Here is another interview with me and Mike. Really enjoy these.

The weather was outstanding. While it was below freezing and rainy in NY. Santa Clara was sunny and 70s.

Posted at 4:17 PM | Permalink | Category: SEO Tips | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

Daily Search Coverage:

SMX is over. Google Webmaster Tools as iGoogle Gadgets. Info Operator messed up? Here is what to do. Google launches Google Sites. Prepay AdWords accounts may have issues. Google to add live video streams to YouTube this year. Is IAC dumping their search technology? Happy Leap Day!

Search Engine Roundtable Topics:

1. SMX West 2008 Conference Coverage Recap
2. Get Google Webmaster Tools on iGoogle as Gadgets
3. Wrong Site Appearing for Google Info Operator Command?
4. Happy Leap Year Day: Google Frogs & We Leap
5. Google's JotSpot Acquisition Relaunches as Google Sites
6. Several Google AdWords Prepay Accounts Offline

Search Engine Land Topics:

1. YouTube To Add Live Video This Year
2. IAC Ready To Drop Ask.com Search Technology & Partner With Google?

Daily Link Finds:

This is the February 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 February 29th, 2008:

• SearchCap: The Day In Search, February 28, 2008, Search Engine Land
• ? 21 billets du mois de Février 2008, www.outil-referencement.com
• Google Page Rank Update - Is it real or fake?, The Translator World
• Google Webmaster tools now on iGoogle homepage!, Sajal Kayan
• Link Building this Week (09.2008), Wiep.net
• PageRank Update - Beware Of Link Exchange Offers, Andy Beard
• Search Headlines & Links: February 28, 2008, Search Engine Watch Blog
• Search Marketing Expo West, February 2008, Day 3, PageTraffic SEO Blog
• SEO und die Schreibweise, Bandscheiben-Blog
• SMX West Session Coverage - Key Takeaways, SearchRank Blog

Posted at 2:25 PM | Permalink | Category: Daily Link Finds , Daily Search Coverage | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) (0) | Speak

I just had a surge of energy, after being up since 4am PST or 7 EST yesterday. So that is 31 hours of up time, with a little nap on the plane.

I am up until at least 8:30pm, so that would make it almost 40 hours of up time.

About 20 minutes ago I felt very awake and alive. As I began writing this entry, I started to get sleepy.

I can't believe I said okay to flying back to San Jose in less than two weeks and red eye'ing back the night after.

Posted at 1:51 PM | Permalink | Category: Rambling | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

I think I got an hour or maybe even two on the flight back from San Jose to New York last night. Yes, I am writing this while on the plane. I rarely sleep on planes but I am extremely happy with the hour or so.

So my plan for today:

- Land safely at 5:50am
- Get to my car (I hope it is there in one piece) at 6:20am
- 45 minute drive home (need to stay awake while driving)
- Say hi to wife at 7am
- Pray 7:15am
- Emails
- Get to office by 8am
- Work forum threads and blog at SER as quickly as possible
- RSSes and stuff for SEL and blog
- Catch up on RB work
- Etc. Etc.
- Leave work at about 4 or 5
- Get Ready for Shabbos
- Go to synagogue
- Come home and eat
- Go to sleep by 8:30pm
- Wake up at 8:30am

Right now it is 5:10am (EST), I hope we start our way downwards soon...

Live now

Before posting this... I landed on time, and actually got to the office at 7:30am, so ahead of schedule.

Posted at 8:54 AM | Permalink | Category: Travels | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

Daily Search Coverage:

Google updates webmater tools links. Microsoft fixes adCenter dynamic keyword feature. Google doesn't like obituaries. Google is now case sensitive. Google Sites launches. SMX West is now over and we have tons of coverage.

Search Engine Roundtable Topics:

1. Google Finally Updates Webmaster Tools External Link Data: February 2008 Update
2. Microsoft adCenter's Fixes Dynamic Keyword Feature
3. Obituaries Are Not Wanted in Google News
4. Upper Case & Lower Case Searches May Return Different Google Search Results

Search Engine Land Topics:

1. Google Sites Launches: Replaces Jotspot With Team Sharing Software
2. SMX West Day Three Coverage

Daily Link Finds:

This is the February 28th 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 February 28th, 2008:

• CaSe SeNsiTivE Search Results within Google!, thedocblog.com
• Comparing SMM SEO and PR Tactics is Pure Poppycock, Micro Persuasion
• SMX West Day Two Coverage, Search Engine Land
• Statistiche sui motori di ricerca da SMX Santa Clara California 26-28 Febbraio, 2008, Achille

Posted at 9:16 PM | Permalink | Category: Daily Link Finds , Daily Search Coverage | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) (0) | Speak

Jeffrey Rohrs are I have a thing about meeting up in transit between the hotel and convention center. Last night, before the Google Grove we met up and he told me he wanted to have a chat with the Virtual Concierge at the Hyatt. I was like, "what?"

We walk up to a desk and this woman named Anna is looking at us through a wide plasma screen. Jeffrey says hello and she responds, we hear her through the speakers on the desk. We then begin asking her questions. I can't remember the order of the questions but they are assorted from:

• Are you real? Yes, she is.
• Where are you based? Just 80 miles away.
• How did you come up with the idea? She hated the commute and she convinced her bosses that this is a good idea
• When did she start doing this? About 7 years ago
• What are the most common questions she gets? The ones above
• Do you get sick of these questions? Never
• Are your kids ever with you on the screen? Yes
• Did you get a lot of press? Yes see here
• Do you use search engines as an aid? Of course, she loves them (had to ask)

In fact, she even convinced Yahoo Maps (I believe it was Yahoo) to make a change to how they handle an aspect of there mapping software. She was written up in the Guinness World Records for being the first to ever do this. She invented the idea and was the first.

She has a blog at Virtual Anna at WordPress and really enjoys technology. About 7 years ago she didn't even have a computer, and now she embraces it every day.

She printed out a sheet for me so I can contact her later but I suspect she might see this post at my personal blog. I probably will email her to ask her in detail, how she uses search engines for her job and what improvements she has seen and would like to see in the future.

Great meeting you Virtual Anna!

Posted at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Category: Travels | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

Daily Search Coverage:

SMX Search Bowl was awesome. IM NY is holding a charity event. Minimum bids at Yahoo are a thing of the past. Google's stock tanks but rebounds a bit today. Bad links will keep kicking you when your down. EFF sues the DOJ over a Googler. SMX is nice, make sure to check out our coverage.

Search Engine Roundtable Topics:

1. SMX Search Bowl Pictures & Videos
2. IM-NY To Host Charity Event During SES New York
3. Minimum Bids at Yahoo Search Marketing Now a Thing of the Past
4. GOOG Stock Tanks on comScore Reports of Decline of Paid Search Clicks
5. Bad Links Can Kick You Once You Are Down

Search Engine Land Topics:

1. EFF Sues Googler For Correspondence With Horvath
2. Google Takes Top Prize At SMX Search Bowl
3. SMX West Day Two Coverage

Daily Link Finds:

This is the February 27th 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 February 27th, 2008:

• SearchCap: The Day In Search, February 26, 2008, Search Engine Land
• SMX West Day One Coverage, Search Engine Land
• Notes from the Blended Search Panel @ SMX, Raju Malhotra
• Blended Search - the next BIG thing in SEO - live blogging from SMX West, megabluewave.com
• Consumers not the cause of Google's slide, 16th letter
• Google Gadgets in Google Search Results, SEOish
• Google not just best at search, also best at quizzes, Bloggle
• Google Stock Down After comScore Click Report: A Roundup, Searchviews
• Google Takes Top Prize At SMX Search Bowl, Search Engine Land
• Is Blogging Recession Proof?, Business Blog Consulting
• Search Headlines & Links: February 26, 2008, Search Engine Watch Blog
• underungen bei den AdSense Policies, TaT
• Watch Out For Backlink Sabotage, WebProNews
• You can't escape from Google-Jail when, sebastians-pamphlets.com
• Zanox ist geil, seoFM

Posted at 9:07 PM | Permalink | Category: Daily Link Finds , Daily Search Coverage | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) (0) | Speak

So Danny and I are both up at 4ish this morning, he twitters me at 5am asking if I would take a break with him to get a diet coke. I initially did not think it was wise but Danny convinced me otherwise.

So we meet in the lobby and buy two diet cokes. We walk towards the conference area and see another UKer (blanking on her name but she is a MySpace expert). We walk and drink and then Danny decides to do breakfast at the hotel and convinces me to sit with them. I say only if I can ignore you guys and blog my stories. They said okay.

So we all get our laptops and sit down for breakfast (I don't eat, not kosher). All I can say is I hope my stories make sense because it is not easy blogging and talking at the same time.

So the 15 minute diet coke break turned into almost three hours. But yes, I blogged stories at SER, SEL and even now over here.

The funny thing is the woman asked if I would blog this. I initially thought no, but then said "maybe," actually, "probably."

Posted at 11:09 AM | Permalink | Category: Buddies | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

Daily Search Coverage:

Too tired... Anyway, all these posts plus live blog coverage...

Search Engine Roundtable Topics:

1. Google Talk / Gmail Adds Live Chat & Invisible Mode Features
2. Google Updates AdSense Terms & Conditions
3. Google AdWords Launches Limited Beta Test Named "Automatic Matching"
4. Minimum Bids In Yahoo About To Change
5. SMX West Day One Coverage

Search Engine Land Topics:

1. Google AdSense Updates Terms and Conditions For Gadget Ads & Privacy
2. Update To Google AdWords "Automatic Matching"
3. Possible Google PageRank Update?
4. Yahoo Opens Search With "Search Monkey," Kind Of Like Google's Coop

Daily Link Finds:

This is the February 26th 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 February 26th, 2008:

• SearchCap: The Day In Search, February 25, 2008, Search Engine Land
• Google AdWords Launches Limited Beta Test Named "Automatic Matching", Search Engine Land
• Google May Spend Extra Money In Your AdWords Account With Automatic Matching!, PageTraffic SEO Blog
• Google teste les liens sponsoris's video dans ses pages de resultats, Leblogueur.com
• Google Updates AdSense Terms , Search Engine Land
• HKU, City U Joins Google Online Marketing Challenge, SEO Hong Kong
• Is your Photography Site Built in Flash? Are You Losing Business Because of It?, John Dawson Photography
• Juicy Links: Feb. 18 - Feb. 22, Exclusive Concepts Blog
• Many See AdSense Income Dropping, Search Engine Watch Blog
• My SMX West Panel is Done!, Eric Lander
• Pay Per Click Advertising Roundup for Monday 2/25/08, semvironment
• Search Engine Commentary: SMX West: Dangerous Place for Rand Fishkin, Reality SEO
• Search Marketing Conferences... Stay Tuned!, SargeBig's Duty Blog
• Why Does Barry Schwartz Often Skip The Conference Parties?, Sphinn

Posted at 9:08 PM | Permalink | Category: Daily Link Finds , Daily Search Coverage | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) (0) | Speak

Got a several minutes before I need to go to the conference. Figured I take some pictures of the view I have from my room in the Santa Clara Hyatt. They gave me this corner room, all the way at the end of the hall. It has a balcony - I believe it was the first time I had one of these in a hotel room. Here are pictures:

To my left is Great America:

Panning right, the Hilton is across the street:

Citrix:

To the right of Citrix:

As I continue moving right, I believe this is Yahoo's offices (I may be wrong):

The convention center?

Below me:

Alright, I'll probably head down now...

Posted at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Category: Travels | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

It seems like whenever I fly to a search conference, the same people time and time again are on the same flight with me. Jonathan Mendez, Steve, Kevin Lee but he is missing on this flight.

Yes, Jon is sitting in first class - he flies a ton for his new job, so he deserves it. The others, well - they are sitting in rows 9 and 10, right next to me. Kevin, well - typically he is on the same flight with us but not this time. Maybe he isn't going to show for this conference or maybe he now has a private jet? :)

I find it funny how the same crew is always on the same flights from New York to the hot search conference. I guess it makes sense flying from New York to San Jose but there are plenty of other flights that go direct from here. In addition, we fly together to Chicago, Vegas, Seattle and the list goes on.

I guess the odds aren't that great but still funny - or maybe it is not funny and I am just incredibly bored and would write just about anything to keep me occupied?

Time to put down the pen...

Posted at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Category: Travels | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

It's me again, on the plane. I just finished my blog entry on how I ended up writing this stuff. In the seat in front of me, in the opposite row - there is this guy with a 17" MacBook. Yea, it is a bit tight for him to type and use his computer.

I can't help to notice but the fact that he has dozens and dozens of sticky notes covering his desktop. They are everywhere. Stickies, as my Mac calls them, are basically virtual sticky notes.

Now, explain to me how sticky notes keep people organized? Heck, if you ever look at sticky notes, they are the most messy and disorganized looking pieces of paper one can imagine. To have them stuck in random order throughout your home and on your laptop makes no sense to me.

Do you use sticky notes to organize your daily life? If so, how do you do it?

Posted at 10:41 AM | Permalink | Category: Computers | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

I am sitting on the plane, going through blogging withdrawal at the moment. So to satisfy my addiction, I decide to pull out my laptop and open TextEdit. While listening to "The Trail" I look up at the airplane TV screens and think, what should I write about.

I then think back to how funny it is that I am writing this and thousands may read it. I write, and people read what I write. I am not a professional writer - far from it (thank goodness for blogging, where it is okay to use poor grammar), but yet people read what I have to say on a daily basis. Not just my friends and family but professionals.

I then drift further back towards my Junior year in high school. Dr. Masters, a small lady who taught us drama. I enjoyed the class, but after taking it, I thought to myself, no way will I ever become a writer. I used to write, in fact, I expressed my thoughts much better on a laptop then I could using my mouth. But I was never an "English student," I always much preferred the business side of things.

As I look back, how did I get here? I blogger, sudo-writer, with a readership? Never in a million years would I have thought...

One day, I'll have to write how I actually started writing at SEW and now SEL. Maybe a history of the progression there.

Posted at 10:38 AM | Permalink | Category: Blogging | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

Tell me this, why is the Continental Presidents Club always incredibly packed? Specifically the club in Newark airport?

They have two here, in Newark airport.

Each one is maxed out...

So the same thing happens over and over again. You get in, you walk around the room in a circle for two or three cycles until you find a seat with a plug. When you sit down, you see the same people doing laps around the club, doing the same thing you did. It feels like looking for a parking spot in NYC.

Anyway. Flight is, of course, delayed. But I am in the lounge now, blogging away.

Posted at 4:19 PM | Permalink | Category: Travels | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

Daily Search Coverage:

Google AdWords does automatic matching for some. MSN Bot may be a bit out of control. Google and Yahoo link tools are slow. Matt Cutts speaks in a Google Groups thread. Google changes reinclusion language. Google highlights top Group members. Google makes a print guide for AdWords. Goolag launches nice tool. Survey rates Google top brand. Pakistan takes down YouTube. Chinese dissidents sue Yahoo again. NOINDEX poll is up. Ask adds more ads. SEMPO announces board.

Search Engine Roundtable Topics:

1. Have Extra Money in Your Google AdWords Account? Google May Spend it With "Automatic Matching"
2. MSRBot Bot, Microsoft Bot Causing Havoc on Some Servers?
3. Google Webmaster Tools Links Not Being Update & Yahoo Site Explorer Up and Down
4. Google's Matt Cutts Replies to -60 Penalty Thread at Google
5. Google Reconsideration Request Language Modified
6. Google Webmaster Help Group Highlights Contributing Members
7. Google Releases Online Marketing Guides for Google AdWords

Search Engine Land Topics:

1. Hackers Launch Goolag: A Google Vulnerability Scanner
2. Survey Says: Google Top Brand In UK
3. Pakistan YouTube Ban Propagates Worldwide Causing Major YouTube Outage
4. Yahoo, You're Not Off The Hook Over The Chinese Dissidents Case Says New Lawsuit
5. SEOs Want The NOINDEX Tag To Not Show A Page In The Index
6. Ask.com Adds More Sponsored Ads, Pushing Organic Results Below Fold
7. SEMPO Announces New 2008 Board of Directors

Daily Link Finds:

This is the February 25th 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 February 25th, 2008:

• SearchCap: The Day In Search, February 22, 2008, Search Engine Land
• Friday Recap, BruceClay.com
• Uh-Oh: AdSense Earnings Down - Search Engine Ranking, Kingnomar
• esistono domini privilegiati da Google?, Trusted Domain
• Newbie Guide to SEO - Where Do I Start?, eVisibility.com
• Automatic Matching Feeds Google Your Budget, WebProNews
• Automatic Matching Feeds Google Your Budget (David A. Utter/WebProNews), Techmeme
• Flickr Loses Some Juice for Search Engines, flyte blog
• Google Sitelink, Nayak
• Google Sitelink love for 2 of my sites, Here.org.uk
• Google Sitelinks update , divblog
• Google Toolbar Page Rank Broken?, Kusangpalo.com
• Matt Cutts Addresses Bad Linking and Google Penalties, Search Engine Journal
• Revenus en baisse chez AdSense, Blog4Web
• Search Engine Strategies London - Day Two, Search Engine Watch Blog
• SEO e flickr, Gianlucatorrini.com
• Why I hate Affiliate Marketing (but don't love AdSense either), mediadonis

Posted at 4:10 PM | Permalink | Category: Daily Link Finds , Daily Search Coverage | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) (0) | Speak

People ask me why I typically don't attend the after hours parties at conferences. There are a few reasons:

(1) I am a boring person. :)
(2) I'm fairly quiet and like places that aren't noisy.
(3) I am so tired at the end of the day.

Let's look at the upcoming SMX that I am leaving for tonight. I will be landing, with Tamar, at midnight EST time. By the time we get to our rooms, it will likely be well after midnight. I'll do work as soon as I get to the room and finally go to sleep maybe midnight PST time. I will then get up at 5am PST due to lag and cause I have to do work. What will I be doing? Everything I do every day, pretty much but with less help. Danny and Chris are running the conference. Tamar is exclusive to conference coverage only at conferences. But I like to do it all.

• I'll do emails when I get up
• I'll do forum research
• I'll blog forum topics at SER
• I'll do RSS and seo research
• I'll blog at SEL
• I'll probably then pray, shower, eat
• More of the above and deal with RB stuff
• With minutes to spare, Ill run down to the convention center and then do live blogging
• While live blogging, Ill do the above items throughout the day
• Meet with companies and friends in the industry
• Stop off in exhibit hall to say hi to friends
• Keep this up throughout the day
• Go back to room to do recaps of the day's news, coverage and stuff
• More RB work
• Eat frozen kosher dinner meal cold
• Quick run to a party and say hi and then leave soon after
• Head back to hotel room for more work
• Shower, rest and sleep
• Back up at 5am PST repeat from top

Most people are tired during conferences but I am often too tired for the parties. So I need to apologize in advance if I can't make a party or a dinner invitation.

One thing I am not looking forward to is doing all of this on Thursday and then taking a 10pm PST flight back to NY. Getting off the plane at 5am (EST) on Friday, driving my car back to the office, and working a full day.

At least I can sleep 12 hours Friday night to catch up.

I should add... I know a lot of other people continue their day jobs and other responsibilities while on conferences. I am not the only one and some of those people even manage to party all night.

Posted at 9:34 AM | Permalink | Category: Travels | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

Late this afternoon I am off to SMX West. I go via Newark, Continental direct to San Jose Airport. It is about 10 minute ride from the airport to the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara, aka the conference hotel. The hotel is right next to the Santa Clara Convention Center, where the conference will take place.

I am very excited for the event - it is the first big SMX ever. My team and volunteers will be covering the conference in great detail, see our SMX West coverage schedule and keep watching the SMX West 2008 archives for updates starting tomorrow. Keep in mind, we will be on PST time, so the updates will begin happening later in the day.

One thing I am not looking forward to is the flight back. I always say, I will never do the red eye again, but I always end up doing that. After the red eye, I go directly to work and work a full day. Maybe this time I will wise up and take some Tylenol PM.

Hope to see you all at SMX!

Posted at 9:26 AM | Permalink | Category: Travels | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

Daily Search Coverage:

Fake videos in Google search results were found. New Sitelinks update is underway. Flickr adds nofollows. We know the history of Text Link Ads. Ask adds statistics. Google does video ads. Google is doing health records. EU slaps down privacy rules on Google, Yahoo and Live. Microsoft does search and win contests again. Search in pictures is out.

Search Engine Roundtable Topics:

1. Trick Google into Placing Video Icon Image Near Your Search Listings?
2. February '08 Google Sitelinks Update
3. Yahoo's Flickr Slaps on NoFollows on Photo Owner's Links
4. History of TLA is History of SEO Industry
5. Ask.com Provides Compete Statistical Traffic Estimates
6. Google Pushes AdSense for Video
7. Google Will Soon Be Storing Patients' Health Records

Search Engine Land Topics:

1. Google, Yahoo, Microsoft & Other Search Engines Must Comply With EU Privacy Rules
2. Microsoft Launches Search Prizes With Virgin In UK: Big Snap Search
3. Search In Pictures: Tennis at Google, The Mars Volta at Yahoo & Schwag

Daily Link Finds:

This is the February 22nd 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 February 22nd, 2008:

• SearchCap: The Day In Search, February 21, 2008, Search Engine Land
• First Reports of Google Reader Spam Injection, Digg
• programming: First Reports of Google Reader Spam Injection, reddit.com
• Search Marketing Hot lists, Top Sites and Daily Recaps, Web Analytics World

Posted at 2:25 PM | Permalink | Category: Daily Link Finds , Daily Search Coverage | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) (0) | Speak

Snowed bad enough that I worked from home. I never work from home. Anyway... I set my calls in my office to go to my cell. My clients really had no idea. In any event...

Here is a picture of the snow in my back yard:

Yea, that is my grill, wonder if I should bring it in during the winter. Anyway, let's zoom in so you can see the depth of the snow:

And it is still snowing and is suppose to continue for a while.

Posted at 1:32 PM | Permalink | Category: Weather | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

Daily Search Coverage:

Google does webmaster survey. adCenter's dynamic keyword insertion feature is off. Google Reader suffering from spam? Hiding content here and there, may be okay. Are those reciprocal links going to hurt you? The pros and cons of getting a link from Google. Adam Lasnik on video. Is your website quality? adExcellence launches in the UK. Google might put mobile in balloons. ISP cache glitch called Gmail security issue. Google does video ads again. Ask adds stats to their binoculars.

Search Engine Roundtable Topics:

1. Google Asks For Feedback With Webmaster Tools User Survey
2. Microsoft adCenter's Dynamic Keyword Feature Broken: Work Arounds?
3. First Reports of Google Reader Spam Injection?
4. Hiding Content Temporarily Is OKAY, Google Says
5. Is There Anything Wrong With Reciprocal Linking?
6. Is a Link From Google Worth the Exposure?
7. Video: Google's Adam Lasnik Interviewed
8. Is Your Website High Quality? Ask These Questions

Search Engine Land Topics:

1. Microsoft Launches adExcellence Program For UK Advertisers
2. Google May Launch Balloons Across World To Provide Mobile Access
3. Gmail User Gains Access To 30 Other Gmail Accounts Due To ISP Caching Glitch
4. Google Pushes AdSense For Video Again
5. Ask.com Binoculars Adds Compete.com Stats

Daily Link Finds:

This is the February 21st 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 February 21st, 2008:

• Instilling Fear In Site Owners, BruceClay.com
• SearchCap: The Day In Search, February 20, 2008, Search Engine Land
• Links harmed our ranking. Is it short term?, WebProWorld
• Mehr oder weniger Adsense Einnahmen?, ABAKUS SEO Forum
• Pay Per Click Advertising Roundup for Wednesday 2/20/2008, semvironment
• SEO Basics in 45 Minutes, SiteProNews
• The Secret to Becoming an SEO Celebrity, Gonzo SEO

Posted at 3:32 PM | Permalink | Category: Daily Link Finds , Daily Search Coverage | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) (0) | Speak

There are some people who have a lot of history in the industry and there are some people who have made a huge impact on the industry. Patrick Gavin in one person who has both in the SEO industry.

Patrick Gavin the co-founder of Text Link Ads (TLA), arguably the most well known company in the SEO space, has written one of his first personal blog entries at PatrickGavin.com named History of TLA. Patrick has come a really long way, from working in his family's brick restoration company to now being the President of Display Advertising at MediaWhiz, who now owns TLA.

In Patrick's post, he takes us through how TLA got its start and where it is today. I am proud to say that RustyBrick, my company, has a part in it. I won't get into what we have done, Patrick explained that, but I would like to add some personal notes.

To see a man like Patrick and his business partner Bill Fish see so much success within a short period of time makes me so happy. I know Patrick and Bill for a long time. On both a personal and professional level, I can personally say, they are honest, respectful and most importantly caring people. They are both good old fashion people and to see that with two individuals who have seen such change in under five years, that is something to look up towards.

Let me tell you a little story. Back during SES NY 2005 I think, I forget now... I invited a bunch of people out for dinner. The list included, and I hope I don't leave anyone out, Patrick Gavin, Chris Boggs, Ben Pfeiffer, Gary Price, Jim Lanzone (old-CEO of Ask), and Matt Cutts of Google. Besides for having all these smart people in one room, eating a nice meal together - there was some tension.

Even back then, there was this tension between Google and Text Link Ads. The people behind those companies were Matt Cutts who represented Google and Patrick Gavin who represented Text Link Ads (so the tension might have been perceived as between those two individuals). I can tell you that I was a bit nervous about the two sitting at a table together, just because of all the history there. But the thing is, both Patrick and Matt are stand up guys who have hearts and care about people. Let me say this, there was zero tension once we all sat down and had dinner. The conversation was excellent, there was fun chat and exchanges of ideas. There was no fighting, arguing and so on.

I just wanted to add that tidbit to TLA's history post. Not that it made any difference in TLA's history, but it is a point in TLA's history that will always stand out to me.

It is great to see guys like Patrick, Bill and Matt (with Google's IPO) all see such great success in the ventures they set forth in. They are all such good people and deserve all the best.

Posted at 2:40 PM | Permalink | Category: Buddies | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

I have written about him time and time again in the family and RustyBrick categories, most recently the post named My Brother & Sister-in-Law Had a Baby Girl Last Night.

In any event, Taylor Pratt wrote about The Secret to Becoming an SEO Celebrity and mentioned something about me possibly having "an identical twin" or a "clone" of myself. Although I don't have an "identical" twin, I do have a twin brother. The guy in the picture in the post.

He and I own and run RustyBrick. He is basically the behind the scenes man at the company. He actually came up with the name RustyBrick in high school, based on his initials are RBS, so it was RustyBrickSoftware until we formed a real business and wanted to keep it short and made it RustyBrick. More on our old name and old web sites over here.

So, yes, I have a twin that helps me tremendously. He handles the day to day RustyBrick stuff. I get the client, get them going and then he is the one who gets his hands dirty with the day to day. I would not be able to do all the blogging I do without him.

I can talk a lot more about him but I'll spare you all. For those who did not know, now you do. I got a twin brother.

Posted at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Category: Family | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

Daily Search Coverage:

Google still is using past searches to display ads. Google also hides ads based on past searches. Live Search also does site links. Can an ODP removal hurt you? AdSense earnings are down in 2008. Make sure your AdWords display URL matches your landing page. Microsoft says we can do it without you Yahoo. SEOing too much and too often? Microsoft and Google sued for paid search tools. Lee Odden rocks an interview with Google's Adam Lasnik.

Search Engine Roundtable Topics:

1. Google AdWords Still Using Past Searches To Display Target Ads
2. Microsoft Live Search Does Site Links Also
3. Can A ODP (dmoz.org) Removal Hurt Your Search Engine Rankings?
4. 63% of AdSense Publishers Say Earnings Down in 2008
5. Google AdWords Display URL Must Match Landing Page URL
6. Microsoft's Emphasis on Search Continues With (or Without) Yahoo
7. What is the SEO Impact of Changing a Site Often?
8. Google Will Hide Ads If You Don't Like Them, Well Kind Of

Search Engine Land Topics:

1. Official: Google To Enforce AdWords URL Policy Starts April 1st
2. Microsoft & Google Sued Over Paid Search Patent Infringement
3. Lee Odden Interviews Google's Adam Lasnik

Daily Link Finds:

This is the February 20th 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 February 20th, 2008:

• Search Engine and Social Media Shenanigans: Yahoo! Blocks Other SEs From Spidering Del.icio.us?, Performancing.com
• SearchCap: The Day In Search, February 19, 2008, Search Engine Land
• Adsense Earning Down in '07, Website Magazine
• Adsense Publisher verdienen 2008 weniger, PIXELGANGSTER
• Google Continues Downgrading Paid Link Sites, WebProNews
• Google Maps Mapspam, GKarten
• Me, DaveN and Ralph Tegtmeier (Fantomaster) at SES London 2008, Search Engine War
• Search Engine and Social Media Strategies: Feedburner Burns Itself?, Performancing.com
• Search Engine Marketing Insight From Clay Fisher, Search Enginuity

Posted at 2:57 PM | Permalink | Category: Daily Link Finds , Daily Search Coverage | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) (0) | Speak

I'll admit it. I have been receiving emails from some of my readers at both this site and the Search Engine Roundtable that their comments are not coming through.

In the past, I use to check the comment spam folder much more actively. But now I get about two hundred comments in an hour that makes it into the junk folder. It takes forever to scan through all of them. So I normally just delete them without looking. Honestly, I rather find new comment that sift through thousands of junk comments to find a handful of false positive (real comments).

So, if you ever see your comment not being approved automatically then you can be pretty sure that it will rarely make it to the blog. In that case, I would email me right away with the blog, your name, and the time you placed the comment - so I can approve it. My email? Well, just use this form to reach me...

Posted at 2:38 PM | Permalink | Category: Blogging | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

Apple's Mac OS X operating system is a flavor of Linux. So us Mac users have the privilege of rarely experiencing what are called "kernel panics." A kernel panic is as described by Apple "a type of error that occurs when the core (kernel) of an operating system receives an instruction in an unexpected format, or that it fails to handle properly."

Yesterday, I received my new external travel hard drive to solve my SuperDuper backup issue. I plugged it in and my screen was hit with this huge message:

Tip to Apple. First time I saw this, I almost fainted - well maybe not but... Imagine this message coming on your screen by the screen slowly being overwritten from top down with this message. At first, it looks like someone is hacking your computer. But this is the Apple kernel panic warning.

Apple users get this message in a couple situations:

1. The operating system receives an instruction in an unexpected format, or that it fails to handle properly.
2. The operating system is not able to recover from a different type of error.
3. Damaged or incompatible software or, more rarely, damaged or incompatible hardware was detected by the OS.

I guess the way the "Western Digital Passport 160GB USB 2.0 Portable 2.5" External Hard Drive - WDXMS1600TN" was formatted, when I plugged it in, I got this message. Thing is Western Digital says the hard drive is Mac OS X compatible. So I restarted with the hard drive plugged in and then used Disk Utility to reformat it to the Mac format. Everything was smooth sailing after that.

I ran the first back up last night on the drive. It took about 3 hours and 20 minutes to make the bootable copy. From now on, I suspect it will only take 30 minutes or so to do copies. SuperDuper has this "SmartUpdate" feature that makes complete bootable copies by just updating the changes. Saves me about 3 hours.

I will give the SmartUpdate a try tonight.

I am so glad to have two backup solutions, in two different locations, doing two different solutions. Time Machine does incremental backups and SuperDuper does mirrored bootable copies.

Posted at 2:10 PM | Permalink | Category: Apple Macs | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0) (0)

To continue my story and probably end the blog posts on my Israel Trip, I thought I end with the story of the missing bag.

As I finish unloading my parents stuff into their house and begin loading my bags into my car to drive back home, I notice a big purple suitcase is missing. I ask my father if he took it inside. Nope, not at his house. I frantically look through the cars to make sure its not there and it is gone.

I then relax myself and think. I remember now. I carefully took the bag off the cart to first load the larger bags into the car. As I began loading the larger bags, a car pulled up and blocked my view of the big purple bag. I thought I loaded everything, but I forgot the big purple bag at the curb.

I then pull out my baggage claim tickets, isolate the bag claim number for the missing bag and call a couple numbers. No one is helpful. One person said, we don't check