Joel Comm LIVE has been absent from the Internet since the spring. For over one year, Dan Nickerson and I welcomed guests to our program in a live format. We interacted with viewers, answered questions about Internet marketing, played with flying monkeys, read a number of humourous Top Ten lists and had a generally fun time. However, with my travel schedule being so heavy, I was unable to do the live program each week. And... Continue Reading

Hardly a day goes by that I don't hear about a new Twitter app, web tool or other utility created to make the use of Twitter easier or more interesting. It's pretty hard to keep up with them. And it's pretty rare that I endorse a tool or app. Just as I wait to see new sites pick up steam before jumping on board, I usually don't start using new tools until they demonstrate widespread... Continue Reading

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

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

Everyone and their grandmother is calling themselves a Social Media EXPERT these days. I'm not sure what the term really means any more. While I still use the term from time to time (even on this blog for SEO purposes), I fancy myself more of a Social Media EVANGELIST. I'm out there beating the drum to get businesses to use social media as part of their marketing mix. Continue Reading

Twitter isn't the only microblogging service on the Web. It's not even the best microblogging service on the Web. In Twitter Power, I describe a number of sites that also let members post short notes to tell friends and followers what they're up to. Plurk, for example, is alive and kicking, and it looks great. It has neat icons, a clever, horizontal timeline and all sorts of add-ons and gizmos that make it look a... 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

People create Internet businesses for all sorts of reasons. Some of them are looking to give up their J.O.B.s. Some dream of being of being their own boss. And others can't wait to make tons of cash, retire to their private island and leave the work of traffic generation, content production and ad monitoring to their staff. That's all fine. I don't have a problem with any of those reasons. Provided they're all accompanied by... Continue Reading

One of the most exciting developments that has occurred on Twitter in the months since I put together Twitter Power has been the release of all sorts of statistics about the site. We've learned, for example, that many of the site's users are middle-aged, high earning business types rather than the kids that create pages on MySpace. We've found that only a small proportion of Twitter's users are writing most of the tweets while the... Continue Reading

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

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

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

I'm scared of change. There, I said it. It's not big news though. Everyone is scared of change. Change is a scary thing. It means giving up what you have now for something better that you can only hope you'll have in the future. It's risky. It's dangerous. It's disruptive. It's also thrilling, exciting... and inevitable. 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

Today is my 45th birthday. The older you get, the less birthdays seem to matter. But today I feel very special and blessed. My wife woke me with sweet birthday wishes, some balloons and a funny card. Then I drove to the office and was greeted with a surprise from my awesome staff. Check out the video below... Continue Reading

There's about a million and one reasons why I love Internet marketing. It pays, of course, and that has to be important. It's fun too. I'm having a ball doing this and it's rare that someone can say that about their work. But one of the things I love the most about Internet marketing is that it's democratic. Anyone can do it. And I really do mean anyone. 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

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

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

I love coming up with new ways to demonstrate the power of Twitter. With such a massive network of users, it's fun the push the boundaries and see what is possible. I decided I would make myself available to anyone who wanted to interact. I had to set aside time to do this because its just not possible to answer every @ reply that comes your way. So around 2:20 pm MDT today, I decided... Continue Reading

When I went to my first Internet marketing conference I had a huge surprise. It wasn't the amount of information that I picked up sitting in the audience. And it wasn't the fascinating conversations I had sitting in the restaurants and the hotel bar in the evening. It was the fact that people knew me. Continue Reading

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

Whenever I sit down to write a book or prepare a talk, I always have one goal in mind. I want to make it easier for other people to achieve success. That's easier... not easy. I know my limitations. And I know Internet marketing. And I know that there's no such thing as a successful Internet business that was built easily. Continue Reading

The Flip Mino HD video camera is one of the coolest gadgets I have purchased in the past year. It's powerful, it's portable and it's fun. I'm going to give away one of these video cameras in a new contest I just started Want to know how you can win one? Click here for more information Continue Reading

It's a national holiday! I know, it's not on the calendar. But I am declaring a national holiday. In fact, I am calling it a GLOBAL holiday! What's the special occasion? It's Twitter Power Day! Yes, that's right. Today is dedicated to recognizing and embracing the power of Twitter to build relationships, enhance branding and grow your online business... ... and it's all FREE! Continue Reading

I had the opportunity to be a guest on the Denver Morning Show today. The show broadcasts on Channel 2 out of Englewood, CO and is anchored by Tom Green. (Not THAT Tom Green.. the other one...) The interview was to focus on my new book, Twitter Power, and I certainly had a skeptic in Mr. Green! The set was typical as you would expect of a local news program. It's always fun to watch... 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

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

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

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

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

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

It doesn't happen often. But it does happen. And when it does, I have to shake my head and wonder what some people are thinking. What am I talking about? Well, let me set the stage for you with a little anecdote. 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

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

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

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

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

You never know what web 2.0 site is going to take off like crazy. Just yesterday I found a new awards site intended to highlight the best of Twitter, called The Shorty Awards. As the site says, "The Shorty Awards honor the world's top Twitterers." I have been nominated for a Shorty Award in the #business category. If I have helped you in any way, please consider seconding the nomination for me! It's easy to... Continue Reading

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

Today's episode found Dan in a very dark mood. Our top ten list was "Signs that the Christmas Season had started". Funny stuff. We answered questions about Internet marketing and had a spontaneous visit from my lovely bride. Watch the stream below. You've got nothing better to do, right? Continue Reading

Here's a new time-waster that may be fun. The application is called Photoswap. The concept is simple. Take a photo with your iPhone and send it. Photoswap will send it to a random user who is also taking a photo. They get your photo, you get theirs. Continue Reading

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

I've been a huge fan of Amazon.com since Bezos launched the site out of his garage. When the pundits said "It'll never work", I said they were clueless. Of course it will work. I spend more money on Amazon then any other online store, as do many of you. I'm also a huge fan of my iPhone and I've used it to shop at Amazon many times. I joined Amazon Prime a couple years back... Continue Reading

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

"What's the secret to creating a successful online business?" I probably get asked that question about a million times a year. Here's the answer... But first, I should warn you. You're not going to like it... In fact, you're probably going to hate it and run off to Google to look for something else to read. But I have to give it to you straight, so here it is Continue Reading

It's an unplanned Joel Comm LIVE! featuring Internet marketing discussion, a new top ten list, and a reference to the new bacon-flavored spread. Joel's mom drops into the chat room and we talk about upcoming product launches. It's fun and games with a side helping of useful instruction. Check out this week's episode now! 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

Online publishing has all sorts of advantages. You become your own boss, you have your own schedule, you get paid to produce content and bring in users. It's all great fun... and you can do it without leaving your house or having to cope with office politics. It's those last benefits that can look so appealing and be a little dangerous too. Social networking sites have made it so easy to chat with other people... 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

I put Dan Nickerson under the gun and asked him to compose a Top Ten list ten minutes before our show today. He did it, and its pretty darned funny. On this edition of Joel Comm LIVE! we had a little bit of politics, answered questions, gave away some goodies and had fun. Ready for the replay? Watch below! Continue Reading

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

Click Here to Order continues to sell very well and is showing up in more and more stores. I'd love to hear your CHTO Sitings if you spot it in your city or town. However, thanks to my friend Michael Copeland, I've discovered a way that you can read my new book for free and get some extra bonus material along the way! How can that be? Continue Reading

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

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

Dave Taylor has one of the most popular question & answer sites on the web. His Ask Dave Taylor site welcomes thousands of visitors every day. Dave joins me for a fun session where we discuss blogging, social networking, flying monkeys, a top ten list and unexpected technical difficulties. You'll want to watch both parts to get the whole picture. Enjoy! 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

Today's show featured Jason West, my friend from the U.K. Jason has a knack for launching niche ecommerce sites and making great profits. In today's program, there is a Q&A with Jason, a new Top Ten list, some new toys, flying monkeys and more fun. Be sure to watch for the latest news about my new book, "Click Here to Order" Continue Reading

The long-awaited day has arrived. Not only is Apple releasing the brand new iPhone 3G phone, which promises to do everything but do your dishes, but they are also releasing the new iPhone 2.0 firmware which promises to bring new functionality to current iPhone hardware. I woke up early today and plugged in my iPhone to find that the 2.0 update had rolled out to my area. I told iTunes to download v2.0, backup my... Continue Reading

Life is a funny thing. Sometimes the most unexpected things take place, and often at the strangest moments! Somehow my name has gotten around and... well, someone thought I should be nominated to run for President! When you look at the two non-choices we have in this contest, I guess it's not surprising. But I didn't even know this was happening! Here's the cool thing... Continue Reading

Growing up, I did a lot of things with my older brother, Michael. He's got two years on me, so I was frequently wanting to hang out with him and his friends. We don't see each other much since he lives in Illinois, but he just came to Colorado for a visit. What do you I do with my guests when they come to town? Invite them to join me on my show, of course! Continue Reading

Have you ever wondered what people did BEFORE they become Internet marketers? It's pretty cool to see that the greatest success stories are people just like you and me. I will tell you this about me. I used to be a DJ. Yup, I worked in the nightclubs to begin with, but then the entrepreneur in me discovered that there was more money to be made in playing music at private events. So I started... 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

Around noon on May 22, 2008, I was at Denver International Airport waiting for a plane to Dallas. My phone rang and it was my daughter calling from her school to tell me that Loveland and northern Colorado was under a tornado warning. Apparantly a tornado had been spotted and they had the students go to the safest place in the building. A tornado? On the front range? I spent 21 years of my life... Continue Reading

I came into the world without a goatee and mustache. Surprise, surprise. But sometime after I got married, I decided to give the goatee and mustache a try. It must have been around 1992, I believe. As it turned out, my wife really liked it. So I decided to keep it, rarely shaving it off over the years only to grow it back again. But times have changed... Continue Reading

When Mike Filsaime visited last week, he suggested that I get a the DVD documentary, "The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters". It is the story of a the men who are completely dedicated to owning the world record for the highest score in the videogame, Donkey Kong. Yes, you heard me correctly. There are people who obsess about having the high score for a videogame. After all, there is an entry in the... 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

He is known as America's Personal Trainer... He is world famous for his late-night infomercials... He has sold over $3 BILLION dollars in products... His name is Tony Little, and he was my special guest on Joel Comm LIVE! Check out this fun replay of my time with Tony. :-) Continue Reading

I recently posed the riddle on Twitter, "How many Internet marketers does it take to screw in a lightbulb?" I think pasoderholm and FunDivaCristy tie for the best reply. What do you think? Do you have a funny answer to this riddle? Continue Reading

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

Episode 2 of Joel Comm LIVE was an extra-long episode that went over one and one-half hours. Dan and I ordered in lunch and I pretty much made a pig of myself choking down a chicken wrap and french fries. We answer tons of questions from viewers and enjoyed up to 150 people streaming the video at one time. There were three giveaways and we put some advertisers URLs on the whiteboard. All in all... Continue Reading

Just got a fun email from the Google AdSense team. They have printed up a batch of AdSense stickers and are offering them for free. All you need to do is send a self-addressed stamped envelope to them and they will drop a sticker or two in it for you. AdSense has been good to me, so I'll probably find a good place to put my sticker. Would it be sacrilege to deface my Macbook... Continue Reading

There's a fun game people like to play that goes like this. Take any sentence or phrase and add the words "in bed" as a suffix to make it funnier. For example, "John ate a steak... in bed" or "Jill picked out the latest hat to wear... in bed" It's especially fun with fortune cookies, where the game has become part of our pop culture. For example, "You have very good skills and exceptional talents... Continue Reading

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

Do you ever go to Google to search for your name? A search for David results in 719,000,000 web pages. Zoiks! A search for Brenda presents 31,500,000 results. And search for Fred will get you 120,000,000 results, including a stock chart for Fred's, Inc, whoever that is. Last year, I Googled my name to see where I came up in the results. Continue Reading

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

World of Warcraft has now occupied a part of my life for three years. No, I am not one of those people that plays hours each day, let alone every day. But I do enjoy the game and am eagerly anticipating the next expansion set titled "Wrath of the Lich King". Apparantly I am not alone. There are now over 9,000,000 people around the world who play World of Warcraft. Continue Reading

I recently won a Mac Mini in Marlon Sander's affiliate contest and wanted to show him how I was putting it to use. So I made this video and then decided it would be fun to share it with everyone. I'd like to say thank you to Marlon for the Mac Mini, and recommend that folks check out his InfoProduct Dashboard tool for making information products quick and easy. Enjoy the video... Continue Reading

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

The Benson Sculpture Garden is one of Loveland's most unique attractions. Placed in a beautiful outdoor settings with trees, ponds and bridges, this garden contains over 110 original sculptures from a number of artists. On nice days (which are frequent), you will find people strolling through the park, walking their dog, holding hands or interacting with some of the more interesting pieces. Continue Reading

"Get Google Pay-Per-Click Ads for Free" was the title on the report that promised an amazing way to advertise on Google AdWords without having clicks ding your wallet. This ebook was #1 on Clickbank's Marketing & Ads category, so curiousity got the best of me and I paid $97 to see what it was all about. Want my honest assessment? Read on... 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 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'm at Will Rogers airport in Oklahoma City, getting ready to make the trek home to Colorado after a week of visiting with family and friends. I've had some time to reflect on the year and would like to take a stroll down memory lane. The year started with a crazy idea. I knew that others had dabbled with the idea of doing an Internet reality show, but no one had really taken the concept... Continue Reading

I'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

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

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

Do REAL people make money online? Well, I consider myself real people! Let's face it, before I became known for my AdSense ebook, I was just another anonymous Internet entrepreneur. It's true! Now my success story may seem out of reach... ... but it's not. No way. If I can do it, ANYONE can do it. Trust me. I know myself and am still amazed that people consider me an Internet "celebrity." Continue Reading

If you aren't doing video.. ... do I really need to finish this statement? Ok, I will. If you aren't doing video, you are missing out on one of simplest and sure-fire opportunties to promote your website, business, yourself and your services. Missing out. Those who keep an eye on hot trends know that video is it! This is why I want to you to RUN, don't walk, to the site I am going to... Continue Reading

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

I use Google Alerts to let me know when someone is writing about me or one of my web sites. It's a great way to keep tabs on you or your brand. Anyhow, I got an alert today and discovered that one of my AdSenseChat.com members had written a blog entry about me. It's always interesting to see what other people think. It's actually pretty amazing to hear another perspective, especially from people who don't... 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

There's no doubt that Google is challenging Microsoft's dominance of the desktop. Search, office applications, email... the list goes on. But here's a surprise that was discovered as an easter egg hidden in Google Earth... ... The Google Earth Flight Simulator Continue Reading

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

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

Put a Google search box on your website and you'll give yourself an opportunity to pick up some extra revenue. You'll also give your site a bit of extra functionality by letting users search your old posts. But you'll also be granting yourself a golden opportunity to create some joint ventures that could land you some finely targeted traffic. When you generate the code for the search box, you'll be asked if you want to... Continue Reading

There are lots of things to enjoy as an online publisher. There's the thrill of creating content. The pleasure of meeting friends at conferences. The sheer freedom of being your own boss and setting your own schedule. And then there's publicity. That's a whole other world of fun. Not every online publisher uses publicity to drive traffic to their website. Some think it's a bit like a lottery. You'll send out hundreds of press releases... Continue Reading

I keep saying that anyone can make money out of an AdSense site. I still think that's true. Anyone can find something to write about that will interest other people and bring them in to click on ads. Everyone has a job, a favorite activity, a hobby, a pastime or some other interest that they can write a few hundred words about several times each week. And yet, so many people choose to write about... Continue Reading

Bada-bing bada-boom. You know what I'm sayin'? Yeah, probably not. But it seems like everyone is talking like a New York mafia thug in all the emails I have been receiving about The Site Stealer. It's all in good fun, of course... ... but it's fun with a purpose. Continue Reading

I've Got Three Little Words To Say To You... No, not those words (although I'm sure you're very nice). I mean these three little words... Just do it. I know, Nike got there first. But they were right. You get nothing by doing nothing. Back when I started out on the Web, becoming an online publisher meant buying a book about HTML the size of the Yellow Pages. It meant spending half a year reading... Continue Reading

Recently, I told you that I was pulling out of the Bookwise program. It looked like a good opportunity -- it still does look like a good opportunity -- but when they objected to the domain name I was using to profit from it, I decided to leave. One door closes... and another one opens. I've been playing around with AuctionAds, and I have to say, I've been very impressed. AuctionAds lets you put eBay... Continue Reading

Running your own business and making money online is fun. But if you don't stop to enjoy the blessings that come from having financial freedom... well, what's the point? I've spent the better part of this year setting up shop in Colorado, creating new materials to help you make money, traveling and speaking at seminars, and preparing to shoot the world's first Internet marketing reality show. Let's face. I've been busy! And now I am... Continue Reading

How long is a piece of string? No one would ever ask such a stupid question, would they? Well, I get asked some pretty silly questions sometimes. Like "How long will it take before I become a successful online publisher?" There's no one answer to that. Not just because it depends on the number of hours you work each day, the quality of your content and your skill at generating traffic. But also because it... 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

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

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

Now that I am settled in to my new office in Colorado, I thought it would be fun to show you our new space and to introduce you to my staff. Yes, it is Joel unscripted and unplugged. Watch for a special appearance by the cows, and see if you can count how many times I give the "thumbs-up" sign. It's not exactly Masterpiece Theatre, so keep your expectations low. ;-) Continue Reading

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

Work in any industry long enough, and you'll find that there's a knack to it. Get that right and it doesn't matter what else you do, you'll always make money. For retailers, the rule is to treat the customer as king. For racing drivers, speed is king. For Internet publishers, content is king. And for Squidoo publishers? Well, that's a little different. I've been having a lot of fun with my Squidoo lens recently. I've... 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

I recently received an email from a reader. May I share it with you? "Joel, I appreciate your newsletters and great tips. Out of all the so-called gurus, I feel like you deliver more real value in your email than anyone else. But I am feeling very confused about all the different ways you discuss to make money. You tell us about a new software tool that is the supposed answer to our problems, but... Continue Reading

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

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

I treat my online businesses pretty seriously. I have to. They feed and house my family and that's a pretty serious business. But sometimes I wonder if I'm not missing something. Just surf at random around the blogs at Blogger.com and you'll come across a bunch of sites that have been put up for no other reason than to make the people who write them smile. They might make the half-dozen or so regular readers... Continue Reading

Ever since Google changed its Terms Of Service to allow other contextualized ad systems on the same pages as AdSense, I've been busy taking another look at its competitors. And what I've found was that Kontera has been pretty busy. Kontera has created an ad system that turns keywords on a Web page into double-underlined links. When users mouse over those links, they get a floating tool box containing an ad. It's unobtrusive and looks... 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

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

So when was the last time you checked AdSense's TOS? I know, I know, it's all small print. It's boring. It doesn't change very often. And when it does change, the changes don't mean anything. Right, right, right... and wrong. Very, very wrong. The Terms of Service of any program, especially contextual ad programs, might be about as fun to read as the ingredients list on a TV dinner but they're important. They're important to... Continue Reading

I love checking my server stats. It always turns up a ton of great information. Sure, I can see how much traffic I’ve received, where my users are in the world and, more importantly, how they reached my site -- and all of that information is hugely valuable. But mixed into all that data is often a bunch of details that just have me scratching my head. Like the search terms that have brought people... Continue Reading

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

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

As an AdSense publisher, one day can be much like another. Each day, you update your content, check your stats and make sure that your traffic is flowing freely. With users coming, clicking and giving you income all day every day, it can be very easy to forget which day, week or even season it is. That’s a waste of an opportunity. It’s also not true that Internet time is separate from real time. You... Continue Reading

If you read yesterday's entry, you'll see that we had a heck of a time getting home from Chicago to OKC. Our flight was cancelled and we ended up rescheduled for an 8:55pm departure. Of course, the flight didn't leave until closer to 9:30 pm. And then we sat parked outside the gate in OKC for 30 minutes waiting for the plane at the gate to leave. All told, it was twelve hours from door... Continue Reading

I am blogging from Chicago O'Hare International Airport, where I am my family are awaiting an 8:55 pm departure to Oklahoma City. We've been here since 1 pm and our first flight was cancelled. With bad weather in Chicago and OKC, I'm not sure we're going to make it home tonight at all. Such is life, right? So I thought I'd make the best use of my time and write for a bit. In particular... 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

Alright, we are now headlong into the holiday season, and I wonder... Would it be ok with you if I follow a rabbit trail today? I just want to get something off my chest. It may just end up being instructive, but right now I just need to... um... well... er... rant? Yes, that's it. I need to rant. So, if you aren't interested in my little hissy fit, go ahead and delete this email... Continue Reading

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

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

One of the most frequent comments I got during the launch of Instant AdSense Templates was how good the copy on the page was. Tons of people told me that the offer was just irresistable and that the copy sizzled! Some of the best Internet marketers have learned what they know about writing copy from Dan Kennedy and Bill Glazer. Continue Reading

My friend Dr.Mani is a heart surgeon who innovatively uses online marketing to help kids born with heart defects. On Saturday Sep.9th, in a very special event called the Heart Kids Blogathon, he is blogging non-stop for 24 hours to raise funds for the 'heart kids'. The fundraiser is off with a bang, with over $3,700 donated already. Every $2,500 raised means an additional operation can be funded - so please try and help, in... Continue Reading

One of the fastest ways to get started with a web site is to create a blog. Absolutely anyone can get started with blogging in less than FIVE minutes by setting up a free blog at Blogger.com. Yes, it's free. Once you get the blog set up, follow their simple instructions for creating your blog content. And then, the real fun starts... 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

Alright, it's time for some fun and games. Are you familiar with the abundance of "tycoon" games on the market? You know the ones... Lemonade Tycoon Sim City Mall Tycoon Rollercoaster Tycoon etc... I thought it would be fun to put together an online game focused on making money with AdSense, and I'm pleased to invite you to come and try out The AdSense Game now! Be sure to follow the instructions so you can... Continue Reading

This is a very creative and fun diversion for those who have nothing better to do than to play Solitaire in between tasks. The creator used maps from Google and implemented a graphic of an airplane that you can fly above the map. Click the link below to check it out and select your flight destination! Goggles 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

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

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

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

So, I am at this conference in Orlando and Paulie Sabol says, "Joel, you have the most recognizable face on the Internet". He is referring to the fact that my face appears as an avatar on Yahoo! Games. Recognize this guy? I'm pretty amused at the thought. I know that Brad Fallon is the coolest guy in the world (go ahead, Google the term "coolest guy in the world", but I hadn't heard of anyone... Continue Reading

Chris Bliss has rocked the online world with one of the coolest videos I've ever seen. If you are a fun of the Beatles or juggling (huh?), you will really appreciate this four-minute video that can be found on Google video. Click here for the Amazing Juggling Finale featuring Chris Bliss. You will say "cool" Continue Reading

I love to play games with my family. Board games, card games, party games. We like them all. Sure, sometimes we have a hard time agreeing on what to play. But once we get going we usually have a fun time. We are always on the lookout for new games to play. And with so many choices, how do you know which games will give the biggest bang for the buck? Continue Reading

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

I like the food at The Cracker Barrel. It's usually pretty good, whether we go there for breakfast or dinner. They have done a great job of positioning themselves as the "Old Country Store", a combination restaurant/retail shop, where every store is positioned on a major U.S. interstate. And every store looks virtually the same. 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'm coming to you live from Yanik Silver's Underground Seminar in Washington, D.C. I'm sitting in my hotel room with Tim Carter and Christopher Knight. We've just enjoyed a long meal at a fancy-schmancy restaurant a few blocks from the JW Marriott. And, of course, we've all got our laptops jacked in as we catch up with our email and discuss ways to capture more doubloons! But I have another reason for blogging tonight... Today... Continue Reading

It probably isn't easy to get a job with Google. But Tom Vendetta was determined to secure a position with the search engine giant. According to a press release sent out via I-Newswire, this 15-year old boy was hired by Google, and his salary would be placed in a savings account for his future education. Kudos to Tom! Oh, I may have failed to mention this... Continue Reading

I am extremely impressed with the folks at TextPayMe.com. Not only is their "send funds by cell phone" service ultra-cool, but they have made good on their free Xbox 360 offer in record time! Continue Reading

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

I can't remember the last time I had so much fun playing guitar. No, I'm not talking about my Yamaha Strat knock-off or my Ibanez steel string. I'm talking about a plastic guitar with no strings and five frets. Huh? Continue Reading

Yesterday I wrote about TextPayMe and their free service that allows you to send and receive funds from any cellphone. It's like PayPal, only more 21st century. I also mentioned that they have a cool referral program. Simply get 36 other people to sign up with their service and they will give you a FREE XBox 306. The people who sign up get paid $5 just for signing up as well. This morning I received... Continue Reading

You've undoubtedly seen offers for free XBox 360's all over the web. Most of them make you jump through all kinds of hoops in order to get the goods. I just found an offer that anyone can take advantage of and win a free XBox 360! Seriously, read on... 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

Gadgets. I love gadgets. They're just so much fun! And Gizmodo is the place to read about the latest gadgets and gizmos. 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

I am at an undisclosed location with an undisclosed group of people conducting classified business. It's the "secret seminar." I could tell you more, but you you would have to eat this blog entry afterwards. And I'd really like to see you try to get your mouth around your computer monitor... especially those of you with widescreen monitors. That would be funny. 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

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

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

Yesterday morning, M told me she didn't feel well. Around 11 am, I realized that I didn't feel too good either. By 12 noon I left the office and wasn't sure if I was going to make it home without getting sick. Continue Reading

I am sitting in Chicago O'Hare airport reflecting on this past weekend. Yes, I am taking the long way home from North Carolina, but you do what you gotta do. Anyhow... 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

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

One of my best friends in the whole world is Mark Jones. I met Mark and his wife Rebecca when attending Trtinity Bible Church in Richardson, Texas. Mark was the worship pastor and we just gravitated towards each other. He and his family are the definition of kind and trustworthy. I love him like a brother and would do absolutely anything for him. *Though he did NOT ask me to do this...) 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

I will never forget the thrill of seeing my first video game. Pong opened the doorway to electronic gaming bliss and most in my generation have never looked back. I remember when Space Invaders and Asteroids came out, displacing the pinball machine as the game du jour. I remember begging my father for a Fairchild video game system, the predecessor to the Atari 2600. I remember playing games on my TRS-80 and being absolutely floored... Continue Reading

Yesterday, I received a press release announcing a new book that my readers might find of interest. The book is called "Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed" by Katharine DeBrecht. Being a solid conservative, I got a laugh out of the title and had to read on to find out what the book is all about. Since I haven't read the book myself yet (but have ordered it), I will just post this... Continue Reading

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

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

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

Whether you love Wal-Mart or hate them, there is no doubt that their rise has been at the expense of many smaller retailers. In order for comedy to work, there has to be at least a grain of truth in the humor. Check out this hilarious flash animated movie of Mom and Pop Vs. Wal-Mart. It has more than its share of truth in it. By the way, it's not for the kiddies. Continue Reading

A friend sent me this video clip today, claiming it was the funniest clip ever. It's just 24 seconds, and as I watched it, I couldn't imagine why he thought it was so funny. The last line is worth the whole set up. Enjoy! Click here to view Continue Reading

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

Each of us has an artist within. Whether you are classically trained or barely able to draw a stick person, both young and old enjoy creating something from nothing. Art.com has a fun tool that allows you to create your own work of art on the web. The Artpad is a simple flash program that allows your inner Picasso to come forth. Check out My Masterpiece. Once you are done marveling at my work, click... Continue Reading

If I had been drinking coffee or milk, it would have come out my nose when I saw this story. Yesterday, the news reported that President Bush is the most physically fit President in history. He exercises six days/week and eats well. In the response to this, The Democratic National Committee has issued a press release saying "Bush Should Stop Playing Games with Physical Fitness". They accuse the President of cutting funding to schools for... Continue Reading

It's been a long day. We just got back from Westcliffe, Colorado, where my family and I have spent an extremely refreshing week at family camp. Take beautiful surroundings (the Rocky Mountains), wonderful people, an incredible staff, fun activities and spiritual nourishment... mix them all together... and that sums up the week. Well, I WAS feeling refreshed. Then I came back to tons of email, a desk loaded down with to-dos and the plain-ness of... 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

Do you like word search puzzles? I've just launched a new site where you can find and print word seach puzzles or make you own to share with the world. The site is called Word Search Fun. I invite you to help build the site by creating a word search that you think others would enjoy. Continue Reading

I've been in a Las Vegas this week, participating in Affiliate Summit, a conference for Internet merchants and their affiliates. I dragged a couple friends along with me and we're having a great time. Monday night we went to see Blue Man Group at the Luxor Hotel (the big pyramid...) What a fun evening! Continue Reading

The organic trade association has produced a very funny Star Wars spoof. See Cuke fend off the evil Dark Tater as the organic foods seek to take control from the evil stores who sell nothing but processed and chemically treated foods. Funny stuff! Store Wars Continue Reading

Ever since I took part in my first MMORPG (massive multiplayer online gaming) I have thought it would be fun to blog my experiences, starting as a newbie and continuing for as long as I played the game. Today, I purchased The Matrix Online, the game that promises to continue the story of the Matrix in an ever-unfolding interactive storyline. As a fan of The Matrix mythology, I think this will make for an interesting... Continue Reading

Silly fun. That's my two word review of the new animated film from Dreamworks Entertainment, Madagascar. A light-hearted story about some Central Park Zoo animals that wind up in the title country, Madagascar is an enjoyable way to waste 90 minutes, especially if you are in a theater of kids who make laughing at the silly gags even more enjoyable. As a children's movie, Madagascar succeeds with it's colorful animations and goofy characters. Dreamworks tossed... Continue Reading

One of these days, I'm going to have to write a book on my Internet experiences. WorldVillage.com turns TEN this July (2005) and I have ridden more ups and downs than a rollercoaster at Coney Island. Seriously, I have watched my revenue go sky high and sink to the depths of the earth repeatedly over the past ten years. Just when I think I've got things figured out... WHAM! I can't complain because the ride... Continue Reading

Sick and tired of going to web sites and seeing nothing but content? Don't you hate when you are looking for ads and an article gets in the way? Do you long for flashing banners that throw you into epileptic fits but are constantly distracted by news and weather on a web page? Finally, there is a solution! Google Content Blocker will fix your web browsing experience so that no more annoying content haunts your... Continue Reading

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

I have been in Atlanta, Georgia since Monday, attending an Internet conference. On Monday, I played golf with some of the guys, if you can call it "playing golf". I really stink at the game, but I had fun. The rest of the week I've been attending workshops and hanging out with some very cool and interesting people. Tomorrow I head back home. Anyhow, today is my birthday and I have been receiving phone calls... Continue Reading

As a Christian, I occasionally struggle with the truths of the faith. It is normal and healthy to wrestle with God, continuing to seek Him and coming to know Him better. A recent conversation with my good friend Ken led him to recommend a book to me. The title is Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. Continue Reading

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

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

In 1996, Eidos Interactive came out of nowhere with a game that has become one of my all-time Top 10 computer games. (Maybe I'll do a top 10 series if I ever finish my 15 Best Movies of All Time) Continue Reading

People are truly amazing. Sam Kimery of Seattle has created a little device that screws into the back of your TV set. It's purpose? To block Fox News from appearing. Seriously. He's a disgruntled Republican and felt the need to make a statement. Of course, he doesn't even use it on his TV. The funniest part is that 100 idiots have actually purchased one of these devices. Psst. I have FREE advice for you people... Continue Reading

We have just returned from Spring Break vacation with the kids. It's good to be home! We spent the week in Ruidoso, New Mexico, a quaint village in the southern Rocky Mountains. Near the base of Sierra Blanca (elev 12003), Ruidoso is a blend of old west charm, mountain wilderness and desert atmosphere. Known for being the stomping grounds of Billy the Kid, Ruidoso is also home to the Mescalero Apache Indians (who operate the... Continue Reading

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

This year, WorldVillage.com turns ten years old. Yup, that's TEN big ones. An eternity in Internet years. For all that time, I have been giving of myself to millions of visitors. Giving, giving, always giving. And what do I get? Email complaining about this feature. Posts whining about that web page. Blah blah blah. (Oh, I get paid a few dollars for advertising, but does that count?) Now people can really show their appreciation for... Continue Reading

I had a nightmare of a day yesterday, mostly due to problems with one of my web servers. The computer kept slowing down to a crawl and then locking up so that no one could access any of my pages. I had two techies look at the site and it wasn't until this morning that my webmaster solved the problem. As it turned out, a feature of the site was no longer functioning properly. When... Continue Reading

Are you a teacher or a webmaster? Do you have your own personal web site? Did you know that you can add a variety of fun games to your pages? It's a great way to build content and invite others to visit your web site. Barb Feldman has written a fabulous eBook called "How to Add Games to Your Web Site". It contains a boatload of fabulous tips and specific steps to take in... Continue Reading

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

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

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

Say it isn't so! Imagine this if you will. Hillary Clinton's campaign finance director, David Rosen, did a big no-no. The indictment of David Rosen, unsealed in Los Angeles, focuses on his fund-raising for an Aug. 12, 2000, gala for Clinton in Los Angeles. The New York Democrat was still first lady at the time. While the event allegedly cost more than $1.2 million, the indictment said, Rosen reported contributions of about $400,000, knowing the... Continue Reading

I have too much stuff. CDs, DVDs, computer software, books, tchotkes, Tupperware, you name it. What's a fella to do? Give it away! Starting Monday, I will be giving away my stuff to one lucky winner each day. Bizarre? Odd? Fun? Perhaps all of the above. Visit my newest creation today and read all about it! Win My Stuff Continue Reading

I received a pleasant surprise on my doorstep yesterday, arriving via DHL. I love getting goodies at Christmas. This particular package was a gadget from Google. It is a very hip retro radio light with cycling luminescent colors. I don't really care about the AM/FM radio function, the light is pretty cool. Thanks Google! Continue Reading

Look out folks, another anti-arthritis drug has been linked to cardiovascular problems. Pfizer says a new study found an increased risk of heart problems with the painkiller Celebrex. Last month, Vioxx was withdrawn from the market. You know what this means, doncha? Unleash the ambulence chasers! The sue-happy attorneys now have more red meat with which to deepen their pockets and chase the price of medical care and drugs higher and higher. Essentially, the study... Continue Reading

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

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

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

It is political correctness and anti-God behavior gone nuts. From the Reuters news wire... LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A California teacher has been barred by his school from giving students documents from American history that refer to God -- including the Declaration of Independence. Steven Williams, a fifth-grade teacher at Stevens Creek School in the San Francisco Bay area suburb of Cupertino, sued for discrimination on Monday, claiming he had been singled out for censorship... Continue Reading

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

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

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

By now, everyone and their dog has seen the hilarious Election 2004 political parody at JibJab.com. Their "This Land is Your Land" parody of Bush and Kerry, et al, stormed the Internet and skyrocketed their web site to instant fame. JibJab has since come out with another parody, "Good to Be in D.C.", another must see. But the funniest parody of all is found at LOL Fun. The name of the parody is Political Bohemian... Continue Reading

For the majority of my life, Heinz ketchup has been a staple in my diet. It's good on hamburgers, hotdogs and french fries. But ever since discovering that Heinz ketchup is owned in part by the wife of Senator John F. Kerry, Heinz Ketchup has left a bad aftertaste in my mouth. I don't support Democrats. Why should my ketchup? Or so ask the creative folks at W Ketchup. What you have here is little... Continue Reading

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

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

Systematically deconstructing the lies of the Kerry campaign is a full time hobby for the people at CrushKerry.com. Scooping the media on the latest flip-flops, switcharoos and mainstream media hoo ha, this site is not only important, but loads of fun. We are on the verge of voting in the most important Presidential election of my lifetime (40 years old here...), and our nation can not, MUST not, elect John Kerry. On the upside, with... Continue Reading

A few years ago I purchased a site called Funstarters.com. It is nothing more than fun pages with entertaining, sentimental and humorous sayings, highlighted with images, animations and music. Tonight, I finally got around to putting it together and getting all the pages online. It's good clean fun! Click here! Continue Reading

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

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

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

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

Admit it. You've always wanted to create your own personal G.I. Joe doll. Herobuilders is offering the world's first on-demand custom action hero tool. Visit the site and you can customize your action hero's eyes, hair, clothing, abd accessories for a small fee. You can even get a matching t-shirt for YOU to wear! It's great fun. If you use coupon code WV-1 when you checkout, they'll give you 5% off your order. 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

A few years back, I purchased a Pioneer DVD recorder for my home PC. I enjoyed burning a handful of videos onto disc (home movies), but I haven't really gotten much use from the unit. Incompatibility problems, buggy drivers and other obstacles have made it a bit less attractive then when I first purchased it. I've had my eyes on a DVD recorder for my home theater ever since that time, pining for the day... Continue Reading

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

Several years ago, I remember going to the theatre with Mary to see a Martin Short film called Clifford. It took us about 15 minutes to walk out of the theatre and request a refund, something I had never done before or since. It was THAT bad. We just got done watching a movie that makes Clifford look like Shakespeare. Over the years, Christian film-makers have lagged behind secular filmmakers for lack of creative scripts... Continue Reading

The Emmy Award-Winning "Amazing Race" has not been victorious in the ratings race. In fact, there was a question of whether or not CBS would bring it back for another season. I am thrilled to announce that they have indeed renewed the show and the premiere of Season 5 is to take place on July 6th. My Tivo will be capturing every moment. Eleven teams of two, bound by some sort of relationship (father/son, best... Continue Reading

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

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

A few months back, I heard about a new gadget that was due to come out this spring. It is called the Virtual Keyboard, and it is made by a company called IBiz Technologies. The virtual keyboard (VKB) for your PDA uses laser and infrared technology to projects a full-size keyboard onto any flat surface. As you type on the laser projection, it analyzes what you're typing by the coordinates of that location. Unlike the... Continue Reading

Why? Because I care about you! Todays News - updated throughout the day - headlines and categories Internet Filtering Software - to protect your family online Fun Pages Mesothelioma - resource for those who know what it is or want to know what it is Tupperware - It's all about the "burp" Continue Reading

I am one proud papa tonight. Zachary has been taking piano lessons since he was five years old. It took him a while to get going, but he has steadily improved over the years. Like his mom and dad, he has a natural love for music. This past year, I have noticed a marked difference in his playing. I am very impressed with the skill he has developed since turning twelve! Tonight was his piano... Continue Reading

The conference in Reno is going great. What a fantastic opportunity to face-to-face with so many of the people whom I have had the opportunity to work with online. Back in a 1996, I had the privilage of being interviewed for the now-defunct Boardwatch Magazine by the infamous Bob Rankin, a tech guru from the dark ages of the online world. Dr. Bob, as he is known online, is the originator of the Internet Tourbus... Continue Reading

It's fun to be right. It really is. Last month, I predicted the early demise of Air America, the liberal radio network featuring the very unfunny Al Franken. This story appeared on Drudge Report today. After just two weeks on the air, Air America Radio, the fledgling liberal talk-radio network featuring Al Franken and Janeane Garofalo, appears to have encountered serious cash-flow problems. The CHICAGO TRIBUNE is developing a story, insiders tell DRUDGE, on how... Continue Reading

Admittedly, my tastes run a bit eccentric. I don't enjoy odd films just because they are odd. Maybe I am odd. Anyhow, I ran across a documentary that I just had to have. It promised thrills, excitement and all the fun that is inherent in a National Spelling Bee contest. For real! Spellbound is a fascinating and fun film that follows eight children in their quest to become National Spelling Bee Champion. The eight children... Continue Reading

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

For your entertainment pleasure, I present five fun sites to liven up your surfing experience... Chicken Shoot - a barnyard blast! Home of the Underdogs - Download old computer games Just Adventure - a dying genre of computer games Yahoo! Games - Look for my face as an avatar in the table games Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - play the original Douglas Adams/Infocom text adventure online Continue Reading

Want to do a good deed? Here's an opportunity to help someone in need with one click. Coty-Girl is a dog that was featured on 11Alive News in Atlanta, GA. Coty-Girl has been diagnosed with Cushing's Disease and she requires a very expensive diet. Her owner is strapped for cash but knows that Coty-Girl needs the food. Prescription Diet is currently running a contest for a one-year FREE supply of food for the winner. Coty-Girl... Continue Reading

I am WAY overdue on this entry in my 15 Best Movies Ever series. Sorry about that, but I wanted to watch the film again before writing about it and recently got around to it. I know, I know. You were checking my blog every other minute just hoping the review was forthcoming. Wait no longer! #9 is a love-it or hate-it film by Monty Python alumnus Terry Gilliam. The only American in the troop... Continue Reading

Today is my sweetie's Birthday. Mary is loving, intelligent, creative, witty, beautiful, fun and as godly a woman as I could ever ask for. She is an incredible blessing in my life, a great mother to our kids, and I love her with all my heart. Happy birthday, Sweetie! Check out Mary's blog! Continue Reading

A few days ago, I posted a humorous photo of two penguins and asked people to submit a humorous caption to go with the photo. It has been one of the more popular entries on my blog, so I decided to do a spin-off and launch a photo caption site! Check out Caption-This.com, where you can enter a humorous caption for a different photo each day. There is also a referral feature built in so... Continue Reading

Some recommended links if you have nothing better to do: Top Grossing Movies of All Time - as of this writing, The Passion of Christ is at #23 A Tasty Snack Food TV Game Show fun The Word Spy - just what IS a metrosexual anyhow? "Use the Force, Luke" 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

Need something mindless to do? Check out these links. A very good cookie The funniest sitcom on TV Mary's favorite tea My previous life Still bald after all these years Continue Reading

I've been dabbling with the domain name industry recently. Back in the Internet boom, people were buying up domain names and reselling them for a bucketload of cash. After the bubble burst, domains weren't worth what they used to be. However, they are coming back with a vengeance. A few weeks back, some guy sold "mens.com" for over a million bucks. That links takes you to a story. I don't recommend going to men.com though... Continue Reading

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

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

Doing some surfing just for fun? Check out these links: Urban Legends Reference Page - Check here to see if that email virus is a scam Yorkiephiles - A celebration of the world's cutest pooch Babel Fish - Que pensez-vous à ceci ? Doom Buggies - An Unofficial Tribute to Disneyworld's Haunted Mansion TheFroce.Net - More Star Wars info than you can shake a light sabre at Continue Reading

I have been wanting to get my hands on a PDA/phone that would allow me to have wireless access to the web and email. The technology is finally at a level where the download speed is tolerable, so I have been shopping around for a unit. Today, I took a leap of faith and purchased a T-Mobile Sidekick. T-Mobile allows you to try out their products for 14 days. If I am not happy, I... Continue Reading

A few interesting links for casual viewing... Spongebob Arena - All things spongy, yellow and funny GoldNCrackle Bread - A surprisingly tasty treat! The Amazing Send Me a Dollar Web Site - You can look, but don't touch. If you want to send someone money, it should be me. The Fawlty Towers Multimedia Page - the funniest British comedy... ever. The Movie Spoiler - why pay when you can read the whole story line here? Continue Reading

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

I have been a computer gamer ever since I encountered Space Invaders on my TRS-80 (that REALLY dates me) about 25 years ago. Dozens of computer games are published every year, but only a handful of those I try actually keep my attention for the duration of the game. The last game to do so we Star Wars Galaxies (which has since lost my attention and I am cancelling my account). I had a great... Continue Reading

Here's some great links to make your weekend more meaningful ;-) DVDFile.com - the best place on the web for all things DVD HomeStarRunner.com - funny and on the edge - great stuff for wasting time Ira Goldklang's TRS-80 Revived Pages - my very first computer immortalized on this fan page. I owned a Model I with 4K of RAM. Sweet. Lateral Thing Puzzles - In the middle of the ocean is a yacht. Several... Continue Reading

Fred Langa is a staple on the web. The guy has been writing technology articles since dirt was new... well, for a long time anyhow. In fact, he used to write for the now-defunct NetGuide Magazine and featured WorldVillage.com as one of the web's best Family friendly site. Fred's mailing list, the Langa List, is a weekly digest featuring useful info and links for a general audience (that's you!). I highly recommend signing up to... 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

Tomorrow, I begin a series titled "The Best Movies of All Time". First of all, you should know that I am only counting movies that are presently in my DVD library (600+ titles), so some movies are not even getting a chance at this honor. However, since the majority of films have been released on DVD, and there are very few that I am looking forward to being published, I believe this list to be... Continue Reading

We checked out of the Red Roof Inn around 9:30 or so and drove a few miles to Paramount's King's Dominion Theme Park in Doswell, Virginia. I purchased tickets online last night to save a few bucks. We checked Socrates into the kennel at the park and went on our way. Our first stop was the Spongebob Squarepants 3-D attraction. It was a standard theater/simulator ride with 3-D effects. The ride was very jerky, but... 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

We left Philadelphia early this morning and jumped on the highway towards Hershey, Pennsylvania. The kids have been looking forward to our visit to Chocolate World for the whole trip, so the anticipation had been building. Hershey's Chocolate World was just plain fun. Pulling into the parking lot gives you the feeling of, "Uh oh, there goes the diet!" The first thing we did was check out the free Chocolate Tour Ride, a Disney-style track... 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

The room at the Red Roof is great, but we have the world's worst Internet connection. It doesn't matter if I use AOL or MSN, and it doesn't matter which number I dial. The phone lines here STINK! The absolute worst I can ever imagine. Ok, done ranting. Today we went to Plymouth, the site where the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620. It was a one hour drive through Boston and into Cape... 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

Finding a church to worship at while out of town is always a challenge. You just never know what you are going to get. As it turned out, I opened the yellow pages, placed a call to a church, asked a couple questions and decided that I had found a place. Redeemer Bible Church is a medium-sized church about five miles from the falls, just off the highway. The church placesa high emphasis on music... 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

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

This is one of the funnest sites I have seen in a long time! Ping-a-Pal is a free greeting card site that allows you to select from existing animations and design a custom greeting card on the fly! You can then send your card to anyone with an email address. It's loads of fun, so go try it! 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

Yes, it's true. I sell Tupperware and I'm not ashamed! There are plenty of men who sell Tupperware. Stop snickering. Buy some now. Actually, I don't have to do much of anything. I signed up as a rep you NEED Tupperware and I pay a very sweet lady to update my site, PlasticBargains.com. I sell a fair amount through this site spend all your money, and I end up winning Tupperware prizes. Mary has... Continue Reading

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

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

This one should prove to be lots of fun! See if you can manipulate the Great Manipulator into as many hilarious contortions as possible! Simply click a point on the photo and drag away. More fun than sliced bread. (Sorry, you need a Java-capable browser to view AlexWarp.) AlexWarp applet by Alex Rosen - http://www.axlrosen.net/ Continue Reading

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

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

We got a late start this morning, but isn't that what vacationing is all about? Jenna is so excited about going horseback riding, so we walked to the stable and made a reservation for tomorrow at 10:30 am. She will be riding a black and white horse named Questa. Every time we passed the stable today, she pointed out Questa to all of us. Took a photo of Jenna out front of the lodge. For... Continue Reading

Here's a cool little applet I found. Click somewhere on my face and then drag to another location. You can make me look pretty darned funky. If it doesn't work on your machine, blame Microsoft. AlexWarp applet by Alex Rosen - http://www.axlrosen.net/ Continue Reading

I've been having a great time with Star Wars Galaxies. What a fun and addictive game. Here are the latest screen shots I have captured while exploring the galaxy. I took a few of me hanging out after a long night's hunt, as well as some HUGE creatures I encountered on Talus while doing missions with Vaba. Continue Reading

Check out this little applet written by Eric Harshbarger. Simply click and drag to surround the words that are hidden in the puzzle! 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

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

'CBS Evening News' Hits Ratings Low NEW YORK - "CBS Evening News" marked a low point in a storied history last week - its smallest average audience in at least 10 years, perhaps ever. The evening newscast with Dan Rather, for several years third in the ratings behind NBC and ABC, has lately been losing even more ground to its rivals. Awwww... I feel SO bad for Mr. Blather and his liberal cronies that wouldn't... Continue Reading

Recently, I have been looking to get some inexpensive web design for new sites I am developing. A friend referred me to DesignOutpost.com. What makes this site so unique is that the client (that would be me in this case) runs a contest to have graphic design and html created. You simply post a message with the specifications for a site and offer a prize bounty for the winner. The bounty is pre-paid to designoutpost.com... Continue Reading

Bought an ultra-cool cell phone today. It's a Sanyo 8100 for the Spring PCS network. It's extremely lightweight and is loaded with cool features, not the least of which is the built in camera. Simply point the camera, view the image on the color screen and SNAP. You've got a photo. If you like it, you save it. Then, you can send it to another Sprint PCS Vision user, email it to any address, and/or... Continue Reading

China Internet addict bound with rope after 3 days in Cyber Cafe Tues Jun 24 2003 00:37:29 ET Hong Kong (dpa) - A 16-year-old boy addicted to the Internet was bound up with rope and carried home by his father and uncle after spending three solid days in a Cyber Cafe in China, a news report said Tuesday. The teenager from Guangdong stole 100 yuan (12 U.S. dollars) from his parents to fund his addiction... Continue Reading

Drop whatever you are doing (unless you are sending me money) and go download a copy of Chicken Shoot. Developed by Zuxxex in Germany, this game is a blast. The animations are a riot and blasting the chickens is just plain fun. Continue Reading

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

Found a fun little quiz to test where you are on the political stance scale. I came up with a 35 out of 40. How about you? 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

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

The critics are all over the map on this one. MetaCritic has opinions ranging from 20 to 80 (out of possible 100). I give it a solid 80. Here's why. Bruce is a story of faith. It is a journey of coming out of darkness into the light. It paints a wonderful picture of prayer as a vital means for communing with God, and most certainly causes people to reflect on their own relationship with... Continue Reading

... and counting. I know I can't keep up with losing a pound a day, but it sure is fun in the early stages of weight loss! I'm getting ready to go hit the treadmill right now. I still haven't decided on a health club and intend to visit a couple more today. The kids and I are also going to see a movie this afternoon. Continue Reading

Here's a fun little google tool called Googlism. Simply type who, what, where, or when in the field and away you go. I entered "Joel Comm" for who and got these results. ----------------------------------------- Googlism for: joel comm joel comm is president of infomedia joel comm is one of those people joel comm is the mayor of worldvillage joel comm is president and ceo of infomedia joel comm is president of infomedia inc ----------------------------------------- All true... Continue Reading

Finally. Sunshine! The storms have passed and it looks like we'll have a reprieve. Huzzah. By the way, see that little "comments" link at the bottom of each entry? That's a place for YOU to reply to me. Simply click the link and you'll see a brief form that allows you the opportunity to rant back at me. Of course, you can also see others babble. It's fun, try it! I'm going out with MrsMayor... Continue Reading