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

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

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 had the privilege of speaking to one thousand people at a seminar this weekend. One the things I hear from attendees again and again is how "real" I am on stage. I take that a compliment, because to be otherwise would be to act "phony." After considering these kinds of comments, I wonder how many people aren't "real" on stage or some other part of their lives. I think one reason that speakers/performers struggle... 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

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

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

We had a great time in Glenwood Springs. From taking a Segway tour of the area and a day at the world's largest hot springs pool to downtime for rest & relaxation and a trip to a rain-covered Snowmass, my family and I enjoyed our brief vacation. I may put up some video once I get the chance. But I've had a lot of people curious about how the return train ride went on Amtrak... Continue Reading

When it came time to plan a summer vacation with my family, Mary and I decided we would just do a local Colorado trip rather than fly somewhere. I researched places that would be within driving distance and came upon Glenwood Springs, a popular tourist destination smack dab in the middle of the Rockies. They are famous for having the world's largest Hot Springs pool and it is a beautiful location. Instead of driving, I... 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

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

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

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

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

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

I'm not a negative person. Generally, I've got a smile on my face and a bounce in my step. But the moment I got off the plane in Miami for Affiliate Summit, I felt like I needed a shower. No offense intended to any of my subscribers or friends that live at the tip of Florida, but I found it to be just a notch below absolutely miserable. Continue Reading

We arrived on Maui on Tuesday afternoon, snagged our rental car and made our way to the hotel. We're staying on the west side of the island in the Ka'anapali area. It's absolutely gorgeous here. From my fifth floor balcony I can see the ocean, the mountains, palm trees, sandy beaches and a beautiful landscape. It's 6 am Hawaii time as I blog this (my body says it is 10 am MST) and I've enjoyed... 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

Road Trip! I remember when those two words were shouted out in my college days. It meant, "grab what you can get yer butt in the car and be ready for anything hurry up the engine is running dude good times ahead!" hehe... Fortunately, none of us every got arrested. ;-) 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

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

It was a typical day at CNN. Kyra Phillips was delivering the news and went to a live feed of President Bush speaking on the anniversary of the Katrina hurricane disaster in New Orleans. Kyra decided it was a good time to take a potty break. Unfortunately, the sound engineer failed to turn off her microphone. This entertaining video shows President Bush, but the true star is Kyra as she flushes the toilet and proceeds... Continue Reading

I've been getting a LOT of email about Google's new policy change related to their AdWords program. Thousands of advertisers had the prices per click raised DRAMATICALLY overnight. It has been very costly for some, perhaps unfairly so. Are you one of the people that got hit by this Google "slap"? Are you still trying to recover and to find your lost traffic? Many people have pleased with Google to let them have the lower-cost... Continue Reading

I can't tell you how many times people have walked up to me at Yanik Silver's Underground Seminar and said, "You're Joel Comm!" Usually, I get a dumbfounded look on my face, look down at my badge to confirm their suspicions, smile, and look back up them... saying, "why, yes I am!" It's an incredilby humbling experience, actually, because I'm the same guy that I was before anyone thought of me as the AdSense guru... 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

"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

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 don't know about you, but I spend lots of time developing my web sites. I put my heart and soul (not to mention money) into creating great sites that will generate traffic and AdSense revenue. Unfortunately, there are many people who do not respect other people's work. And they will STEAL your site. I've seen it happen. Continue Reading

Slowly but surely, the truth about abortion is coming to the surface in the American mindset. More and more women are speaking out about how abortion has hurt them terribly, leaving a wake of destruction in their personal lives. So many of society's ills can be traced back to an abortion in someone's life. Drug addictions. Eating disorders. Sexual dysfunction. Depression. There is a cause and effect link between taking the unborns baby's life and... 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

My eyes! My eyes! I've seen some heinous looking animals before, but this dog is clearly the most hideous creature on four legs. 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

When I first heard that Tim Burton was doing a version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I thought "Oh no. He's going to butcher it." Don't get me wrong. For the most part, I like Tim Burton's work. Yes, he is bizarre, and probably somewhat twisted. But I like his creative flair. I enjoy his unusual characters and camera angles. But I also have read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and thoroughly enjoyed Willy... Continue Reading

For the past few years, I have been slowly building a collection which has taken over my closet. Having grown up playing video games, I was there when the first home PC was introduced. I remember the thrill of playing Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy as a text adventure. (Incidentally, you can now play online for free. I remember when the first person shooter was born in the form of Wolfenstein 3D. I was there... 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

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

Me and my family spent the last four nights in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, one of our favorite places to visit in the fall. The Ozarks rise to almost 2000 feet and are a touch of natural beauty only a few hours away from the plains of Central Oklahoma. Eureka Springs is particularly beautiful because it is a small town (population 2900) nestled in the mountains. Many of the streets are reminiscent of San Francisco, with... Continue Reading

We checked out of Beaver Creek around noon today, leisurely packing and enjoying the remainder of our stay. Jenna wanted to try the bungee trampoline, so we let her bounce for a few minutes before we left the resort. I think the height intimidated her, but she had fun. The drive from Beaver Creek to Keystone was less than an hour, but we stopped in Frisco en route to get something to eat. We enjoyed... Continue Reading

I have been sick for three weeks now. I'm not complaining. I rarely get ill, so this is just unusual. I don't know that I have ever coughed my head off like I have been these past few weeks. Tried decongestants, antibiotics, vitamins, hot soup and lots of sleep. I've got what I call a "hanger-onner". It just doesn't want to let go. So, its a rambling day for me as I sit in bed... 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'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

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 completely uneventful driving day. We traveled from Knoxville, Tennessee to Conway, Arkansas today, covering 550 miles of Interstate 40. Fortunately, the weather was very nice. The mountains helped add to the scenery as well. We arrived in Conway around 7 pm or so, grabbed dinner at Fazolis, and checked into the Best Western. Tomorrow we complete our journey and hope to be home in time for Wednesday night service at church. I can't believe... Continue Reading

Our time at the Conwell Inn has been great. The room is very nice and they have had some sort of breakfast downstairs every morning. When I took the dog out this morning, I was pleased to see a hot waffle iron and cups of batter. I surprised Mary and the kids with fresh waffles to get the day off on the right foot. Unfortunately, Mary hasn't felt good the past couple of days, so... Continue Reading

We had a horrible night at the Quality Inn in Lyndhurst, NJ. It was supposed to be a non-smoking room, but the odor was there just the same. I went to the front desk and they gave me an ionizer to use in the room. We gave it a shot, but it didn't do the trick and the odor was giving Mary a headache. It was late and the kids were already falling asleep, so... 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

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

What's that? You like your greasy cheeseburgers and french fries? Gasp! Don't you know you are contributing to the ongoing trend of obesity in America? And don't you realize that you are responsible for the exploding costs in health care? What kind of person are you, anyway? You should be punished! Or so say the liberal, wacko extremists that want to find another way to place restrictions on your Constitutional freedoms. Fortunately, they have lost... Continue Reading

The slope continues to get the grease. This from Fox News. MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Espousing his reverence of God above "earthly authorities," Alabama's Chief Justice Roy Moore (search) said removing the Ten Commandments monument (search) from the state judicial building is just plain wrong." I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately, the majority of Americans have been deceived into believing two erroneous assertions... 1) "The separation of church and state" appears in the U.S. Constitution 2) That... Continue Reading

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is one of the most anticipated PC games ever to be released. It is already out for XBox and has received RAVE reviews. Unfortunately, PC users will have to wait until November to buy the game. In the meantime, check out this fun Jedi Test on the KotOR web site. I came out as a 33. Can't help but be on the good side! How about you? Continue Reading

I am completely dumbfounded by the heat that Mel Gibson is catching for his film, The Passion. In an age where "tolerance" is preached as a virtue and the First Amendment is wielded as the rationalization for every kind of aberrant behavior, I am amazed at how intolerant and oppressive some people are being in regard to Mel's upcoming movie. I've covered this some, here and here, but this latest news chaps my hide. The... Continue Reading

Definitely the best thing to come along in talk radio since Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck is rapidly becoming the "must-listen to" host of the decade. Limbaugh is still the King of talk radio (sorry Howard Stern), but Beck brings a freshness that has been missing. Politically, he manages to hit the nail on the head again and again, giving voice to what many of us already think and believe, but with an insightful approach that... Continue Reading

Well, I have been playing Star Wars Galaxies for three days now. I can safely say that this stuff is digital crack. Highly addictive and just plain fun. See that strapping young lad above? Yup, that is my alter ego, Mmoc Leoj. Already sharp with a pistol and an up and coming rebel, I have ventured forth on many missions, encountering a good number of beasties and critters. I have met some very nice... 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

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

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

What a great day to be an American! I want to personally say "thank you" to those of you who are veterans or are currently serving in our bold and proud armed services. I don't take my freedom lightly and am grateful for those who have sacrificed much for so many. As I was driving down I-35 today, there was a uniformed gentleman on the overpass at 15th street, waving an American flag and... 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

This is getting old REAL fast. We just came out of the storm shelter. We had some rotation go right over our neighborhood. Fortunately, no twister dropped down out of it. Weather throughout central and eastern Oklahoma is bad today. I'm ready for tornado season to be OVER! But I sure am glad I put in the storm shelter last year. Continue Reading

Went to Steak and Ale for dinner with the lovely and engaging MrsMayor. Our waitress was very annoying. Her style was phony and patronizing (in a bad way). Food was good though. The movie, on the other hand, not so much. I like stupid movies, but this one had few good laughs and a lot of tasteless humor. Of course, the teenagers behind us were yukking it up. I was totally disappointed with the ending... Continue Reading