the bottom with the white car in the driveway. It's a great deal... Continue Reading

At first, I thought this story was a hoax. But it appears legitimate. Hold on to your seat... Childless couple told to try sex A German couple who went to a fertility clinic after eight years of marriage have found out why they are still childless - they weren't having sex. The University Clinic of Lubek said they had never heard of a case like it after examining the couple who went to see them... Continue Reading

Call me Mr. Wonderful. No, its not Mary's pet name for me. And no, I don't have a super-inflated sense of self. Mr. Wonderful has been my alter-ego these past two weeks in City of Heroes, a massively multiplayer online game recently released by Cryptic Studios. The fictional location of Paragon City has had a difficult time lately. What with an alien invasion and several gangs of thugs battling it out for control of the... Continue Reading

I get ticked off with my cell phone from time to time. Spring PCS is not always "free and clear". Just 1/2 mile from my home in suburban OKC is a dead zone. Makes me crazy. Apparently, some guy in North Dakota lost it in a Verizon store. Man Hurls Phones, Causes $2K Store Damage May 14, 2004 11:40 a.m. EST FARGO, N.D. - A man who said he was fed up with his cellular... Continue Reading

I hate dealing with insurance. When you pay a premium, you are betting that you will need to make a claim. With health insurance, you are betting that you are going to get sick! About eight years ago, I bought a policy with Fortis, one of the world's largest banking and insurance companies. At that time, we decided that all we needed was a major medical policy. So we choose a $2500 per person deductible... Continue Reading

Here are some new shopping links to check out... BookSmart - huge selection of books BigSavings - Online auction heaven Overstock.com - one of the best stores online Shopping Mall - a variety of products TodaysNews.info - News, fair and balanced Buy DVDs - shop for DVDs Continue Reading

President Bush today opened his Easter greeting by citing Luke 24:34: "The Lord is risen indeed." He then went on to say: I send greetings to Christians around the world as they gather to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus' life and teachings continue to speak to every generation, and Christians believe his miraculous Resurrection provides hope for the future and offers us the promise of new life. Through His ministry and sacrifice, Jesus... Continue Reading

I don't know why, but this sad story got my attention. A couple idiots took someone's 2-pound Yorkie and punted it like a football, killing the poor pup. A Priest Lake man killed his neighbor's 2-pound miniature Yorkshire terrier by kicking it into the air like a football, police said, and authorities have charged him with animal cruelty. Jelani Lewis and Jessica McKenzie say they are outraged at the death of their 17-year-old pet, Gizmo... Continue Reading

No entries this week because I have been out of town. In Texas, actually, feeding one of my hobbies. I am a collector of old computer games. I grew up playing on my TRS-80 and dos-based PC, and am quite nostalgic about the oldies from the eighties and early nineties. I have not found any stores in the OKC area that buy or sell old computer games, but there are a handful of places in... Continue Reading

Oh, this will be a riot. Al Gore, the tree, is close to finalizing his cable TV channel deal. Imagine, Al TV, 24/7, in stereo. First, we get a liberal radio network. I'm sure people will be tuning in Al Franken to listen to his obnoxious voice and unfunny commentary. NOT! It only gets better. Read about Gore's attempt to launch a "hip" TV network. I like this. The more money liberals pour into doomed... Continue Reading

Contrary to the hysterical claims that The Passion of The Christ would cause rampant anti-semitic acts, instead we have a story of a sinner coming to repentence after viewing the film. From the Houston Chronicle Detectives say the death of a 19-year-old woman originally ruled a suicide has turned into a murder case after a repentant man who'd watched The Passion of the Christ confessed to killing her because she was carrying his child. Fort... Continue Reading

The Passion of Christ continues to dominate the box office for its third week straight. This amazing phenomenon has grossed over $267,000,000 in the U.S. in the first 20 days of its release. It is now #22 in all-time box office gross. It would not surprise me to see it pass the $400,000,000 mark by the time the dust settles. If that happens, it will be challenging Spiderman for the #5 spot. Box office numbers... Continue Reading

Well, its Spring Break. We tossed around the idea of leaving town, but couldn't agree on where to go. Instead of hitting the road, we are redoing Zach's room. He is almost a teenager and it is time for his room to grow up with him. And so we say goodbye to the red and blue primary colors, and the cars and planes wallpaper border. His room will soon be Khaki (why can't we just... Continue Reading

What happens when you combine one the best-selling rock albums of all time with one of the best films of all time? Strange stuff. Filmed in 1939, The Wizard of Oz is an enduring classic from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Who hasn't delighted in the wonderful tale of Dorothy Gale and her journey into the weird and wonderful land of Oz? Dorothy, Toto, Tinman, Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion, Wicked Witch of the West, Glinda the... Continue Reading

I saw The Passion of the Christ last night. I have to agree with something Glenn Beck said after viewing the film. It's unreviewable. Yet, there is so much to say. I hope you will endure my babbling to find something worthwhile in the words to come. By now, you have heard about this movie. I have been writing about it for nearly 9 months now as the opening day has drawn closer. One entry... Continue Reading

Another project from the Central Command at InfoMedia, Inc., BuyersUniverse.com has launched today! Looking for the best deal on any product? Enter it in the search form and away you go. This engine will hook you up with the best deals currently found on eBay. Congratulations to Darkwolf for breathing life into this project. BuyersUniverse.com - Everything Online" href="http://joelcomm.com/buyersuniversecom_everything_o.html">Continue Reading

I signed up for the Stamps.com service many years ago, so I am able to wholeheartedly endorse their service. Basically, you can print postage on your own PC. They provide the software. You enter the shipping address and the weight of the package, along with the method you wish to use. (1st class, priority mail, media mail, etc...). Choose to print on a label or envelope, and voila! Use the following link to see their... Print Postage on Your PC" href="http://joelcomm.com/print_postage_on_your_pc.html">Continue Reading

The democratic presidential primary run is one of the most entertaining current affairs that I have seen in a long time. You've got Howard Dean screeching like a lunatic. Wesley Clark is denying statements that he made on video tape, clearly enough for even my children to pick up on. Joe Lieberman has the charisma of wall paint. Al Sharpton and Dennis Kucinich are loud of mouth but small of significance. And now there is... Continue Reading

Here is a set of great online shopping sites, similar in content, but each with a unique look. Tons of coupons codes, daily specials, online bargains and more. Enjoy. Hotsteals.com AmazingShopping.com DailyDeals.org BestSpecial.com Continue Reading

Visit DealofDay.com for the best in online coupon codes, shopping deals, sales, discounts, bargains, specials and the best darned bargain-hunting community on the web! Online Coupons" href="http://joelcomm.com/online_coupons.html">Continue Reading

Not be confused with my groundhog day rant a couple weeks back, this entry concerns itself with the title of the Bill Murray film from 1993. Caddyshack was funny. Ghostbusters was trendy. The Razor's Edge was dramatic. But Groundhog Day is Bill Murray's finest hour and comes in at #10 on my list of The 15 Best Movies Ever. Groundhog Day is the story of Phil Connors (Murray), a cynical weatherman who feels he is... Continue Reading

I've been following the coverage of Mel Gibson's upcoming film, "The Passion of Christ", with great anticipation. Unfortunately, Mel is being castigated by some people for being anti-semitic in his portrayel of the Jews in the film. I find it amazing that the same people who have been subject to people attempting to rewrite history (as far as the holocaust is concerned) are now attempting to rewrite history as to an accurate account of the... Continue Reading

Carl D. Atwood, a 73-year old man from Indiana, won $57,000 on a lottery TV show. He taped the program for later broadcast and headed home. On his way to the grocery store where he had bought his winning ticket, a black pickup truck rounded the corner and ran into him. The impact caused head injuries which led to Mr. Atwood's death. Ouch. Read all about it Continue Reading

The Democratic Party is in sad, sad shape. They have moved way to the left and are completely out of touch with mainstream America. However, with the exception of the liberal wackos who actually believe in the socialist mumbo-jumbo, the vast majority of Democrats really don't know the people they are voting for. They are content to believe the lies spoon-fed by the liberal media. While George W. Bush is not all I hoped he... Continue Reading

Groundhog Day? Not the movie, the holiday. (Thought I WILL be talking about the movie as I continue my series on The 15 Best Movies Ever). Why talk about ">Groundhog Day today? Because from what I just learned, the great majority of you have no earthly idea what day it falls on! Somehow, Mary and I got into a discussion about Groundhog Day and she asked me when it was? I said, "Seriously? You don't... Continue Reading

Pinch me. I must be dreaming. As if suing McDonalds for hot coffee isn't bad enough, check out this story... Cable TV made a West Bend man addicted to TV, caused his wife to be overweight and his kids to be lazy, he says. And he’s threatening to sue the cable company. Timothy Dumouchel of West Bend wants $5,000 or three computers, and a lifetime supply of free Internet service from Charter Communications to settle... Continue Reading

It is my belief that the large majority of voting democrats have little to no idea what the radical wing of the party really stands for. The party that for so many years has rallied their voters based on fear and lies continues to do so while the masses sleep. MoveOn.org, an organization that is unable to live up to its own name as they are still living in the crushing Presidential election of 2000... Continue Reading

I just LOVE that this clown is going to be the Democrat nominee for President! Bush is going to cream him. And they poked fun at Bush for appearing in a flight suit. How about this bozo with a cheese hat? LOL Here are some quotes attributed to King Cheesehead... "I wish we were so smart to have figured out the Internet thing” - Newsweek August 11, 2003 "We've gotten rid of him [Saddam Hussein... Continue Reading

Christmas. It evokes thoughts of Santa Claus, reindeer, snow, presents, wrapping, shopping, a warm fireplace on a chilly night, children anticipating the big day, and time spent with family and friends. My hope for you is all of the above. But even moreso, my hope for you is that the real meaning of Christmas will land smack dab in the middle of your heart... and never leave. Christmas is Jesus. Christmas is the birth of... Continue Reading

The web now boasts BILLIONS of web pages, making it challenging to find the "good stuff". My friend, Randy Cassingham, has been creating "good stuff" online for many years. His site, This is True, deals with bizarre-but-true items culled from the world's newspapers. Randy provides plenty of excellent content and gives it a humorous twist with his commentary. If you need something useful in your email box, this will provide a needed respite from the... Continue Reading

M. Night Shyamlan is a modern day Alfred Hitchcock. To date, he has made several films, including Unbreakable (with Bruce Willis) and Signs (with Mel Gibson). I thoroughly enjoyed both of these pictures, but it is his first film that has stayed with me as unforgettable. I am speaking of #12 in my series of The 15 Best Movies Ever, The Sixth Sense. In this film, Shyamalan proves he is the new master of suspense... Continue Reading

Eight months after the war in Iraq began, our brave men and women in the Middle East have delivered up a Christmas gift to beat all gifts. Saddam Hussein has finally been captured! What? You mean that Bush didn't wait until it was politcally expedient to gain votes at election time? How can that be? Oh, the democrats must be beside themselves today. Not only do they have Howard Dean as their leader from the... Continue Reading

Here are some links to start your weekend off right... Relevant Magazine Online - Finally, a Christian magazine that "gets it". God is not stuck in time, and neither should we be. Learning how to relate God's truths to our culture requires being a participant in the culture, but yet not OF it. Great publication both on the web and in print. Where's George? - Play with your money. It's ok. George won't mind. High... Continue Reading

A friend pointed out to me that DealofDay.com appears on the TechTV web site, and we will apparantly be mentioned on the Thursday program. Cool, huh? In case you don't know, DealofDay.com is my online coupon site for bargain hunters. In fact, we just went through a MAJOR redesign. If you haven't seen it lately, go give it a look. Hopper the Shopper will great you at the door! Continue Reading

Hello. My name is Indigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die. By most standards, The Princess Bride should have been no more than a mere blip in the history of cinema. The fairy-tale story of the handsome hero, of the beautiful damsel held against her will by an evil prince, and of the sappy happily-ever-afters undoubtedly attached to the end has been endlessly repurposed by Hollywood again and again. However, when Rob Reiner... Continue Reading

I had the distinct pleasure of meeting a fellow 'net pioneer this week. Barbara Feldman of SurfNetKids, one of the best kid sites writes a nationally syndicated article, writes books and keeps up with a handful of web sites. She is a really neat lady with great ideas! Barbara's latest feature is an inspirational flash movie called Light an Educational Fire. If you are parent, teacher, grandparent or if you are in any category that... Continue Reading

I have never been one to hit the stores the day after Thanksgiving. I have heard about the craziness, but never experienced it myself. It always made way more sense to wait until a more reasonable time to shop. I know there are some great deals for those willing to shop at 6 am, but I also know good deals can be found year 'round if you know where to look. For example, smart shoppers... Continue Reading

Mary and I had the opportunity to escape for a rare "date night" last night, and what a great night it was! We started the evening with dinner at Cascata Ristorante, a fine Italian dining establishment in Edmond. The atmosphere was charming and it was a pleasure to be waited on by a very professional wait staff. It all looked quite good so we decided to order two plates and share them. We ordered the... Continue Reading

We start my list of the Best Movies Ever (from my personal DVD collection) with an unlikely candidate. That Thing You Do (1996) makes the cut at #15 because, well, it just makes me feel good! Written and directed by Tom Hanks, That Thing You Do manages to take a trite, cliched storyline, add a perfect supporting cast and a hook that won't let go, and turn it into pure movie magic. The film tells... Continue Reading

A little background... I LOVED The Matrix. I was confused by my first viewing of The Matrix Reloaded, though a a second viewing helped me assimilate the film a bit more. I still thought it was very weak next to the original. Yesterday, I placed the reviews of the critics behind me and decided to take in a viewing of Matrix Revolutions without preconceived notions. I was pleasantly surprised! --- WARNING - SPOILERS! --- Am... Continue Reading

And I thought only the liberals in our government were interested in punishing achievers. I have been a Tupperware representative for over a year. In that time, my online business has managed to sell a good deal of product and I have recruited several dozen new salespersons. Tupperware has created a web site system whereby any rep can have a Tupperware sales site. Every site begins with "my.tupperware.com" and is followed by the representatives name... Continue Reading

Deal of Day is getting a makeover, and the beta of the new site is now online. Thousands visit this site each day to find the latest coupons and bargains on the web. I think you'll like the new look, so please tell me your thoughts. Continue Reading

Today we visited The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. As a Jew, I have been wanting to see the museum for a long time. I knew it would be a "must see" if I ever made it to Washington. I'm not sure I can put my experience into words, and perhaps it is best that I don't even try. I don't want to minimize my visit into simple cliches. I'll sum up by saying this... Continue Reading

Once again, we got an early start and walked all over the place. We started by going to the Washington Monument, the tallest structure in D.C. It stands 555 feet high and is truly an awesome site. We took the elevator to the top and got to look out some very small windows in each direction. Of course, there are many others attempting to get a good view, so we didn't have much time to... Continue Reading

It was another walk in the footsteps of our Founding Fathers. The city of Philadelphia is where the Declaration of Independence was composed and signed. We can trace much of that which makes America great to the heart of this old city. We started the day by hopping a bus downtown. If I had known how crowded the bus would have been, I think we would have taken a cab. Anyhow, we arrived downtown and... Continue Reading

We got to sleep in a bit this morning. After the kids did their schoolwork and I did some work, we went to lunch. Next stop was the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Museum and Library, south of the city. It is a beautiful building designed by I.M Pei. I was only two years old when President Kennedy was assasinated, so this was a great opportunity to learn more about this man that was much loved and... Continue Reading

Slowly I turned. Step by step. Inch by inch. Well, you don't have to remember the old joke to appreciate the awesome Niagara Falls. Once more, I say Awesome. That is the word that best describes this natural wonder. 600,000 gallons of water per second rapidly rushing from the upper Great Lakes into Lake Ontario. Standing at the top of the falls, you almost feel like you could be swept away with the rapids towards... Continue Reading

We left Jacksonville, MO around 11 am and set course for Beardstown, IL, made famous by the Beardstown Ladies Investment Club. Our visit had nothing to do with investing. We visited friends, Carla and Rick Simmert. Carla is a blessing as she is the person God had in place to take over Mary's web site, SafeHaven, when Mary no longer had the time to give it the attention it needed. We spent a couple hours... Continue Reading

This is hilarious! The wackos at Earth Liberation Front (E.L.F.), the criminals that are vandalizing SUVs and buildings in order to liberate the earth from the clutches of corporate greed are at it again. This time, their zany hijinks backfired. SULTAN, Wash. -- An animal rights group's plan to free 10,000 mink from a farm turned deadly after many of the emancipated mustelids became cannibals while others went on a carnivorous feeding frenzy. About 9,000... Continue Reading

Mary and I had a date night on Friday and went to see Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl. Having grown up with the DisneyWorld ride that the movie is derived from, I was curious to see the film. While reviews have been mixed, the public has spoken by making it a summer blockbuster. I went with an open mind, very much wanting to be entertained. I wasn't. I was downright bored... Continue Reading

Only in Oklahoma, folks. This one occurred about 20 miles from my home. 800 baby pigs shut down Oklahoma highway OKLAHOMA CITY - Interstate 40, the main east-west highway in Oklahoma, was closed for several hours Thursday when about 800 baby pigs spilled on to the road after the truck transporting them overturned, police said Friday. Several pigs were killed when their vented livestock truck overturned just east of Oklahoma City. And the pigs, all... Continue Reading

Holy Moses. If this isn't BIG BROTHER attempting to claw away at your privacy with his big hands, I don't know what is. This from the Washington Post. Fliers to Be Rated for Risk Level New System Will Scrutinize Each Passenger, Assign Color Code In the most aggressive -- and, some say, invasive -- step yet to protect air travelers, the federal government and the airlines will phase in a computer system next year to... Continue Reading

Named after the episode of Happy Days where the Fonz jumped a shark on waterskis, Jump the Shark is a guilty pleasure that can consume many hours of your time. The term refers to an exact moment in time where a television show took a turn for the worse. Reminisce with others who think Seinfeld was perfect up until the very last episode. Disagree with others who think the Brady Bunch went downhill after Cousin... Continue Reading

This story just in from NY Times, the (ahem) paper of record (not) Thieves Take Figure of Jesus, but Not the Cross Who made off with Jesus? The question hung in the air of the Church of the Holy Cross in Midtown Manhattan on Sunday after caretakers noticed that a 200-pound plaster rendering of Christ had been removed from a wooden cross near the church's entrance. Three weeks after a metal money box disappeared from... Continue Reading

Just when you think the wackiness in California can't get any wackier, it does. Here's the deal. Visit a California area Taco Bell and place your vote for California governor through your choice of menu items! That's right. A crunchy beef taco is a vote for Ahnold. A soft chicken taco is a vote for Gray "Gross" Davis and a grilled stuft burrito is a vote for any of the other hundred plus candidates... Continue Reading

We discovered a great new game yesterday. Using nothing more than a GPS device (Global Positioning Satellite), our car and the cooperation of other fun seekers, we participated in an anytime sport known as GeoCaching! Essentially, people all over the world create the treasure that others would see. Take an old shoebox and fill it with various knickknacks. Find a place to stash it, often a public park. Get your hands on a GPS device... Continue Reading

Making a list of the various web sites that I own... WorldVillage Deal of Day FreeBitz Family First Family Seek Family Software Spot PlasticBargains DotCom Profit Center The Mayor Speaks Safety Surf Virtual Whassup FunStarters Village IRC More on the way... Continue Reading

Here's one that makes me so angry I just couldn't pass it up. From the web site, The Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation... Terri was 26 years old when she suffered brain damage from a sudden collapse. Terri receives her food and water by means of a food tube, commonly referred to as a "straw." Terri’s other bodily functions are physically stable. Terri smiles, laughs and cries. Terri recognizes voices and responds. At times, she vocalizes sounds... Continue Reading

Yes, it's true. I have been a Presidential Advisor. At least that's what Mary tells me. About 10 years ago, I was shopping at Best Buy on Central Expressway in Dallas. It was the holiday season, so the store was packed with people. I meandered my way into the software aisle, and there HE was. Who, you ask? None other than then-Governor-elect George W. Bush! He has recently won the election for the Gov seat... Continue Reading

I decided to go check out the new Aspen Athletic Club that is opening just 1.5 miles away from our house. Mary and I have been talking about joining a club for a while, so I thought I'd stop be on my way to work. The actual club is still being built, but they have a temporary facility set up where they can sell memberships. I don't like long sales pitches and I had more... Continue Reading

Woke up around 8 am and went to breakfast at The Hole Thing, once again. Back to the room to load up the van and say goodbye to Red River. We stopped in Cimarron for one last look at the scenery before making the long trip back to Oklahoma. We did manage to make one more scenic stop along the way. Just outside Amarillo, TX is the Cadillac Ranch. We stopped many times along the... Continue Reading

What a busy day! Jenna and I started the day with a one-hour horseback ride. She rode Questa and I rode Buck. They took us 600 feet up the mountain on a sometimes precarious trail. It was a great deal of fun. Socrates got to meet one of the horses as well. He wanted to see them until he got up close. He must have been thinking, "That's the biggest dog I've ever seen!" Afterwards... Continue Reading

I slept in this morning and Mary didn't feel great, so we planned on taking it easy today and not doing anything too physical. We jumped in the van and set out for Taos, about 45 minutes away. On the way, I was reading about things to do in the area and asked Mary to take a detour. About 20 minutes later, we found the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River Recreation Area. It was... Continue Reading

As many of you know, my wife and I homeschool our children. We are considering doing something "crazy" this fall. We're tossing around the idea of taking a month-long family road trip, driving from Oklahoma City to Maine, and back again. We would be stopping at tons of historical sites and make it a "teaching" trip. We'd spend extended periods of time in Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Boston, trying to soak up as much of... Continue Reading

Around 6 p.m. Friday evening, the connection to all our servers went kaput. We are on a T1 line, so I contacted our ISP to find out what the deal was. After several hours of back and forth, it was determined that the problem was somewhere in the phone lines. I had to go to the office at midnight to meet a SBC technician. It took him two hours to fix the problem. As it... Continue Reading

Mary and I just finished watching a television series called Manor House. This 3-part, 6-hour PBS series aired in 2002 and is now available on DVD. Manor House ranks as one of the best TV shows I have ever had the pleasure to watch. This was reality television at its very best, putting Survivor and Big Brother to shame (well, they are pretty shameful to begin with.) Basically, nineteen volunteers from the modern world move... Continue Reading

Imagine that those words might actually be uttered one day. It's all true, and it's a disgrace to humanity. This story discusses how scientists are using aborted babies to grow human eggs. The notion that children can derive from human matter that has not itself been born sounds the stuff of science fiction. Yet it has moved a step closer with research showing that it is possible to extract ovarian tissue from aborted foetuses for... Continue Reading

From the Sydney Morning Herald Man killed for singing Sinatra off-key June 25 2003 A 25-year-old Filipino man has been stabbed dead for singing a Frank Sinatra classic out of tune during a birthday party. Police officer Noel Albis said the victim, Casimiro Lagugad, was asked to sing Sinatra's popular song My Way during the party in the Manila suburban city of Caloocan on Sunday. "Witnesses said the suspect, Julio Tugas, 48, one of the... Continue Reading

I've been on a domain buying binge lately and am planning to launch a bunch of sites. I've already got the template for CouponBlog online, and I'll be adding RebateBlog.com soon. There are a handful of others waiting in the wings, depending how quickly Darkwolf can get the work done. Still, I wonder what I am going to do with these domains that I registered a while back... WebDestroyers.com SendMeYourStuff.com RentMyForehead.com Any ideas? Continue Reading

Ever been to Blogshares.com? From their site... BlogShares is a simulated, fantasy stock market for weblogs where players invest fictional money to buy stocks and bonds in an artificial economy where attention is the commodity and weblogs are the companies. It's really a great deal of fun! This Blog is now listed and the price is skyrocketing. There are a few shares available, so enter the game and grab yours today. Click here to get... Continue Reading

Always glad to see our friends in the media give a nod to one of my web sites. On June 8th, USA Weekend Magazine did a brief feature on shopping online in their "Where on the Web" section. DealofDay.com received a paragraph as one site of four mentioned. Thanks to Christina Wood for the mention! Continue Reading

It's been a week since the last entry. To catch up on the story so far, Click here. Next came the logo, created by Josh Williams. I printed out a large version of the image and ironed it on a tshirt. Josh also created the next generation image map for our front page. Check it out. We never did use this one on the main page, but it gave us a good idea of what... Continue Reading

Today, I am eight-years old for the second time. Sure, I carry myself in the body of a 39-year old. I'm hairier and heavier than the last time I turned eight. But make no mistake. Thanks to the magic of eBay, I am reliving my childhood in a very meaningful way. I submit to you photographs of my favorite childhood toy animal. It was a kangaroo puppet named Foopy Doo. Lest you think I have... Continue Reading

First-time visitor? You may want to Click here to read the story thus far. I can not recall where we met the guy who would be our first link to the net, nor can I remember his name. All I remember is the company was called "Powernet", and they had a multi-level marketing scheme for Internet dial-up accounts. I think I have blocked out much of what took place with these people because they left... Continue Reading

This has been one crazy week. We run three web servers on a T1 line. This week, every single one of them crashed, a couple of them more than once. I've seen a power supply blow and begin smoking. I've had a motherboard go bad. I've got two hard drives that are failing. It has been an insane week for web servers. When WorldVillage.com failed this week (ie: smoking power supply), I decided it was... Continue Reading

Part V? What happened to I-IV? Click here to read from the beginning By the way, the Consumer Electronics Show and the E3 are total schmooze-fests. I have a blast every time I go to one of these trade shows. You get to see stuff that the general public won't see for some time. My favorite part is the free stuff handed out by exhibitors. I have gathered so many tchotkes and otherwise interesting items... Continue Reading

If you are just joining us on this story, you may wish to click here to read so far. Continuing... Those were the days of BBS's, bulletin board systems, where you would dial in to another computer with your blazing fast 2400 baud modem in order to post messages, download software and play text-based games online. It was also the time when AOL, Compuserve, Prodigy, GEnie and Delphi were battling it out to see who... Continue Reading

WorldVillage.com is seeking to add more content to the site, and we are looking to YOU to become a WorldVillage Editor! Do you have an interest in an area that you believe others would also take interest? Are you a writer? Do you like to review web sites? Do you have tips for parents? Students? How about cooking tips? We are open to many ideas and are looking for people who are excited about being... Continue Reading

Went to see The Matrix Reloaded this evening. Following are some brief thoughts on the film. WARNING! There are spoilers here, so you many not want to read if you haven't seen it! . . . . . . . . . . Naturally, The Matrix Reloaded faced many challenges, not the least of which was being the sequel to The Matrix. With that said, the film was a disappointment on several levels. 1) The... Continue Reading

Looks like I'm off to a good start. That's three pounds in three days. I'm going to visit an athletic club this morning to see if I like it. They've got an $18/month month-to-month deal with no contract. Registration fee is $149 and it includes the first and last month. I'll report back later. Man, I'm hungry. ;-) By the way, I've created a category for my weight loss entries. It's called The Incredible Shrinking... Continue Reading

It was touch and go early this week as the shocking news hit the wires. News so terrifying, so insidious, and so darned ridiculous that many were questioning whether or not the pod people had taken over. Of course, I am speaking Stephen Joseph, the moron (re: attorney) in San Francisco (where else?) who filed to BAN Oreo cookies in California. Why? He said the popular cookie contains a life-threatening compound called trans fat. EEEEEEK... Continue Reading