Made in the Shade

Let's Talk Some Football

2010-10-14T13:52:00.002-04:00

We're a quarter of the way through the football season, so I figured I would post about my favorite topic. Let's start with the surprises of the season so far...

1. Minnesota and Dallas are sucking...out loud! And guess what? They have to play in the Underachievement Bowl this weekend. During last years season, Brett Favre must have been shooting steroids in between texting cock pictures to unsuspecting females because he definitely looks like a 40+ year old quarterback. Dallas is almost inexplicable...Almost. Wade Phillips is not a good coach. Period. Expect Phillips to be canned by the end of the season and make way for Jason Garrett, Bill Cowher, Marty Schottenheimer, etc...to take his place.

2. The Kansas City Chiefs are 4-1 (and could easily be 5-0) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 3-1. They held Peyton Manning to nil this past weekend and just couldn't put up more field goals than the Colts did. They're doing a great job down there and have a potentially epic trio of running backs at their disposal. Another secret to their success is the previously failed head coaches going back to what they do best, coordinating. Charlie Weiss and Romeo Crennel are as good as it gets when talking about Offensive/Defensive Coordinators. They're doing a great job. Look for them to take the AFC West title and get slaughtered in the playoffs.

The Bucs are a weak 3-1. I don't expect a lot to come out of this fast start. They are still young at the skill positions and have an inexperienced head coach. But I will say they're playing with a lot of heart, and they will definitely be a force to be reckoned with in the future. They will most likely end up 8-8 and miss the playoffs, but that's a great improvement over last year.

3. The Chicago Bears are in first place in the NFC North. With supposed powerhouses Minnesota and Green Bay faltering, the Bears have taken advantage. Sans the embarrassing outing against the Giants a couple of weeks ago, it looks like they are grasping Martz' offense well and are complimenting their offense with Super Bowl caliber defense. It is no secret that I'm a Bears fan, and I predicted even in the preseason that this team would make some noise. They will get better as the season progresses, and look for them in January.

4. Randy Moss gets traded, but Vincent Jackson doesn't. Hmmm...This is peculiar. Rumor dictates that there was a Moss/Brady slap fight (over who has the more ridiculous hair style) shortly before his trade, which would explain everything. If any player pissed off the guy we just agreed to pay $19 million per year to, I'd show him the door personally. But if this alleged incident didn't really happen, then the Patriots do the smart thing yet again. They get something for Randy Moss before they don't re-sign him at the end of the year. That's why they've been this good for so long.

The Vincent Jackson soap opera is sort of similar. Vincent Jackson voiced his displeasure over not receiving even a small wink and nod that he would be getting a new, long-term contract this season. So he took his ball and went home. And for the same reason that Belichick and the Patriots have championships and a competitive team every year, AJ Smith has no championships and at least one disgruntled star every year. AJ Smith had the opportunity to get 2 draft picks for Vincent Jackson and not have to pay his salary for the rest of the year...Great deal right? Apparently not. Because the two draft picks offered were 2nd and 4th round picks and not the 2nd and 3rd round picks that he wanted, Smith squashed the deal. So this is what happens:

-Smith has to pay Jackson an entire season's salary for playing 6 games.
-Jackson is a free agent next year, he won't sign in San Diego, and the Chargers
get nothing for him.
-The Chargers lose yet another star player over AJ Smith's childish antics.
-Jackson will probably end up signing with a division rival and burn their asses
twice a year for the next 8 years.

Moral of this story? AJ Smith is an idiot. Archie Manning did say it right when he called him "The Lord of no Rings."

5. Michael Vick has realized his potential. And Kyle Orton has become an elite passer. If Michael Vick keeps this up, when he comes back from his injury, he may be the most dangerous quarterback in football. No shit...

Kyle Orton's new found Superman cape is definitely confusing. He's always shown the capability of winning, but never did he show that he can chuck the ball all over the field, no matter how good your defense was. If this Orton was present in Chicago, would Jay Cutler even be there?

6. The Niners are 0-5. Mike Singletary was supposed to bring discipline and continuity to a team that has had none in the past 8 years. So much for that. The only thing he's brought is a terrified group of reporters that are afraid to ask him questions (which is actually pretty funny). Alex Smith should be excelling finally, and its just more of the same. I think the Alex Smith experiment has run its course and they need to move on.

Not so surprising:

1. The Bills are the worst team in football. Called it a long time ago. Although, Ryan Fitzpatrick has actually been a bright spot. 7TD's to 2INT's so far...not bad.

2. The Jets are good. Yeah, no kidding. Can you believe it? It's not like they have a inordinate amount of talent there...

3. The Cardinals have fallen apart without Kurt Warner. And coupled with that, Matt Leinart not only sucks, but was released. Kurt Warner deserves more praise than he got, and it was apparent immediately that Matt Leinart was incapable of leading a team.

4. Seattle is good at home (really good) and sucks on the road. As per usual...

5. The Bengals have all the talent in the world, but play like they haven't practiced all week. All comes down to coaching. When in the hell will the front office realize that Marvin Lewis is not the answer. He needs to be fired. Another great coordinator, but mediocre coach.

6. Ben Roethlisberger is a self-centered caveman dickhead.

7. The Colts have no defense and Peyton Manning will have to carry them far enough to just miss the SuperBowl again...

8. There will be no repeat champion this year.

We're only 5 weeks in and its been a really interesting season. I can't wait to see with the rest of this season brings.

Enjoy!

and...

GO BEARS!

2010-09-22T12:33:00.004-04:00

It has been at least 6 months since my last confession. At least on a personal level anyway. The last six months have been a whirlwind of new ventures, lifestyle changes, and transitions. Lets start off with the new venture...

My bestest friend and now business partner have started an Internet Marketing, Social Media, and Advertising business! Its been fun challenging and rewarding so far. We've both been entrepreneurs at heart since we've known each other, and this is where we try to make the most of it and make it happen. Check out our website at http://www.linxonesolutions.com

The New Pup

Her name is Quinn and she's awesome...That is all.

Football season is back, and I'm happy again. I suffer through 7 months of underlying misery when football is not on. The Bears look good through 2 games. The offense is crisp and hopefully can only get better. And as far as Lovie's take on their receivers ("We have a really good group of young receivers here") It definitely seems that way thus far. BEAR DOWN!

OH SHIT! I almost forgot the Series Finale of L O S T It was great...I know it was split down the middle, but I was one of the people who thought it was poetic and appropriate. A big pat on the back goes out to JJ Abrams, Damon Lindelof, and Carlton Cuse. What a fun 6 years.

Baseball season is almost over...and no one seems to mind. Although we did lose George Steinbrenner this year. RIP Boss.

LeBron James made history as being the closest thing to Hitler in a tank top. The city of Cleveland would like to smother him in the giant banner that donned his likeness that they had to pay a construction company to take down after he made his decision to be Scottie Pippen in Miami. Great decision douche.

Well, as I usually do...And why I don't post that often, I'm running out of steam.

Until next time...

LinXone Solutions Announces Plans to Host Tailgate Party at the 2011 NHL Winter Classic

2010-08-06T11:28:00.001-04:00

The Evolution of “21st Century Marketing”

2010-08-06T11:23:00.003-04:00

The year is 2010. And if you haven’t come to terms with the fact the world and how business is done has changed, you are in for a bumpy ride going forward.

Believe it or not, there are still businesses out there clinging to the hope that one day, all that money they continue to invest into print advertising will eventually pay off. If you’re seeing a great return on print advertisements, my hat’s off to you because you’re in the minority. To stay competitive in today’s marketplace, you have to evolve and adapt to the changes around you.
In other words, you need to leave the Stone Age Marketing tactics behind and upgrade yourself to 21st Century Marketing.

Stone Age Marketing consists of limiting your advertising and promotion strategies to what worked yesterday, not today. Advertising in newspaper coupon fliers, big yellow books, and direct mailers are prime examples because their effectiveness is lost due to a declining audience. Even TV and Radio commercials aren’t as effective as days past with the advent of DVRs, satellite radio, and iPods. Marketing strictly on these mediums is the equivalent of writing an important message on a stone tablet when a PC with Microsoft Word sits right next to you.

The reason these once-effective mediums now lack consistency is that audiences have turned their attention towards easier-to-use options. There’s no secret that Social Media has swept the globe and swallowed its population whole, or that the average person consults Google before Yellow Book.

So being privy to that knowledge, why would you still cling to the Stone Age when the 21st Century is just as available to you?

What Is 21st Century Marketing?
When you think back to the expectations we had for the turn of the century, you’d think we’d be flying around in hovercrafts and jet packs and getting teleported from town-to-town. Unfortunately, we haven’t reached those Star Trek-esque levels (yet), but it certainly doesn’t mean there haven’t been some monumental advancements in communication, technology, and marketing.

21st Century Marketing is what’s working RIGHT NOW. This is the form of marketing that’s building your presence and authority across the Internet’s most recognizable and frequented sites. 21st Century Marketing involves leveraging websites like Google, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Linked In, Posterous, Foursquare, Digg, Reddit, Delicious, and blogs to efficiently build relationships with your current customer base, as well as provide a means for potential customers to find you and get to know you.

There’s a reason that major companies are redirecting significant portions of their advertising budgets towards Social Media. If you pay close attention to commercials these days (if you’re not fast-forwarding them with your DVR), businesses are redirecting customers towards Facebook and Twitter even more than their website. And it’s because of two words: IT’S WORKING! And, of course, MILLIONS of people are using these sites on a daily basis.

While still a necessity, a website normally doesn’t provide the same level of connectivity and conversation as a blog or social network does. And with 21st Century Marketing strategies being what they are, establishing and nurturing those relationships is a key element to successful business.

If you go back in time as little as five years ago, most companies never thought it was possible to build their business through Social Media campaigns. If you think about it, you can probably envision the forward-thinking few who walked into a meeting and suggested implementing marketing strategies that gave the customer a voice and allowed two-way communication to strengthen the bottom line getting laughed out of the room.

Before the rise of the Social Web, the customer’s voice was very limited, and for the most part, muted. As consumers, we listened to ads and made the best buying decisions with the information available. In most cases, that information translated to who had the catchier sales pitch and still does to this day. The only difference is today, where those pitches take place has evolved.

Case in point: Old Spice DOUBLED their sales with their most recent YouTube campaign.

Today, companies providing outlets (Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc.) for their customers to voice opinions, rate products, and provide reviews are the ones winning the ball game. They understand the new generation of consumers will not be won over by speaking loudly because they no longer control the volume…their customers do. If your company is unwilling to satisfy your customer’s needs by opening up the lines of communications, they’ll find a company who will. Simple as that.

The year is 2010, and it’s time to get on board with what’s working this very second. You’re in the 21st Century, so it makes sense to market your business so people also living in the 21st Century can find it, learn it, understand it, and most importantly, use it, right?

If you’re still relying on marketing initiatives that aren’t working, it’s time to re-evaluate your strategy and leave the stone tablets behind

5 Customer Service Lessons From Our Friends at “The Office”

2010-07-29T13:07:00.003-04:00

by Jason Cercone

When you think of NBC’s hit comedy The Office, you’re normally not drawn to the element of customer service. It’s the colorful characters that capture your attention. Like pun-drunk Regional Manager Michael Scott turning the mid-range paper supply office into his own personal counterproductive improv. Or “there’s-one-in-every-office,” yes-man Dwight Schrute claiming superiority over the rest of his co-workers and going the extra mile to fulfill his fictional role of Assistant to the Regional Manager.

Perhaps it’s the payoff to the suspenseful three-season relationship build for Jim and Pam, or any of the other random Office romances that heated up the Scranton Business Park. Or Ryan defrauding the company in an attempt to legitimize a failing website. Whatever it is, there’s no denying The Office has changed the way the situation-comedy is made. They’ve proven you don’t need a laugh track to “get over” as funny.

But underneath the comedy and the storylines is a business model that actually works. Despite evidence that would make you think otherwise, like Michael holding diversity meetings, funerals for birds, and several other non-work related activities, Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch is the most successful and financially viable office in the company.

Why? Two words: Customer Service.

Here are 5 customer service lessons that can be taken from The Office…even if a couple of them happened by accident:

1) What you lack in size, make up for in customer service. This credo of Michael Scott speaks volumes. It doesn’t matter if you’re the biggest company in the world or just opened your doors this morning. Providing excellent customer service should always be a cornerstone of your business efforts. Customers will remember their experience with you and keep coming back to you if you treat them well. This may sound like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how often the ball is dropped in this area. With the rise of Social Media platforms, the ability to directly connect with your customer base is far easier than it’s ever been. Use it to your advantage!

2) Have a good time…as long as the work is getting done. Just about every episode of The Office makes you wonder when they’re accomplishing ANYTHING productive. However, Office jokester Jim Halpert manages to pull a prank on Dwight, organize the first-ever Dunder Mifflin Olympics, and close two sales at lunch.

The point is, it’s 100% OK to enjoy what you’re doing and have a good time…so long as you ensure your work is getting completed. Shirking your responsibility to your customer by having TOO good of a time can lead to disastrous happenings down the road.

3) Give away a little to get a lot in return. In one episode, Michael placed five golden tickets a la Willy Wonka in five boxes of paper that gave a 10% discount to the lucky recipient. However, Michael did not limit the tickets to one per customer and all five were found by Blue Cross of Pennsylvania, Dunder Mifflin’s biggest account. Now, Dunder Mifflin is forced to give them a 50% discount, which, as accountant-extraordinaire Oscar explains, “That’s going to hurt.”

Michael’s head was in the right place, but his implementation was off-target. However, what started as an impending disaster turned into a victory as Blue Cross decided to make Dunder Mifflin their exclusive office supplier for all their needs! This is proof that a little can go a long way. Customers appreciate small gestures that show you genuinely care for them. Give them some flexibility (to an extent) and support their buying decisions and they will become a customer for life.

4) When you make a mistake, go public! When Quality Assurance Rep Creed Bratton skipped his weekly quality spot check at the paper mill, then explained “the one year I don’t do it, this happens,” Dunder Mifflin went into crisis mode as a large shipment of paper went out with an offensive image of two lovable cartoon animals “doing it.” Instead of ignoring the problem, Michael did everything in his power to rectify the problem, including a Public Service Announcement that no one would ever see and inviting the Scranton Times in for a press conference that no one attended.

With sites like Facebook and Twitter at your disposal, your customers have a great platform to share any displeasure they may have. Instead of hiding, you have a great opportunity to address the problem publicly and explain how you’re going to fix it. The fact that you care enough to address a problem and do everything your power to rectify it will carry a lot of weight in customer retention.

5) People never go out of business. Despite Dunder Mifflin getting slammed from all sides by the likes of Office Max, Office Depot, Staples, and other paper supply chains, Michael Scott has kept his office viable because he realizes that, regardless of his product, he’s in the PEOPLE BUSINESS. And, as Michael says, “People will never go out of business.”

You have an opportunity to do great things. But greatness can’t come until you realize the service you provide your customers is Priority One…ahead of any product or promotion you have. If you treat your customers like human beings, provide the information they seek, listen to their concerns and solve their problems, you’ll build a customer base that will help you overcome the toughest of obstacles.

To see this blog post in it's entirety, click below!

http://linxonesolutions.com/blog/?p=502

My Quarterly Update

2010-07-19T14:40:00.003-04:00

Whelp! It always seems to end up this way. I get caught up in life, work, and play that I can never get a few minutes to add to my blog (other than some already pre-made material). So here's my quarterly thoughts.

Lets start off with the business aspect of things. LinXone Solutions is taking off much more quickly than expected...Which is, of course, awesome. We are being met with great enthusiasm and interest. I'd like to thank Mr. Jason Cercone, my business partner, for putting out so much great content that I've been able to add to my blog. And of course for presenting the opportunity to me to join him in this venture. It's been a lot of fun so far and big things for the future. Business is also the reason that I'm having trouble posting on here...Lack of time. So I'll try to post on here more often.

Ok...Fun time!

MEL GIBSON!

MY HERO!

Can you believe this insane man? Isn't it great?!?! To see the meltdown of one of the great actors of our time has been epic. He's a great actor, director, producer, racist, bigot, anti-semite, sexist, and all-around dick head. Just like all of us!!! If you haven't heard his recorded phone calls to his I guess now ex-girlfriend, they are what dreams are made of. His insults, rants, and rage are all on the grandest scale you can imagine. He should make his phone calls into movies like The Passion of the Jacuzzi and What Women Want...To Do To Me Because I Deserve It. To hear this madman is a thing of beauty. You quickly realize that this is a very lonely, angry man, that we will probably see behind bars or God forbid deceased very soon. Keep fighting the good fight Mel!

LeBron James

I've had a few heated discussions about what LeBron James "pulled off." There are a lot of people who think this colusion with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh was an act of genius...I on the other hand disagree. Even being a Bulls fan, and hoping he went there, his decision to go to Miami (although tempting, considering every girl is a supermodel down there) was a foolish one. A wise comedian by the name of Patrice O'Neal pointed out that the biggest surprise of this whole ordeal is that LeBron is going somewhere to be Scottie Pippen. Not Michael, not Larry, not Magic, not Kobe, Scottie... He doesn't want to be the man. When all the greats, always have. Michael Jordan said yesterday that he could've never seen himself on the same team as Larry and Magic...Why? Because he was trying to beat those guys! LeBron has shown weakness and will now play second fiddle to Dwyane Wade in Miami. See proof. He didn't want the shadow of Jordan in Chicago? So he gave it up for the shadow of Wade in Miami. F-O-O-L! Oh, and to Dan Gilbert...You're an ass too!

George Steinbrenner

You truly a man among boys in the world of sports ownership. Purchased the Yankees in 1973 for $8.7 million and turned it into a $1.5 BILLION empire. Kudos to a life well done. RIP to da boss!

Side note...Went to see Jay Mohr at the Improv over the weekend. Hilarious show! If he comes to your town, do yourself a favor and check it out!

Alright...gotta go!

5 Elements A Lack of Web Presence Is Truly Costing Your Business

2010-07-19T14:37:00.000-04:00

In today’s market, a company’s Internet presence is its lifeline. With the number of people flocking to the World Wide Web, positioning your company on search engines, blogs, and Social Media sites enables the opportunity for direct connections with current and potential customers…a quality nearly unheard of in past marketing practices. If your business does not have a web presence, get ready to lose thousands of dollars to competitors that do.

Why isn’t business coming in at the pace it did in the past? Let’s evaluate…

A general consensus is that “people are lazy.”

That’s not the case. Some people are, but the vast majority of people are busy.

Another reason many companies attribute a decrease in sales and production is a down-trodden economy. That’s not the case either. People are still shopping. They may have become more selective about what they buy, but they’re still spending. Despite the economic downturn, many companies are still very successful. And nine times out of 10, it’s because they’ve adapted to their customer’s new buying habits.

One of the major reasons advertising mediums using interruption-based techniques are losing tremendous steam is because they lack the ability to make the customer’s experience personal. They speak loudly, through a giant megaphone, at an untargeted mass of people and hope a small percentage hear the message. But today, customers have far too many options and are no longer forced to listen to the noise.

Your average consumer has realized the Internet has opened up limitless possibilities for them to shop, gather information, and educate themselves on certain products on their time. No longer do they need to sit through a one-minute commercial to get an 800-number or website address at the tail end. All that information is right at their fingertips.

With customers developing new habits, it’s imperative you adapt. This means developing a presence on the Internet’s most popular sites…the ones your customers visit the most. These sites include Google, Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Yahoo, and several others.

Doing this not only ensures they can find you when the time is right for them to buy, but also creates an opportunity for you to build a relationship with those customers. Relating to them on a people-level and providing them with critical information will help them earn your trust, thus promising they’ll turn to you when they decide to buy.

If you’re not building a web presence, or focusing on improving your current one, you’re behind the times. If your competitors are already on board, why aren’t you?

Here are 5 Things a Lack of Web Presence Is Costing Your Company:

1) Credibility – You may have built your business on a foundation of strong customer service and workmanship, but the bottom line is in today’s information age, not having a web presence shows you’re unable, or unwilling, to adapt to the changes around you. As time goes by, you’ll need to rely on repeat business because new customers who rely on the Internet will find your competition.

2) A ‘Face To Go With the Name’ - A company website is like the face of the company. Sure, a consumer may hear about you, but most people, regardless of the level of conversation, want a face to go with the name and voice. A website, as well as social mediums like a Facebook page, Twitter account, and company blog, are perfect outlets to ensure this happens.

3) The Ability to Connect Directly With Customers - It’s not about who can come up with the wittiest commercial anymore. It’s who can build the deepest and most meaningful relationship with their customer by giving them exactly what they’re after. This could be information, advice, helpful tips, or advanced notice of a product launch. Whatever your customer’s need may be, chances are you’re not meeting or exceeding them if you don’t have a web presence.

4) The Ability to Get Found - Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is a very popular buzz term these days, and it speaks directly to positioning your website so people can find it when they use keyword search terms relevant to your business on sites like Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Getting a high ranking on these engines takes effort and diligence, but putting forth the effort will go a long way in helping your business get noticed.

5) Convenience For Your Customer - As I mentioned before, your customer may be busy with a million things, so having a well-maintained, current, and informative website to point them towards is a major convenience for them. This allows them to check you out when they’re ready. The ultimate step in securing a lifelong, happy customer is providing them with a convenient, genuine user experience.

Setting your business up for success starts with establishing a web presence. Relying solely on outdated print mediums can be a major detriment to your customer flow because the majority of people don’t look for ads in print anymore. They turn to the Internet. And so should you.

Like this post? Want to discover how to build an online presence? Subscribe today!

2010-07-06T18:24:00.001-04:00

Carnival 4 Hour Blow Out Sale!

2010-06-28T13:25:00.003-04:00

Tune in to http://www.madeintheshadetravel.com tomorrow 6/29/10 from 7pm-11pm eastern and take part in Carnival's 4 Hour Blowout Sale! Some of the great cruise deals being offered are listed below.

Enjoy!

Here are just some of the sailings available:

Carnival Imagination MIA 3 DAY 2/11/11 Nassau $259

Carnival Sensation MCO 3 DAY 11/18/10 Nassau $259

Carnival Imagination MIA 4 DAY 9/20/10 Key West & Cozumel $239

Carnival Sensation MCO 4 DAY 12/05/10 Freeport & Nassau $259

Carnival Destiny MIA 5 DAY 12/13/10 Eastern Caribbean $349

Carnival Elation MOB 5 DAY 1/24/11 Western Caribbean $329

Carnival Inspiration TPA 5 DAY 12/13/10 G Cayman/Cozumel $349

Carnival Triumph MSY 5 DAY 12/11/10 Western Caribbean $349

Carnival Freedom FLL 6 DAY 11/14/10 Western Caribbean $449

Carnival Freedom FLL 6 DAY 12/12/10 Western Caribbean $449

Carnival Freedom FLL 6 DAY 1/23/11 Western Caribbean $439

Carnival Spirit SDG 6 DAY 1/03/11 Baja Mexico $429

Carnival Conquest GAL 7 DAY 1/23/11 Western Caribbean $529

Carnival Legend TPA 7 DAY 10/31/10 Exotic W Caribbean $509

Carnival Liberty MIA 7 DAY 1/29/11 Western Caribbean $509

Carnival Splendor LAX 7 DAY 12/12/10 Mexican Riviera $529

Carnival Valor MIA 7 DAY 10/03/10 Exotic W Caribbean $469

Carnival Victory SJU 7 DAY 1/30/11 Southern Caribbean $529

Carnival Freedom FLL 8 DAY 1/15/11 Exotic W Caribbean $619

Carnival Miracle FLL 8 DAY 10/26/10 Exotic S Caribbean $629

Carnival Spirit SDG 8 DAY 11/04/10 Mexican Riviera $649

All Prices are for Inside Staterooms.

Additional Ships and Sail Dates Available

The company reserves the right to re-instate the fuel supplement for all guests at up to $9 per person per day if the NYMEX oil price exceeds $70 per barrel.
Terms and conditions

Cruise rates are in U.S. dollars, per person and based on double occupancy. No name changes allowed. Cash back offer is nontransferable. Cash back is provided as a refundable onboard credit to your Sail & Sign account of $40 per person up to a maximum of $80 per stateroom on select 3 - 5 day sailings and up to $80 per person up to a maximum of $160 per stateroom on select 6, 7 or 8 day sailings. If your Sail & Sign account has a cash balance at the end of the cruise after all authorized purchases have been applied to the account, any remaining unused portion of the cash back onboard credit will be delivered in check form to your stateroom on the morning of debarkation with your final Sail & Sign statement.

Cash back offer is capacity controlled and is not combinable with any other discount or promotional offer. Combinable with Fun Select rates only. Rates are subject to change at any time without prior notice. Category restrictions and exclusions apply. Minimum purchase of category 4A is required. Blackout dates may apply. Valid on new individual bookings made between 6/7/10-6/30/10. Promotion is applicable on select ships and departures between 6/16/10-2/28/11. Government taxes and fees are additional for all guests. Cash back may not be applied to cruise fare or government taxes and fees. Please request fare code OCB. Ships' Registry: The Bahamas & Panama.

Carnival does not endorse nor authorize the practice of blast faxing or unsolicited faxing of any materials promoting Carnival or its products. Materials promoting Carnival may only be faxed to individuals who have requested the promotional information. If you would like to stop receiving promotional emails, please call 1-800-438-6744 ext 65480 or fax 1-877-245-1171.

© 2010 Carnival Cruise Lines

5 Sure-Fire Ways To Get Your Website Banned From Google

2010-06-28T13:21:00.002-04:00

Getting a high ranking on Google and other search engines requires a great bit of due diligence. But there is a right way to do it and a wrong way. If you choose the wrong way, you run a serious risk of getting blackballed from the search engines. Once this happens, it’s nearly impossible to bounce back.

In case you hadn’t noticed, Google is a pretty big deal. They have created a cornucopia of information and have blown the doors for finding information in a matter of seconds wide open. And if you’re a business looking to rank on the world’s most trafficked website, the last thing you want to do is get on their bad side.

Google, as well as other search engines like Yahoo and Bing, have created new ways to search, find, discover, shop, communicate, educate, research, and analyze. This phenomenon has led to the decline of many forms of traditional advertising, such as newspapers, commercials, and big yellow books because most people prefer the convenience of point-click-consume.

There are specific practices built around the creation of relevant links and awesome content that enhance your ability to get found on search engines, but it’s also important to understand the things you don’t want to do that will lead to an inevitable ban from the powerful pages of Google and other search engines. Since Google is the most used search engine on the Internet today, we’ll focus on them.

If you want to stay on Google’s good side, you’ll aid them in their axiom of “take care of the user and the rest will follow.” This is achieved by delivering quality results within their existing guidelines. This is known as “white hat SEO.” On the other hand, if you exploit the limitations in Google’s software and try to manipulate it into ranking a web page that normally would not be ranked, that does not benefit the user. This term is known as “black hat SEO.”

When optimizing your site for Google, here are some sure-fire things you want to avoid:

Link Farms - While a high number of quality links to your site is a strong element of SEO, generating these links through a link farm is taboo. A link farm’s only purpose is to generate links to any given web page and are not connected to any website of relevance. These sites are not real, the links are automatically generated and have no signals of quality whatsoever.

Keyword Stuffing - This means placing too many sets of keywords on certain portions of a web page and hoping Google will rank it for that keyword. It’s a waste of your time because search engines caught on to this practice a long time ago.

Cloaking - This technique means you are delivering different content to Google’s web crawler than you are to real users in hopes the search engine spiders will rank you for a certain term. Then, different content is sent to the user. Remember, Google has real people working for them and they can simply visit your website to see if you’re cloaking. If you are, get ready to be banned immediately.

Automated Content Generation/Duplication - Creating unique, incredible content requires time and energy. In order to create content more frequently, some people try to auto-generate submissions from other sites and republish it. However, Google knows how to spot natural content versus computer-generated nonsense that holds no value.

Hidden Text - This involves hiding text on your web page so search engines can see it but humans cannot. For example, placing white text on a white background would be a form of hidden text. It’s not visible to the naked human eye, but the computer still sees it as existent.

In order to stay on the safe side, your best bet is to focus your attention on creating quality, valuable content that provides your audience with something they’re looking for. At the end of the day, it’s about the customer’s experience. If you put yourself in their shoes and think about the experience you enjoy, it will translate over to the content you create.

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6 Blogging Lessons You Can Learn From the Whole Foods Blog

2010-06-23T19:14:00.001-04:00

Organic food seller Whole Foods has shot down the theory that Internet Marketing cannot work in an “old school” environment. They use their Whole Story blog to keep their customers and subscribers “in the loop” on happenings within their company, as well as the natural foods industry. This has led to the growth of a solid customer base and enormous Social Media following.

Many businesses who haven’t adapted to the ‘new-school’ ways of reaching their customers operate under the belief that traditional marketing is the only way to promote in an ‘old-school’ marketplace. However, Whole Foods is proving them all wrong.

Whole Foods has introduced new age Inbound Marketing concepts to one of the world’s oldest industries. With their blog, Whole Story, Whole Foods is creating new ways to reach their customers, far removed from simply posting store hours and coupons on their websites like most other grocery stores. They create valuable, useful, and exceptional content that attracts customers who they proceed to build relationships with, thus building the important element of trust and leveraging the power of word-of-mouth advertising via those customers.

Their blog has been up and running since July of 2006 and, due to their incredible content, now boasts over 1600 pages in Google’s index! Over 12,000 other websites link to these 1600 pages, which means Whole Foods has 12,000 different ways for a new customer to find them.

Whole Foods’ ability to adapt to new marketing strategies has led to over 400,000 Twitter followers and over 58,000 Facebook fans. They also have tens of thousands of blog subscribers who get sent a link every time Whole Story posts a new article. With the number of pages, links, and subscribers, they’ve earned authority status, and Google knows their content is worthy of prestigious ranks for important terms.

6 Lessons You Can Learn From Whole Story
When it comes to Inbound Marketing, Whole Foods is doing everything right. Here are just a few things you can learn from the Whole Story blog:

1) Create Incredible Content - Whole Foods realized that customers wanted more than coupons and a sales pitch…they wanted advice, information, and pointers. In that regard, Whole Story delivers the goods and then some. It overflows with remarkable features, stories, and product information that provides education, which, in turn, builds trust and increases the chance of developing a loyal customer.

2) Build Deep Connectivity Through Reader Comments - A sure-fire way to tell if you’ve generated emotion from your reader is through their comments. Whole Story, while providing the information their subscribers desire, has created its own community of followers who will go to the ends of the earth to share their own discoveries on their products through the blog, as well as promote Whole Foods’ name through other various social networks.

3) Domain Branding – Instead of creating a second brand, Whole Foods set up their domain name to include their store name as well: blog.wholefoodsmarket.com. This enables them to extend their brand through another channel while eliminating the possibility of confusion by establishing another brand for customers to follow.

4) Passionate People Who Care – In order to be successful on any level, you have to believe in what you’re promoting and have a passion to be the best. Whole Story has several people involved with the production of their blog who specialize in areas like organics, green practices, and other food-related items that have proven to be enticing to their following.

5) Create Social Media Presence - As I mentioned before, Whole Foods has created an enormous Social Media following thanks to their intuitive ability to understand their customer and relate to them in a way that’s attractive and easy to understand. They built a solid foundation of incredible content, developed relationships with their customers, and the rest simply fell into place.

6) Utilize the “Soft Sell” - Blatantly selling non-stop make it very hard to attract followers and subscribers because, eventually, people get tired of hearing about your product. Over time, they know what it is…so they don’t need to hear about it. Whole Story does a tremendous job of creating content that doesn’t sell their products at all. Instead of talking about why people should buy a particular product, they talk about how it’s made, its origin, and how you can use it in your every day diet. This is more appealing than your everyday run-of-the-mill sales pitch, don’t you think?

Building a popular blog requires time, dedication, effort, and incredible content that people want to read and share. Your blog will not reach ’superstar’ status overnight. But consistently providing content that doesn’t sell, but rather educates, will get you there faster. Follow the path of Whole Story and your blog will have the potential to be a tremendous asset to your company.

www.linxonesolutions.com

What is Social Media Management and Why Your Business Needs a Social Media Manager

2010-06-23T18:38:00.004-04:00

Social Media, along with search engines and blogs, represents 1/3 of the most visited and frequented websites on the Internet today. The evolution of sites like Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, and YouTube have changed the way we connect, share, learn, shop, and exist…both on personal and professional levels.

Companies have re-directed large portions of their marketing budgets towards creating substantial social media campaigns because they realize the chances of reaching customers in the social mediasphere far surpasses a traditional ‘megaphone-style,’ interruption-based commercial format.

The question is: Is YOUR Company On Board With Social Media Management Yet?

Social Media: It’s More Than You Realize
Many think Social Media is limited to sites like Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. However, there are hundreds of social networks on the Internet today.

But, did you know social networking is not limited to just these sites? Social Media and Networking also includes, but is not limited to:

Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Linked In, Foursquare, MySpace, etc, etc. (like I said, there are hundreds of these out there!)

Blogs

Videos and Podcasting

Customer Reviews

Social Bookmarking Sites (Digg, Reddit, Delicious)

Message Boards, Forums, Wikis

In short, any site where socializing is featured is a form of Social Media.

Why Your Business Needs a Social Media Manager
One of the greatest perks to Social Media is that it allows companies of all shapes and sizes to effectively and efficiently reach their target audience, regardless of the size of their marketing budget.

One of the biggest downfalls is that many business owners and managers can’t find the time in their already jam-packed schedules to effectively and efficiently make Social Media work for them. Or, they just don’t know where to start.

Enter: The Social Media Manager!

“The Cocktail Party” comparison is an oft-used analogy for social media that says meeting people on sites like Facebook and Twitter should be done with the same sort of behavior you’d use in a live social setting. And with that thought in mind, if social media is the party, then the Social Media Manager is the party planner!

A Social Media Manager ensures your company is following the right people by building a targeted audience. They promote important information, support you in marketing choices, handle logistics, and makes sure the “party” runs smoothly so you can relax and connect with your guests (followers and customers).

Most of all, they stay in the background and make you look good!

With the reach Social Media has gained, Reputation Management is a huge feature of a Social Media Manager’s responsibilities. They keep your profiles fresh and updated, and act as the front line defense in regards to customer service. If a customer has a complaint that’s posted via Social Media, your Social Media Manager can be sure it reaches the correct party, or handle the problem right on the spot!

A Social Media Manager can alleviate much of the learning curve for you by helping you decide what strategy would be best for your business, execute that strategy, then nurture your brand and build relationships with your customer base. They can perform market research to determine who is best to follow and where the largest group of potential clients is gathering online.

Small, medium, and large businesses from all corners of the world, in thousands of industries, are jumping on the Social Media bandwagon because it presents an extremely cost-effective way to market online. Plus…

IT’S WORKING!!!

Advertising in a big yellow book, magazines, and newspapers has lost an extreme amount of effectiveness with the rise of the Social Web. Those mediums are outdated and simply don’t work anymore! Plus, they’re probably costing you THOUSANDS of dollars and resulting in little to no return on your investment.

Marketing has evolved to Social Media and the Internet, meaning you and your business need to do the same!

Are you ready to dive in and build your presence on Social Media? Keep in mind, the right Social Media strategy can lead to better results and greater returns than your offline efforts. And you don’t have to embark on this journey without a guide. Having the right Social Media Manager can help you eliminate outdated “selling” techniques and replace them with relationship-building tactics that bridge the gap between you and your customer and assists them in making their purchases with you.

www.linxonesolutions.com

How Inbound Marketing Revolutionizes the Way You Market Your Business

2010-06-16T13:00:00.003-04:00

Do you market your business in big yellow books and newspaper advertisements? If you do, you’re aware of the fact that your return on expense has changed dramatically. The reason is because consumers have adopted new ways of finding the information they crave. In order to stay competitive, you need to position your company to satisfy those cravings.

Inbound Marketing has changed the game. It has introduced new ways to market your business that don’t involve interrupting your potential customer’s day. It allows you to brand your company as an authority by providing information relevant to the needs of your potential customers and positioning that information where your customers can find it.

One of the biggest complaints I’ve ever heard is the ratio of television program time to commercial time. Back in the day, it seemed as if you’d get five minutes of your show, then get hit with 3-5 minutes of commercials. It was a strategic ploy that ensured viewers would “stay tuned” while the commercials aired, because they didn’t want to miss what was coming next.

This same strategy still exists today, but with the advent of DVRs and TiVos, viewers now have the ability to fast-forward the commercials by recording their favorite shows. It’s just another initiative to enhance entertainment value by eliminating the distractions produced by Outbound Marketing.

As the consumer continues to develop clever ways to avoid being “pitched” or “sold,” companies have to apply an equal level of stealth to ensure they stay in business. After all, customers still need the products. They just want to pick the time and place to hear about them.

This is where Inbound Marketing stakes its claim. As companies grow increasingly aware of their customer’s reliance on the Internet, the more you see Inbound Marketing strategies come into play. By going the route of interacting with their customer base and providing information that aids in their decision-making, companies show they have an understanding of how customer’s buying habits have changed over time.

The Proof Is In the ‘Soda’

The grand stage for Outbound commercial advertising has become the Super Bowl. The viewing audience grows every year, thus giving companies with large marketing budgets the ability to reach an enormous amount of people. 30-second spots normally range around the $2-million-per mark. It’s an incredible amount of money that usually leads to companies firing their most creative and comical marketing bullets.

So why, in 2010, with that sort of audience tuning in, did the worldwide soft drink entity known as Pepsi decide not to advertise during the Super Bowl? We are talking about a company who has been producing quality commercials for Super Bowl viewers for 23 years!

Well, other than the fact that Pepsi dedicated a large sum of money to award as grants to community projects, they decided to spend 60% more on online advertisements in 2010.

This action alone shows the paradigm shift the marketing world is experiencing today. If a company who had spent nearly a quarter of a century advertising on the world’s biggest Outbound Marketing stage decides to re-allocate their marketing funds towards the Internet, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t, too! Many companies continue to advertise the ways they feel safe and comfortable. But in an ever-changing world, “safe and comfortable” doesn’t always translate to increased profits.

Inbound Marketing will completely revolutionize the way you market your business because you’ll no longer need to worry about having a lofty advertising budget to stay competitive. What you’ll need is knowledge of your niche, the ability to produce valuable content, the means to position that content so customers can find and utilize it, and an undying resolve to understand your customer by communicating with them, not at them.

The way customers avoid interruption-based marketing techniques and discover information through Inbound Marketing strategies continues to evolve every day. The quicker you understand how significantly social media, blogs, and search engine traffic can affect your business, the more success you will have marketing your business going forward.

www.linxonesolutions.com

Google Presence: SEO and The Value of Paid and Free Rankings

2010-06-15T12:18:00.000-04:00

Jason Cercone Becomes Featured Blogger on Network Pittsburgh

2010-06-03T12:13:00.002-04:00

Jason Cercone Becomes Featured Blogger on Network Pittsburgh
Jason Cercone, CEO and Co-Founder of LinXone Solutions, has become a Featured Blogger with Network Pittsburgh. Cercone has been blogging for nearly two years now and is excited to be featured amongst Network Pittsburgh's star-studded blogging lineup.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PR Log (Press Release) – May 28, 2010 – PITTSBURGH - Jason Cercone, CEO and Co-Founder of LinXone Solutions, announced he will be a featured blogger with Network Pittsburgh, a website whose mission is to help professionals who live, work, and do business in the Pittsburgh area network with one another.

"I'm extremely excited about this opportunity to be featured with Network Pittsburgh," Cercone said. "I love this city, its people, and its professionals. By providing insight on my blog through Network Pittsburgh's tremendous platform, it's my chance to connect with other professionals, as well as provide some education on my area of expertise."

Cercone's blog posts will be based on marketing in the new consumer-friendly market. Cercone currently creates content on his company blog for LinXone Solutions, an SEO, Internet, and Inbound Marketing agency located in Pittsburgh. The content of Cercone's new Network Pittsburgh blog will be an extension of his continued work and dedication to building LinXone Solution's blog.

"Today's consumer market is geared heavily towards the customer's ability to make their own decisions, without being swayed by the traditional marketing practices of old," Cercone explained. "Our mission at LinXone Solutions is to partner with businesses and do their online marketing for them, as well as educate them on innovative, cutting-edge marketing strategies that are growing much more popular in business today. I will be discussing this and much more in my Network Pittsburgh blog posts."

Network Pittsburgh is a place to share ideas, leads, vision, jobs and information. Their mission is to attract professionals who want to share, network and learn from each other to better themselves, their work and their professional careers.

Cercone also serves as Principal Marketing Consultant with LinXone Solutions and puts a lot of emphasis on the education of others. He and his business partner, Jason Collins, aim to show businesses how important building a strong web presence is on sites like Google, Facebook, Twitter, as well as through content publication on their company blog, articles, and press releases.

"It's a new ballgame, and customers are finding new ways to block out the 'noise' of commercials and sales pitches," Cercone said. "Today, it's all about getting found on the Internet when customers are searching for you. This principle is the foundation of our work at LinXone Solutions and what we aim to educate all businesses on going forward."

You can become a subscriber of the LinXone Solutions blog by visiting http://www.linxonesolutions.com/blog.

Also, follow Jason Cercone's Featured Marketing Blog on the Network Pittsburgh site by visiting http://www.networkpittsburgh.com/blogs/posts/jasoncercone

# # #

LinXone Solutions works with businesses to help build their web presence and improve their search engine rankings. Our goal is to ensure our clients dominate their specific markets by implementing laser-focused marketing campaigns that increase exposure.

4 1/2 Reasons You Should Use Twitter as a Marketing Tool

2010-06-02T16:32:00.002-04:00

Twitter allows you to send messages, relevant content, and up-to-date information to your list of followers. Many companies are using Twitter as a marketing tool that enables direct communication and interaction with customers, clients, and list subscribers. Twitter has created a great platform for exposing messages and building brand awareness in an quick and efficient manner.

If you pay close attention to TV and radio ads these days, many companies, both large and small, are promoting their Twitter and Facebook accounts just as much as their websites. In some cases, more than their websites.

One of the major reasons that businesses are using Twitter as a marketing tool is because it has the potential to reach so many people. And unlike a less targeted, traditional commercial that speaks to a massive audience, your Twitter messages will reach a group of people (your followers) who actually want to see your message.

Changes in consumer buying patterns have brought about changes in the marketplace, which naturally has led to changes in how businesses market to their potential and current customer base. Interruption-based marketing techniques such as commercials and mailers are losing steam as consumers are finding new ways to avoid them. The rise of DVRs, TiVos, and satellite radios give people the opportunity to avoid commercials, meaning the money invested in producing a 30-second spot, as well as the air-time, is wasted because a significant part of the intended audience never sees it.

With Twitter, you can interact with your customers, provide them with relevant content about your products, announce happenings and advancements within your company, and alert them of any deals, discounts, or new product launches. And, since your followers are following you for a reason, you can be assured your messages are being well-received by an audience who wants the information.

www.linxonesolutions.com

Here are four (and a half) reasons why using Twitter as a marketing tool can greatly benefit your company:

1) Reach - As I mentioned before, you have the potential to build a large and targeted following through Twitter because so many people use this free service…to the tune of over 20 million people.

2) Value - Twitter provides a great opportunity to share valuable, remarkable content with your audience. By doing this, you build a reputation as a trusted source of information that isn’t just concerned with selling. Your audience will recognize this and be more prone to buy from you because you’ve established trust through being a credible resource.

3) Timeliness - If you launch a new product, create a press release, blog post, or new web page, you can send out a quick tweet to your followers directing them towards the new content. Or, if you come across information that relates to your niche, you can tweet that, too. And, it’s in real-time. It reaches your audience immediately and they can link to it when they’re ready to consume it.

4) Personality - Twitter is a great place to build your brand and inject personality into your marketing. Social media is about being social. Therefore, use Twitter to brand your company as not only an authority, but a fun and personable entity that customers, clients, and other people in your niche enjoy interacting with.

1/2) Simplicity - I list simplicity as a half because using Twitter is very easy. However, there are countless amounts of people and companies who misuse the service. A general rule of thumb to keep in mind is that no one likes a “spam-bot.” If you spend your day doing nothing but spamming out links to your business instead of providing valuable content, you’ll quickly build a reputation as a spammer. This will lead to lost credibility, a horrible reputation, and worse, Twitter blacklisting you from their service.

So…keep it simple, but don’t misuse and spam all day.

Twitter and social media as a whole has caught the eye of many companies because it provides an opportunity to interact with customers and supply them with instant information. If used effectively, your message can reach a large audience who is ready and willing to receive it.

www.linxonesolutions.com

First Online Promo for LinXone Solutions

2010-05-26T13:48:00.001-04:00

www.linxonesolutions.com

Search Engine Optimization: The World’s Biggest Misconception About SEO Explained

2010-05-21T11:07:00.001-04:00

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More and more, business managers and owners are starting to realize the importance of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), to their business. With the majority of customers turning to the Internet for answer to their questions, having a presence on the sites people frequent most is critical. But there is one factor of SEO that many Internet Marketing agencies attempt to misconstrue.

Search Engine Optimization, SEO for short, is a term has many business owners scurrying for a dictionary. They hear this term and how it’s important to their business, but really have no idea how to implement into their current practices.

By definition, SEO is the process of improving the quality and/or volume of traffic to a web page from search engines through unpaid, “organic” search results. But, you may be wondering why you should care about this.

In today’s market, the importance of a strong website that allows a means of communications with customers is ideal. A great number of companies promote their blogs just as much, if not more so, than their actual website because a blog allows you to send out constant updates in a relatively easy fashion. It also enables the customer to have a voice, as blogs have an area after each post where they can leave comments and insight of their own.

In the past, companies had to rely on how much revenue they could pour into promoting their brand awareness through commercials, billboards, and a wide variety of other advertising mediums that spoke to a large audience. The more they promoted, the more of a percentage of that audience they could turn into paying customers.

Now, consumers are taking a new approach to buying. All the noise from all the companies with huge marketing budgets became distorted and unclear…no one knew which message was best. So, instead of trying to decipher a message geared at the masses, consumers took a more individualistic approach and decided to gather information on their own terms. They purchased when they were ready, not when a voice told them they were.

This theory is the foundation in which effective Search Engine Optimization is defined. The fact that people have taken it upon themselves to consult the Internet when they want to purchase something means your website and your content needs to be in a position for them to find it so they make their purchase through you! And in order to do that, you have to delve into the mind of your customer and determine exactly how they think.

As a business owner or manager, your time is very valuable. There are plenty of tasks you’re expected to conquer on a daily basis, and mastering the game of SEO isn’t necessarily one of them.

And therein lays one of the biggest misconceptions about Search Engine Optimization. I’ve spoke with business owners who have met with SEO agencies who danced around an answer to the following question:

“As a business owner, can I perform SEO duties myself?”

The answer to this question is a resounding “Yes You Can!” But many people are led to believe they can’t.

Learning SEO is the same as learning the craft you currently master. It takes effort, patience, and practice. And to do it effectively to the point where you see the results your business requires, it takes a significant amount of time.

So, in order to get the most out of Search Engine Optimization, you need to ask yourself whether you have the time it takes to get the most from your efforts. If you do, you can get to work immediately! But, chances are, adding more to your daily to-do lists is something you simply can’t endure.

If lack of time is the case, it can be a smart business decision to hire someone who specializes in Internet Marketing and Inbound Marketing strategy. This will allow you to keep your focus on maintaining your current customer base, as well as continuing to tackle the every day tasks that presently make up your to-do list.

But keep in mind the big misconception that the ability to learn SEO is out of range. If time is on your side, you can learn how leveraging the power of the Internet can lead to remarkable results for your business.

SNEAK PREVIEW! Get an Inside Look at “The Conspiracy Against Your Advertising Dollar”

2010-05-20T18:51:00.002-04:00

“The Conspiracy Against Your Advertising Dollar” is a FREE Report designed to raise awareness of the inadequacies of print media. As a business owner or manager, effectively positioning your message, products, services, and features in a location where potential customers can find them is imperative to long-term stability. And in today’s on-demand world, the big yellow books aren’t getting the job done anymore.

Many businesses have fallen behind the times and are spending THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS on advertisements that the vast majority of people never see.

Does your company fall into this category?

If it does, it’s time to discover how everything has changed.

Today’s consumer market is a whole new animal. The interruption-based, traditional marketing methods of yesterday are quickly becoming a thing of the past. No longer is a consumer forced to flip through a big yellow book or wait for the Sunday newspaper to get a coupon on their favorite products. No longer does a customer need to be persuaded by a commercial advertisement.

The world of today focuses on the consumer’s ability to make their own decision, and the Internet is responsible for that. Instead of having a salesman make up their mind for them, a customer has the ability to gather as much information as they want, analyze it, get real-time reviews from other people through social media networks, and make purchases by putting the pieces together themselves.

With the Internet continuing to evolve and offer new ways to connect, gather, share, explore, and purchase, the necessity to build an online presence on the Internet’s most popular websites becomes more crucial by the minute.

We are currently giving away “The Conspiracy” Video Report FOR FREE at www.linxonesolutions.com to help businesses better understand the importance of creating a web presence. And as a bonus, you get an opportunity to get a “sneak peak” at the video that’s making business owners throw their current marketing playbooks in the recycle bin (right next to their big yellow books) and develop new ways to get found on the World Wide Web!

Enjoy the Preview!

www.linxonesolutions.com

Death of The Salesman: 5 Reasons Why Your Company Will BOMB Without Inbo...

2010-05-20T12:57:00.001-04:00

www.linxonesolutions.com

Home Made Lost Finale Promo

2010-05-14T15:06:00.001-04:00

Three Places Your Business Can’t Afford to Hide

2010-05-13T14:20:00.001-04:00

The Super Bowl has become the biggest spectator extravaganza of the year. People from all over the world tune in for the event…regardless of their feelings about football or the teams on the field. It’s an excuse to have a party, come together as friends and family in a non-traditional holiday sort of way. And, if the game is good, it’s a bonus.

With so many eyes glued to the television, companies with hefty marketing budgets have ran out of ink writing a check for a 30-second commercial spot during the game, spending upwards of $2 million. Some companies purchase two, three, or more commercial time, and usually fire their biggest creative bullet for the worldwide spectacle.

But here’s a question: Without giving it too much thought, how many commercials do you remember from this year’s game?

Off the top of your head, you probably struggled to piece together three, even two commercials. And the reason for that speaks volumes towards the paradigm shift that’s taking place in the way the world consumes the information and products they crave.

The lion’s share of sales and revenue used to go to companies who spent the most on advertisements. Now, the rules have been rewritten. This dramatic change has revealed that companies with enormous advertising budgets are not calling the shots anymore.

The consumer is in control. And interruption-based marketing tactics that once worked like a charm fail to pack the same punch.

Interruption-based marketing, also known as “outbound marketing,” are commercials and emails that serve to make noise and hopefully grab a handful of people’s attention. The problem is, with so many companies making a loud racket, consumers don’t know where to focus their attention.

Now, with the rise of “inbound marketing,” meaning companies set themselves up to “get found” on the Internet when a consumer searches for their particular goods or services, a small business with a small advertising budget has the opportunity to reach a wide consumer base…one of similar, or even greater size, to a major corporation with billions to invest in advertising.

Consumers aren’t paying attention to the commercials like they used to. They’re not digging through coupon fliers and yellow books. It’s a world of instant gratification, and the Internet satiates all consumer needs. Everything they need is at their fingertips, and you need to make sure your business is there, too.

In order to be successful with inbound marketing, you need to position yourself for visibility where customers are frequenting, much like the trade shows and expos of yesterday. More specifically, you need to have a presence in three of the biggest and rapidly-growing segments of the Internet.

1) The Search Engines - The majority of people use sites like Google to shop and gather information, with the average person initiating dozens of searches on a daily basis. The real-time results and plethora of information gives consumers the ability to sit at their computers and collect the information they seek. To take full advantage of this new trend, you must completely re-evaluate the way you market your business and take into consideration that traditional forms of advertisement are falling on deaf ears.

2) The Social Mediasphere - The Social Mediasphere consists of many different sites that you’ve probably heard of: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Linked In, Digg, Reddit, StumbleUpon, MySpace, etc. These sites were once viewed as niche, but are now considered much more mainstream. Many companies are privy to the fact that MILLIONS of people frequent social media sites daily, therefore realize that creating a presence on these sites opens up an opportunity to build their brand in front of a sizable audience.

3) The Blogosphere - The blogosphere is over 100 million blogs and growing, and all consumer niches have blogs run by bloggers who really know their stuff. The days of reading a trade publication have been replaced by finding a blog on Google and subscribing to it in order to receive information directly from the horse’s mouth.

In order to be successful with your marketing today, it’s important to stay current with trend developments and match your efforts with the way consumers learn about and shop for your products. Building a web presence in today’s online, on-demand marketplace has never been more important than it is today.

http://www.linxonesolutions.com

Bridging the Counterproductivity Gap of Facebook

2010-05-11T13:18:00.004-04:00

Facebook is the king of social media outlets. 400 million people and counting flock to it to connect, share, learn, inform, and unwind. Whatever your electronic cup of social media tea may be, Facebook has something to satiate you. Live chat, lifestreaming, photos, interactive games, etc, etc. Its diversity and easy platform make it a medium that users young and old ‘Like’ (a little Facebook pun there).

And if you pay very close attention to sports teams, news media, as well as small and major corporations, they’re promoting their Facebook and Twitter accounts just as much, if not more, than their actual website.

This is an incredibly smart strategy. Think about it: If 400 million people were at a party, wouldn’t you want to attend as well?

Despite some deeming Facebook a waste of time, the majority of the world remains faithful and continues to cultivate those virtual farms like they did in days of old (only, it was real, not virtual). And thinking about this phenomenon made me comb through my own Facebook News Feed, where I made a bold observation:

There certainly are a lot of messages about lonely, lost brown cows, aren’t there?

Yes, I’m aware you can block the messages out. But go with me on this…

One of the many reasons some companies have deemed Facebook ‘counterproductive’ is because of the countless hours spent tending to crops, giving people cakes, and attempting to virtually live vicariously through Tony Soprano. Many companies have blocked the site completely…thus dismissing a major opportunity to build their brand on the world’s most popular platform.

Facebook is a connectivity tool and continues to be so. But that purpose can get blurred amidst the sponsored games that keep their company running like a locomotive. In an effort to use Facebook as a productive tool, it’s important to look past your friends asking you for wood and nails so they can have a barn-raising next week and focus on the other great applications that can benefit you and your business’s branding efforts.

Facebook’s built-in instant messaging feature is a fantastic way to connect and network with clients, customers, partners, and industry leaders. You can share and gain insight on a variety of topics. In addition, great content can be found and posted in Status Updates. One of your connections may be working on a new business idea and you may be in need of what they’re planning to offer. Strike up a conversation with them and they’ll be more than willing to point you in the right direction.

The ability to generate a lead and, more importantly, a sale, with virtually no money spent or time wasted is a very real possibility with Facebook. Position yourself correctly and provide remarkable value to the Facebook community and you’ll be pleasantly surprised how well-received your message becomes.

Facebook has also become a very popular site for Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising, much like Google. The Facebook ads appear in the right-hand column and are targeted towards a user’s profile information, thus putting information in their line of sight that closely relates to their interests. It doesn’t get much more focused than that.

You also have the capability of embedding landing pages and opt-in forms to your profile, which is a tremendous way to provide valuable information to a potential customer or client in exchange for their name and email address.

Finally, the need for Fan Pages, Business Pages, and Community Pages cannot be overlooked for any business, regardless of size. These pages create excellent ways to keep the public up-to-date on news and happenings within your organization, as well as interact with your fans and followers. With the number of users on Facebook continuing to rise and the potential for your message to reach huge audiences, a business cannot afford to be without one, or all, of these pages.

Become a Fan of the LinXone Solutions Fan Page!

Businesses ‘in the know’ already have a leg-up in the social media game. If you haven’t started utilizing Facebook to your advantage, chances are tremendous your competitors are stealing business from you this very moment!

http://www.linxonesolutions.com

15 Tips for Tweeting Like a Twitter Legend

2010-05-06T15:51:00.003-04:00

Millions and millions of social media enthusiasts use Twitter to communicate with their friends and family, follow the lives of celebrities, and simply share with their followers what they’re doing. Many business owners use this powerful tool as a means to generate traffic to their websites and develop leads for their business.

But, like just about every other social media platform on the world wide web, some people just don’t get it. They spend their day doing absolutely nothing but spamming a link to their website. It’s the equivalent of the stranger who chases you down in the mall parking lot to tell you all about his “super business opportunity” and “how great the compensation plan is.” And we all know that guy is annoying as hell.

When using Twitter for building your business, you want to make sure you’re not the person everyone tunes out because you do nothing but spam your business.

Here are some tips to help you get the most out your tweets!

1. Personalize Your Profile and Brand Yourself – Above all else, make sure you post a picture. People want to interact with YOU, not the provided Twitter avatar. Be sure your profile informs your visitors who you are, your experience, your goals, and what separates you from the next person. People are looking to join other people, so use Twitter as a platform for them to familiarize themselves with your business. You can design your own background on PowerPoint or visit TwitterImages.com for a customized background to enhance your Twitter site.

2. PROVIDE VALUE – This is crucial! As I mentioned, you don’t want to be the person who spams their link every single tweet. Make sure you give your followers something that is OF VALUE TO THEM. You can tweet links to videos, articles, quotes, jokes, even random thoughts that pop into your head. This shows people that you’re a real person and not someone who’s automated their Twitter usage to only advertise their business.

3. Pay Attention to What Industry Leaders and Gurus Do – Industry leaders don’t spend their day spamming. They provide useful knowledge that educates and entertains their followers. They build a self-image based on who they are, not what company they’re apart of.

4. Build a Targeted List of Followers – You want your tweets to be seen by those they’ll matter to, so it’s important to build a list of followers that is targeted to your niche. For example, if you send a tweet about a great recipe, you want other people interested in cooking to see it, not a group of people who love bowling. Use the Twitter Search feature to find people who have similar interests.

5. Don’t Be a Snob – You never know who’s going to provide value to your life. With that being said, you don’t want to build a massive following of people, but only follow a handful yourself. Give everyone the benefit of the doubt. If they turn out to be a spammer, simply unfollow them. It’s that easy. One rule of thumb: this is your choice, but I do not follow anyone who does not post a picture of themselves. If they do not care enough about themselves to put a face with their message, then chances are they’re not going to provide you with any value.

6. Follow People You Find Interesting – As I said in #5, you never know who can provide value to your life, so be on the lookout for those interesting cats that truly get the meaning of Twitter. Those are the ones you want to follow closest. Send them messages, retweet their valuable content, and get to know them more personally.

7. Automate Your Twitter Marketing via Plug-ins – We’re all busy people, and the last thing we have to do is sit in front of the computer 24/7 tweeting with our followers. However, in this world of short attention spans we live in, if we don’t send any messages for days at a time, our followers will forget about us and move on to someone else they find interesting. Fortunately, there are several tools, such as TweetLater.com and Hootsuite.com, that allows you to schedule tweets so your followers remember you! Also, you can set up your accounts to follow those who follow you, as well as several other options to enhance your Twitter usage.

8. Implement a Tweet/Post Strategy – Determine times during the day that you want to tweet and be sure your messages are filled with content people want to see. There are several services that can help you determine what’s best to tweet about, such as Alltop.com. You can also check the Trending Topics on your home page to find out what’s hot in the twitterverse that specific day, and then send tweets with links to that content.

9. Manage Your Twitter Followers and Followings – To avoid being a snob, it’s good to follow those who follow you, unless that person has proven to be a spam-bot before you even get the chance to follow them. You should also unfollow those who do not follow you…unless it’s a guru in your niche that you know will provide you value, or one of your favorite celebrities that you want to keep tabs on.

10. Let Your Personality Show – Social Media is a great place to not only brand your business, but yourself. Even when the most successful people in the world go to a party, they don’t talk about business the whole time. This is a great chance for you to let your personality beam. Nobody wants to talk to someone who does nothing but talk about work. So talk about the fun things in your life, the people you enjoy, post links to funny quotes and videos. It’s all about transparency, so let the world see who you are.

11. Set Up a Second Account To Follow Gurus in Your Niche – This will give you the opportunity to see exactly what the experts do, plus give you access to what they find valuable. Chances are, if they’re tweeting it, their enormous group of followers finds it valuable. So take that information and tweet it yourself. Your followers will most likely find it just as valuable, and begin to view you as an expert as well.

12. Interact – Send Direct Messages, ReTweet your followers’ messages, send @replies, ask questions, and by all means, always reply to a Direct Message someone sends you. You never know when you’re going to meet the person who’s in dire need of what you’re offering, or is simply interesting to interact with. If someone takes the time to send you a Direct Message, chances are you said something that impressed them. Get to know that person.

13. Be the Person Everyone Wants To Know – You see these types of people every day. Famous people, athletes, and celebrities do a superb job of branding themselves based on their line of work; therefore everyone wants to be around them. You want to become that person, too! And the only way to do that is to give the people something that will make them see you in that light. And trust me, sending them a link to your website every ten minutes isn’t it! Make YOURSELF attractive. Be yourself.

14. Be the ‘Life of the Party’ – You can pick this person out from across the room. The person that everyone is gravitating towards and telling everyone else about. That’s who you want to be! Your goal is to build a network of followers who are interested in what you have to say and what you’re doing. If you’re M.O. is to talk nothing but business, you’ll suffer the fate of being the boss that no one invites to happy hour. No one will want to be around you. Be interesting! Be fun! Again…BE YOURSELF.

15. Do Not Spam 24/7 – I mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. If you want to create a presence on Twitter, do not think it’s going to happen by consistently tweeting a link to your website and expecting people to click. You’ll get labeled as a bot in minutes, and people will unfollow you. So be sure to give your followers something they want. If you’ve properly branded yourself and your business on your profile page, they can check out what you do from there.

The purpose of Twitter, and all social media, is not to make money, but to brand your business and build rapport with potential and existing customers. You need to treat it as any social function you’ve ever attended. Parties, chamber meetings, live networking events…these are all venues to meet new people. And at these events, “work talk” is mixed with “life talk.”

So do the same thing on Twitter. Put these tips into action and you’ll be on your way to becoming a Twitter rockstar!

http://www.linxonesolutions.com

The Lost Island Factor: Getting Found on the Web Over All the Other Websites [VIDEO]

2010-05-05T12:46:00.002-04:00

Getting found on search engines is a very critical element to your business’s success. Having your website at the forefront of your niche market makes your site authority and popularity. In order to position your website for maximum exposure, strides need to be taken to increase your web presence in many other facets of the Internet.

Positioning Your Website So Even Jacques Cousteau Can Find It

2010-05-03T15:24:00.004-04:00

So you’ve set up a website for your business. You’ve hired someone to build it for you, or you did it yourself. You’ve purchased the domain name, you’ve purchased hosting, and you’ve set up an email address that reads something like ‘yourname@yourdomain.com.’ You’re ready to go.
It may seem like all the heavy lifting is over. But in reality, it’s only just begun.

Having a website set up is simply not enough. In order to get the most from it, you have to have visitors, otherwise known as traffic. Without it, your website just sits there, unnoticed, collecting dust, and not serving the purpose you need it to serve: Increasing your business.

You may be asking yourself, “Why isn’t anyone visiting my website?” Well, simply put, your average consumer isn’t jumping online and looking for your site…they’re looking for any site that will answer their questions and provide a solution to the problem they’re facing. And if your website is not in a position to be found to provide that solution, someone else’s website will.

Getting found on the Internet is not easy, but it doesn’t have to be hard either. Often times, the process of optimizing a website is over-complicated by tricks and short cuts that are meant to manipulate search engine rankings. But in actuality, it’s basic Customer Experience 101 that truly makes a website rank well.

Before I reveal a few simple pointers for improving your web presence, I want to share a philosophy I’ve adopted that simplifies a website’s presence.

According to statistics gathered by Pingdom, as of December 2009, there were 234 million websites on the World Wide Web.

With that stat in mind, think of the Internet like the ocean. It’s vast and seemingly never-ending. And your website is a tiny little island in the middle of that ocean, with a guy writing letters, placing them in glass bottles and sending them out to sea in the hope that someday, someone will find him and rescue him.

Before I go further, realize you’re not competing with 234 million sites. However, you are competing with all the websites in your particular niche, whatever that number may be. So how do you get more visitors to your site as opposed to your competitors?

First, determine your target audience and the keyword phrases they’re searching. Once you determine what phrases you want to optimize on your site, place them in the tag and in another location on the page. Normally, it’s easy to get a high ranking for non-competitive keywords. But if you want to go after a more competitive phrase, it takes more diligence. Repeat the steps for non-competitive keywords and put a strong emphasis on providing value to your consumer, both on your site and in your advertising.

Next, search engines rank websites based on popularity, and popularity is gauged by the number of backlinks pointing back to your site. Backlinks are the links in your content that point back to your site. These can be found in various forms of social media, articles, videos, press releases, etc. If there are hundreds of links that redirect consumers back to your site, the search engines will recognize this and rank you higher.

Finally, don’t expect instant results. Many people write one article or create one video and expect a flood of traffic to hit their site. It simply doesn’t work this way. It’s important to maintain consistency with your marketing efforts, as well as provide content that’s jam-packed with value. The more value your readers get, the more they’ll share your content with their audiences, thus creating more links pointing back to your sites.

Don’t over-complicate your efforts or try to manipulate your way to the top of the search engines. Focus on properly optimizing your website for the keywords in your niche that consumers are using and providing value in every way possible, and the rest will fall into place.

http://www.linxonesolutions.com

HOW TO GET FOUND ON SEARCH ENGINES

2010-04-29T15:27:00.005-04:00

by Jason M Cercone

You know something is HUGE when it reaches verb status in every day language.

"Google it" has become a phrase synonymous with getting answers, gathering information, creating solutions, and finding where the best sushi restaurant within a 10-mile radius. In fact, "Google it" has become so mainstream, the term itself doesn't even mean you searched for it on Google...it means you used one of the many search engines out there to find what you're looking for.
With the ongoing and increasing popularity of search engine use, it makes the need for a presence on these search engines a crucial necessity to your business's success. Getting found on search engines means more website traffic, more exposure of your products and services, more leads, and more opportunities to close sales and fill orders.

Getting a high ranking on a search engine like Google, Yahoo, or Bing comes down to a few strategies that many people don't know about...and if they do, they're not utilizing them effectively.

First, you need to determine what keyword phrase you want to rank for. If your phrase is non-competitive, meaning a lot of other websites are not trying to rank for it as well, then obtaining a higher ranking on the search engines for that particular phrase is rather easy. All you need to do is place that exact phrase in the tag and one other part of your page.

This may sound easy, but you'd be surprised how many people overlook this simple step when optimizing their website. By adding the proper keyword phrases in the right areas, you can be light years ahead of many of your competitors! And, always keep in mind that Google can't read images. So if the you're looking to optimize a phrase like 'Your Name' and it only appears in an image on your page, Google will not see it, therefore have no idea that your page is about 'Your Name.'
Second, you want to make sure the content of your website is QUALITY MATERIAL! If you want to rank for a keyword phrase that is competitive, then it's important to make sure your website becomes the authority on whatever it is you're looking to promote.

For example, if you want to rank for the phrase 'gas-powered blender,' produce content that makes your site the best resource for gas-powered blenders. For each page you create regarding your product or service, be sure to describe in the tag exactly what the page is about. Then, keep your focus on making your visitor's experience quality and worth their time.
Many people try to manipulate their way to the top of search engines by finding tricks and stunts, when all they really need to do is create a meaningful user experience for their visitors. One of Google's Philosophies is "Focus on the user and all else will follow."

In the end, it's all about the customer and the value you're presenting to them.
Third, place strong emphasis on creating valuable content that contains backlinks to your site. Backlinks are links within an article, press release, blog post, etc., that link back to your web page, such as this one linking back to my website.
Your chances of getting found on search engines will increase based on the number of backlinks out there because many search engines use them to gauge the popularity of a website. If you have quality content on the Web that links back to your site, and others are sharing that content with their audiences and communities, Google and the other search engines will recognize this and deem your site an authority site, thus earning you a higher ranking.

Attention to value and the consumer experience, coupled with wisely optimizing the correct keyword phrases, can improve your search engine ranking ten-fold. Utilize these steps and the next time someone "Googles it," they're going to find you!

Building a strong web presence is as important to your business as motor oil is to a car. Gaining that high ranking on the search engines, as well as being interactive with your customers on various social networks can open brand new doors. My website gives you more information about how you can create unlimited opportunities by tapping into the true power of the World Wide Web.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_M._Cercone

http://www.linxonesolutions.com

LinXone Solutions Referral Incentive Program

2010-04-26T14:22:00.001-04:00

2010-04-21T13:40:00.000-04:00

L O S T

2010-02-04T16:14:00.003-05:00

The phenomenon known as L O S T has officially entered its final season, and what a season it looks like its going to be! In typical Cuse/Lindelof fashion, the season premiere kicked up as many questions as answers. This season picks up right where last season left off with Jacob being stabbed by Ben and kicked into the fire by Flocke (also known as fake Locke by only the most committed of fans), Sayid dying, and Juliet dying while slamming a rock into Jughead’s guts. Fade to white (different...)

We pick up this season with two possible outcomes…First, the plane makes it to LAX safe and sound. And second, the Losties skip through time back to 2004 or beyond (not yet determined). Rather than go through the entire episode, I’m just going to list some good points, questions, and themes from the first 2 hours of this season.

-Kate always…always looks good.
-There were plenty of missing Losties on the flight.
-Why was Desmond on the flight???
-Everything seemed to be backward during the trip (Jack nervous, Hurley happy, and Rose confident)
-Why is the island under water? Is it a direct result of Jughead in 1977?
-Why are there odd items in the debris covering the hatch hole? A bike?
-Did Juliet skip through time in her head like Charlotte was doing when she asked Sawyer to get a cup of coffee with her?
-Will these alternate timelines coexist with one another at any point? Or cross?
-The smoke monster is awesome.
-Does Hurley possess the same ability as Miles?
-Are the people in the temple from the Black Rock?
-If the spring is not clear, and didn’t heal the Chinese guy’s hand, why did they still put Sayid in the water?
-What the hell is up with Sayid?
-Richard went from one of the most revered and powerful on the island, to a punk, in about 5 seconds when he got owned by Flocke.

Can’t wait for next weeks’ episode. As always it should be as entertaining as it is frustrating. But, to be a Lost fan, you must be patient. All good things come to those who wait. And I’m sure they have a great season in store for us!

2010-01-28T13:13:00.001-05:00

see more Epic Fails

Oooooof! Hue Jackson signs on to run Raiders Offense

2010-01-26T15:27:00.007-05:00

by Jason Collins

Let me start with a question...How undesirable is working for the Chicago Bears and Lovie Smith that you CHOOSE to coach in Oakland? For the Raiders. For Al Davis. With Tom Cable. Ummmmmmm...Wow!

Hue Jackson, former Ravens Quarterbacks coach, did just that. He said "His heart was in California." And apparently his brain in Indonesia. Hue was scheduled to interview with the Bears for their Offensive Coordinator position, but instead decided to agree to coach the Raiders in the same capacity.

I hope that the rumors are true, and the Bears are just going through the motions as so that they can inquire on the availability of Saints Offensive Coordinator Pete Carmichael after the Superbowl.

Candidates such as Jeremy Bates, Ken Zampese, and Rob Chudzinski have been ruled out. Mike Martz must feel good that he's the only guy who openly expressed interest in working with Lovie, Jay, and the Bears, but has been religated to "in case of emergency" choice. Quarterbacks love Mike Martz. Just ask John Kitna how much he was helped by being coached by Martz. "I've learned more from Mike Martz in a year then I have my whole career," he was quoted as saying.

The only explanation is that they're going after Carmichael, who actually doesn't call the plays during the game, but obviously has brought out the most in all of his
offensive players. They have a bunch of young, unrecognized receivers who can play with the best of them. When Lance Moore is the one who spends the most time on your bench...You're deep at receiver. Another feather in his cap is the offensive line and tight ends. Who here has heard of tight end David Thomas before this season??? Exactly. This kid has been making big plays since coming from New England. The Saints offensive line keeps Brees clean, and we know how dangerous Jay Cutler is when he has time to throw.

In short...I hope this search ends soon. And the Bears can do waaaaaaay worse than Mike Martz. Wait, they already have...Ron Turner.

P.S. I do love the choice of Mike Tice as Offensive Line coach.

On to defense. Same story. Ineptitude. Perry Fewell, a great choice, allowed to be wooed to New York. Not even an attempt to get Mike Nolan. Really??? Maybe here too, there will be a candidate that will come free that we didn't expect to, and they will make their move. But I doubt it. I really think Fewell was an obvious choice, and they blew it.

Who does that leave? Got me. Maybe an unproven position coach on one of the top defensive teams this year? Jerry Angelo should be ashamed. They should've locked down Fewell or Nolan when the opportunity presented itself.

Then again, their is absolutely no job security with this gig (even less than normal). You're only guaranteed one year...That's a tough one to commit to.

2010-01-20T12:42:00.001-05:00

ZamZuu Presentation

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Great Article from Gene Wojciechowski...Sorry Lovie!

2010-01-04T15:06:00.002-05:00

Out with the old

If they want to improve, Bears need to part ways with Smith and mediocrity

By Gene Wojciechowski
ESPNChicago.com

The Chicago Bears are stuck between a rock and a Lovie. They are so mind-numbingly mediocre that it's almost impossible to figure out who's to blame for this latest in a trilogy of lost Bears seasons.

Is it their charisma-challenged coach, Lovie Smith, who has been living off that 2006 Super Bowl appearance (and loss) for years? Smith did the impossible: He reached a Super Bowl with Rex Grossman and missed the playoffs with Jay Cutler. Smith's Bears wouldn't recognize the postseason if you had it in a one-person police lineup.

Is it their general manager, Jerry Angelo, who conspicuously distanced himself from all things Lovie by recently saying the Bears' roster -- his roster -- was good enough to win? Translation: It must be the coaching.

Is it the wildly inconsistent Cutler, who now has taken the playoff oh-fer with two franchises? Or defensive tackle Tommie Harris, who phoned it in enough that AT&T ought to pair him with Luke Wilson?

Is it something as simple as injuries, which cost the Bears the likes of Brian Urlacher?

Sometimes you just know a guy is history. Jim Zorn of the Washington Redskins ... gone. Raheem Morris of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ... gone. Perry Fewell of the Buffalo Bills ... gone. Eric Mangini of the Cleveland Browns ... all but gone.

Smith? If you go by his past three playoff-less seasons (22-25 overall, 15-20 in the conference, 8-9 in the division, 7-16 on the road, four blowout losses in 2009), he's dead coach walking. But if you go by his total record (46-33), that Super Bowl cameo and the conventional wisdom (however ridiculous) that the Bears won't spend the $11 million to make Smith's contract go away, he's back in 2010.

I've seen enough of this Bears movie to know it's time for a cast change. Doesn't mean Smith is a bad guy or even a bad coach; he isn't. But to go from the Super Bowl to sub-.500 in three years' time is unacceptable -- or at least, it should be.

Smith has played the defensive coordinator card. He got rid of Ron Rivera and then neutered whatever real responsibilities Bob Babich had. Babich kept the D-coordinator title, but if you dust the Bears' defense for prints, you find Smith's thumbmarks everywhere.

OK, so if you deep-six your coordinator and take over the defense -- because that's how you made your rep in this league -- you better deliver the goods. Smith didn't deliver. The Bears are 17th in total defense and 21st in scoring defense. Injuries were a factor. But so was Smith's inability to press the right buttons. Example A: Harris.

If Smith stays, offensive coordinator Ron Turner goes. Someone has to take the fall, right?

But blaming Turner for this mess is like blaming closets and sheds for Mike Leach. This is Smith's staff, Smith's record and Smith's watch. I mean, how many coordinators can Smith go through before something is his fault?

I can live with the Smith monotone, the say-nothing comments and the seemingly total indifference to revealing any part of his personality (or maybe that is his personality). Smith doesn't need to be Jon Stewart.

But coaching in denial is another thing. Only Smith, when assessing his 6-9 team, could say, "We've been disappointed in our play this year, but we've been a good football team for a long time. We're doing things the right way. Better days will be ahead of us.''

Disappointed? That's it?

A good football team for a long time? Or did he mean a long time ago?

Better days ahead? Why? Because Smith says so?

That's what this all comes down to. Bears management can hide behind its historic cheapness, but the tipping point isn't money; it's trust. Angelo (if he doesn't get whacked himself), team president Ted Phillips and owner Virginia McCaskey have to decide whether Smith is the problem or the solution.

Sorry, but I can't find an obvious reason why a Year 6 of Lovie would be any different than Year 5 or 4 or 3. And if you can't come up with an obvious reason, the other little reasons don't matter.

The Bears are going to suffer injuries next season. It happens to every team. They couldn't overcome them under Smith in 2009, so why would it be any different in 2010?

Of the Bears' six wins this season, four of them came against bottom-feeders Seattle, Detroit, Cleveland and St. Louis. Only one win came against a team with a guaranteed playoff spot -- Minnesota. The Bears were swept by Green Bay, humiliated by Cincinnati, and embarrassed by Arizona, Baltimore and the Vikings.

And it isn't as if Smith has the Bears making a late-season recovery. They've lost two of their past three games, six of their past eight. Yes, they beat the Vikings this past Monday night, but it means nothing if they don't crush the two-win Detroit Lions on Sunday at Ford Field.

Bears management and Bears fans have been more than patient with Smith. Loyalty isn't an issue, either. Smith has received every benefit of the doubt -- and there's been plenty of it.

Smith's 2006 Super Bowl coupon has officially expired. Despite what Smith says, the Bears aren't a good football team. Worse yet, they're getting worse under Smith.

Angelo, Phillips and McCaskey -- or some combination of the three -- have a choice to make. They can choose fiscally convenient, safe and familiar (Smith), or they can choose costly and bold (Bill Cowher?). You tell me which one would energize that franchise.

Smith has had his moments, just not enough of them. Time for mediocrity to find a new mailing address.

Gene Wojciechowski is a columnist for ESPN.com.

Chris Henry 1983-2009

2009-12-17T12:00:00.003-05:00

Chris Henry, 26, died Thursday morning as a result of injuries sustained when he fell out of the back of a truck driven by his fiancee after an earlier dispute. His death is a microcosm of his life, marred by controversy and misbehavior. Its a shame that his on field talent will never be realized, and his off field antics will be his legacy.

His life ended the way that many thought it would have, amidst controversy. Yet again his inability to control himself got the best of the situation. This time he ended up deceased, instead of just in jail.

He showed little self-control in his short career with the Bengals, being arrested on numerous occasions, and ultimately released from a very understanding team. He has shown promise over the past 18 months, staying out of trouble and focusing on football. Subsequently, the Bengals signed him to a two year contract earlier this year. Unfortunately, when he broke his arm in the game versus the Ravens, it all but sealed his fate. He was now away from the team, but more importantly his support group.

Inevitability showed up on Wednesday night and afforded him one final test to control his actions...And he couldn't. For that, he is now gone.

My condolences to his family and teammates.

Welcome the Newest Member of Rammstein...The Cookie Monster!!!

2009-12-04T10:44:00.000-05:00

Jay Cutler follows up bad game with good interview

2009-11-23T13:16:00.002-05:00

Of all the bad games Cutler has had this year, the 24-20 loss to the Eagles last night, in my mind, was the worst. In the previous games, you could have blamed the play calling, the run game, the defense, etc...But this game, it was Jay Cutler. Jay missed three key passes that could have made this a comfortable win for the struggling Bears, but instead, they're probably going to be spending January at home with 20 other teams. No matter how it goes from here on, they will be lumped in with the likes of Cleveland, Oakland, Detroit, and Tampa Bay as not going to the playoffs.

Don't take my criticism the wrong way. I think Jay Cutler is exactly what the Bears needed. But I think the growing pains with this new team are excrutiating.

This will probably mark Lovie's last year in Chicago, and I can't think of a better pain reliever than Mike Shanahan. He and Jay Cutler seem to be a match made in heaven. So Jerry Angelo, tell the Buffalo Bills to stick it, and get Mike Shanahan on board!

Jon Stewart Calls Out Fox News...Hilarity Ensues!

2009-11-03T11:22:00.000-05:00

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

For Fox Sake!

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Health Care Crisis

2009-10-29T20:10:00.000-04:00

The One and Only Danny Macaskill

2009-09-24T19:11:00.000-04:00

Mike And Mike: Greeny Snaps On 'Skins LB - ESPN VIDEO

2009-09-22T16:15:00.001-04:00

2009-09-22T16:11:00.003-04:00

What a Month...

2009-08-27T12:04:00.004-04:00

Not sure where to begin with this one...But it's been a helluva last 45 days. So many things running through the old noggin, and the only thing that really comes out is the relief that I finally have enough time to even contribute to my blog. Here's the last 45 days.

Exhibit A

Cash for Clunkers

Even typing the words on a page gives me chills up my spine. Being in the car business is a brutality that I don't wish upon people without a will of granite. But from July 25th to August 24th was the most frustrating, fast-paced, exhausting, ulcer-inducing, experience of my life. And if I hear from one more person "At least your making money..." I'm gonna scream. You can make all the money in the world, but if your quality of life is in the toilet...IT DOESN'T MATTER!

I was detached from my home, family, and friends for that entire period. I couldn't answer my phone, answer messages, or get anything accomplished in my personal life. My already 12 hour days, turned into 14 hour days. My 9 hour days turned into 11-12 hour days. The days I actually had off, consisted of running around like a mad man trying to get done what I wasn't able to during the week. Money isn't everything folks. You can make money, but you can't make time...And I lost a lot of time this past month.

On to the effectiveness of the program. Don't get my bitterness wrong...The program was a gushing success. BUT it was poorly planned and tracked. After 4 days of the program, it was put on hold because they were already out of the $1 billion that was allocated for the program. They also started the program at the end of the month...A time that dealerships are already busy (especially in July). This created a scenario in which dealer's were not prepared or even expecting the absolute cluster that would ensue.

The program was put back on the next day. $2 billion more in support of the program was passed through Congress and the melee continued. Dealers were setting records right and left, including mine. For the Finance/Business Managers this was quite possibly the most stressful time of our lives. Most dealers have 2-3 business managers and exponentially more salespeople. As the willing purchasers, with their $4500 rust buckets came pouring in to buy new cars, the business managers were overly flooded with deals...Customers were waiting hours to get into finance, paperwork was piling to the ceiling, and lunch breaks were a thing of the past. Consequently, I was unapproachable during this fiasco. I apologize to everyone for my short temper and frustration.

On to more pleasant things...

Exhibit B

Fantasy Football

Ah yes, one of the finer things in life. Fantasy football season. To add to my "chicken with their head cut off" schedule, I was either a participant in or commissioner of 5 fantasy football leagues this year...Yes, people, 5. One of which had to be put on autopick due to my absence because of work.

Trying to be the commissioner of my own league proved to be quite a challenge, and I thank everyone who helped make it happen. There will be more chatter on this subject in the months to come.

Exhibit C

Running a Business

As many of you are aware, I have an online travel store that I own, operate, market, and develop. I definitely got a giant taste of what it may be like to be a guy like Donald Trump, Sir Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Vince McMahon, etc... To try to manage your time effectively with all of that distraction and responsibility of multiple businesses and ventures is a real challenge. And they do it all the time. Grant it, they have many assistants and employees to take care of a lot of things, but they didn't always have that. I trust that my efforts now will soon turn into a fruitful payoff in the future.

I'm sure I'm forgetting to add some thoughts, but that's what they make the next post for. Keep your heads up kids! See you next time!

I leave you with one of the people that are the reason that I'm in the travel business (Ytb).

How to Make an Effective Marketing Video by Perry Belcher

2009-07-10T12:17:00.001-04:00

Randomness...

2009-07-02T15:36:00.004-04:00

Let me start by adding to my last post. Can you believe the amount of absolute tool sheds that are pushing these fake celebrity deaths. The only thing I like about it, is the randomness of the celebrities.

First, it was Pittsburgh native and former insect Jeff Goldblum falling to his death on the set of a movie in New Zealand. And boy did it spread like wildfire! Twitter had it trending in a matter of moments...When, in fact, he was in Los Angeles safe and sound. Or was he???

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Jeff Goldblum Will Be Missed

http://www.colbertnation.com/

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Jeff Goldblum

Next, a 120 ft yacht owned by Harrison Ford missing off the coast of France...Ford presumed dead. In actuality, he was in New York presumably banging his stick figure girlfriend Ally McBeal.

George Clooney was in a motorcycle accident in real life and suffered a fractured rib, but not dead. Although you wouldn't know it...As soon as information on this came out, news spread that he actually died in the accident...No folks, he did that in Solaris.

Natalie Portman...This would have been a tragedy. Queen Amidala can't die! She's too damn hot! Also, the dipshits that reported this...Reported the same cause of death as Jeff Goldblum. Amateurs.

On to Rick Astley. There's no way he dies now. He was reported found in a German hotel room. If he would've died young, it would've been in the 80's when he was relevant. Or from that fiery red hair. Not now. Why was he in a hotel room? He can't still be touring...right? Right???

And lastly...Britney Spears. The one rumor we wish was true. And really is the most believable of all of them. She's been on a crash course with an early departure for a while now. But alas, alive as well.

So where does this leave us? No goddamn where. Just with a look of confusion on our faces, wondering why people waste their time spreading this b.s. But hey, I damn near got an entire blog post out of it.

On to business. July 22nd marks the inaugural meeting of Professional Network Connections Entrepreneurial Business Builders Network Chapter. Along with my good friend Jason Cercone, we will be heading up this chapter along with Judy Herilla. It should be a good time and we're looking forward to building PNC throughout Pittsburgh.

If you are interested in attending one of our meetings, please contact me at jason_p_collins@yahoo.com

Ytb 2.0 is now in full swing! I am so excited at the prospect of the new business model that they have adopted that will make us a stronger company for years to come. They are extremely dedicated to everyone's success and building the largest travel provider in the world. They are even offering a free test drive of the business here: http://www.vacationandbuildwealth.com

Mike Dillard launched the new and improved MLM Traffic Formula 2 recently. This system gives you the A-Z's of building your online business and creating endless leads that are ready to buy. Check it out here: http://tinyurl.com/m942jm

A bit of bad news to pass along. I sold my beloved 350Z...I'll miss you blue! You're my boy!!!

I'll be getting my newsletter out today or tomorrow. And hopefully relax a bit this weekend.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY EVERYBODY! BE SAFE!

Not a Good Week to be a Celebrity...Good thing No One Knows Who the Hell I am

2009-07-01T22:02:00.005-04:00

What a crazy week! First Ed McMahon...Now Farrah Fawcett, Billy Mays, and Michael Jackson! Such a shame. Ed was due, but the other three were before their time.

Farrah Fawcett

This picture accent most teen boys bedrooms during the decade of the 70's. It also caused many of those boys to go blind...Or at least need glasses. Yes, many of your fathers.

One of Charlies Angels, she was THE sex symbol of the 70's. Men wanted her, women wanted to be her. Well, until the past two years. She died last week from probably the worst cancer imaginable...ass cancer. That's right. No joke. Worst possible cancer I can think of.

Its a damn horrible ending to a life that touched so many people touching themselves. She will be missed.

Oh yeah! She married her 30 year boyfriend Ryan O'Neal a few days before her death. Coincidence? I think not. He definitely needed all of that money for listening to her droning on about her great Charlies Angels 'on the set' antics. WOO! I'm sure they were doosies!

Billy Mays

Billy Mays was the MAN! He was a regular guy born in Pittsburgh that was a creative inventor and pitchman. He revolutionized the infomercial and became a John Everyman hero.

Truth be told...I'm watching the Pitchmen marathon that is currently on the Discovery Channel. And I'm loving it! He gave tons of people shots at becoming successful for their inventions.

He would totally kick the ShamWOW guy's ass...Even though you gotta respect a guy who beats hookers. Don't buy another ShamWOW...Buy ZorbEZE! The original and the better product.

LONG LIVE THE KING!

Michael Jackson

Speaking of the King. As much as I would like to do what everyone else is, and come up with some zingers about him and tear him down...I won't. There's been enough of that.

Michael was too important to music to attack him, regardless of his alleged indiscretions. Yes alleged. I've been thinking that maybe he paid off that kid so that he could avoid the circus of court that would've probably made the OJ trial look like a DUI hearing. He was always a private person, thanks to his abusive, insane father. It couldn't possibly be an extortion attempt made by a greedy parent looking to get paid...NO!

Anyhoo. Thriller was the first album I ever had and it was tremendous. I still think its one of the greatest things to hit my ear. It is still the highest selling album in music history. Oh, and then their was the music videos he created. He revolutionized the music video with movie directors, special effects, and mainstream actors. He probably saved MTV from going under in its fledgling years. His performances were epic, his music amazing, and his dancing was ground breaking. He was the best...The only other performer that even compares is Elvis Presley, and unfortunately, both of their lives ended tragically and sadly.

Everyone can make all the jokes they want...But he was legendary.

Again...LONG LIVE THE KING!

I'll try to post again this week because I have a lot to talk about. I just wanted to touch on this sad week in entertainment.

Late!

The Mashup

2009-06-23T11:07:00.014-04:00

I'm gonna warn you now...I'm probably gonna be all over the map on this one. So much time and so little to do. Strike that...Reverse it.

First things first. R.I.P. Ed McMahon! The best sidekick since Robin. At the young age of 86 he passed away. His fame is the 9th Wonder of the World, but I love him for it. He found his niche...Laughing nonsensically at Johnny Carson (you've got work to do Andy Richter). You fooled them all Ed. Now your in the guest seat next to God, while he holds an envelope against his forehead and secretly is annoyed by you. You and Dick Clark got all of our hopes up that we would win $10 million (still waiting!), had us doubling over in moderate snickering watching TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes (the father of Punk'd), and introduced us to the likes of Sinbad, Rosie O'Donnell, and Christina Aguilera on Star Search (1 celebrity outta 3 ain't bad). Hey, I wonder who gets his Cash for Gold money?

Onward and downward...The folks are in a bad way right now and it sucks. Gas turned off, back taxes are past due, sheriff sale probable...And my freakin hands are tied! So, if you're in the business of prayer, send one out to my parents. They need it.

Ok, to the upward side. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen starts tomorrow and I couldn't be more excited! Shia LeBeouf is coming into his own as an action star, and Megan Fox is, well, Megan Fox (excuse the heart palpitations). Megan has come out and said that she's is not Angelina Jolie and is tired of the comparisons. You're right Megan, you're not Angelina...You're better. You're hotter, younger, and you don't have 18 adopted Vietnamese children (you'll have to work on that). You are, however, dating Brian Austin Greene...we'll let that slide.

This installment will reportedly be the last for Michael Bay, but it looks like it's gonna be an amazing action film. Bay is the master of disaster when it comes to action films. No one has bigger explosions, robots, or movie trailers. He is the king of the guy movie. I can't wait to hit the theater and here every Transformers geek cheer when Optimus Prime's name is called for the first time. Man, did I have douche chills when I went to the first movie and that happened. We get it, you watched the cartoon as a child...You don't have to start cheering in the middle of a movie theater to reveal your love for the leader of the Autobots! I didn't hear any booing for Megatron when he made his debut. SAVE IT!

I've freshened up my blog page recently as you can see. Some new advertisements, offers, and ways to interact with me. One in particular is that Ytb has launched project 2.0 To rebound from the successful proceedings with the state of California, Ytb has reinvented itself and is offering you the opportunity to test drive the company's opportunity FOR FREE! That's right kiddies...FREE! So click HERE and check it out.

Mike Dillard has shaken up the industry once again with his launch of Traffic Formula 2, and if your in network or online marketing I suggest you pick it up. It is the standard of driving quality and qualified leads to your particular website or product. Click below to learn more!

Thank you to everyone who has booked through http://www.madeintheshadetravel.com/ recently. Big props to Vicki, Brandon, Jennifer, and Jeanne! Much appreciated!

My friend Mike got married this past weekend. It was good times! I hope to get some photos posted on Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace soon. Good luck with the marriage Mike. I hope you stay happy for a long time!

Enough mushiness! On to more sad news...My car is up for sale. Its not all sad though, its a decision I made myself and isn't being forced upon me from anyone else. I love that car, but I have more important things to use my money for right now. I've got businesses I'm trying to get off the ground and a house that I want to have projects completed on. You can find it on Autotrader HERE.

It will be sad to see the old girl go...It was my first real taste of success, but I know it is for the good and betterment of my life going forward. On to bigger and better things!

I think that's all I'll do for now folks. Its been nice spilling my guts for you. I hope you got even one tiny molecule of entertainment out of it. If not...I'm sorry. I'll try harder next time. Make sure you follow me on Twitter be my friend on Facebook and add me on MySpace

Until next time folks. Won't you be my neighbor???

Zack Attack is Back!

2009-06-09T14:10:00.000-04:00

It's Been How Long?!?!?!

2009-06-04T14:33:00.004-04:00

Hello father...It's been damn near a month since my last blog post.

Yes, I will do 20 Hail Mary's and recite Stairway to Heaven.

Hello all! It's been a while. The car business picked up immensely which explains my absense from blogging for the past month. I haven't had time to think! Between work with sucks about 50-60 hours a week out of my soul and the other (more enjoyable and exciting) ventures that I've been working on, I haven't had a chance to tell everyone what's up (I'm hoping that you care).

I attended a large networking event last month that turned out pretty well. If there are any of you that I met there that are reading this...Hi. Met some nice people, handed out some info, and had the worst $9 lunch ever. Fun.

I am also sad to say that I have come to the decision that it is time to sell my car. Its a tough decision because it really is more than a car to me (It was a symbol of my first large goal achieved in business)...But this decision will lead me to setting my goals and sites higher in the future. See it here.

My birthday was a few days ago. Not sure why I'm mentioning this. Birthdays have less meaning to me than Groundhog Day. After 21...There's really nothing to look forward to. I was at work til 10pm anyway, so even if it meant anything, that was shot in the ass.

I have been elected to VP of Membership for the Pittsburgh Entrepreneurial Business Builders Network...Which is exciting.

I've reached 1000 tweets on Twitter! Woo Hoo! My twitter page will be getting a big overhaul in the coming weeks, which I always enjoy doing.

Ytb is entering a new era, and it looks great. I'm glad everything worked out and we're all ready to move onward and upward. Test drive Ytb 2.0

I've designed about 14 new shoes to submit for patent in the coming months to get my footwear company off the ground. I'm ridiculously nervous, and excited about this project at the same time!

It kinda sucks that last month was so busy, I couldn't spill my thoughts on here. But that's the way it goes I guess.

I will definitely try to be on here more in the month of June. I look forward to talking to everyone! Lata!

Say it Ain't So!!!

2009-05-06T11:31:00.005-04:00

submitted by Jason Collins

Psychoville, MN- I don't know if Brett Favre is this addicted to football, the circus, or $20 million a year contracts, but this has to stop.

I watch Sportcenter and they keep saying that he has earned the right to do this every year (Trent Dilfer), most grinding their teeth as they say it (Mark Schlereth). I think Trent has a bigger man-crush on Favre than John Madden. One SC analyst said it right..."He definitely earned the right, but quit retiring!" That's not verbatim, but its close. Thank you Scott Van Pelt.

As much as I loathe Brett from his Packer days being the Bears fan that I am, it has gotten way beyond that now. Brett Favre is the biggest attention whore I've ever seen. And I've seen the likes of Dennis Rodman, Dustin Diamond, Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, and Smurfette. He likes all the attention in his direction, and it's getting as old as he is.

Why can't you just retire and stay that way...OR NOT! If you are going to keep coming back, just don't retire. I have no problem with you entertaining offers and see where the money takes you, but every spring ESPN has to be wrapped around your ever tiring decision to play or not to play.

Rumor has it that he's using Minnesota as a platform to stick it to Green Bay. Ummm...WOW! It's the Curious Case of Brett Favre. He's aging backward and is currently in his adolescent stage where the "they started it" argument is prominent.

You were a great quarterback Brett, but I really do think this is tainting your legacy. The really great players didn't play for team, after team, after team. Get a job in the booth if you need to be around the game. It's worked out well for a lot of former NFL quarterbacks.

Now turn your attention to Brad Childress. The man fanning the flames because he can't make heads or tails of the quarterbacks he has, and didn't make a move to fix that in the off season. Tarvaris Jackson had a solid final quarter of the season last year, but there's no way they could possible build upon that...Let's replace him with a 40 year old with a torn biceps tendon. Great strategy. If it wasn't for the play of Jackson over that stretch, Minnesota may not have made the playoffs. John David Booty is also on the roster. Remember when he replaced Matt Linart at USC and put up good numbers? Childress doesn't either.

Oh yeah, and there is an absolute beast in the backfield in Minnesota. Something Brett has never had. Two huge problems will exist for Minnesota regarding Adrian Peterson. One...Brett won't be able to get the ball to him in time after the hike of the ball. He'll be past Favre before he turns his brittle hips around to hand him the ball. And two...The wind that Peterson will create with his freight train running style will probably knock Brett's old ass over.

The schizophrenic behavior being displayed by Brett has ruined the careers of other players. And just this year, Jay Cutler and Chad Johnson have been labelled 'head cases' and a 'problem players' because they wanted out of unfavorable situations on their teams. Yet, Brett manipulated the Jets to release him by retiring, so that he could do what he has wanted to do from day one...Get an NFC North team to sign him to get back at Green Bay. That's perfectly ethical and ok right? Apparently the sports world thinks so.

When its all said and done, I hope Brett gets what he wants. Two games against the Packers. And I truly hope that Aaron Rodgers outshines him, and the Packers sweep Minnesota this year. Yeah, I said it! I hope Green Bay wins some games. In between those two games, I believe Brett will be a below average quarterback and the Minnesota Vikings will regress because they didn't develop their young, talented quarterbacks for the future. They have a young team with high potential, but bringing in Brett Favre will just add dissension to the locker room that even a big shot of geritol will not cure.

Ytb has Been Tested...And is Passing with Flying Colors!

2009-04-24T13:52:00.002-04:00

There's never been a better time to come aboard with a proven company that will be entering its pinnacle within the next six months. Ytb has been brutally tested and is coming out on the other side stronger than ever before. Some casualties have been felt along the way, but only the strong survive. And the rock solid foundation is still here! Now's the time to take the bull by the horns and change your situation for the better, for good.

Visit http://www.vacationandbuildwealth.com to learn more!

John Madden hangs up the Telestrator

2009-04-16T11:54:00.002-04:00

submitted by Jason Collins

First De La Hoya, now Madden. It's been a somber week for sports fans. Two of the best at what they do have retired. After 30 years in the booth John Madden calls it a career.

Now he can retire to Louisiana and live out the rest of his days with Brett Favre. Brett can stand in his QB stance with Madden draped around his legs like the front of a Fabio novel cover.

"It's time. I'm 73 years old. My 50th wedding anniversary is this fall," Madden said. "I have two great sons and their families and my five grandchildren are at an age now when they know when I'm home and, more importantly, when I'm not."

John Madden leaves a legacy of broadcasting skills that, well, left a little bit to be desired. Yes, John, the team that scores the most points will win the game. But one thing's for certain...He knew a ton about football and had great video games.

Madden's odd reach of annoyance reached even to the players that were featured on his year release of the Madden series of video games...Known as the "Madden Curse." Which could also be claimed by his wife who's had to sleep with the man for 50 years, bratwurst after bratwurst. The players on the covers would almost inevitably get injured the year they were featured (including Brian Urlacher...dammit!). Makes sense for a guy that's been putting me through agony for as long as I can remember. For Christ's sake, how many times can you show the same freakin' play on your telestrator??? Whomever introduced Madden to technology should have been drawn and quartered.

Let's now turn to a well known Madden controversy...His affair with Brett Favre. I don't believe I've seen this much man love since Brokeback Mountain. And even then, at least Heath Ledger spit on his hand first. WE GET IT JOHN! BRETT'S PRETTY GOOD! So are alot of other players around the league, but we don't see you giving them a reach around.

Don't get me wrong, there is plenty about John Madden to celebrate...He was at the forefront of making the NFL the national past time. He was a great coach, ambassador of the game, and pioneer of the Turducken. But I wish he would've stayed out of the box.

I will say that I appreciate his vision that it was time to go...Unlike Summerall, who is for all intents and purposes, a talking corpse. Make that a drunk, talking corpse. Kudos to John for packin' it in early.

In closing...Thank you John Madden for:

Being a great coach
Making a series of great video games
Turducken
Having gray hair and bushy red eyebrows
Being less annoying than Summerall
Launching Frank Caliendo's career
Leaving with dignity

All the best to you sir! As much as you stomped on my last nerve, I appreciate what you did for the game. All the best in your retirement because it won't last long when your wife kicks you out for constantly rewinding and playing back Matlock reruns.

This is Why He's the Man!

2009-04-15T12:55:00.001-04:00

BEAR DOWN JAY CUTLER!!!

2009-04-03T12:04:00.007-04:00

OH BOY!!! WHERE DO I BEGIN?!?!? Jerry Angelo finally made a move that shows he really does care about the future of the quarterback position in Chicago. A position that has been void of a solid presence since they went to the Super Bowl almost 25 years ago (and even then, McMahon wasn't tremendous). He's been saying for years that he believes that the quarterback is the most important position on the field, but has done little to improve that position. Grant it, he's drafted quaterbacks in the first and second rounds, but they've ultimately been backups at best.

But now...Now he's put it all out there, and really made the biggest move in the franchises' modern history. The Chicago Bears have landed Jay Cutler. Pardon me if I'm gushing, or over flowing with joy. I've been a Bears fan since I've been old enough to watch football. At no time has the organization shown a commitment to improve the team like they did yesterday. I'm proud to say that the ownership of the Bears really cares if they win, and that their fans are happy!

The Bears weren't considered to be the favorites in the Cutler sweepstakes. Washington, Cleveland, and The Jets were thought to be the three teams that would battle it out to get him. Chicago crept in at the 11th hour and gave Denver what they wanted, and Chicago got what they wanted. Let's break down the trade:Denver Gets:Kyle Orton1st Round Pick 20093rd Round Pick 20091st Round Pick 2010Chicago Gets:Jay Cutler5th Round Pick 2009Ok, it seems that both teams are making out very well in this trade. Some may look at what Chicago had to give up to get Cutler and be in shock that they would give up "so much." Let's look at this logically, shall we?

The Bears haven't had many first round success stories over the past 20 years. The only notables being Brian Urlacher and Tommie Harris. Greg Olsen still remains to be seen, but he's on his way. Curtis Conway and Walt Harris could also be considered noteworthy, depending on what criteria you are looking at.

The Bears would not be drafting either of the top two quarterbacks in this years draft either. Neither of them are Jay Cutler anyway.

Kyle Orton is a backup at best.

The 3rd rounder given up, to me, is the same as the 5th rounder they gained. Anything after the second round is the same player. And a lot of times, that's where the real talent is found. The Bears have drafted players like Dusty Dvoracek, Mark Anderson, Bernard Berrian, Charles Tillman, Lance Briggs, Terrence Metcalf, Alex Brown, and Paul Edinger in round 3 and later since 2000.

Len Pasquarelli of ESPN says, "...with the combination of age, accomplishment and potential, a quarterback of Cutler's ilk hasn't been available in the past 20 years.Or maybe ever."

In the 3 years that Josh McDaniels was Offensive Coordinator with the Patriots, here's who they drafted in the first round: Laurence Maroney, Brandon Meriweather, and Jerod Mayo. Solid, but none of them game changers. I use this information because it's very evident through what has happened with Jay Cutler in Denver, that Josh McDaniels is a spitting image of Belichick. His mannerisms, attitude, and probably his draft strategy. He has already brought in some proven, but older players on the team. Just has Belichick has been known for doing.

Many people have condemned Jay Cutler as the next T.O. What planet are they from??? Up until now, Jay Cutler has never been a problem in the locker room, or on the field. But everyone is acting like this guy is a certified head case. This is the only problem there has been with this guy! And you could point to either side of this for blame.

Jason Campbell was knowingly on the trade block during this fiasco to try to land Cutler. But this is what happened, and usually happens in these situations. Jim Zorn informed Jason Campbell that he was part of the deal, and kept him informed every step of the way. He didn't spring it on him that he may be traded. Or let him find out from ESPN after the fact that he was gonna be on the next thing smokin' out of town. I think the main thing Jay Cutler was looking for when he was being offered up for Cassel was information. They all know it's a business, but when Shanahan left, along with the entire offensive staff, Cutler was in limbo on what his future held. Before Cutler could even meet his head coach, McDaniels had him on the trade block. He just wanted to know that this was occurring...Not find it out on the news.

They both were in the wrong, but ultimately Denver ended up losing a top 5 quarterback, and gaining a perennial backup. Good job McDaniels. Now we get to see what kind of draft knowledge you have because that's all you've got to rely on over the next two years.

The trade is already being debated on "who got the best deal?" Well, since 4 out of the six players in the trade haven't been determined yet, we don't know. But one thing is for sure, the Bears are instantly a better team by getting Jay Cutler. Denver has instantly fallen by getting Kyle Orton. We'll see how the draft picks work out, but only time will tell with those selections.

If I were told to give my opinion on who made out better with this deal, I would say Chicago today. That opinion may change over time, but the only thing to judge this trade on right now are the players that have taken a snap in the NFL...And Chicago wins that in a landslide.

And for the record...I need a plastic surgeon to remove this grin from my face!

In other Bears news, they signed OT Orlando Pace to a 3 year deal. The terms of the contract have not yet been released.

Princess Cruises Sail A Thon

2009-03-26T18:37:00.003-04:00

Starting March 25th, 2009 Princess Cruise Lines and Ytb have teamed up to bring you Princess Cruises Sail A Thon 2009! Visit http://www.madeintheshadetravel.com/

to learn more about the great deals that are available on Princess Cruises.

Princess has even discounted their deposits and included an on board coupon booklet worth $325 to use during your vacation. It doesn't get much better than this, and a cruise is the best treat you could ever give yourself.

Princess Cruises and Ytb want to help you Escape Completely!

NEW STUFF!

2009-03-12T14:38:00.006-04:00

For those of you who read my previous post, Tiffany is doing well in finding a new job, and it may turn out to be a blessing with more freedom and money. Thanks to those who expressed concern and offered us help.

On to more positive things! My bestest friend and I have developed a new website for the armchair quarterback in everyone out there. A place where the average Joe/Jane can sound off on any sports topic that he/she wants. It's still a little rough around the edges, but we wanted to get it out to the public ASAP. The web address is http://www.sportsvoice365.com/ You can also click on it to the right of my blog, in with the advertisements. Please give it a look, and let us know if you want to contribute at sportsvoice365@gmail.com We look forward to hearing from all of you.

Also, my nephew is participating in the Jump Rope for Heart Disease Fundraiser, and the charity would appreciate your donation. Please visit http://tinyurl.com/blow7j to contribute...And thank you very much to everyone who does.

I've been attending small business workshops and seminars in attempts to gather information to get my footwear company rolling. I'm excited to take the next step with it and I'll keep everyone posted on how it's going.

I've been playing some board games as of late, oddly enough. I haven't played them in so long, I forgot how much fun they were. Did a little Cranium and Scene It Volume 2...What a blast. And for those that know me personally, as you may have guessed I kicked ass at Scene it!

Also been doing some cruise bookings and such, so Made in the Shade Travel is doing well. Finally finished our taxes...NICE! And Tiff and I are looking forward to whatever's next.

Well, that's all for now guys. Sorry so short, but I haven't posted in a while and wanted to get some thoughts down (thus, the very hectic nature of the post).

TIL NEXT TIME!

LATA!

Bad Economy Finally Hits Home

2009-02-25T16:56:00.003-05:00

Well, I'm gonna start this one off with a bang. My wife was "laid off" from her job. Of course, since Reaganomics began back in the 80's, that means she was fired. Probably couldn't have come at a worse time with the effect this vicious cycle economy has had on my main source of income, the auto industry.

I've been doing my best to stay calm through this so far, but it seems I have a kick me sign on my back and people are pushing all the wrong buttons. My wife has been inconsolable so far, not because she's out of work, but how it was handled. Calling her into a meeting at 7am in the morning to tell her to pack up her stuff and go.

The company's name is Tri-State Orthopaedics, and normally I wouldn't do this, but I'm asking everyone who reads my blog in Pittsburgh...Don't let one dime of your money be spent on this company. There are some circumstances that I'm not at liberty to discuss that make me feel this way, just trust me on this one. I am currently receiving treatment at their rehab facility and Friday will be my last treatment, thus they won't see another red cent from me.

Its funny how you drink the company Kool Aid, wear their colors, do what they want you to do, promote their brand, and waste your days working like a second class citizen just for them to kick you to the curb...with no warning.

It's time for everyone to get over this 'recession' we're in and start bringing the economy back. It's up to us as consumers to do it, not the government. It's all about attitude, and even we believe it will get better, it will. NOW START BELIEVING! Because I refuse to think we're gonna decay in this wasteland for any extended period of time.

That's my time

Short and Sweet

2009-02-19T19:35:00.002-05:00

I'm gonna make this one brief because I just feel like I should post something on here...It's been about a week. And......begin.

I've been feeling a lot of frustration as of late with...well...everything. My job sucks (I know, I should be happy I have one with the way things are), the weather sucks, there's nothing really going on in sports (that I know of because ARod takes up the entire schedule), I still have a long way to go in physical therapy, and I'm just in a bad mood. I know I shouldn't be. I'm getting the ball rolling on my new footwear company, my best friend and I are developing a new website, and Spring is right around the corner, but I just can't shake this trough I'm in.

I need a vacation, a sundae, or a hooker (just kidding honey!).

I think I'm just spread way too thin. Between working 55 hours a week, running a business in my spare time, and developing these other ventures...I feel like I'm running in place. I don't have any 'me' time, and I won't have any coming any time soon.

I KNOW....BOO HOO!!!

Maybe I am just a whiner. I just need a good stretch of days to get me outta this. I'm usually a silver lining guy, but my 'normal' job has gotten me to wits-end. Hopefully, I can take that 55 hours a week off my 'to do' list shortly.

Alright! Enough of this pity party! Sorry you had to struggle through this bitch fest.

Lata!

-Collins

Where do I begin???

2009-02-11T17:23:00.003-05:00

There's a lot to talk about everyone! I'm not quite sure where to begin, but I'll give it a shot. We'll start with the biggest story of the century apparently...No, not global warming.

A freakin' ROD!

Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens thanks you for getting everyone off their backs. I'm not spending too much time on A-Rod...Not because I think its been over-covered (well, it has), but to tear down the media for making this the story of the century. Ok, ARod was on steroids...WHO CARES?!?!?! You do, apparently. Or at least the media thinks you do by shoving it down our throats 24/7. He didn't hurt anyone, except maybe himself, which he has every right to do. This has gotten so ridiculous that some moron asked President Obama about the ARod 'steroids scandal' in his first news conference! What the hell is going on here?!?!?! It would seem that there are steroid pushers on every corner in this country, hell-bent on shrinking testicles! America has its priorities way out of whack. Get it together people!

To tell me that all of baseball's greats were as clean as a whistle is about the most naive statement you can give me. How do we know? There was no testing then. And it didn't have to be steroids. Many players have come out to say they were taking a form of amphetamine to stay up for a 162 game season!

Stop with the witch hunt! I couldn't care less if ARod was rounding the bases with a needle sticking out of his arm as long as it makes the game more exciting. You don't see this uproar with the NFL...We want hulking beasts on the gridiron, but apparently there is too much 'integrity' in baseball. GO SCREW, SPORTS MEDIA!

On we go...

As mentioned before: President Obama's First Press Conference

Other than the idiotic questions he was asked that had nothing to do with the issues here, it was good. I have to hand it to Obama for not jumping off the podium and choking out the sources of questions involving: His 'dire' dialect, Iran, and of course ARod. We have a full blown shit storm in this country and these twits are worried about sugar-coating language, other countries, and of course ARod. ENOUGH!

The Death of Jeremy Lusk

For those who don't know him, he's a motocross rider. He was killed trying to pull off an amazing trick. It was truly a horrific crash, and its a shame that a 24 year old kid is dead.

Brett Favre Really Retires?!?!

Good riddance. Remember...Bears Fan.

Chris Brown Beats Up Rihanna

What a moron...I've been madder than hell in my life before. Maybe even mad enough to kill, but better judgement took over. Being a multi-million dollar recording artist, how couldn't cross your mind as you have your hand raised to another multi million dollar recording artist, what the repercussions of this might be? Especially considering they were both scheduled to play at the Grammys'. You know, the award show that recognizes your abilities as an artist and performer. Get your head out of your ass Brown! I know you must have it so bad...I'd love to have your problems up until you beat your smokin' hot girlfriend...badly. And for the record, I don't like either of their music.

James Whitmore Dies

Watch The Shawshank Redemption...Brooks was here!

This Just In: Ex-girlfriend files suit, says Roberto Alomar exposed her to AIDS!
AND
Miguel Tejada pleads guilty to perjury!

All you baseball players better run and hide. It sounds like Congress is organizing its own MLB Auschwitz. No one is safe...No one can hide. Everyone that has been on steroids, cocaine, or aspirin better come forward now because their gonna find out somehow! Prepare to be pulled out from under your beds and taken away in your sleep.

For the record, Roberto Alomar is a real scumbag. What he did is far beyond steroids, but it won't get nearly the press coverage.

Well, I'm nauseous from all this trash. I'm gonna go for now, but never fear...I'll return!

Jason 'the steroid pusher' Collins

What a Game!

2009-02-02T15:20:00.002-05:00

Well folks, the Super Bowl was all that and a bag of chips...And I'm sad about it. Not because of the actual game, but what is to follow. 7 months of no football (I'm in mourning today) and 7 months of obnoxious Steeler fan gloating...ewwwwww! Congratulations to the Steelers for pulling out the win, and kudos (sorry Dan Dierdorf) to the Cardinals for living up to the hype. Especially one Larry Fitzgerald. After a tiring two weeks of ego stroking, he still lived up to the circus. Well done young man.

There is one football related activity to look forward to. The NFL Draft. I wonder who the Bears will take this year instead of a quarterback...hmmm. Rumor has it that they are in the hunt for Mr. Super Bowl Passing God himself, Kurt Warner. What a dumb move that would be by both parties. Warner moves to wear its cold and they don't have Fitz, Boldin, and Breaston and the Bears get a quarterback to mend the fence for one year. I hope it doesn't happen.

On to business. I keep plugging along the social media platforms getting my name plastered to every business networking site imaginable. Man, that is a full time job in and of itself. I don't know how Perry Belcher can keep up...Oh, wait. He doesn't work a soul destroying full time job that sucks the life right out of you. Kudos (sorry Dan Dierdorf) Perry. I'm not there yet, but you are sure as hell an inspiration to me. Here is a list of social media you can find me on:

1. Linkedin

2. Myspace

3. BetterNetWorker

4. Ecademy

5. Twitter

6. Facebook

7. Sta.rtup Biz

And of course, don't forget to check out http://www.vacationandbuildwealth.com http://www.themlmadvantage.net http://www.profitperclicknow.com http://www.madeintheshadetravel.com http://jasoncollins.buildingonabudget.com http://www.tothepowerof6.com and http://tinyurl.com/cmdhem

You know I love the shameless plugs!

Outta here for now everyone...bye bye

The Weather Outside is Frightful

2009-01-28T15:11:00.002-05:00

Hey Everyone,

The title says it all. I'm sitting here in Pittsburgh, and it is ugly outside...Really ugly. What better weather to get stuff done at home in though? And that's what I'm doing. I'm working on my marketing business and gathering ideas for my future footwear company.

Everyone in this town is in complete Steelers Utopia...Except me. I'm not a Steelers fan by any stretch, but I do respect the hell out of that team. For the record, I am a Chicago Bears fan (i know). The thing I can't take is the 'rabid' Steelers fans that are so ignorant it needs mentioning. They are so arrogant and misinformed it makes me giggle. Most of them couldn't answer a trivia question about the team if you asked, but wanna be the first to call you an asshole because you're not a fan. I know more about their team than most of their 'fans' do. That's why I hope Arizona curb stomps them Sunday (wishful thinking). Not because of the Steelers themselves (great team, great players), but because of the majority of their ridiculous fan base.

I'll probably lose half of my followers over this. Ah well, probably ridiculous Steelers fans. And yes, I'm jealous that my team has been perennially successful like they've been. But I know I wouldn't have that attitude if they were.

On to more positive things...I came across a great way to get some exposure for my business the other night. My friend also named Jason had received word about it on Facebook and told me to check it out. So I did, naturally. Here's the verdict...It's Free! I've gotten about 40 extra clicks on my website because of it, so I'll tap it as a win. If you wanna check it out, go to http://www.tothepowerof6.com I have the advertisement posted at the top of my blog.

My friend Jason (same as above), and I were talking earlier today about what a bad rep network marketing gets. What spurred the conversation was that an old friend of ours from college posted a discouraging remark on Facebook about Jason's status. Jason had posted a link to one of his pages (a marketing page), and he who shall remain nameless took offense. He immediately labeled it a scam and scolded Jason for even posting what he was doing at that time in his "what are you doing" section of facebook, claiming he was being solicited. Jason wasn't soliciting anyone, he was merely saying what he was working on, and nameless flew off the handle. Why that reaction? It was like he was an old fanatic conservative that saw a boob on tv...He had to make his objection and opinion everyone elses. Because he didn't like it, no one else should either. But why didn't he like it? He's not in network marketing. He's a ski bum who lives off of his parents. But as soon as he even smelled an mlm, SCAM was the word of the day. How did it get this reputation?

It's a sad but true reality for all of us in network marketing, but the bright spot is that we're in an exclusive club that only the enlightened know about. If everyone was in network marketing, this would be no fun for any of us. Just a normal job...I hate normal jobs!

I hope you made it through this one everybody...Have a great day!

Already Old

2009-01-24T11:13:00.002-05:00

I've gotta say, having the past two weeks off (even though for surgery) spoiled me. I almost had forgotten how much working 55-60 hours stunk. Well, I've been back for a day and a half now, and it's all come rushing back to me. Man, this stinks! Hopefully the extra work I put in over the past two weeks on my home-based business will give me a better foundation to move forward and leave the daily grind behind. Don't get me wrong, for the most part I like the people I work with, but in all reality I don't like them enough to continue to drain my life of substance working there. I enjoy the amount of downtime we have, which gives me the opportunity to work on MY business, but I'm still cooped up in this building all day doing it.

Recommendations for the Week:

1. See Gran Torino and leave your wimpy ego, opinion, and your ease of being offended at the door and you will absolutely adore this movie.

2. Watch L O S T ...I'm sure I've covered this before.

3. Go out and get what you want...no one is gonna give it to you, but they may help you get there.

4. Never think you know everything...Everyone needs advice.

5. Check out http://www.vacationandbuildwealth.com or
http://www.madeintheshadetravel.com or for you current business owners http://www.themlmadvantage.net or http://www.profitperclicknow.com

6. There's nothing wrong with a shameless plug!

That's all for today kids...It's time for lunch! Cold cuts and potato salad. Mmmmmm....warms your cockles!!!

Hooray!!!

2009-01-21T10:49:00.002-05:00

Well boys and girls, today is a special day. I'm going early this afternoon to get my stitches removed and hopefully lose these God-forsaken crutches and retain my ability to drive. But that's just the tip of the iceberg folks! The Season 5 of L O S T begins tonight, and I'm as giddy as a school girl. If you haven't seen this show...you're missing out. With my normal work schedule I don't get a chance to actually sit and watch Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Sayid, Hurley, Ben, Sun, and the gang as it happens. So this goes beyond just the new season, I usually have to DVR it and watch it later. Man, 12 hour days suck! Hopefully soon, that'll be a thing of the past.

To turn the tables, this also means that I'm less than two days away from returning to the normal grind (insert Mr. Yuck sticker here). As I've said before, the time that I've been off has been a win. I've been able to accomplish a lot of great stuff with my home based business (insert happy face sticker here). I hope this day finds everyone well.

That's it for today. Moral of the day.......Watch L O S T !

Angry Chair

2009-01-19T18:33:00.004-05:00

I chose the title to one of Alice in Chains best songs because the title best reflects my current situation. I've been laid up from hip surgery for the past 10 days, and I'm a bit frustrated with my crutches, my therapy, and my inability to be out and about. Grant it, my wife and friends have been great accommodating me, but really its time to move onward from this.

There is, though, one really great thing that has come from this...I've had unlimited time to work on my home based business this past week and half. Time that my 'normal' job doesn't afford me. It's already been bearing fruit, and I'm happy for it. I've been able to bolster my connections and exposure these last 10 days, more than I've been able to in the previous year in total.

I also have been able to apply some techniques to my business that I've been meaning to do for a while. As I've said, the attraction marketing has already been bearing fruit so its a win in my book.

I'm only 2 and a half days from going back to the normal grind...yippee! I'm definitely not looking forward to going back to the norm. I visit the doctor tomorrow to find out my progress. Hopefully everything is moving forward enough that I can get rid of the crutches and drive. I do have to say that I've got a bit of cabin fever over the past couple of weeks.

Lemons into lemonade folks. That's what its all about. Doom and gloom doesn't interest me, almost to the point that my wife wants to kill me. She'll be totally freaking out about something, and I'll be as cool as a cucumber, which pisses her off to no end. I could've folded up like an accordion and boo hooed about having surgery and being couped up in the house, but I decided to turn in into an opportunity to better myself and my business. Hey, it could always be worse.

That's the lesson for the day boys and girls. Until next time...