Daily Search Coverage:

Yahoo launched new ad features. Google has a new user interface for AdWords reports. Matt Cutts chatted about the nofollow tag. GoogleGuy stopped by to say hi. AdSense enabled the allowed sites feature. Tips to check if a site can pass link popularity. Is a robots.txt necessary? YSM increased deposit to $30. SEOmoz streamlines tools. A new way to search Google by date. Yahoo will be launching KickStart in the future.

Search Engine Roundtable Topics:

1. Yahoo! Search Marketing Launches New August 2007 Features
2. Matt Cutts Provides Insight into the "nofollow" Attribute
3. Advertisers Not Happy with Google AdWords Reports Makeover
4. GoogleGuy Says Hello!
5. Google AdSense Enables "Allowed Sites" Feature After Quick Roll Back
6. How to Check if a Site Passes Link Popularity
7. Is a Robots.txt File Required for Search Engine Optimization?
8. Yahoo Search Marketing Increases Minimum Deposit to $30

Search Engine Land Topics:

1. Yahoo Adds New Ad Tools & Reporting; Google Changes Reports Interface
2. SEOmoz & SEO Book Organize SEO Tools & Add Features
3. How To Go Beyond Google's Advanced Search Page Date Options
4. Yahoo Gives College Graduates A "Kickstart" With Social Job Networking Site
5. Search in Pictures: Search Engine Fun, Yahoo Giant & The Google Dance

Daily Link Finds:

This is the August 31st issue of a daily post that will contain links to commentary of the posts over at the Search Engine Roundtable. All links I find throughout the day that ad some commentary to the posts written over at the Search Engine Roundtable, will be in the Daily Link Finds. The purpose is two fold: (1) To help people find discussion around our articles and (2) To thank people for linking to us. How do I find these links? Only one way, via a Google Blog Search link command, so make sure that (1) you are in Google Blog Search and (2) link to us.

Daily Link Finds for August 31st, 2007:

• How To Use the "Ads by Google" Link to Report AdSense Spam, The Real Estate Bloggers
• SearchCap: The Day In Search, August 30, 2007, Search Engine Land
• AdSense Almost Gives Everyone "Allowed Sites"ù Feature, InsideGoogle
• Got The Current Time? Your Search Engine Does!, Search Engine Land
• Le futur de Google Universal Search décrit par Marissa Mayer, WebRankInfo
• Time Search Feature Gone, WebmasterWorld
• Weekly Rap-up of Search Engine Industry News - 8/27 - 8/31, SearchRank Blog
• Yahoo Adds New Ad Tools & Reporting; Google Changes Reports Interface, Search Engine Land

Posted at 4:37 PM | Permalink | Category: Daily Link Finds , Daily Search Coverage | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) (0) | Speak

Starting a few weeks ago, I started noticing a floater in my right eye. It was extremely annoying. It is tiny and most of the time I don't notice it. But as I type, I am noticing it, because it is against a white background.

It looks like a transparent grayish tiny dot on the page. Sometimes I play with it, by scrolling my eyes left and right, to watch the floater "float" across the screen or the sky.

I have read a lot of material on it since I have seen it. Most cases say that they are harmless, in most cases. The Mayo Clinic writes:

Most of the interior of your eye is filled with vitreous, a clear, jelly-like substance. Eye floaters are small bits of debris floating in the vitreous. They may appear as spots, hair or bits of string that dart into your field of vision. Although they can be bothersome, eye floaters in your eye are usually not a serious problem and don't require treatment. Most people learn to ignore them.

Now, not all floaters are harmless. They recommend that you see an eye doctor if you see an "increase in floaters, especially if associated with flashing lights or hazy vision." That may be a sign of a Retinal Detachment, which is not fun.

Can they be treated? Dr. Bill Lloyd's Make My Floaters Disappear at WebMD says no! They may go away by themselves, overtime. But treatment simply doesn't work, even-though there are plenty of treatments advertised.

Speaking of eyes problems... I feel so bad for Ian... He has apparently lost his eye sight. His dry eyes scratched off some of his skin from his eye ball, when he woke up. He said this one is a serious problem and he is hoping it heals itself, but is obviously concerned. I hope it works out Ian, sounds very scary.

Posted at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Category: Just Interesting | Comments (11) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

It seems like every day a new SEO blog is created. Now, I can't possibly subscribe to each one... well maybe I can. But why don't you help me.

If you want me to subscribe to your blog and I have not yet, then please comment below with your blog URL. In fact, if you want to make it faster for me, just include the add blog URL for Google Reader....

If I see your blog, it has a better chance to get covered at Search Engine Land and be included in the SearchCap at Search Engine Land.

So, please help me - help you. I think that is the slogan.

How do you know if I read your blog already? Well, if it is in my link farm, then I do read it. If it is not, I still may read it, but not have updated the link farm - but feel free to submit it just in case below.

Only SEO blogs please.

I believe all links in comments are nofollowed, not that the nofollow will prevent comment spam. :)

Posted at 7:01 AM | Permalink | Category: Blogging , SEO Tips | Comments (18) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

Daily Search Coverage:

Got multiple robots text files served up as one local file? We have a solution for you. Want to ban Google? You now can. AdSense rolled back their allowed sites feature. GoogleGuy hasn't posted at WebmasterWorld in a year. Yahoo launched search suggest in the UK. Report splogs with AdSense. Google Webmaster Central asks for feedback in Google Groups. Yea, search engines can tell the time. Google resumes webmaster penalty emails.

Search Engine Roundtable Topics:

1. Managing the Robots.txt File for Sites Sharing Same Local Files
2. Want To Ban Google? You Can!
3. Google AdSense Rolls Back "Allowed Sites" Feature
4. One Year Since GoogleGuy Has Posted in WebmasterWorld
5. Yahoo! Launches Search Suggest in the UK
6. Use the "Ads by Google" Link to Report AdSense Spam
7. Google Groups Webmaster Central Team Seeks Forum Productivity Tips

Search Engine Land Topics:

1. Got The Current Time? Your Search Engine Does!
2. Google To Resume Webmaster Penalty Email Notifications

Daily Link Finds:

This is the August 30th issue of a daily post that will contain links to commentary of the posts over at the Search Engine Roundtable. All links I find throughout the day that ad some commentary to the posts written over at the Search Engine Roundtable, will be in the Daily Link Finds. The purpose is two fold: (1) To help people find discussion around our articles and (2) To thank people for linking to us. How do I find these links? Only one way, via a Google Blog Search link command, so make sure that (1) you are in Google Blog Search and (2) link to us.

Daily Link Finds for August 30th, 2007:

• Headlines of Note for August 29, 2007, Internet Marketing Monitor
• Blog News Round Up - 8/29/2007, PPC Hero
• RRRSSP: SEO Through Blogs and Feeds, A Feed Is Born
• SearchCap: The Day In Search, August 29, 2007, Search Engine Land
• SES San Jose 2007 Recap, Techipedia
• Useful SEO Blogs, Auto Industry Startups
• Wrapping up day 3 of SES San Jose Search Strategies Conference, Joe Duck
• Protect Yourself From Duplicate Content Issues, Search Engine Journal
• SES San Jose Coverage Recap, Brisbane SEO Blog
• Total Number of Pages Indexed Dropping, agibg.com
• Do you know the way to San Jose?, 10e20
• Google Removes Real Time Feature While Ask Adds Them!, Unofficial SEO Blog
• SES San Jose Wrap up | Local and In-house Search Engine Marketing topics, Search Engine Tigers
• Yahoo UK Now Features Search Suggestions, Search Newz
• Yahoo! UK Now Features Search Suggestions!, Unofficial SEO Blog

Posted at 4:38 PM | Permalink | Category: Daily Link Finds , Daily Search Coverage | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) (0) | Speak

A few weeks ago I wrote about my dilemma in picking a Internet, TV and Phone provider. This week I finally made a decision, thanks to the helpful comments and advice. So what did I choose.

I picked three different providers.

(1) Internet: How can I not go with Verizon FiOS. It is super speeds and nothing, to-date, compares. So I picked FiOS. I have an install date.

(2) Phone: Vonage. Why? Because Verizon and Optimum both required that I get a new number, since I am moving to a new zip code. Vonage allowed me to transfer my number. So I ordered Vonage, it is being delivered soon. I requested a transfer of number and I plan on using Vonage at my current residence and then moving the box with me to the new residence.

(3) TV: Optimum via CableVision. Verizon didn't have TV service available in my area, so I signed up with CableVision. No other choice outside of getting a satellite provider or using an antenna.

If Verizon comes out with TV, I will likely switch because I rather pay one bill but this is the best I can do now.

Posted at 12:59 PM | Permalink | Category: Computers , Homey | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

Well, I have pre-ordered the Pleo.

No idea when it will come. I am in no rush. But when it gets here, I will be excited.

What the heck is a Pleo? Well, I blogged about it several times in the past. But in short...

Pleo is a robotic dinosaur, made for all ages, designed to emulate the appearance and behavior of a week-old baby Camarasaurus. It was designed by Caleb Chung, the co-creator of the Furby, and manufactured by Ugobe. Chung selected this species of dinosaur because its body shape, stocky head, and relatively large cranium made it ideal for concealing the sensors and motors needed for lifelike animation. According to Ugobe, each Pleo will "learn" from its experiences and environment through artificial intelligence and develop an individual personality.

Maybe we will code it to run after our programmers who have been slacking off. I hear it has an API. :-)

Posted at 12:48 PM | Permalink | Category: Just Interesting , RustyBrick , Shopping | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

Major geek factor here.

A teen hacked the iPhone so that it is now unlocked and working on a non-AT&T network. The teen is 17-years-old and Glen Rock, N.J. Which is not too far from me.

Teen Trades Hacked IPhone for New Car from the AP writes:

The 17-year-old Hotz said he will be sending the three new iPhones to the three online collaborators who helped him divorce Apple Inc's popular product from AT&T's network. The job took 500 hours, or about 8 hours a day since the iPhone's June 29 launch.

View Larger Map

His name is George Hotz.

George made a deal with CertiCell. CertiCell is giving George a Nissan 350Z plus three 8GB iPhones, in exchange for the unlocked iPhone.

He unlocked the iPhone on Friday, Aug. 24, 2007.

Now that is one killer summer gig.

Posted at 10:44 AM | Permalink | Category: Apple Macs , Computers , Just Interesting | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

I decided to merge the Daily Link Finds with the Daily Search Coverage into one post. This way people who don't care about the search stuff can skip over one post as opposed to two posts. Fair? Comment below.

Daily Search Coverage:

Today in search I covered... Do search engines love text links way more than image links? You bet ya! Should you break out articles on multiple pages? Google has been dropping pages from their index. Google stop telling us what time it is. Should you put a product's price in your search ads? Google's CFO retired. SEM companies don't pitch their services well. Love those local ads. CCIA launches Defend Fair Use site. Flash Earth maps the mapping companies. Sproose goes Digg in video search. Yahoo UK added search suggestions.

Search Engine Roundtable Topics:

1. What's Better? Image Based Links or Text Links? What About in H1 Tags?
2. Break Our Articles on Multiple Pages or Keep Them on One Page?
3. Pages Dropping Out of the Google.com Search Index
4. Google Drops Current Time Search Operator?
5. Should You Mention Product Cost in Your PPC Ads?
6. Google's Chief Financial Officer George Reyes to Retire
7. 61% of Ad Agencies Don't Research Prospects Before Making Sales Pitch
8. How To Place a Location Under your Google Search Ad

Search Engine Land Topics:

1. Google CFO George Reyes To Resign
2. CCIA, Google & Microsoft Launch "Defend Fair Use" Web Site
3. Flash Earth Puts Google Earth, Virtual Earth & Others On Web
4. Sproose Adds Voting To Help Rank Video Search Results
5. Yahoo Launches Search Suggestions In The UK

Daily Link Finds:

This is the August 29th issue of a daily post that will contain links to commentary of the posts over at the Search Engine Roundtable. All links I find throughout the day that ad some commentary to the posts written over at the Search Engine Roundtable, will be in the Daily Link Finds. The purpose is two fold: (1) To help people find discussion around our articles and (2) To thank people for linking to us. How do I find these links? Only one way, via a Google Blog Search link command, so make sure that (1) you are in Google Blog Search and (2) link to us.

Daily Link Finds for August 29th, 2007:

• SearchCap: The Day In Search, August 28, 2007, Search Engine Land
• Headlines of Note for August 22, 2007, Internet Marketing Monitor
• Debate sobre la compra de enlaces en el SES San Jose 2007, BitSignals
• DMOZ Payola?, MetaFilter
• Google Releases Adsense Feature and Then Pulls It, The SEO Scoop
• Search Engine Strategies 2007 in San Jose Trip Recap, SearchRank Blog
• Yahoo search suggest - UK launch today!, SEO Home

Posted at 4:13 PM | Permalink | Category: Daily Link Finds , Daily Search Coverage | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) (0) | Speak

I am not feeling to well. Starting last night, couldn't stop sneezing and had a runny nose.

This morning and now I feel pretty bad, I may have fever, I dunno.

Here is a picture of my eyes, via my iPhone.

It is never a good time to get sick, is it? Well, maybe the weekends.

I used to get sick only on Fridays, which worked out well. I would sleep the whole weekend and not miss any work. I guess it can't always work that way. So here I am at work, probably with a fever. At least I have an appetite (no comments from family ;-) )

Posted at 1:18 PM | Permalink | Category: Just Weird | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

There is this guy named Steve that I see at almost every search conference I go to. He typically is on the same flights from New York to the conference city that I am on. I think, more times than not, he is on my flight, which is a bit creepy - if you think about it.

We always did some small chat but this last trip, we chatted a ton on the way back to New York from San Jose.

Steve runs this company named Farlex, but it the company's products that are cool. The two main products include:

- The Free Dictionary which provides not just dictionary items, but it is a huge portal, that you can customize to your liking. Check it out.

- The Free Library which provides tons of syndicated articles from tons of sources. The articles have social media buttons within them, plus commenting and much more. You can translate any page and more.

Good stuff.

In any event, Steve and I chatted a lot. He is buying a new house and I am also. He gave me so many helpful tips, so many. It was a fun chat and I hope all goes well with your house as you finalize the remaining details!

Posted at 11:13 AM | Permalink | Category: Buddies , Travels | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

Yahoo has been beta testing a new featured called Search Assist. Danny has a great overview of it at Search Engine Land.

To my surprise, this morning, I did a search at Yahoo and now I see the beta UI. Here is a video of it in action:

Posted at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Category: SEO Tips | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

This is the August 28th issue of a daily post that will contain links to commentary of the posts over at the Search Engine Roundtable. If you want the daily link finds to continue, and if you miss the daily search wrap up, please go here and vote. All links I find throughout the day that ad some commentary to the posts written over at the Search Engine Roundtable, will be in the Daily Link Finds. The purpose is two fold: (1) To help people find discussion around our articles and (2) To thank people for linking to us. How do I find these links? Only one way, via a Google Blog Search link command, so make sure that (1) you are in Google Blog Search and (2) link to us.

Daily Link Finds for August 28th, 2007 (from past week or so, sorry if I missed some):

• Blog News Roundup 8/17/2007, PPC Hero
• Search Engine Marketers Fantasy Football Challenge, www.marketingshift.com
• SearchCap: The Day In Search, August 17, 2007, Search Engine Land
• Utah SEO, Bryan Phelps and Paid Links, Alex McArthur
• Audycje na temat pozycjonowania, seomedia.az.pl
• Bruceclay.com - Friday Recap, BruceClay.com
• Headlines of Note for August 20, 2007, Internet Marketing Monitor
• Barry Schwartz, Please Learn about the DMCA, Dense Random Googler
• Personalization session at SES 2007, Geeking with Greg
• SES San Jose Coverage Roundup - August 20, 2007, Search Engine Land
• SES San Jose Day Minus, Online Marketing Blog
• The Long Tail Is Dead -- Long Live the Long Tail, Search Engine Watch
• This Weeks Must Reads in Search Marketing, Web Analytics World
• Coverage of the Summer 2007 Search Engine Strategies Conference, ResourceShelf
• Search Engine Roundtable's Coverage of SES San Jose, Search Engine Journal
• Search Engine Strategies Copyright and Trademark Panel, blog.ericgoldman.org
• SearchCap: The Day In Search, August 20, 2007, Search Engine Land
• SES San Jose: Top Takeaways Part 1, Web Analytics World
• SES SJ 2007 Session of the Day: Personalization, User Data, seo-space.blogspot.com
• Eight Observations On PPC Ad Copy, Rimm Kaufman
• Paid Links Debate Heating Up: Google Under Massive Fire at SES San Jose ::, Fantomaster
• Who ranks who with Personalized Pagerank?, Andrej's Miscellany
• SES San Jose Coverage, Search Engine Watch Blog
• Danny's iPhone challenge, Joe Duck
• Search Engine Strategies (SES) 2007 Recap, www.lonelymarketer.com
• Afterthoughts on SES San Jose, Jonathan Mendez's Blog
• Matt Cutts Attacks Graywolf After SES Session, Scott Hendison
• PilgrimâÄôs Picks for August 27 - Post SES Edition, Marketing Pilgrim
• Search Headlines, Search Engine Watch Blog
• SES San Jose Housecleaning, Small Business SEM
• PilgrimâÄôs Picks for August 28 - Anniversary Edition, Marketing Pilgrim

That is the discussion I have found via Google Blog Search around the posts at Search Engine Roundtable for August 28th, 2007. Thank you for contributing!

Posted at 4:40 PM | Permalink | Category: Daily Grind | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

I have been doing some heavy duty purchasing this week.

Along with the heavy duty purchases come serial numbers and rebates.

Sometimes, finding those serial numbers can be a huge pain. It is even more of a pain when the box is missing the serial numbers and you need to find the number on the item you just purchased.

So yesterday, I get an oven and I probably spent 15 minutes in total looking for the serial number. No where to be found. I found the serial numbers on all the other appliances, but not on the oven.

I did some research, and I am told it is on the side of the inner part of the door. We will see, I still need to go back and verify that. I am 99% sure I looked there, but it is possible I missed it.

Why do they make those numbers so hard to find?

(1) Because you rarely need them.
(2) Because if you do need them, they will cost the manufacturer money (problems with it or rebates).
(3) Because if they were smack in the middle of the item, it would look bad.

Posted at 10:52 AM | Permalink | Category: Shopping | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

Every day, I really dread doing the daily link finds and daily search recaps. It is added work, that is very routinize'd and tiring.

But if you like them, I will keep them.

Here is a poll, I will base what I do on this poll:

Please let me know if you want me to keep them going.

Posted at 4:58 PM | Permalink | Category: Daily Link Finds , Daily Search Coverage | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

Tamar just can't get enough blogging. She has her Techipedia, she blogs at Search Engine Roundtable and now, because she needs to blog even more, she is blogging at Lifehacker.

Tamar is Lifehacker's "new guest editor," one of her first articles was on Bloglines Beta.

But she has already written about five articles.

Congrats Tamar!

Posted at 2:37 PM | Permalink | Category: Blogging | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

Danny Sullivan, a want to own iPhone individual, organized the first Sphinn Meetup while at SES.

So Matt Cutts and I, the two cool people who own iPhones, came to the meetup.

Danny quickly felt threatened by his phone-hood and decided to challenge the iPhone'rs to a browser challenge. So Danny and Vanessa Fox who had primitive phones challenged Matt and myself to a war.

Matt had 99% of the page rendered before any of us, I was a bit delayed because they started the contest while I was replying to an email. Vanessa, I think, came in second. But Danny didn't want to fess up that although Matt's iPhone had the page visible, since parts of the page may have been still loading (i.e. pixels for ads or something), that Vanessa's phone actually won.

There is a picture provided by Lee Odden.

In any event, I find it funny that Danny's Sphinn Meetup turned into this makeshift iPhone Meetup.

Posted at 2:22 PM | Permalink | Category: SEO Tips | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

The Search Engine Roundtable is sporting this look for the next hour or so. Yesterday, we went live with the theme, in commemoration of Women's Equality Day.

Women's Equality Day takes place annually on August 26th. It was instituted by Rep. Bella Abzug and first established in 1971.

It is to acknowledge the Woman Suffrage Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, aka the 19th amendment was passed. This gave woman rights to vote in 1920.

Posted at 2:12 PM | Permalink | Category: Just Interesting | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

This is Rand Fishkin hugging me at the SMX conference a few months back in Seattle.

You see, Rand was so excited there was a conference in his town that he decided to start hugging people.

In realty, Tamar took this picture, Rand wanted to be funny - so it turned out to be an awkward looking picture of one man hugging another.

Posted at 3:15 PM | Permalink | Category: Just Funny | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

Last night I flew back from San Jose to New York. I got a pretty good seat, the row directly behind first class, but I was in a middle seat. But it was great leg room.

There was a woman on my right, by the window. She was absolutely tiny. Directly behind her was a tall, large man.

The tiny lady decided to move her seat back. The poor guy behind him had almost no room. He asked her not to recline her chair all the way back. She got upset. She didn't really speak english, but she said, she paid for the seat to recline and wants to recline. He explained that he had no leg room, so please just recline a bit, since you have a ton of leg room.

She walked over to the flight attendant and complained. The flight attendant came over and tried to work it out. She asked the man to move to a different seat, he didnt want to. She asked the lady to switch seats with the man, she said no. She then put her hands up in the air and said, "children, you need to work this out yourselves." She then walked away. Personally, I felt the flight attendant could of been more professional, even though these two people were a bit crazy. But in any event, it was funny.

This tiny lady, who needed absolutely no room, refused to make it more comfortable for this large man.

There should be a rule. People under x feet tall and weigh less than x pounds should not be allowed to sit in a chair like that. :)

Posted at 1:10 PM | Permalink | Category: Travels | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

Buying a home in the New York area, as you may expect, is not cheap.

The deal is, for a loan larger than $417,000, you need to get a "jumbo mortgage." Now, in NY, the typical house will cost you more than 417,000 even after putting 20% down.

What makes things worse for home buyers now, is that the jumbo mortgage rates have jumped from 6.87% to 7.64% in a couple weeks. Why? Well, because the lending market was too free going back in the day and many borrowers are going into default. So mortgage companies are now going bankrupt.

This rate hike is not something to laugh at, it can increase your payments to a few hundred dollars per month!

The WSJ has a very clear article on this named Home Inequity where they explain that borrowers with the good credit are not getting hit with this. You see, someone needs to make up for the loses. Now, overall, it is much harder for people to get mortgages, especially jumbos. Which, I think, it should have been for from day one. Lend wisely, like you would to anyone. But due to lending practices, the jumbos are all out of whack with the typical "conforming" loan which have been going down because those are under $417 and backed by the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

I personally locked in a solid rate, but it cost me to do so. In addition, I am trading up, so I am selling my current home to the person I am buying from, so that helps a ton. It is just weird times for the real estate market. Pricing of homes are declining but some mortgage rates are increasing. Timing it right, is well, what they say, "it is all about timing."

Posted at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Category: Homey | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

So, Chris, Ben and I do a live radio show weekly (we were off for the summer), Tuesday nights at 5pm (EST).

We decided to kick things off for the new season at SES San Jose. We did it live in the exhibit hall during the networking reception.

This is what it looks like to do a radio show on WebmasterRadio.FM

Chris Boggs, Barry Schwartz & Tamar Weinberg during live airing of The Pulse

I get a bit distracted keeping track of topics to discuss, talking, IMing, checking email and blogging, all while getting this picture taken.

I think the show went well, hard to tell.

If you want to hear the show, more details on that at the Search Engine Roundtable.

Posted at 3:34 PM | Permalink | Category: SEO Tips | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

Last night was the Google Dance. Here is a quick video of what went on, after dark.

While upstairs, Matt and the Google engineers were answering questions:

How did we get to the Google Dance? Chris Boggs and Frank Watson organized a limo service.

Chris is the one who seems very happy in that picture.

Posted at 8:49 AM | Permalink | Category: Travels | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

So Gary Price handed me a box, wrapped in birthday paper this morning. It looked like this:

So I looked at the card on the front, which read:

Barry -

Now you'll always know when your pen's running low!

Enjoy,
Ask.com

So I open the box and find a feather pen with a bottle of ink.

Too funny, a feather Quill pen. Yes, I guess, I will always know when my pen is running low on ink.

Thank Ask.com for fixing my pen outage!

Posted at 1:16 PM | Permalink | Category: Daily Grind | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

As many of you know, I go to a ton of search conferences. From SES (which I am at now), to WebmasterWorld, to the new Search Marketing Expo - I hit them all.

Most of them are flowered with night events, where different vendors and agencies sponsor parties, dinners and more.

Now, a lot of people know, I tend to not stay late at those parties and sometimes I don't stop by at all.

Some people want to know why. Here are some reasons:

(1) During conferences, companies tend to want to release their new features and products. So not only do I spend all day covering the conference sessions and presentations, I need to wake up at 4am to cover all the news from those releases. So staying out late, simply doesn't mesh with waking up at 4am and also having to be able to cover late day releases.

(2) I honestly do not enjoy parties, I like noise free environments, and silence. That doesn't mean I don't enjoy talking with people, I just like to do it in a low monotone voice.

(3) I am simply tired.

How can you help me attend parties?

(1) Stop announcing things during these conferences.

(2) Don't email me things that can wait until after the conference.

(3) Have noise-free parties.

But seriously, tonight is the Google Dance, I will be there (Ill probably be one of the first ones to leave) but I hope to see you there.

In addition, do not miss our live radio show tonight. I posted the details at the Search Engine Roundtable, please stop by, if you have time.

Posted at 10:56 AM | Permalink | Category: Travels | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

I am at the San Jose Marriott for the fourth time, in four years, I think. Here is my view:

I believe the weather here is always perfect. If that is even possible.

Off to the conference shortly.

Posted at 11:08 AM | Permalink | Category: Travels | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

So, I am all excited to play movies on my iPhone for this trip. I download an undisclosed movie, a get ready to start up the movie on the plane yesterday. The overhead screens come down and show the featured presentation.

Guess what is playing?

Figure it out yet?

Yes, the movie I downloaded to my iPhone!

What a waste! So I opted to listen and watch the movie on the plane screens. Why waste the iPhone's battery?

In any event, I did listen to my music and music videos on my iPhone after the two movies aired. But I was laughing inside.

I thought to myself, wouldn't it be funny if the movie on the plane would be the movie I downloaded to watch. And then seconds later, they showed the movie.

Too funny.

But at least the Bose earphones kept the snoring sound on my left out of reach.

Posted at 10:42 AM | Permalink | Category: Apple Macs , Travels | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

This is the August 17th issue of a daily post that will contain links to commentary of the posts over at the Search Engine Roundtable. All links I find throughout the day that ad some commentary to the posts written over at the Search Engine Roundtable, will be in the Daily Link Finds. The purpose is two fold: (1) To help people find discussion around our articles and (2) To thank people for linking to us. How do I find these links? Only one way, via a Google Blog Search link command, so make sure that (1) you are in Google Blog Search and (2) link to us.

Daily Link Finds for August 17th, 2007:

• Headlines of Note for August 16, 2007, Internet Marketing Monitor
• Search Engine Roundtable Discusses Google Adding "Excessive" To Link Exchange Guidelines, seoaware.com
• Search Engine Strategies Comes To San Jose Next Week, SearchRank Blog
• SearchCap: The Day In Search, August 16, 2007, Search Engine Land
• First Generation SEO%u2019s Still Kicking Butt, Cre8PC
• Google UPDATE: Underscores vs. Dashes - Search Engine Watch Forums, Search Engine Watch Forums
• Headed to Search Engine Strategies in San Jose, Search Engine Guide
• I'll Get You, You Scwewy Webmaster!, TwentySteps
• Operation Camouflage, The Art of War, and PPC, EngineReady
• Search Headlines & Links: August 16, 2007, Search Engine Watch Blog

That is the discussion I have found via Google Blog Search around the posts at Search Engine Roundtable for August 17th, 2007. Thank you for contributing!

Posted at 2:17 PM | Permalink | Category: Daily Link Finds | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

Joe Morin posts his final SES party list. Webmasters notice weird referrers from Live Search. Google improved the robots.txt report. A weird tool can check your Google status. Tips on high performing keywords in Google. A how to guide on geo targeting your Google ads. Google's new ad traffic quality center is live. Fast Search dropped 148 employees. Family Guy teams up with Google AdSense. American Airlines sued Google. Search in pictures starts Jean and Hamsters.

Search Engine Roundtable Topics:

1. Joseph Morin Posts His Last SES Party & Events Schedule
2. Weird Referrals From Microsoft's Live Search?
3. Google Webmaster Central Improves robots.txt Tool
4. Automatically Determining when Google Indexes Your Site
5. How Should You Handle High-Performing Keywords in Google AdWords?
6. How To Geotarget Your Google Ads to a Specific City

Search Engine Land Topics:

1. Google Launches Ad Traffic Quality Resource Center
2. Fast Search To Fire 148 Employees
3. Family Guy & Google Form Video Ad Distribution Deal
4. Google Sued For Trademark Infringement By American Airlines Over Sponsored Ads
5. Search in Pictures: Wyclef Jean, Cricket & Hamster Lounge

Posted at 2:14 PM | Permalink | Category: Daily Search Coverage | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) (0) | Speak

The folks over at SuperPages.com have sent me schwag already!

Even before the SES conference started. Pretty neat.

Here is the package:

Basically, it is suppose to contain items that will help you do well at SES.

Here are the two cool items in the package:

Posted at 12:07 PM | Permalink | Category: SEO Tips | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

I just came out of the bathroom!

I walk into the bathroom, there is this guy turning on the faucet with a paper towel. I go do my thing and he is still there, scrubbing his hands with soap. I wash my hands with soap and water. Turn off faucet. Dry hands.

He is still there washing his hands.

Remember when I wrote that 2 out of 3 don't wash hands but only 7% don't after using the bathroom. Yea, I have seen those people also. But is there "excessive" hand washing?

Typically, the female race, I believe, do a better job of cleaning their hands, than their male counterpart. But this specific guy, I am sure, beat out most of you girls.

Posted at 9:01 AM | Permalink | Category: Homey | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0) (0)