Political Humor

Pictures of politicians with funny captions.

leaderpics.blogspot.com

Longest Domain Name on Blogger

I've come across and incredible find. The longest domain name on Blogspot. Something like 48 characters. Cool!

This Dog is Cool

Increasing Your Blog's Visibility

It's important to provide good content, above all else. In time, this will secure a readership for your blog.

But in the meantime there are steps you can take to promote your blog, and get your writing out there for as many people as possible.

One way to do this is Google's new blog search. The number of internet users who use Google Blog Search is pretty big and growing, so you want to make sure that your blog is listed.

You can ping the GBS manually with updates by going here: http://blogsearch.google.com/ping

Remember, every bit of exposure helps, and you don't want to miss out on potential hits by failing to appear on the Google Blog Search.

Art Buchwald

Check out Art Buchwald in this New York Time video in which he announces, "Hi, I'm Art Buchwald and I just died."

This is a great video series not to be missed.

Art Buchwald Obituary: In His Own Words

Art Buchwald

Check out Art Buchwald in this New York Time video in which he announces, "Hi, I'm Art Buchwald and I just died."

This is a great video series not to be missed.

Buchwald Obituary: In His Own Words

RSS Feeds to Increase Traffic

RSS feeds are a great way to keep loyal readers up to date with your content, as well as to drive up traffic.

By providing an RSS feed for your readers, they will continuously get updates as you add content to your blog, and through RSS directories, new readers can find your content and check out your site.

If you don't already have an RSS feed, you can go to a website called feedburner.com and create one for your blog. You can add code for buttons which will allow a reader to add your blog's RSS feed. Then you can submit your RSS feed into RSS feed directories, thereby increasing the positive exposure of your blog and building your readership.

Once your readers have you on an RSS feed, it's up to you to provide quality content that your readers can automatically view and enjoy in real time!

Working from Home, Living with Animals

One of the great things about being an internet publisher is being able to work from home. I love dogs, and making a living in such a way that I can be at home to take care of my dog is such a huge bonus. Writing can be a lonely job, and my Wirehair Pointer is great company.

Alright, I've been writing on Helium.com for about a month now, and I've formed some pretty solid ideas about

• how much money you can earn
• the quality of the content
• the future prospects for the site.

Having said that, I'm going to lay out everything I've discovered about Helium.com, what it is and what it could be for you as a writer.

Earnings

I currently have 56 articles written and earning money at Helium.com. After about a month, most of my articles are doing well in the ranking system, a bunch are number one or close to it, and a few are at the bottom of the pack because they stink.

My biggest earner is an article on insulating your home; it has earned $1.19 in one month, 50 cents of which came in one 24 hour period because it was "featured" on the Helium home page.

In time, these earnings could go up, especially as more people visit the site. But realistically, you're never going to make very much money on Helium. With a 25 dollar minimum balance required in order to request payout, it can be very discouraging to watch the pennies slowly roll in, even after amassing a good amount of quality articles.

Now, some people on the site have written a thousand articles, and I'm sure they're doing significantly better. Some of the most prolific writers at Helium could earn "tens of dollars a month" according to the CEO. But those kinds of numbers will take a long time to build, and honestly, I think your time would be better spent maintaining a blog of your own.

You can post your articles to both Helium and your blog without restriction

So some might say, why not? You'll make a little extra money by posting your blog content on Helium, and by posting your blog's address on your Helium profile you might even get some extra traffic.

But consider that for every view of your Helium article, Helium.com is making the real money while you earn a few cents every few days (if you're lucky). And for what? So you can be grouped with a massive collection of other "writers" who either cannot compose in proper English or simply don't care to?

My final assessment of Helium is that you don't need 'em: not for traffic, not for prestige, and certainly not for money.

The True Value of Helium.com

Helium.com does have it's place in the world of a budding Internet Publisher. It can be a great place to cure your writer's block. Surf around Helium, and when you see a topic that you could have written better, write it!

But maybe you should just post it to your own blog, enriching your blog's content and your bank account, and not Helium.com's.

Helium can be fun when you see your article move closer to the number 1 spot in the ranking system, but it can be frustrating and annoying when you see your article drop 5 spots below other articles that are clearly inferior to yours. And when I say "clearly inferior," I'm being kind. Some of these "articles" are literally a single word answer to some unasked question, not an article by any stretch of the imagination.

The ranking system really doesn't give you much of an idea as to how good your writing is. If some of the contributors to Helium.com rank as carelessly as they write, then the ranking system is meaningless, or worse, a tool by which the masses can anonymously attack better writing when they see it. Not that I'D have to worry about that, but you get the point.

The Future of Helium.com

I don't know whether Helium will flourish in the long term. If their success depends upon becoming a source for actual knowledge, a go-to source that people will turn to when they want information, then I can safely say that Helium.com is a sinking ship.

I wouldn't go there for instructions on tying shoes, or even hitting the broad side of a barn. I have read articles there that say chocolate isn't so bad for dogs, when really, it'll kill them. I mean, it's just plain wrong, and it wasn't even fun to read.

Helium has no real way of filtering content, ensuring quality and accuracy in their articles, or retaining good writers. Helium will never be a reliable source of useful information or good writing, and so will attract only aspiring writers, NOT information seekers. And for the sake of any information seeker who stumbles upon a Helium article, there should be a huge disclaimer: These People Don't Necessarily Have Any Clue What They're Talking About.

Use Helium as a source of inspiration for your own blog posts, by all means, but be aware that Helium won't pay much of anything and won't give you useful feedback on your writing.

Video blogging and Adsense

With the ridiculous popularity of YouTube, and pop video-bloggers like LonelyGirl15 garnering lots of attention, many people today are turning to video blogging as a way of expressing themselves.

Now technically, even though Google owns YouTube, you're not supposed to include video content on a website with Adsense.

From http://www.google.com/adsense/policies :

Copyrighted Material
In order to avoid associations with copyright claims, website publishers may not display Google ads on web pages with MP3, Video, News Groups, and Image Results.

Although video blogging, and even simply embedding YouTube content in your website, can really help to enhance your blog's appeal and popularity, it's not worth the risk of having your AdSense account cancelled. Your best bet is to design your page, submit it to Google AdSense and ask them if you can put Adsense code on there. Better safe than sorry.

Another option would be to find other ways of monetizing your video blog other than Adsense. Trying other affiliate programs, like Amazon or Yahoo, just might be the best solution for your website.

Tired of Living? Try this.

Two Albino Moose

Orthodox Christmas

Merry Christmas to all Orthodox Christians!

Adsense Accounts Cancelled

Lots of people on the internet are complaining that they earned nearly 100 dollars through Google's AdSense, only to have their account terminated at the last minute.

The usual cause given for the termination is "Invalid Clicks," although other reasons include a restricted placement of the Adsense code, modifying code, or putting Adsense on websites with inappropriate content.

Lots of people cry foul about their accounts being terminated, but the bottom line is that Google doesn't need to scam anybody out of 100 bucks; they're already rich, and they value their good reputation over a few bucks from one Adsense publisher.

One good tip to keep your Adsense account from being terminated is to be completely honest in your dealings with Google. If you accidentally click on your own advertisement, report it to Google. Tell them what happened and assure them you'll do your best not to let it happen again.
Google really isn't out to scam you.

If you do your best to operate with Adsense on fair terms, you can maximize your Adsense revenue without losing your account.

Enhancing Your Blog with Photos

One of the coolest and most fun ways to enhance your blog's content is through photography.

Nobody likes looking at a blog with nothing but text. It's tough enough to read text on a computer screen, without having to follow one line down to another for the entire page.

Photos give your reader's eye a break, and offers them a refuge amid a sea of eye-straining words.

There are lots of places online where you can get free pictures for your blog, like Stock.Xchng. But the one problem with that is, everyone else can get those photos, too.

The best thing to do is to take some of your own pictures with a digital camera. If you don't have one, you can get one pretty cheap at Walmart, and they're even selling single-use digital cameras at CVS now.

Take pictures no one else has seen and be the exclusive site to offer them. That can really help to make you website a go-to place for your viewers. You might consider using Photoshop to add your URL to your best pictures, so people can download them and promote your blog at the same time!

Get Your Blog Noticed

Head on over to www.addme.com, where you can get your website submitted for inclusion on 14 of the top search engines for free.

As an up-and-coming internet blogger, you may also want to write some articles for websites such as www.ezinearticles.com and www.goarticles.com. You can hone your writing skills by crafting articles, and get your name out there by publishing them for an audience of thousands!

Supplementing Your Internet Publishing Income

Check out reviewstream.com, where you write reviews on anything you can think of–books, movies, cell phone service providers, your third grade teacher– and get paid for each one.

The going rate of payout per review is displayed on the home page. Last I checked it was $2.00 per review. You write your review, title it, submit it, and within 72 hours ReviewStream will edit it. They will then either pay you the regular rate via PayPal (with a minimum payout of 50 bucks), or if your review is lacking in a few of their qualifying criteria, they may opt to pay you the "bulk rate," which is 1/5 of the regular rate.

If, however, you opt not to receive the bulk rate, they will simply return the review to you, at which point you can revise it or resubmit it for the bulk rate.

After you've been approved and paid for one review, you are what they call a "qualified writer" and can self-edit and submit your reviews instantly for a flat payment to your PayPal account of 20 cents. If you can write 500 reviews in a day and self-publish 'em, go for it.

I've heard that some people have written 500 word reviews and had them rejected for failing to meet the minimum length requirements. So, while most of the reviews I saw on ReviewStream were pretty brief, they may be looking for slightly longer reviews for the 2 dollar rate.

I submitted three reviews as an experiment yesterday, so we'll see how it goes. I expect some kind of a response as to the status of my reviews by Friday...

Bruce Lee as Telemarketer

Marketing your Website

By Shelley Lowery

If you're just starting out on the Internet, learning how to market your web site and products is an essential part of your success. However, this is an area in which many new Internet entrepreneurs struggle.

After receiving the same questions numerous times, I have devised a list of the most frequently asked Internet marketing questions.

Question: "Is it true that people are making millions on internet?"

Answer: Although there are a few individuals that may be making millions on the Internet, they are the exception -- not the rule.

Making money on the Internet requires a total commitment and takes a great deal of time and effort. It's not going to happen overnight, and it's not easy. However, if you take the time to educate yourself and plan each step very carefully, you can definitely make a nice income online.

For further information, read the article series entitled, "The Birth of a Successful Internet Business."

Question: "I recently launched a new web site and submitted it to the Search engines, but haven't received the first visitor. Is there something I'm missing here?"

Answer: Although launching your web site and submitting it to the Search Engines is a great start, it is only the first step.

Many new Internet entrepreneurs believe that all they need to do is launch their web site and visitors will automatically start scrambling to their site. Unfortunately, it just doesn't work that way.

Driving a steady stream of traffic to your web site takes a great deal of time and effort. You must develop a strategic marketing plan and continuously work it.

The best advice I can offer is this...get your link on as many web sites as you possibly can. The more links you have pointing to your web site, the more traffic you'll receive.

There are many ways you can obtain links to your site:

· Submit your site to the Search Engines and Directories.

· Exchange links with similar sites.

· Provide a service (For example, I provide a free syndication service. Every web site displaying my content is also displaying my link.)

· Write articles and allow them to be freely published with your bylines.

I highly recommend that you use a combination of the above traffic generating techniques.

If you would like to exchange links with other sites, your first step will be to locate sites that are similiar to yours, but not in competition. I recommend using a program called Zeus that enables you to locate potential sites.

Although Zeus will enable you to set up a directory and send out a template style invitation, I don't recommend using these features. Not only is the directory very unattractive, but the template invitation will most likely be deleted. You will be much better off using the program to locate potential sites and personally contacting your prospects.

For further information in regard to developing a marketing strategy, read the article series entitled, "Internet Marketing Strategies."

Question: "I have my own product that I would like to market on the Internet, but I have no idea where to start. Can you give me some advice?"

Answer: Although the best way to market your products is through your own opt-in list, many new marketers either haven't started collecting their potential customers' email addresses or their list is very small. So how can a new Internet marketer begin advertising without an opt-in list? Start by placing paid ads in targeted ezines.

Ezine advertising is one of the most effective forms of advertising on the Internet. Many ezines sell ad space that may include sponsor ads and/or solo ads. Although both types of ads can be effective, solo ads will produce the best results.

Ezine advertising is not only highly effective, but the rates are also very reasonable. Your results will vary depending on the product, your ad, and the publication.

To learn the art of writing effective ezine ads, read the article entitled, "Secret Formulas for Writing Headlines that Sell."

Visit the following web address for a list of some of the most effective online publications: http://www.ebookstarter.com

If you're considering purchasing any type of advertising, please make sure you start out small and test your ad's response rate prior to spending any major money. There's a great ad tracking script called LnkInLite that you can pick up completely free. I highly recommend that you use this script to track all your advertising ventures. http://www.dtp-aus.com/cgiscript/lnkinlte.shtml

Once you have tested your ads and have an ad that's pulling a good response rate, you can begin placing the ad in some of the larger publications.

Question: "I don't have a product, but I'd really like to learn how to market and make money on the Internet. I'm a complete newbie and have no idea where to start. Can you help?"

Answer: Even if you don't have your own product, you can still make money on the Internet. There are many products online that have an affiliate program. Affiliate programs will pay you a set commission for each sale.

Many good affiliate programs will provide you with ads, articles and banners to assist you.

A good place to find affiliate programs is: http://www.clickbank.com

Question: "What, in your opinion, is the best way to market on the Internet, free?"

Answer: Writing articles and allowing them to be freely published is the best way to market on the Internet.

By writing articles and allowing them to be freely published, your articles will have the potential to be viewed by millions of Internet users. They may be published by several ezines with subscriber bases of a few hundred to several thousand. In addition, they may be displayed in ezine archives or on high traffic web sites.

Best of all, writing an article enables you to advertise in ezines completely free. It just doesn't get any better than that.

Your marketing efforts will play a major role in your success. Whether you're marketing your web site, products or services, you need a strategy. Plan your work then work your plan and everything will fall into place.

Is Your Domain Name A Trademark Infringement?

By Shelley Lowery

I recently received an email from a concerned, fellow Internet business owner, asking for my opinion on an issue that could literally destroy his Internet business and the business of several other domains involved.

He had received legal notice from a prominent company, stating that he needed to relinquish his use and rights to his web site domain name because it contained three letters that infringed upon their trademark and their domain name. This same company also contacted several other Internet business owners and made similar demands.

Should a company that registers a specific trademark have the ability to destroy numerous businesses that legitimately registered domain names? Should a company that registers a trademark have the responsibility of ensuring that a domain name registration agency doesn't issue domain names that may be a trademark infringement? Or should an Internet business have the responsibility of making sure a potential name doesn't Infringe upon a registered trademark? Where does the responsibility lie?

Ultimately, the responsibility lies with the domain name registrant, as the trademark laws that apply in the hard copy world also apply on the Internet. Any company that registers a trademark has the right to protect their trademark and has the right to notify you that your domain name is infringing upon their trademark.

Why? If your domain name has the potential of confusing the public into thinking the trademark holder is somehow affiliated with your web site, they may bring infringement claims against you. The courts would have to make the decision based upon the trademark laws and if your domain name, in fact, has the potential of confusing the public.

Domain name registrants can protect themselves as well. If you have a registered domain name that doesn't infringe upon any trademarks, you too may be able to register a trademark. Registering a domain name as a trademark isn't easy, but it can be done. Although you can't register the http://www.or the .com, if the use of your name fits the laws criteria, it can be registered.

You should consult with an attorney familiar with the Internet, trademarks and the laws prior to registering your domain name as a trademark.