Our iPhone development team is responsible for some great apps in the iTunes app store. iVote Mobile was in the first batch of 500 apps that were released in the app store when it first went live in Summer of 2008. Last holiday season, iFart took the world by storm. It has gone on to become one of the most frequently mentioned iPhone apps in the world. Our team was among the first to develop... Continue Reading

I'm a computer and video gamer from waaaay back. I remember when Pong came out. I owned a Fairchild Channel 1 video game system. That came out just before the Atari 2600 for you video game buffs. I played games on my TRS-80 model 1 computer in 1979. From adventure games and first person shooters to strategy and massively multiplayer online games, I've been there and done that. Computer and video games have a way... Continue Reading

Since Apple has opened the iTunes App Store, my company has released a number of applications. iVote was one of the first 500 apps released. iFart has gone on to become what is perhaps the most-often referenced app in iPhone history. And we also had the pleasure of creating apps for Mashable, Charles Trippy and MC Hammer, among others. I love creating apps and we've got some pretty cool stuff on the way. Continue Reading

Nearly one year after the release of iFart, the app continues to sell like clockwork. I believe that iFart is also the most-referenced app in iPhone history. It seems like every week one media outlet or another is referring to it. A Google search for iFart now turns up 106,000 results. 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

What do people see when they look at you? Initially, they see your physical appearance. However, I believe our bodies are really a small part of who we really are. Man is a three-part being. We are body, soul and spirit. The body is just a casing (or an earthsuit as John Eldredge likes to say) to give our real selves something to walk around in during our brief stay on this planet. And yet... 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

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

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

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'm not much of a celebrity-watcher. I don't read tabloids and I couldn't care less who's dating whom in Hollywoodland. But I'm still pleased to see that so many celebrities have chosen to use Twitter. I'm pleased because those celebrities are bringing lots of regular folk like you and me with them. Those people might have come to chat with Oprah or Ashton Kutcher but they'll hang around and talk with the rest of us... 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

When I started work on Twitter Power at the end of September 2008, I had about 5,000 followers. That was a pretty good amount back then: it was only a year ago that Twitter's blog was reporting that anyone with more than 80 followers was among the site's top ten percent of users. Boy, have things changed! 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

It had to happen. The world was waiting for it. And then it was unleashed on the world like a tazmanian devil on steroids. Yes, I am talking about none other than iFart Mobile, one of the world's most-talked about applications for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch MP3 player. Continue Reading

This week, I had the pleasure of being asked to speak to Microsoft employees on the subject of Twitter. Eckhart Boehme invited me to talk about how businesses are using Twitter, demonstrating that Microsoft is taking a very engaged position on social media. I was treated quite well by Eckhart and his team, and I met a number of very bright Microsoft people. The campus is ENORMOUS. I saw buildings numbered all the way up... 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

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

A few weeks ago when iFart was at the height of its popularity, I was contacted by Rob Walker. Rob writes the Consumed article for the New York Times Magazine, published every Sunday. He thought that the success of iFart was an interesting barometer of American pop culture and asked if I would do an interview. Of course, I was delighted to provide whatever information he wanted. The article was just published in today's edition! Continue Reading

As I'm sure you read on my blog or elsewhere on the web, Facebook had suspended my account. After sending a few emails and having some friends with contacts at Facebook work on my behalf, my account has been reinstated. Here is the email I received from them... Continue Reading

I've been a fan of Facebook for a couple years. I think it's a great way to network with others and build your business. I've used the site create my own groups, build a fan page, post videos, interact with family, friends and fans, and basically enjoyed its functionality. I've always abided by their terms of service, even though thousands of people break the rules every day. I'm a credible marketer with a 15-year history... Continue Reading

It shouldn't be a difficult question. If you want to know whether your site is a success, you don't have to look further than the last line in your AdSense stats. If you're happy with the amount that's going to appear on Google's check this month, you're successful. But what if an advertiser asked how successful your site is. What would you say then? You wouldn't tell him how much you're earning each month, would... Continue Reading

Today on the show, we celebrated the success of iFart Mobile, the #1 application in the iTunes iPhone app store. The monkeys took over the set, we gave away prizes, gave demos of some apps and read a Top Ten list. It was a fun time and I really appreciate those who join us each week for Internet marketing insanity! Continue Reading

I said I was going to go into silent mode regarding our sales, but so many people have asked me what happened through Christmas Day that I have decided to release stats just one more time. We left off December 23rd with stats current from our release date on 12/12 through 12/22. Everyone is curious about what happened next. You may be shocked. I know I was when I saw the numbers. Continue Reading

A few days ago I became the first app store developer to reveal sales-to-rank data. Some other sites have confirmed an interest in this data, such as The UnOfficial Apple Weblog. With iFart continuing its move up the charts, I want to continue sharing data with you, especially since something very interesting has happened since we broke into the top ten apps in the world. Continue Reading

Since the iTunes App store launched, many developers have been wondering exactly how app store rank relates to actual sales. I haven't seen anyone release this data as of yet, and while mine is incomplete, it can give you a glimpse into how ranking translates to units sold. Our application, iFart Mobile (app store link) , was finally released last week, alongside other novelty apps that had been rejected or placed "in review." Continue Reading

It's been an interesting week in Apple-world. A few months ago, a news story broke that Apple was rejecting certain applications based on their "lack of utility." The application that made news was a fart app that allowed the user to simulate flatulence noises on their iPhone. Like most guys, I have to laugh. I don't know why. It's in our genes, I guess. Anyhow, at the same time, similar applications were submitted to Apple... Continue Reading

It's the day after election day and Barack Obama is President-Elect of the USA. On today's episode, we had a fun time discussing the election, Internet marketing,flying monkeys and more. Joined by Eric Farewell and Dan Nickerson, we fielded a number of questions and had some laughs. Watch for the official recount and a new top ten list. It's all here. Enjoy 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

There's nothing better than welcoming a new child into the world and your family. Being a father of two, I can tell you that the health and welfare of your children is the utmost priority. We had a bit of a scare when our daughter was born and spent the first few days of her life wondering when she would be able to come home from the hospital. It all turned out well, but some... 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

While attending an Internet marketing conference in Chicago, I spent a lot of time networking with my peers. As I sat at the dinner table last night, I noticed that a bunch of us were twittering on our handhelds. Simon Leung, Donna Fox, Eric Farewell, Anik Singal and several others had their PDAs or phone out and were twittering away... sometimes to each other other, even though they were sitting across the table from each... 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

What is hype? From dictionary.com, one definition is "exaggerated publicity" For example... "The amazing super-duper fantasmagorical stapler can save thousands of dollars each year in lost time and help you lose 30 pounds in three minutes!" Ok, that IS over-the-top hype. What about where Internet marketing products are concerned? Is there hype? 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

At 10:30 am on June 12th, Mary and I checked out of the Shangri-La Hotel in Sydney and made our way to the airport. Thirty-one hours later, we're finally home. We had a 3-hour layover in Fiji and a 7-hour layover in Los Angeles. So close, but yet so far! Anyhow, I didn't have problems with jet lag in Sydney, but everyone tells me it really hits when you get home. I can see that... 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

I'm currently in Los Angeles for the annual Book Expo America, otherwise known as BEA. Why BEA? I have a book coming out on August 1st and I showed up to support my publisher and do some networking. Now I must confess. I am a trade show junkie. I love the vast conference centers with aisles and aisles of vendors hawking their goods and services. I'm especially a sucker for the freebies and swag. It's... 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

Wow, what an incredible day! Wait until you hear this. I thought it was going to be a day like every other day. But you never know what kind of curve balls life is going to toss your way. Here's how it started... First of all I wake up and find this email in my box from a producer at a MAJOR cable network ... "Congratulations on your show, 'The Next Internet Millionaire.' We've reviewed... 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

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 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

I've been paying close attention to customer service wherever I go these days. In my business, I tell my support team to go the extra mile when assisting customers. I believe this pays off big time in the long run. But I am amazed at how many businesses do not pay attention to the simplest of customer service details. In the past few days, I have made observations at Best Buy, Gamestop, Qdoba and... my... Continue Reading

I'm a huge fan of developing online communities for revenue generation. The wonderful thing about community sites is that the members create the content for you. However, it can sometimes be tricky to kickstart your forums in order to get people posting. If you launch forums and people visit only to find that there is no activity, odds are they aren't going to register, post or return. This is the primary reason most forums don't... 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

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

I did it. I bit the bullet and picked up an iPhone. I've been a faithful Treo 650 user for two years, but the buzz regarding Apple's new device won me over. So I ponied up $599 + shipping and tax to get one of these puppies in my hands, though I was unsure of what I would find once I actually got to try it out for myself. I may now render the verdict... 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

I am freshly returned from Hawaii, slighty tanned, somewhat rested, and ready to share some great stuff with you! Please read all the way through as you aren't going to want to miss any of this... First of all, we have officially announced TWO of the contestants for The Next Internet Millionaire. Want to meet them? Meet the Contestants Be sure to join the discussion on the forums with your comments as we look forward... Continue Reading

A couple months ago, I shared the Bookwise opportunity with you. It appeared to be a solid MLM with potential. I've seen some people jump on board this, but the past few weeks I've been skeptical that they could really make it work. I've been using the domain BookWiseProfits.com to build my BookWise business.... until today. 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

I had the pleasure of enjoying the company of my brother and his family this past weekend. They live in suburban Chicago, so it was a treat for them to come to the mountains and enjoy a little slower pace for a few days. By the way, you'll want to watch for my bro. He is a brilliant CPA with some keen insights into money management. I foresee a website and a book in the... Continue Reading

Google's done it again. When Google declared that publishers could no longer put ad units near images, it set the forums-a-buzzing. How far do the units have to be from the images? Does it matter if the images aren't related to the subject of the ads? Has anyone actually been banned for putting ad units near images? Google didn't exactly clear up all those questions, but it did make its reasoning clear. Images shouldn't look... 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

I like to think I've come a long way. It didn't happen overnight and it didn't come easily. But there's a world of difference between where I am now and where I was when I put up my first website. For one thing, I've now got more than one website. For another, I have a lot of speaking appointments, a small staff to help me and I've written a lot of books that -- best... Continue Reading

Does $10,000 for sending one email sound impossible to you? How about $25,000? Would it floor you to think you could make almost $75,000 with just two email promotions? To be honest, at one time I wouldn't have believed it either. But the fact of the matter is that it is far more possible than you think. 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

Where in the world are you? I thought it would be cool for people to check in and share their location on this planet we share. Maybe even tell us what you like the most about where you live. I recently arrived home from Washington, D.C. where I attended an internet marketing seminar. While I as there, I got to spend some time with Tom Kulzer of Aweber.com. For those that don't know, Aweber is... Continue Reading

I am currently in the Nation's Capitol for an Internet marketing conference and I am the victim of a crime, even a felony. It happened while I slept. I was robbed and left for naked... and didn't even know it until late in the afternoon. Amazingly, there isn't a bruise on my body. Nor have I lost any material possessions. So what happened? Read on... Continue Reading

Five days ago, I wrote about my experience with American Furniture Warehouse in Fort Collins, Colorado. It was not a glowing moment for their customer service team. This morning, my home phone rang and my wife informed me that American Furniture Warehouse wanted to speak with Joel Comm. I had been anticipating a call from them. Surely they monitor the web for mention of their name, and just 48 hours after blogging about my experience... 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

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

I just got up from the television set to come write this entry, abandoning the program I was watching. I've been a fan of The Apprentice since the first season. I thought Trump's choice of Bill Rancic as his first apprentice was solid. Since then, the show has had fewer truly qualified contestants. I thought a new location would be an interesting twist on previous seasons, so I began watching the first episode of The... Continue Reading

I'm always going on about the importance of great content. It really is the most important thing you'll put on your website. Sure, the way you format your AdSense units is important. The affiliate products you choose to promote will affect your earnings. The design and layout of your page will determine whether it looks professional and invites users to stick around and come back for more... or send them screaming back where they came... Continue Reading

Well, Christmas is over and 2007 is just around the corner. I hope this has been a great year for you. But regardless, we must now look forward to the coming year and all that it has in store for us. I'm not a huge fan of resolutions for the new year. I find I'm not that great at keeping them. But I see nothing wrong with taking stock of where I am in my... Continue Reading

Don’t you just hate it when someone comes along and spoils all the fun? For a long time now I’ve been recommending that publishers put little images next to their AdSense units to draw users’ eyes. So if you were showing ads for televisions and cameras, then you could put pictures of televisions and cameras right next to the ad unit. Your unit would have all the eye-catching attention of a graphic ad without the... Continue Reading

Building a successful website doesn’t happen overnight. You have to create the pages, write the content, optimize your ads, drive traffic. You can be up and running within minutes but to earn the sort of revenues that make the whole thing worthwhile (and more) you’re going to have to invest time. And much of that time is going to be spent troubleshooting. A poorly-designed, badly-optimized site might make a little bit of money. A site... Continue Reading

There’s something to be said for monopolies. Obviously, they’re great when you own one but they have another advantage too. They make life easier. They don’t make life better. But they do make life easier. Just think how much time you’d save if you were to walk into a supermarket and find only one type of bread and one brand of laundry powder and one sort of breakfast cereal. The bread might taste like chalk... 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

Hardly a week goes by that you don't hear about the newest/latest/greatest/world's-best-thing-since-sliced-bread ebook, software or member site. I confess, I do like to share quality products and services with my readers, but there are many that I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. Why not? Because they aren't in your best interests. Yes, there is money to be made in selling "stuff". And while I have no problem with earning commissions, my reputation is... 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

Today's entry has nothing to do with Internet marketing, making money online, AdSense or anything else of this nature. It is of far greater importance and consequence. Several weeks ago, a church that we had visited had announced an upcoming series called "My Secret". Acknowledging that people within the church have just as many problems as people outside the church, the point of the series is to help people see that they are not alone... 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

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

Last night, my family and I went to see Glenn Beck at the Mabee Center in Tulsa. For those not familiar with Beck, he claims to have the third most popular radio show in the country. I guess that would be behind Limbaugh and Hannity. I started listening to Glenn a few years ago when his program began airing on our local radio station. He says that you need to listen to the show for... 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

What an incredible 48 hours this has been. The sale of Instant AdSense Templates is officialy CLOSED, with volumes 1 and 2 no longer available. Gone... gone... gone. Sorry to those who missed the opportunity to get this incredible set. Yes, we are hard at work on a 3rd volume which we hope to offer you not to far into the future. Continue Reading

The word page fun continues as the blogosphere is discussing 500Words.com. Today, PRWeb phoned me to create a podcast interview which you can now listen to online or via itunes. Check out writings by Adam Viener, Brad Waller and Jim Kukral 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

I don't travel nearly as much as I would like to. There's just something about visiting foreign lands and new places that is exciting! My mother is the world traveler in the family. Her adventure travel web site is rapidly becoming an incredible resource for those interested in planning their own exotic vacation, as well as those who just enjoy a good travelogue. Continue Reading

I used to blog about current events all the time. But lately, I've been writing far more about Internet marketing and my travels. Why? It isn't for shortage of material. On the contrary, popular culture and politicians provide a plethora of opportunities for sharing a more rational point-of-view My reasons for avoiding current events are far simpler these days. Continue Reading

Google AdSense is currently the reigning King of contextual advertising services. But the King always faces challengers to the throne. Kontera, Chitika and Intellitext have managed to absorb a small piece of Google's market, but they've barely made a dent thus far. So who can take on the 100 pound gorilla? Only another gorilla. Enter Yahoo! 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 was thirteen years old when Star Wars hit the big screen. I instantly fell in love with George Lucas' galaxy far far away and long ago. Barely redeemed with Episode III of the series, Star Wars buffs worldwide were saddened knowing that this was indeed the end. But is it really? Continue Reading

I must confess, the XBox 360 does have amazing video quality. I purchased a game called "Kameo", which is the closest thing to a platformer on the 360. However, I did not have a memory card, so I could not save my game. I also went to the store to see about getting a XBox game from the original selections. As it turns out, the XBox 360 is backwards compatible to many games, but you... Continue Reading

There's only one thing I hate worse than email spam. It is junk fax spam. I got a fax machine so that I could send and receive important documents for my business. I use it for this purpose maybe once each week. But my fax machine is active far more frequently due to fax spam. I HATE junk faxes! So I decided to do something about it. Continue Reading

Yes, people will talk. And the things they will say are quite interesting. Ever since my AdSense ebook has come into the spotlight, my name has become more well known. Once your name is "out there", commentary and opinion is not far behind. So how do you know when you have "arrived"? Continue Reading

It's been at least seven years since I have attended the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Since I was coming into town for the Affiliate Summit, I thought I'd come to town a day early and enjoy free entry as a member of the press. It took little arm-twisting to convince my good friend, Dave Taylor, to join me on this excursion. 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

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

I've gone the majority of the year without a compelling computer game to buy. Of course, I purchased World of Warcraft in 2004, so that doesn't count. But things have taken a turn for the better this past month. Look at what is now in my PC gaming queue. Continue Reading

My favorite Aunt in the whole world is my Aunt Joan. She is my mother's younger sister and I have some fantastic memories of her from my childhood. She was always bubbly, gregarious, fun-loving and pleasant to be around. She loved her parents, her sisters, her children, her nieces and nephews and her grandchildren with a passion. Everyone knew when Joan was in the room. Her laugh was something akin to a "cackle", and she... 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

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

Mary was out of town at a conference yesterday, so I wanted to find something fun for the kids and myself to do together. Last week, I found out that a new place opened up on Northwest Expressway in Warr Acres, OK, where an old Wal-Mart used to be. It is called "Incredible Pizza". I asked a friend about it and was told that they opened up about six months ago. They described it as... 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

World of Warcraft may be the most popular MMORPG ever. Over 3.5 million people are now playing worldwide. Tons of fan sites have popped up, celebrating this massive online fantasy world. And some people are quite creative with the resources provided by the game. No, I am not talking about the Chinese farmers who find the best places in the game to loot gold and resell for exhorbitant prices on ebay. I am talking about... Continue Reading

Z is thirteen now and he is ready to start learning the family business. So I have put him to work adding a new offer to a blog each day. Check out I Found Great Stuff! to see the fruit of his labor. So far he is doing a great job, and getting paid for it! Take advantage of one of the offers on the pages to support his college fund. ;-) 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

Liberal democrats and the mainstream media have been incredibly quick to bash President Bush and the Federal Government for their handling of the rescue efforts in New Orleans. Sid Blumenthal, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , and Molly Ivins shots off condemnation pieces within 24 hours of this tragedy, revealing their true colors once again. Hillary Rodham Clinton is calling for a 9/11-style investigation of Katrina, seeking to point fingers and cause disruption for the President... 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

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

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 finally took the plunge. I ordered a Delphi MyFi XM2Go portable XM satellite receiver from the Amazon.com marketplace. 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

About a year or so ago, I was looking for a novel to read and came upon a very interesting book by Gregory Maguire. It was called Wicked, and it was a work of fiction that retold the story of The Wizard of Oz from the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the West. Not for children, Maguire weaves a tale of fantasy, love and politics that turns the classic story on it's ear. It's... Continue Reading

I love my Tivo. I have owned one for over five years and I have charmed many friends with live demonstrations of what Tivo can do. Unfortunately, Tivo has not been able to accelerate their subscriber base enough to become profitable. The word on the street is that Apple is interested in Tivo. Of course, the companies aren't responding to the "rumours". But I think it would be a perfect match. Tivo is the Macintosh... Continue Reading

Is Ted Turner relevant to anyone anymore? Listen to what this buffoon had to say at the National Association for Television Programming Executives's conference Tuesday. "While FOX may be the largest news network, it's not the best." (sour grapes because they are beating Turner's CNN?) He followed up by pointing out that Adolph Hitler got the most votes when he was elected to run Germany prior to WWII. He said the network is the propaganda... 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

I friend recently recommended that I give a look at World of Warcraft, the latest MMORPG to hit the market. WoW comes with a boatload of hype, mostly due to the incredibly successful Warcraft: Orcs vs. Humans RPG series. WoW, however, is an entirely different beast than the previous games (which didn't interest me in the least). WoW is a fully 3D world teaming with life and critters of all kinds. Since I enjoyed Star... Continue Reading

Way back in July 2004, Disney released America's Heart and Soul without any fanfare. I reported about the release of the movie and indicated that I was eager to see it. While the film received virtually no screen time, it is now available on DVD. I finally viewed the movie tonight and I am perplexed as to why Disney did not put some promotion muscle behind this brilliant and inspiring picture! America's Heart and Soul... 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

It's a great day to be an American! I just woke up after a few hours of sleep and feel like I have a political hangover. Yet, I can't take my eyes off it. Let's look at some incredible things that came out of this election... George W. Bush won the most votes EVER, beating even Ronald Reagan. George W. Bush beat John Kerry by over 3.5 Million votes, making him the clear winner. A... 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

Andrew Wilson is a 43-year-old self-employed inventor living in Missourri. For whatever reason one might imagine, Andrew no longer goes by the name Andrew. A circuit judge granted him legal permission to change his name. So what's it going to be? Frank? Herbert? George? How about something freaky like Diana or Deborah? Nope. Our friend Andrew is far more creative. From now on, Andrew Wilson will be known as... They. Just "They". Not "They Jones... Continue Reading

The most requested DVDs of all time are finally going to be hitting the retail shelves today. Faster than you can say, "Use the Force, Luke", The Star Wars Trilogy DVD set will probably break all records for DVD sales. I know that I will be contributing my $45 to George Lucas's pocketbooks as I plan on picking up my copy on my way to work today. If you can stand to wait a few... 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

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

It was just like any other day. I booted up my computer and started to check on my web sites. And as happens from time to time, my sites were not coming up quickly or at all. My first thought is that a server is down. I test another server and see that it is not communicating either. Now I start thinking my T1 to the office is down. So I apply the test to... Continue Reading

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Nope, its the Perseids! No, I am not nuts. The Perseids is a meteor shower that has been around since the time of the Civil War. From Space.com... "The Perseids are the result of stream of debris in space laid down by comet Swift-Tuttle, which orbits the Sun every 130 years and spends most of its time in the far reaches of the solar system. On each... Continue Reading

I came across a fun little game a few days ago and have enjoyed diverting a few moments of my spare time to playing it. It is called Marble Blast and it is a simple yet addictive! Using the ASWD keys and your mouse, you simply roll your marble across a suspended platform, attempting to reach the finish line as quickly as possible. Obstacles, such as zero-gravity space, stairs, ramps, bumpers, mines and more, are... Continue Reading

(This entry is somewhat unique in that I am composing it entirely on my T-Mobile Sidekick. I wrote about this device a few weeks back and have been very pleased with it so far. You can search my blog to find out more.) We left Boulder at 11 am and set course for Beaver Creek, a ski resort nestled a couple hour's drive into the Rockies. Once you hit I-70 going west into the mountains... 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

In the infancy of WorldVillage.com, I was fortunate to acquire the assistance of one Ron Enderland, aka, the Bald Guy. Ron provided several services to WorldVillage.com, including reviewing software, writing humorous articles and reviewing web sites. The latter is continued to this day with a new review being posted every other week. Another feature that lived on for some time was Ron's original cartoon, The Nature of Things. Inspired by The Far Side and Ron's... 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 am a Survivor fan and I am not ashamed to admit it. Tonight was the finale of Survivor All Stars, where 18 former Survivor contestants came back for another chance to win $1,000,000. Even thought Boston Rob Mariano schemed his way to the final two, along with his new love, Amber Brkich, I thought he was deserving of the money. As it turned out, Amber won by one vote. However, it was a moot... Continue Reading

When Friends came to NBC ten years ago, Mary and I loved the program. We recorded it every week and rarely missed an episode. About three years ago, we completely lost interest in the show. Tons of sex jokes and too many on-again off-again relationships contributed to changing the channel. On top of that, Survivor was scheduled in opposition to Friends. However, we did want to see how the series ended. As far as series... Continue Reading

I've been on the world wide web since 1994. I launched my first web site in 1995. At that time, it cost $35 to register a domain name for one year. In fact, some registrars STILL charge $35/year. On top of that, there is a surcharge for DNS hosting, which is necessary for running a web site. Times have changed. You can now register domains far more economically at sites like DomainAnything.com I register all... 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

Holy Moly. May I present to you dinner for the entire state of Rhode Island. This pig was a 1900 pound porker who died just last week. He made his home in China and the owners are appealing to the Guiness Book of World Records on his behalf. The pig belonged to Xu Changjin, a farmer of Wafangdian city in China. Xu said that he had kept his pig in a nicely built sty... Continue Reading

As the World Wide Web enters its second decade of existence, .com has become a ubiquitous surname. From the obvious pets.com and business.com to the unique sendmeadollar.com and hollywoodjesus.com, it is clear that .com has become King of the domain roost. .net and .org have been around almost as long, but they are like the red-headed stepchildren at K-Mart. (No offense to red-headed kids, but all offense meant to K-Mart.) .net was initially intended for... Continue Reading

In what may be a shocker to Hollywood, but I have predicted all along, Mel Gibson's The Passion of Christ is set to be a blockbuster. Here's the latest story from Variety magazine... 'Passion' poised for heavenly B.O. (Variety) The movie that couldn't find a distributor a year ago is now poised to become this year's first surprise hit. Though not a single television ad has aired for "The Passion of the Christ" two weeks... Continue Reading

Mary and I rarely go to the movies these days. I hate going to a crowded theater with people who talk during the film or make incessant noises as they scarf down their popcorn and jujubees. We are far more likely to enjoy a film in the comforts of our own home. We rarely see a film until it has come to DVD. Last night, we watched Seabiscuit. While I did not live through the... 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

Did you know that a fast-food diet is bad for your body? Seriously. Morgan Spurlock decided a documentary of him eating nothing but McDonalds for 30 days would make a fascinating film. What he found out was far less fascinating. After just a few days of McDonalds food, three times a day, Spurlock was sick as a dog. It may actually make for an interesting film. Read the whole story Continue Reading

When I look back on the past few years of technological advancements, several computer-driven products cause me to wax eloquently. My iPaq 3835 has been a trusty PDA for almost two years. But it has lost its shine and there are newer models that have stolen my affections. My Dell laptop rocks, but in a mere few months I am certain its big brother will find me coveting at its front door. My Pioneer CD... Continue Reading

Well, here we are in 2004. So far, it feels a lot like 2003. We had a great time with friends tonight. In fact, the last guests just left for the evening (It's 3 am!) We missed the ball in Times Square, but we did get to view the celebration in Oklahoma City at Midnight. Here is a cool panoramic view of Times Square with Dick Clark and a cast of thousands. 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've been scouring my extensive DVD collection lately, attempting to figure out what makes a great movie. Certainly, films have the potential to entertain us. But a real filmmaker wants to do more than make us laugh or cry. True cinematic art is manifested in an engaging storyline, convincing acting and masterful directing that trancends the big screen, either affirming or transforming the way in which we see our world. As a Christian, I view... Continue Reading

Alright you anti-war crowd. How you like these apples? 300,000 Iraqis May Be in Mass Graves By BASSEM MROUE and NIKO PRICE Associated Press Writers November 8, 2003, 10:10 PM EST BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Saddam Hussein's government is believed to have buried as many as 300,000 opponents in 263 mass graves that dot the Iraqi landscape, the top human rights official in the U.S.-led civilian administration said Saturday. Sandy Hodgkinson said the administration has been... Continue Reading

We had a casual morning, taking our time to get packed up and on our way. Packing is such a hassle and I do not look forward to "the big schlepp" each time we leave. I have streamlined the procedure a bit more with each stop, but we are also acquiring more souveniers along the way, so the van is getting more and more stuffed. We left our hotel around 12:30 pm and went 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

So long New Jersey. Hello Pennsylvania. For the second time on this journey, we are in Pennsylvania. The first time we passed through the west end on our way to Niagara Falls. This time we are stopping for four nights in Philadelphia. There is so much history here and we are going to attempt to squeeze as much in as possible. I had a very hard time finding a place to stay in the city... Continue Reading

Today was a driving day. We left Boston, MA, and drove through Connecticut and New York on the way to Lyndhurst, New Jersey. If the weather holds up, we'll be visiting Ground Zero tomorrow. Now then. On with the contest! Win a software collection Here's how to enter. So far, we have staying in Jacksonville, MO; Champaign, IL; Dayton, OH; Cleveland, OH; Niagara Falls, Canada; Bennington, VT; Bernardston, MA; Saugus, MA; and now Lyndhurst, NJ... Continue Reading

I am so exhausted after today! We walked the "Freedom Trail" in Boston with our friends Ro and Kyle. Starting at the Bostom Common (the first public park in the U.S.) and ending up at the Bunker Hill monument, the Freedom Trail meandered, twisted and turned for over two miles through over a dozen historical sites that captured the essence of the struggle for our Nation's Independence. We started by driving to the mass transit... 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

We started the day at Ro and Kyle's Bed and Breakfast. What great people these two are, and what a blessing it was to spend the night with them, enjoying good food and conversation. They are planning on driving to Boston on this weekend to spend more time with us exploring the sites. We hit the road around noon and set course for the Boston area. We weren't in a hurry and figured that we... Continue Reading

We left the Best Western in Niagara Falls this morning and I had a brief run-in with the general manager. When I looked at my itemized bill, I noticed that I was being charged $5.00 for each local call I made. He explained that local calls are free, but any call over 30 minutes was subject to a $5.00 charge and that this information was clearly printed in the hotel information. Well, I had called... Continue Reading

Mary and the kids needed to take some extra time for school today, so I dropped them off at the Cleveland Public Library. I then excitedly drove down the street to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I've always want to visit this place and was thrilled to have the opportunity. The architecture of the building was very cool with a wide open atrium and six levels of exhibits. I only had a couple... Continue Reading

Man, am I beat. It has been a LONG day, but quite enjoyable. The kids did a lot of their school work in the room this morning while I took a walk around the area. I am determined to continue exercising while we are on this trip lest I move up a waist size. We got going around noon and set course for St. Louis. I did not realize that the mountains/hills went this far... Continue Reading

Around 3 pm Sunday afternoon, Mary came into the office and said something like, "If we would have thought of it, we could have just left today." I stared at her for about one second and spoke, "Well, why don't we?" I don't think she realize what she got herself into! We furiously gathered everything together and packed up the van. Just when I thought it was full, Mary pointed out another item that needed... 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

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

I have finally gone and done it. I have purchased my first Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game for the PC, Star Wars Galaxies, from LucasArts. I have dabbled with the game for a few hours today and have found it to be quite entertaining. I am beginning to see the appeal of this genre. Certainly, there is a fair amount of battling to be done. But most impressive is the interaction with other people simultaneously... 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

While on vacation in Enid, OK, we took the kids to see Finding Nemo. It may just be the BEST Pixar animated feature to date! As they have done with several recent flicks, Pixar first taunted us with a short film. Knick Knack was their very first computer animated short film. This story of a snowman in a snow globe pining for the disproportionate blond from Miami had me in stitches for several minutes. 'Nuff... Continue Reading

We decided that the continental breakfast at the Comfort Inn had a lot to be desired. Fortunately, there was an IHop not far from the hotel. Just can't beat a belgian waffle with lots of butter and syrup! Afterwards, we headed to Leonardo's Adventure Quest, a very cool hands-on science museum and the largest outdoor fort/playground you've ever seen. The kids had a great time and we spent the better part of the day hanging... 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

Just picking up on this story? You may wish to click here to read so far So Ken and I created The National Software Review (not very pretentious, huh?). Ken did a great job on the design and interface, but I have to laugh in retrospect. We coded a password scheme into the interface so that you would have to email us wih a randomly generated code in order to access the magazine. It was... Continue Reading

Once again, if you are just joining us on this story, you may wish to click here to read so far. After the incredibly overwhelming reception (about 8 emails) I received from my print publication, I knew I needed to do something to get more exposure. It was then I met Ken Burge. He and I met around 1994 and instantly enjoyed discussing all things computers. I believe he was working for Texas Instruments at... 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

I'm not an artist.. don't even pretend to be. A few years ago I owned a macintosh computer and I played with a program called Bryce. It was a slick package that allowed you to render beautifully detailed landscapes on the fly. It's far more advanced today, but I did these images about 6 years ago. Curious and Curiouser Donuts Far from Home Empty Street The Throne Whaddya think? Continue Reading

Sprung for a new computer game today, Enter the Matrix. Of course, it is based on The Matrix world and released to coincide with The Matrix Reloaded (which Mary and I intend to see Sunday evening). Cool - the Wachowski brothers wrote and directed the game, which is virtually unheard of in game production. Tons of additional footage was shot using principle actor JUST for the game. So it should add a lot to The... Continue Reading

I've gotten a few comments on the picture of our Yorkshire Terrier, Socrates. This one was taken just last week and is a far better representation of the way he looks now. Click to see Socrates! Continue Reading