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

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

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

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

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of traveling to London to speak at Andrew Reynold's Entrepreneur Bootcamp 2009. For the past few years, Andrew has put on an annual event that has dwarfed other marketing events in both size and scope. This year sought to outdo them all with a massive two-day event at the London O2 Arena. Continue Reading

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

In the beginning there were blogs. And yea, God saw that they were good. After all, what a fantastic way for anyone to become an online publisher. Sure, the word "blog" doesn't roll off the tongue. It sounds more like you are about to upchuck yesterday's hot dog. But being short for "web log", it does work in a "oh well I guess it will do" kind of way. Continue Reading

Everywhere I go, people ask me how they can make money online. Every time I show up at a conference, I am swamped with people interested in owning their own Internet business. My Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts receive contact from people on a regular basis. Emails, tweets and submitted forms are always asking what tips I can provide for those who want to learn my strategies. Yes, even my email box is regularly under... 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

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

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

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

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

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

I love it when academics launch studies of the entrepreneurial world. Sometimes, they come up with truly valuable and fascinating information. I can't think of any off-hand, but I'm sure they must do sometimes. More usually though, the buffoons claim that their observations have discovered something truly amazing and revolutionary... something that those of us who were actually doing it knew all along. While the prof. is getting another publication and a nomination for a... Continue Reading

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Few Internet companies have succeeded in seizing mindshare more than Zappos.com. One of the truly great ecommerce success stories, Zappos has built an incredible brand based on a culture-centric philosophy. They believe that their company culture is what drives their employees to provide premium customer service. And you know what? They are right. It works. Continue Reading

A year or so ago, I started my own book publishing program. Essentially, my goal was to provide opportunity to a select group of new authors who I felt needed greater exposure. Made Easy Publishing has accepted a handful of manuscripts and I'm pleased to announce that our newest author has just hit #1 on Amazon.com! My friend, Ewen Chia, has just released his book "How I Made My First Million on the Internet and... Continue Reading

Many of the people who turn to Internet marketing do it because they feel that their career ladder has got stuck. They work hard, they're ambitious, they know they've got drive, skills and talent but their boss isn't giving them the breaks they need or their company just doesn't have anywhere higher for them to climb. So they start dreaming of branching out on their own. If they build their own career ladder, they think... Continue Reading

A few weeks back I had the pleasure of enjoying a weekend in the mountains with my family. We stayed in a neighborhood called Summerwood, located in Dillon, Colorado. It's about two hours from Loveland, where we live, and it was an absolutely perfect retreat for the weekend! Just a few minutes from Dillon AND Keystone resort, you could spend the entire weekend inside this massive home and do nothing but enjoy the spectacular views... Continue Reading

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

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

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

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

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

A few weeks ago we announced the release of our Mobile Syndication Solutions turn-key system where anyone could easily get their own iPhone app developed for a fraction of the going rate. I'm excited to say that a new app using this system has just been unleashed into the Apple iTunes App store. Not only that, but it is for a musician that you all know, none other than Grammy-Award winning MC Hammer! The HammerTime... Continue Reading

You've probably noticed that some of my websites don't have any AdSense units at all. Some people certainly have. They find it surprising. After all, I make a living teaching people how to use AdSense. I get fat checks from AdSense every month. I think that AdSense is the greatest money-dispersing invention since the automated telling machine. And yet I still don't put AdSense on all my sites. Neither should you. 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

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

AdSense has a weakness. It's not very good at handling images. Fill your blog or your website with pictures of your cat, your family or your vacation in Yosemite and you might please your readers, but Google won't know what to make of it. Unless you have a sizeable amount of text on your Web page, its robots won't be able to decide what you're talking about. You'll get Public Service Ads that don't earn... Continue Reading

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

I love meeting people who are just starting out as Internet entrepreneurs. I love their enthusiasm, I get a thrill out of hearing their plans for the future, and I pick up a buzz from their energy. They've got J-O-Bs that they often H-A-T-E. They've got every motivation they need to swap their spare time for marketing time, and they absolutely believe that it's only a matter of hard work and patience before they'll be... Continue Reading

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

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

Google doesn't just have the best search engine on the Web. It doesn't just have the best contextual advertising system on the Web. Heck, it doesn't just have the best advertising system of any form of media in the world. It also has the best corporate slogan. "Do no evil" is a great attitude for any business. Continue Reading

I spoke at Harv Eker's Never Work Again seminar in Rancho Mirage, California today. We had a great time. His attendees are always so engaged and eager to learn. At one point I burst out into a spontaneous stomp-stomp-clap, which led to a chorus of Queen's "We Will Rock You." Don't believe me? See for yourself! Continue Reading

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

On September 11th, 2008, I received an email from Matt Holt at John Wiley and Sons Publishing. Matt asked me if I would write the definitive guide on Twitter for business. And he wanted me to write it FAST. As in, we have to have the manuscript in a couple months so we can release it by February of 2009. Wow, that IS fast! Continue Reading

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

I'm fed up. I've really had enough. I've just seen it too many times. Again and again, I meet people who wonder why they aren't Internet millionaires yet. When I ask them how long they've been online, they say "Three months, and it's just not working!" It takes about ten minutes to buy a computer and another two minutes to turn it on. Continue Reading

I usually visit my extended family in the Chicago suburbs over the Thanksgiving holiday. This past weekend, we left the kids with their aunt and uncle, and spent a couple nights downtown. Mary had never been to a Morton's steakhouse before, so it was a great opportunity to share a fine dining experience with her. Many have never been to Morton's, so I shot a video of our server, Matt, presenting the menu. Watch out... Continue Reading

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

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

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

It took me a while to figure it out. It took me a little longer to accept it. (My wife, by the way, was way ahead of me on this one. She'd been telling me this for years...) I'm not... Continue Reading

It was a very special 2-hour broadcast live from my first Internet marketing conference, Elevate 2008. Streamed and filmed before a live studio audience, the show was packed with great content, a trivia showdown, questions from the audience, flying monkeys, prizes and special guests. We had a great time and I'm sure you'll love watching as well. We lost the stream at one point, so the show is available in two parts. 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

Become an Internet publisher, and you'll need to learn a whole bunch of new marketing skills. You'll have to unwrap the mysteries of search engine optimization, figure out how to make pay-per-click advertising pay for you and get to grips with "link bait," banners and keywords to name just a few. None of it is really very difficult and all of it can be learned but for anyone just starting out, it will all be... Continue Reading

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

There are two reasons that people will visit your website. They'll visit to read great content. And they'll visit to feel part of a community. There's one way in which you can add valuable content to your site, get that content for free and build up your community at the same time. By receiving comments. Continue Reading

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

I wasn't feeling great today, but the show must go on! Dan Nickerson and I took questions from viewers, showed some videos, discussed social media and presented a new top ten list... The Top Ten Signs That You Are Twittering Too Much. (It's about ten minutes into the show if you are in a hurry) Did you miss the show? Check out the replay now! 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've got some pretty exciting news. I've been asked to write the definitive book on Twitter for business by a major publisher! I just got done with the launch of Click Here to Order, but I have already begun writing this new guide. There's a great demand for it and the time is right. So, would you like to help in my research? I am looking for stories of how you have used Twitter to... Continue Reading

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

Everyone was talking about the Beijing 2008 Olympics this summer. Phelps and others stole the headlines with victory after victory. However, in the midst of this global competition, another competition was completely ignored by the mainstream media. It is now my pleasure to bring you exclusive coverage of the InfoMedia, Inc. First Annual Flying Monkey Office Olympics. The sporting world will never be the same... Continue Reading

Google. Amazon.com. eBay. Yahoo! MySpace. Facebook. Everyone has heard of these Internet giants. These companies have generated billions of dollars in revenue and made their founders multi-millionaires. The mainstream media talks about them religiously. But ask yourself a question... Continue Reading

I was joined today by my friend, Nathan Anderson. Nathan is famous for developing MetaWebs.com and is now the owner of SEO Club. Rule #1 of SEO Club? Don't talk about what you learn in SEO Club! On today's program we discussed search engine optimization, answered questions and had a great time. Check out the episode below! Continue Reading

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

"You're a social media expert", he said on the conference call. I guess I hadn't thought of myself in that manner before. He went on to tell me that I have provided him with tons of advice on using social media to leverage his brand and increase traffic to his sites. I pondered for a while and realized that I had gotten so used to sharing my knowledge that I didn't recognize just how much... 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

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

I was in San Francisco last week and I had a great opportunity to visit with Sterling Valentine. Sterling is an former DJ who has become a great friend. And on this trip I also discovered that Sterling is a man of many talents. He is a singer/songwriter. So I asked him to pick up his guitar and play for me. He did. Here's a portion of Sterling singing "Someday". Oh, and somehow he got... 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

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

Time for another episode of Joel Comm LIVE! Chris "The Hand" Harper, our Producer, took ill today, so Dan and I were forced to muddle through on our own with today's show. We answered questions, did a new top ten list, played with the monkey and had a great time. Thanks to our sponsor, BeMyFirstSale.com Continue Reading

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

Several years ago, I had the privilege of meeting a gentleman who I have sinced dubbed "The nicest guy in Internet marketing." His name is Ken McArthur and he is the chief architect behind the highly successful JV Alert Live conferences. You see, Ken is incredibly successful because he continually pours himself into the lives of those around him. Whether it launching careers of other marketers or freely sharing his knowledge and expertise with anyone... Continue Reading

I'm going to let you in on a little secret... I can't write computer code. It's true... I can't code my way out of a paper bag. Well, maybe that's not a big surprise, but here's another secret... I can't do graphic design. That is, unless you count stick figures. I can draw those. May I tell you another secret? Continue Reading

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

Ah... Kauai. We were here two years ago and had a great time. I think we did all the touristy stuff that week. Helicopter ride. Driving around both coasts... etc. Last year we went to Maui, and although beautiful, it doesn't match Kauai for beauty. Maui was also way overpriced and I can't see going there again just for a vacation. Anyhow, I don't think I've ever been in such need of a vacation and... Continue Reading

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

Who would have thought the rock band KISS would have survived for decades? I remember when Rock n Roll All Nite came out. I was just a young teen. And yet, all these years later, KISS has endured. It only makes sense that there would be KISS cover bands. Why not, right? Grab your instruments, throw on some makeup, act like you are anti-establishment and find a guitar player with an exceptionally long tongue to... Continue Reading

It was fall of 2005 when I was scheduled to speak at Robert Puddy's Focus 4 the Future Internet marketing conference. It was the first time I had spoken at an event and I was on a roster with Mike Filsaime, Gary Ambrose and Craig Perrine. Yes, I was nervous. But why should I be? My AdSense ebook was a huge success and my name had begun to spread in the Internet marketing community. The... Continue Reading

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

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

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

I was at a conference recently and someone asked me if I had anything in the works. I had to laugh. Ha! When I think about how many projects we've got in the works, I can't help but laugh! Seriously, me and my team are projectaholics. We just love creating and coming up with new stuff that people will like. Continue Reading

Last summer, Revenue Magazine did an interview with me to discuss The Next Internet Millionaire. Lisa Picarille put together a great piece that you can read here. But one of my favorite things about the article were the photos taken by Alison Rose Williams of Fort Collins. Revenue hired her to come on location and take some shots of me for the magazine. While she was there, I asked if I could pay her to... Continue Reading

I've long been a proponent of using contests, sweepstakes and giveaways to drive traffic to web sites. In fact, if you do it correctly, you can get others to provide all the prizes in exchange for a link back to their site! Gyutae Park of WinningTheWeb.com has done just that. Gyutae has pulled together over $7600 in prizes and I am guessing that the amount will grow as more people catch wind of this contest. Continue Reading

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

I 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

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

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

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

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

I'm in Las Vegas for Affiliate Summit and am looking forward to the a few days of networking and learning. And while I have nothing to say about the conference yet because it hasn't started yet, I do have an experience to share with you. As you know, I enjoy blogging about my customer service experiences... especially the bad experiences. Why do I do this? I place a very high value on customer service and... Continue Reading

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

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

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

I am finding Facebook to be a great tool for networking and connecting with people. Since I started using last fall, I have connected with old friends, family members, new associates and some pretty big names. With Facebook, you can make contact with people who might otherwise be very difficult to reach. I've added over 1000 friends, started a handful of groups and have discovered how to post items so others can see what I... Continue Reading

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

My new blog has been up for over 24 hours now, and the verdict is in! Visitors to this site overwhelmingly approve of the look and feel of the new JoelComm.com. In fact, many people are asking me questions as they want to know how I put this new site together. Well, I've got nothing to hide and I will tell all... Continue Reading

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

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

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

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

Over the past few years, I've spoken at a number of Internet marketing conferences. I've lost track of all the places I've been and have a hard time recalling all the faces I've seen. But the truth is that I love public speaking. It gives me an opportunity to share my enthusiasm for making money online and the freedom that owning an Internet-based business can bring. I've put this new video together as a promotional... Continue Reading

I've had several people ask me what I'm going to be up to in 2008. I'm very excited, because this is going to be a breakthrough year for many people who will increase their online revenue. AND, I am excited because I am going to be doing several things that have never been done before! That's kind of a mantra with me. I don't like to do what everyone else is doing. You have to... Continue Reading

Have I mentioned that I love living in Colorado? Yes, I guess I probably have. I finally got around to resizing some photos that I have taken with my iphone since we moved here last year. Continue Reading

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

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

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

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

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

Well, here we are on the brink of another New Year. I've recapped the highlights of 2007 on my blog As we enter 2008, I am more committed than ever to provide you with the best content... the best books... the best software... the best reviews... the best sites for making money online... the best of everything! 2007 was a groundbreaking year in many respects, but 2008 is shaping up to be even bigger. I... 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

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

Did you know Google is on track to make $14 billion in ad revenue this year? And while no one knows the exact percentage they are paying out to AdSense publishers, it is estimated to be in the ballpark of 60%-70%. Only Google knows for sure. And you know I am big fan of AdSense. I've made a lot of money with it. BUT, and that is a big BUT... ... there ARE alternatives to... Continue Reading

Just got a Flip Video camera. It is a nifty little device. Great to carry anywhere. You never know when you'll come across something worth filming. Anyhow, I stopped through the local Target today and happened to have my Flip handy. This is the fastest I've ever gotten in and out of that store... without buying anything. 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

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

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

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

Cost-per-click advertising, contextual advertising, cost-per-mille advertising, domain name investing, affiliate networks, joint ventures, resell rights, floating ads, banner ads, video ads... It's enough to give anyone a headache. There are so many ways of monetizing a website these days that it can all get a bit overwhelming. How can you tell which ads would best match your content and which system you should be using to squeeze the most out of your pages? 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

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

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 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

I've been doing a lot of radio interviews lately. The media is very interested in The Next Internet Millionaire and I feel like I am spending hours on the phone! Well, I just got off the phone for a radio interview and was asked what is the first thing that anyone who wants to create an Internet business should do. My answer came with great clarity and without hesitation... Continue Reading

Everyday I receive emails from people telling me that they have the best product since sliced bread, and asking me to do a joint venture with them. It is physically impossible for me to promote every product that comes my way. In fact, I am becoming more and more selective, making sure that I only share products with my customers if there is great value. Honestly, you wouldn't want to see a lot of the... Continue Reading

I have just come from the office where I have seen the rough cut of Episode One of The Next Internet Millionaire. WOW! This thing looks great! The intro is cool. The music is awesome. The teaching is solid. The storyline is compelling. The cast is entertaining. I am absolutely sure that you are going to love this show. 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

This is big. No, seriously. This is REAL Big! I am on the set of The Next Internet Millionaire, where I am currently in between scenes... thought it would be a great opportunity to tell you what's going on. Well, as much as I CAN tell you :-) Continue Reading

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

OK, you know that I love AdSense... it's a great way to build a business. But if you've been watching me, you know that I like all kinds of different online businesses. And one type of website that has COMPLETELY transformed MY business is membership sites. Or another fancy term for this is "continuity programs". Continue Reading

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

If you missed out on my Instant AdSense Templates VRE Building System in October of 2006 (we SOLD OUT in under a week), then you missed out on one of the biggest turn-key shortcuts I've ever seen to starting your own online business and receiving monthly paychecks from Google and other income streams. Check this out... Continue Reading

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

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

Google's referral programs have never impressed me very much. Although the commissions are now fair, they started out very low. But even at the new(ish) rates, few sites are going to benefit from them. They're only good for publishers who aim their content at other publishers. That's always been the problem with Google's referrals: there were too few products aimed at too few topics. But Google has been working on a whole new referral system... Continue Reading

Aloha! As you know, I am on vacation in Maui. As I write this, I am watching the sun rise behind the mountains, listening to the waves crash and enjoying the small birds that are landing on my balcony railing. Yes, it is just another day in tropical paradise. And yet, I am compelled to write... to share what is on my mind. Because with all the success I have enjoyed, I am reminded that... 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

Let's play a game... Simon says start your own website. Simon says sign up for Google AdWords. Start building your list. Hey, I didn't say "Simon says!" Continue Reading

Let's run down the basic flowchart and checklist for creating a money-making website. 1) Do you have a website? If so, go to #2. If not, you need to start right there. The fastest way to get started is with my training, tutorials and templates. Joel's System Continue Reading

It's one small change for Google. It could be one giant leap in your income. Or at the very least, a nice little increase. Google has changed its policies (again). Want to know what the change is and what it could mean for your revenue stream? Read on... Continue Reading

One of the challenges of building pages for AdSense is that until the page is up and running, you can't really tell which ads you're going to get. And that's vital information. Apart from the fact that you can't know which ads to filter out if you don't even know which are going to show up, seeing the ads before you go live can help you decide which keywords to focus on. Continue Reading

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

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

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

You've probably already noticed it. The look of your AdSense units has changed. No, you didn't push the wrong button and accidentally wipe out all your formatting. And no one hacked into your code and played with your Web page. Google has redesigned its ad units. The changes aren't radical but they do offer a couple of small advantages. First, the "Ads by Google" tag is now at the bottom of the unit instead of... 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

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

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

Ever since Google changed its Terms of Service to allow publishers to place other ad programs on AdSense pages -- provided those other ads don't look like Google's ad units -- publishers have been wondering how to make the most of this bonanza. It's like telling a child he can put as many different types of cake on his plate as he wants. On my blog for example, I'm using Kontera's text links to supplement... Continue Reading

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

What's the truth about global warming? Is it as the media is currently reporting and as Al Gore's movie says? Or is it an issue being driven by a political agenda? I am skeptical, as I have already read much that debunks "An Inconvenient Truth" as "A Magnificent Lie". And now, a group of dissenting scientists have gotten together to create a documentary that makes it look like a tremendoes hoax. Whatever you currently believe... Continue Reading

Vince Lombardi once said, "A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done." Take inventory of yourself... Are you where you want to be? If not, why not? Continue Reading

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

There's something you should know about me. It's kind of embarrassing, actually. I am terrible with my hands. More specifically, I am not mechanically inclined. In simple english, don't ask me to build stuff. Don't get me wrong. I can fix absolutely anything Continue Reading

One of the most frequent questions I am asked is, "How many sites do I need in order to make money with AdSense?" The answer is simple... just ONE site can do it! The truth is, I make the majority of my AdSense income from just one of my sites, though I do enjoy a little here and a little there from some of my other sites. With that said, I know of several people... Continue Reading

Google is very protective of its AdSense code. Start changing bits here and there and you can't expect to keep your account open for very long. But there's one exception to that rule and it's a very important one. You can put this code on your Web pages: <script type="text/javascript">    var random_number = Math.random();    if (random_number         //your first ad unit code goes here     } else {         //your second ad unit code goes here     } </script> <script type="text/javascript... Continue Reading

Do you remember the television commercial for a hair shampoo where the key concept was viral marketing? The phrase in the commercial went... "They'll tell two friends... and they'll tell two friends... and so on, and so on..." Yes, it was a very clear example of viral marketing. And whether we are talking about shampoo, automobiles, candy bars or web sites, viral marketing still works! If you were able to take your next visitor and... Continue Reading

Saturday morning ramblings. I know, it might be Saturday afternoon or Sunday... or even Monday, when you receive this. Nevertheless, it's Saturday morning as a write. So there. :-P Here come the ramblings, kind of a stew from me to you :-) 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

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

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

Change. It's the one constant we can depend on. Moving to Colorado has been a big change for me and my family. And it has not been without it's share of stress! The stress took a toll on me and I have felt physically depleted. In fact, I cancelled my appearances at JV Alert Live and StomperNet this weekend due to my physical condition. Whether its a virus or just pure exhaustion, I knew that... Continue Reading

The writer Anne Lamott likes to tell a story of how her brother had to create a school project describing a huge number of different birds. He didn't know how he was going to complete it. Lamott's father had some wise advice. He told his son to do it "bird by bird." Lamott used that analogy to describe the process of writing a book. You can think of it as a way of creating a... Continue Reading

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

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

When you sign up to an ad program, one of the first decisions you'll have to make is where to put your units. Should you cram them into the sidebar? Place them above the fold? Embed them into the text? Or relegate them to the end of the page? Although there are some general guidelines you can follow, the best way to decide which are the best spots on your Web pages for your ad... 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

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

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

Happy New Year! I'm very excited about what this year is going to bring, and from the comments on my blog, many of you are as well! I'll be announcing the winner of my contest tomorrow... Many have indicated that they are going to get serious about building their business online in 2007. Yet, a fair number are without direction. Let's face it. Without a compass, it can get awfully tricky to find your way... Continue Reading

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

Pssssst... I've got a secret... For those who are pay close attention to my newsletter, you know that I am a STRONG believer in attending live events in order to take your business to the next level. STRONG believer... Many of you understand once you actually attend a live event. I see how networking with other successful people has changed many lives! And I want everyone to experience this for their business. So it's time... Continue Reading

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

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

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

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

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

I’m always going on about the importance of great content. I don’t apologize for that. You can have ad units that are perfectly optimized, blended completely into your site and packed with high-paying ads. But if your content’s garbage, no one’s going to click on them because no one’s going to come to your site. I meet so many people who dream of getting rich with AdSense but never give a thought for building a... Continue Reading

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

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

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

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

The business-in-a-box. You've heard of 'opportunities' like this before. Usually, all you get is a box... ... and no business. When Paul Smithson (of XSite Pro fame) approached me with his "Build an Empire" business-in-a-box, I was VERY skeptical. In fact, I ALMOST didn't it listen to what he had to say. However, when he mentioned an industry that I happen to know is one of the fastest growing industries next to digital music, he... Continue Reading

Can you believe how quickly this year is flying by? 2007 is approaching VERY quickly. What changes have you made this year that are going to impact your life and business in 2007? Among the changes you make, I hope you are working on building your list. I know you've heard me say that the money is in a relationship with your email list. It's true! 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

As I travel to conferences and receive email from people, the questions I am asked have a recurring theme. One of the most frequent questions is not so much about technology as it is about individuality. The question is, "What kind of web site should I build to make money online?" And that, my friends, is the wrong question. The right question is not about web sites or keywords. The right question is about you. Continue Reading

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

Time to dig into the mailbag and answer questions from readers... Question 1) I've got ads on my site that I don't want. How do I block other sites from showing their ads on my site? Answer 1) That's easy! Go to your AdSense account at www.google.com/adsense and click the "AdSense Setup" tab. Then click the "Competitive Ad Filter" link. Simply enter the url that you want to ban and it will disappear within a... Continue Reading

Tick... tick... tick... Can you hear that? It's the sound of the countdown clock leading to Tuesday, October 10th. At 12 Noon EST on that day, I will be revealing my greatest AdSense product EVER! Continue Reading

One of the most important things you can do to get traffic to your AdSense sites is to incorporate the use of a mailing list. With a list, you can mail your members and invite them back to your site again and again. With a list, you can profit by sending offers that your members would find interesting and useful. With a list, you have both momentum and leverage, two of the greatest keys for... Continue Reading

Citibank credit cards - I have them in my wallet. Why Citibank? Because these are American Airlines Aadvantage credit cards, and I charge absolutely everything in order to earn as many air miles on American Airlines as possible. I do a lot of traveling and enjoy flying free or upgrading to First Class when I can. But I am really upset with Citibank at the moment. Continue Reading

Eric Holmlund has been telling me about HyperVRE. He's like, "Joel, this is perfect for your AdSense students... and it's free!" I said, "Reeeeally..." So I took a look at it. And I am impressed. Eric said that I could show you his video that demonstrates exactly how this free tool works. HyperVRE Continue Reading

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

Here are some quick answers to questions that have been recently submitted at AskJoelComm.com. I read in your book "The Adsense Code" about taking ebooks and making them as free content website(s) and adding Adsense to the pages. I have several books I have authored over the years. Should each book (topic) be its own website or is a one "master" website with pages or directory by topic okay? This is a great way to... Continue Reading

Wouldn't it be great if we could optimize our websites for AdSense then just kick back and enjoy the income? We wouldn't have to worry about trying new ad formats or checking new strategies or wondering what else we could be doing to increase our revenues. We certainly wouldn't have to watch out for the sort of change that could radically affect the way our pages are arranged. One such change could be just around... Continue Reading

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

When I give talks explaining how people can use AdSense to earn high revenues, I focus on some very specific strategies. I do the same in my book. I explain which ad formats work best, discuss where to put them, how to blend them into the page and how to influence the ads that appear so that you can make sure you’re always earning the highest revenues possible. Continue Reading

It's come to my attention that some more Link Sizzler sites are popping up online. If you are interested on getting a word link on one of these sites, the prices seem to be right. 300 Jobs for Moms - This one is great if you want to advertise your work-at-home opportunity 300 Blogs - Blogging is the hottest way to get your name out there. Place a link on this site and see if... Continue Reading

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I 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

The Sony PSP is a handy little gadget. I've been getting a lot of entertainment mileage out of it while traveling miles across the country. It acts as a great diversion to pass the time on an airplane. From Hawaii to Orlando to Vegas, I've enjoyed playing Daxter and have just about finished the game. But the PSP is good for more than just playing games. Whether you want to listen to music, surf the... Continue Reading

I'm just back in town from Michael Penland's Internet seminar in Orlando. It was a great seminar with two dozen fantastic speakers. I know the attendees must have gotten alot out of the time spent there. I want to take a moment to tell you about a guy I met in Orlando this week. His name is Keith Wellman. Continue Reading

The other nght, several Internet marketers departed from the conference room at the Hawthorn Suites in Orlando to enjoy each other's company away from the seminar setting. Destination? Universal Studios CityWalk... Continue Reading

I am currently in Orlando, Florida, attending Michael Penland's Internet Marketing Super Conference. I've been spending time with some great people, including Mike Filsaime, Gary Ambrose, Brian Edmondson, Keith Wellman and Tom Beal. Being here reminds me of how incredibly important it is to attend conferences if you want to be successful. Continue Reading

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

A few weeks ago, Andrew Fox phoned me and asked if I would speak to him for a bit about my AdSense strategies. I've known Andrew for a bit, having met him at Big Seminar in Los Angeles last year. (Remember, I always say how important it is to network at these seminars?) Anyhow, Andrew is a great guy... and he's pretty darned smart, too! Beating me to the punch, Andrew has put together a... Continue Reading

Friday, May 5th, was my 42nd birthday. So I decided that I would throw a virtual birthday party and invite some of my readers to join me! I scheduled a teleseminar and began thinking of who I wanted to interview as a special guest for my birthday. Now, I could have called up one of my Internet marketing buddies, but I decided to invite an "unknown" to join me for the call. Continue Reading

I've been home from Kauai long enough to really begin missing it. The island and resort were so beautiful. It was difficult to come home. We spent the week at the Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club in Lihue. It was a top-notch resort with gorgeous surroundings, an enormous swimming pool and a nice beach tucked away in Kalapaki Bay. Palm trees, tropical breezes and the sounds of crashing surf... ah... 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

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

It's been just over a year since I first discussed my experiences with Arbonne, the multi-level marketing skin-care company. Since that time, over 600 comments have been posted to that single entry! Diehard Arbonne supporters and vehement detractors have enjoyed spirited discussion and debate via my blog. Isn't the Internet great? My take on the company remains the same. They have good product, albeit overpriced... and an unfair Internet marketing model that favors those who... Continue Reading

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

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

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

I am just thrilled with my mom right now. A few days ago I wrote about her new blog, TravelsWithSheila.com. Since starting her blog, she has been dilligently working hard to create new content and understand the entire blogging process. I love the way she has taken the bull by the horns and is really wanting to excel with this project. 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

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

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

What makes you tick? What is the source of the "fire in your belly" that keeps you dreaming and reaching for... whatever it is? What is the one thing that you care about most and would give anything to have, be or do? That is your passion. Continue Reading

We' ve all seen the commercials of orphaned children on late night television. The images tear at our hearts, but it is so easy for us to turn a blind eye to their plight. Ken Surritte is a great friend of mine. Not only is he a great guy, but he also has an extremely compassionate heart for people who are in need. Continue Reading

I have recently started adding my AdSense articles to EzineArticles.com. It's a great way to distribute content to the masses. A cool tool they provide is the ability to create your own RSS feed of your articles, which is exactly what I have done. Continue Reading

Everyone needs a little help. And entrepreneurs need as much help as we can get! That's why I have hired a personal coach to help me strategize a plan of action to grow my business this year. Continue Reading

It's been a fascinating weekend. I've been hanging out at Harlan Kilsteins Copywriting Workshop and have met some fascinating people. I presented advanced Google AdSense strategies to the group today and was excited to see the light bulbs go on over so many heads. I am pleased that a select few have decided to join my AdSense Apprentice program, and excited that they will be jioning me on a series of telecourses scheduled to take... Continue Reading

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

It's hard to think about San Francisco without hearing Steve Perry of Journey singing the seveties hit, "Lights". You know, "When the lights go down in the city... and the sun shines on the ba-ay" Continue Reading

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

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

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

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

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

The numbers are bad. If you are fan of the television show, Lost, you know exactly what that phrase means. However, in my case it means something entirely different. Continue Reading

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

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

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

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

I'm in Charlotte, North Carolina. Of course, all hotels are beginning to look the same to me. Though were it not for the fact that I looked out the window of the airplane and took in a spectacular view of the Smoky Mountains, I wouldn't know the difference. Continue Reading

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

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

Clever copy and limited supply is the modus operandi at Woot.com. I wish I had thought of this concept. But I didn't. Instead, I am a customer. Woot.com features one product each weekday. They have a limited supply of these products and they offer tham at a great price. But the coolest part is the witty copywriting that accompanies the product of the day. No reason to copy their text here. It is fresh every... Continue Reading

Finally! After way to long, the Bush administration has finally spoken up regarding the massive influx of illegal aliens into the United States. I have no problem with people going through the proper channels to become citizens of this great country. But I have a serious problem with people entering the country illegally and living off American taxpayers. Continue Reading

In news that has the left side of the aisle stunned, the President's economic policies are validated once again as the Federal Government reports INCREASES in tax revenue that have caused a decrease in the U.S. fiscal deficit. Continue Reading

It's one of those days. My eyes are watery. My nose is stuffy. My body is achy. And I don't want to do anything. The common cold strikes once again. Continue Reading

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

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

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

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

I've been playing around with a few automated page generator programs to see what they are capable of. These programs allow you to build an entire web site based on keywords. For example, Help Desk, Wifi World and Enterprise Portals were built using Cash Page Builder. Essentially, the software finds similar keywords and proceeds to build many pages containing news feeds and products related to the keyword. It's not a great way to build a... 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

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

I've always been a fan of the Broadway musical. When I was young, I remember hearing my mom and dad play the soundtracks to many popular musicals on their record player. Fiddler on the Roof, Company, Carousel, The Sound of Music and West Side Story were staples around my house. Combined with a few trips of my own to the theater, I developed a taste for this genre before I became a teenager. Continue Reading

So much of having a successful Internet business is dependent on getting your sites indexed on the search engines. When someone types a keyword into Google or Yahoo, where does your site come up on the page? Many people make a living in the search engine optimization (SEO) field, helping sites optimize their pages to be more search engine friendly. So how do you get to the top of the search engines? Here is a... Continue Reading

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

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

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

You never know which blog entries are going to stir the most controversy or interest. Here are a few posts in which the conversation seems to keep going and going and going... To Arbonne or Not to Arbonne - My simple evaluation of the way the company conducts business online has turned into an all out battle of the Arbonners vs. Anti-Arbonners. I have NEVER said Arbonne was a bad business. In fact, I am... Continue Reading

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

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

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

I'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

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

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

Well, my new dating ebook is almost ready to go. In fact, I have a web page up for it now and it is actually available now. It still needs a little fine tuning, but I think it is a great value for the money! If you are single and interested in online dating services, you'll definitely want to pick up a copy of Online Dating Secrets: The Guide for Real People Who Want Real... Continue Reading

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

I am sick to my stomach after reading this story about some High School punks sexually abusing a 16-year old disabled girl while other students stood by and watched. Rather than rehash the incredibly disgusting story (and the castrated administrators and teachers who have NO business being in the educational system), I want to address the real problem. Our society has not only become to permissive, but corporations and many leaders are now endorsing immoral... Continue Reading

I can't believe that WorldVillage turns TEN-years old this year. I'm going to have to throw some sort of virtual birthday party this summer. One of the things I have wanted to do for a LONG time is build an extensive database of useful articles that my visitors could enjoy. That day has finally arrived. With THOUSANDS of articles online, Article World has something for everyone. Home improvement, parenting, business opportunties, recreation, self improvement, travel... WorldVillage Articles" href="http://joelcomm.com/worldvillage_articles.html">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

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

I am a Type-A personality. My mind typically goes 100 MPH and I tend to thrive on being busy. I may even be somewhat addicted to stress, as I do some of my best work under pressure. Because of this, my blood pressure has tended towards borderline and I don't always chill out so easily. My next-door neighbor at work is Dr. Mark Morgan. Mark is a chiropracter and practicioner of alternative medicines. He has... Continue Reading

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

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

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

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

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

It's not too late to pick up a 2005 calendar at a great price. With every passing day, the value go down and so does the price. I have created a new site called 2005Calendars.info where you can preview hundreds of desk and wall calendars. Of course, the sequel is already set up for next year, where people will be able to purchase 2006 calendars. Continue Reading

The body count continues to climb in what is undoubtedly the greatest tragedy of human loss in my lifetime. As of this writing, it is estimated that upwards of 44000 people have been killed by the massive earthquake and tidal waves in Indonesia. The concept of waves moving at nearly 500 mph is staggering. This graphic demonstrates how this takes place. The whole thing seems so distant, yet is brought home by the heartbreaking photos... Continue Reading

In spite of the increasingly hostile environment by the hyper-sensitive political correctness mob, Christmas is ALIVE and well in America and around the world. Place aside the insanity of not allowing children to eat red and green M&Ms at school. Forget the silliness of removing manger scenes from public places. And disregard the bizarre attitudes of department stores and other merchants that feel it unsafe to wish anyone anything but "Happy Holidays". Jesus Christ was... Continue Reading

What a great Christmas Eve present! President Bush is going to renominate the qualified judges that were arrogantly filibustered by the Democrats in Senate last term. The Dems can still attempt to do the same thing this time around, but hopefully they will remember the fate of Tom Daschle, and they will think twice before standing the way of the majority. Of course, some Senate Democrats are already crying out about this, claiming that Bush... Continue Reading

I've been developing a new site with a cool gimmick. It's called DropThatName.com. Sounds kind of weird, huh? It's not like "hey my name is Rudolpho and I don't like it so I am going to drop it". Nope. Nothing like that. Drop That Name! is a place where anyone can brag about their "brush with greatness". Who doesn't like to tell tall tales of their encounter with politicians, movie stars, rock stars, authors and... Continue Reading

And I thought it was going to be as simple as getting on an airplane... Our flight home was initially scheduled for 6:30 pm, putting us into OKC around 8:30 pm. However, our schedule for the day was clear, so we decided to head to the airport early in hopes of catching an earlier flight on standby. We arrived shortly after 12:15 pm and attempted to book on the 1:11 pm flight. It had been... Continue Reading

I am truly puzzled by the celebrity status of the major network newscasters. I NEVER watch the major networks and can barely tell you who the anchors are, let alone what importance they have in America. From what I can tell, Dan Rather got in a heap of trouble over a story during the Election cycle. And Tom Brokaw is retiring. For some reason, people give a rip. These people are little more than talking... Continue Reading

It was on the same exact date last year that a friend and I drove to Wichita, Kansas to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra perform their annual Christmas concert. This year, we were fortunate enough to have the show come to the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City. If you have never heard the TSO or been to a TSO concert, you are missing one of the greatest holiday treats of our generation. Simply put, it... Continue Reading

The post-election banter continues, as the blue states bemoan the fact that the "hicks and hayseeds" in the red states have held them hostage by re-electing George W. Bush to the Presidency. Some on the fringe left have created a new map of North America divided in to two areas, with the west coast states, the Great Lakes states and New England lumped together with Canada (the United States of Canada) and the rest of... Continue Reading

Just a quick note to issue a heartfelt "THANK YOU" to those who have bravely served our great nation so that our freedoms can be preserved. May God also bless and protect our troops in active duty, and be with their families. Continue Reading

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

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

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

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

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

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

I have just read one of the most brilliant assessments of the state of modern liberalism that I have read in months. Victor Davis Hanson writes for the National Review. I encourage you to take a few moments and bask in the glow of this great mind. Click here. Continue Reading

There is just too much to talk about today. I'm not sure where to start, so I'll just hit the highlights... RatherBiased.com has been documenting the extreme liberal bias of Dan Rather and CBS news for several years. Memogate is the icing on the cake and hopefully the end of this radical evening newscaster. John Kerry and the Democrat party is imploding faster than you can say "Vietnam". Hurricane Ivan is slamming the Florida panhandle... Continue Reading

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

I watched the President last night and was inspired. It is so refreshing to have a man in the White House who is "real". I know, I know. The Dems will scream about how "stupid" I am for believing the "lies" of the Bush administration. Save your breath. Your comments will be deleted. After surviving eight years of the worst Presidency to ever curse the White House, I can spot a liar and a con... Continue Reading

Zell Miller is a Senator from the great state of Georgia. Previously, he was Governor of the state. On Wednesday night, he stood before the delagates of the Republican National Convention, and all of America (and the world) via television, and gave one of the most impassioned speeches I have heard in some time. He clearly made the case for why we MUST re-elect President George W. Bush for a second term of office. Here's... Continue Reading

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

Here's a great domain name currently up for bids at ebay. BushCheney2004.info Seems like someone would want to grab this one during this heated political season! Continue Reading

It's official. The Democratic National Convention had a NEGATIVE affect on John Kerry's polling numbers. The fact is that people are completely uninspired by this man. He has no platform to run on. The President has done a great job of seeing us through troubled times. Yet, the liberal media continues to spin the news as though Kerry has tremendous support. The truth is, a great portion of the American public believes whatever they hear... Continue Reading

What a busy day! We started out with some breakfast and then a chairlift ride to the top of Keystone mountain. We were fortunate to have good weather this morning and the view from the top was spectacular. Zach and I decided that we would hike down the mountain, figuring it would take us an hour or so to make the 2000 foot, 3-mile descent. As it turned out, it took us 90 minutes and... Continue Reading

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

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

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

Before you go any further, I must tell you that this article is NOT a movie review. Rather, it is a smack to the side of the head of Activision regarding the release of the new PC game of the same name. Available last week, amidst much hype due to the release of the movie, Spiderman 2: The Game was promised to be an extremely open-ended game where you had all of Manhattan Island to... Continue Reading

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

I have been wanting to find a new PC game to play, of the massive multiplayer style. I went through my Star Wars Galaxies addiction last year. I played City of Heroes for about 3 weeks recently, before getting bored. And I am having a difficult time finding something new that peaks my interest. I tried the Sim onlines for about 10 minutes when it came out last year. Yawn. I downloaded a free trial... Continue Reading

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

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

Ok, the roots of our great nation are not totally swept away yet. The Supreme Court handed a defeat to Michael Newdow, the atheist who was attemtping to remove "One Nation under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance, stating that Mr. Newdow did not have the legal authority to speak for his daughter. Incidentally, the daughter did not WANT her dad to do this! Kudos to the Supreme Court for bringing us a good decision... 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

It is a very sad day in America, and indeed, the world. Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States of America has left this world and entered eternity. I was still a young skull full of mush when Reagan took office. I had not yet learned critical thinking skills and I believed many of the lies that were spoken of him in the liberal media. My conservative awakening took place in 1988. It... 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

Remember the good old day, when you could easily register the domain name you wanted? It was no sweat to grab a great .com domain name. Who knew that everyone and their dog would want to build a web site, thereby dwindling the supply of good domain names? Times have changed and the domain name industry is BIG business. Whether .com, .net, .org, or the newer extensions, .us, .biz and .info, individuals, businesses and... Continue Reading

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

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

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

I am a Survivor fan and I am not ashamed to admit it. Tonight was the finale of Survivor All Stars, where 18 former Survivor contestants came back for another chance to win $1,000,000. Even thought Boston Rob Mariano schemed his way to the final two, along with his new love, Amber Brkich, I thought he was deserving of the money. As it turned out, Amber won by one vote. However, it was a moot... Continue Reading

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

It's gonna get heavy folks. Hang tight. On the heels of Sunday's "Pro-Choice" march in the nation's capitol, I continue to be dumbfounded by the rhetoric of these people. Underneath the surface of "women's rights" lies multitudes of women wounded by their choice to kill their own babies. Let's face it. This argument is NOT about abortion. It is about whether or not the "fetus" in the womb is a life. If it is not... 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

How about some uplifting Spiritual links for this Sunday? America Bless God - God has already blessed America like no other country. How about turning it around and blessing Him for all He has done for us? Creation - a great flash presentation for all ages Dennis Jernigan - One of my favorite worship leaders, Dennis has a heart for seeing lives transformed by the power of God. Henderson Hills Baptist Church - Our church... 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

As a follow up to my entry on VeeGeez.com, I am still holding a position in the company, now renamed GameZNFlix. The company is trading on the OTC Bulletin Board under the symbol GZFX. The new GameZNFlix.com is going to go up against NetFlix, the leading online place to rent DVDs. GameZNFlix has a different plan. They will be renting DVDs AND video games for one low monthly fee. This is a great plan, in... 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

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

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

I have been into computers since the TRS-80 Model I came out in the late seventies. I am not a programmer, but I can put a PC together from scratch, install an operating system and just about any software. I can tweak a machine under the hood and have been able to solve just about any problem I have encountered. To my family, friends and associates, I am the local computer guru. But even I... Continue Reading

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

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

Last week I wrote about a new site I found, VeeGeez.com. VeeGeez is an online video game rental site. They intend to do for home video game rental what NetFlix did for the home DVD rental market. Well, they launched their new site this week and it looks GREAT! VeeGeez has some competition from GameFly and GPlay, but I think their site is better than the competitors. I am watching this one as an investment... 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

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

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

Found this great site as a result of visiting Joel Blain's blog. Thanks Joel! MyWorld66 has a great tool that allows you to input the countries and/or states you have visited, and then creates a map the graphically displays where you have been. It's pretty slick. create your own visited country map create your own visited states map Continue Reading

I don't play with penny stocks much, but I've got my eye on a company with great potential. Point Group Holdings (Symbol PGHI) recently acquired VeeGeez.com, an online video game rental site. It's like NetFlix, only they rent video games instead of DVDs. If you'll remember, NetFlix went from $6 to almost $80 this past year. The DVD rental business is huge. So is the video game rental market. VeeGeez has some existing competition, but... Continue Reading

Incredibly creative is the phrase I use to describe a site that I found today. It is called "The Brick Testament" and it will amuse and inspire you. The Reverend Brandon Powell Smith has recreated scenes from the Holy Bible using nothing but Legos. Yup, we're talking about the classic children's building toy being used to recreate the Greatest Story Ever Told. See the Creation story presented frame by frame. Find out why Isaac and... Continue Reading

I was listening to talk radio this morning on the way to work and the host began discussing a story that I had heard about on the Glenn Beck Program the day before. The story centered around a Cleveland, Ohio TV news Anchorwoman and some indiscretions that occured when she was in Florida with her husband several months earlier. Essentially, this "anchorette" got blotto and entered a wet t-shirt contest at a local bar in... Continue Reading

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

Another great Walmart story brought to you courtesy of the "whats-in-it-for-me" crowd... A Mt. Pleasant Township couple wants Wal-Mart to pay for foot and toe injuries they claim were caused by canned goods and condiments that tumbled from an overfilled plastic grocery bag. According to a two-count civil lawsuit filed Wednesday in Westmoreland County, Brenda and Ronald Sager contend a plastic bag they brought home from the East Huntingdon Township store last month was deficient... Continue Reading

Well, here we are in 2004. So far, it feels a lot like 2003. We had a great time with friends tonight. In fact, the last guests just left for the evening (It's 3 am!) We missed the ball in Times Square, but we did get to view the celebration in Oklahoma City at Midnight. Here is a cool panoramic view of Times Square with Dick Clark and a cast of thousands. Continue Reading

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yes, I just got back from Chicago. No sooner than I drove home for the airport and dropped my family off at home did I get back in the car and drive BACK to the airport. Destination? Boulder, Colorado. Reason? I'd tell you, but it is highly classified. Actually, I am at a "meeting of the minds" with a roomful of Internet entrepreneurs. Boulder is beautiful and the weather is great. Wish you were here. Continue Reading

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

What is the nature of memory? How accurate is your memory? Is it possible that your memories didn't really happen as you remember them? These are just some of the questions you may ask yourself when you get past the initial "wow" factor after seeing Memento, one of the most original thrillers ever put on celluloid. Memento is the story of Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), a man who suffers from the inability to make new... Continue Reading

Today the four of us hopped on a plane to Illinois, where we are visiting my family in the North Shore suburbs. We'll be here all week. However, my mom is watching the kids Tuesday and Wednesday, so Mary and I are heading downtown to enjoy a couple days and nights in the great city of Chicago. I hope to post movie #14 in my list of Best Movies Ever in the next day or... Continue Reading

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

About six years ago, a friend of mine introduced me to a new Christmas CD by The Trans-Siberian Orchestra. For those not familiar with the band, they are all rock and rollers, many with a heavy metal background. Their first album, Christmas Eve and other Stories is unlike anything I've ever heard before. It's a rock opera. It's spiritual. It's progressive rock. Simply put, it is an album that captures the essence of Christmas better... 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

I've been scouring my extensive DVD collection lately, attempting to figure out what makes a great movie. Certainly, films have the potential to entertain us. But a real filmmaker wants to do more than make us laugh or cry. True cinematic art is manifested in an engaging storyline, convincing acting and masterful directing that trancends the big screen, either affirming or transforming the way in which we see our world. As a Christian, I view... Continue Reading

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

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

Woke up bright and early to begin our tour of the Nation's Capitol. We found a subway station just across the street from the hotel and were at The Mall in a few minutes. Bam, there we were, surrounded by the greatness that is Washington, D.C. The Washington Monument to my left; the Capitol Building to my right; and The Smithsonian beckoning to us from all directions! It was my first glimpse of the city... Continue Reading

I'm not sure how to put today's experience into words. As i reflect on our visit to Gettysburg, I feel overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of information and emotions that I have yet to fully assimilate. We started the day by checking out of the Red Roof Inn in Harrisburg and driving to Gettysburg. It was around 1 pm when we arrived at the visitor center. I examined the CD audio driving tours and settled... 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

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

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

We did not want to go through the trial of commuting into NYC again today, so we took it nice and easy. We opted for a leisurely lunch at the food court at the mall, the kids did their schoolwork and I had a little playtime on the computer. I haven't said much about Socrates in my blog, but he is having a great time "running with the pack". He's a good dog, except when... Continue Reading

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

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

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

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

Woke up this morning and decided that Bennington, Vermont would be a very nice place to live. The colors of the leaves are absolutely beautiful. I know it won't last long, and before you know it, the cold weather will come and the snow will fall. I don't care. The town has so much charm, history and beauty. After a quick breakfast in the room, we followed the usual ritual of packing the car and... Continue Reading

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

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

After schlepping our stuff to the car, for what seemed to be the umpteenth time, we drove to the campus of the University of Illinois, my alma mater. Many things looked different, but much more looked exactly the same. I felt both relieved and sentimental as I walked "the quad". It was great to show the kids where I went to school, and I think they were impressed by the old buildings and the number... Continue Reading

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

You want talent? You want creativity? You want a wry sense of humor with a twist of Monty Python? Take a look at Yellowlane.com, the Internet home for one Joshua Williams. I've known Josh since he was a teenager, and he is responsible for much of the artwork that appears on the WorldVillage sites, including the character illustrations at FamilyFirst.com. Josh is a professional designer and he has some great samples of his work on... Continue Reading

Here is the big news from the Comm household. As many of you may know, we homeschool our two children, Z and J. One of the subjects the children are learning is American History (without the revisionism perpetrated by the National Education Association). We have decided to take our homeschool on the road in order to give the kids a hands-on experience with our Nation's great heritage. To that end, we are taking a one-month... Continue Reading

Stick another notch in the belt of pro-lifers as the fight for the unborn continues. Check out this story. SMILING FROM THE WOMB Pioneering scanning techniques have produced astonishing images from inside the womb which show babies apparently smiling and crying. Experts believe the breakthrough could lead to advances in baby health for a whole range of conditions, including Down's Syndrome. The pictures offer a new insight into foetal behaviour. The ultra-sound scanning techniques capture... Continue Reading

Time to lighten up a bit. You'll enjoy this one. Dancing President Have a great weekend! Continue Reading

I've bumped heads with politicians and celebrities. But my most recent encounter blows all those away. How many of you can say you met these two? That's right. You are seeing THE R2-D2 and C3PO, not just any droids. Mary thinks I need therapy... hehe... Continue Reading

My faith in the American public is slowly being restored with this news from the Hollywood Reporter newswire. Fox News gains, other news networks fall NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Fox News Channel was the only cable news service in August to grow in viewership from a year ago, gaining 20% in primetime and 29% across the entire day, according to Nielsen Media Research. By comparison, CNN fell by 9% in primetime and total day... 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

Google is good. Google is great. Check out the various results when typing in my name... Searching the web Searching Images - the first two results are computer artwork I did years ago. Searching Groups - this blew me away! Google has archived every blasted newsgroup that I participated in many years back. 8/24/97 - the launch of ClassicGames.com 7/5/95 - looking for software reviewers for our "new" site 7/26/94 - attempting to sell my... 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

So, you are minding your own business, taking a walk. Everything appears to be just great until you get hit by a car. Your leg is injured, but you pick yourself up and walk miles to the nearest doctor's office. That's what you would do, right? And it wouldn't be an incredible story, except for one thing. You are a six-year old dog named Scooby. Read all about it 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

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

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

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

Our last day and we've really got nothing left that we want to do. We considered going to Colorado to see the sand dunes near Alamosa, but it was over 1.5 hours away and it was going to be hot. So we opted to have lunch in town and play it by ear. But first, we stopped at the Red River Candy Mountain Fudge shop. As you may recall from yesterday's entry, the manager asked... Continue Reading

Another beautiful morning in Red River! We've been eating breakfast in the room all week, so we decided to go out for eggs and pancakes this morning. We went to The Hole Thing Donut Shop and were very pleased with the meal. It was pricy, but that's the way it goes. Afterwards, we found a nice park where the kids could play, the dog could sniff, and Mary and I could sit and enjoy the... Continue Reading

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

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

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

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

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

'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

Bloggers Gain Libel Protection 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

'Tis a sad day for fans of the "old" movies. One of the last great living legends is no more. Katherine Hepburn passed away at the ripe old age of 96. About 12 years ago, Mary and I went through a period of watching tons of old movies. The stars of old includeed Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart, Spencer Tracy, Gary Cooper, and Katherine Hepburn. My personal favorite is The Philadelphia Story, which co-starred Cary Grant... Continue Reading

Finally, a movie that depicts the last day of Christ's life in a realistic manner. Mel Gibson has gone against the flow of Hollyweird, stepping out to produce and direct The Passion, a project that has been close to his heart for many years. This movie depicts the last 12 hours of the life of Jesus Christ. And it isn't going to be easy to watch. Just about every Jesus flick I have seen shows... 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

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

Alright.. been at this web site thing since 1995... that's ancient in 'net years. Still, I struggle when asked to explain what I do. Typical conversation goes like this... "What do you do?" "I have an Internet business" "Oh, you build web sites. My cousin's sister's twice-removed great aunt wants to have a web site. Can you help?" "No, I don't build web sites. I have my OWN sites." "Oh. So, what do you do... Continue Reading

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

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

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

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

We've got a full day planned for Sunday. First, we'll head to church in the morning. Afterwards, we've got time for a very quick bite to eat and then its off to Jenna's ballet recital. She is doing jazz, tap and ballet this year, so she'll be in three of the routines. She's just too cute in her outfits! Finally, we're going to see The Matrix Reloaded with some friends in the evening. It should... Continue Reading

I think this would be a great place to tell the story of InfoMedia, Inc... how it came to be, how I rode the Internet wave to the top and back down to the bottom... and the lessons I have learned along the way. I hope you find it entertaining and instructional. Part I, coming soon to this blog. Stay tuned... Continue Reading

Hope all you moms have a great day today. My mom is here from out of town, but she is leaving in just a bit. Then we are heading out to MrsMayor's parent's house for the afternoon. I need to grab some flowers for my mother-in-law and score some points. :-) Continue Reading