Michael Dammann's Blog

what's new man

2009-07-19T07:01:00.000-07:00

nothing, a lot and not a thing, it all interchanges. As of now I am in indonesia, and was there when the hotels got bombed.

I came on the scene a little after. I would like all of you to do the following:

Visit http://www.firetown.com

Bookmark it, follow it on Facebook and do whatever else.

Help make Firetown big and I will love you more than you can possibly imagine.

Take care!

Mike Dammann

Indonesia

2009-06-26T22:25:00.000-07:00

I am now in Indonesia and you can see me here as a part of the Indonesia to Go Team.

I am still running my Costa Rica Blog.

If you are interested in getting in touch with me or find out about real estate investors opportunities, contact me thru Firetown.com

Web Applications and Certificates by VeriSupport

2009-05-17T13:50:00.000-07:00

Compare them to VeriSign, GoDaddy and many, many more and you will see that this is the professional web certificate for you to increase better customer service and profits from your site.

I always tell my clients that when you create a site, you need to look at it like an office or a store. Having the right location (domain name) and the best appearance is a must as everything you do is going to reflect on your business in general.
Thank you very much for visiting my blogspot blog. Please visit Firetown.com and support the Mighty Eagle Foundation of Indonesia.

Mike Dammann

My other websites are

Real Estate Investing
Costa Rica Real Estate
Costa Rica Information
Mortgage Web Directory

Thank you for visiting.

2009-03-02T14:15:00.000-08:00

I have not been active on this blog for quite some time. Mainly, because I am now blogging here.
I am also still active on social networks and now developing a new forum for real estate investors.
If you have entered this blog to find out about our website marketing services, <<< go here.

2008-12-26T22:06:00.001-08:00

Global warming, the biggest lie ever told http://ping.fm/2rzz9

2008-11-27T08:44:00.001-08:00

visit my blog at http://www.firetown.com and leave a comment! :)

2008-11-03T23:16:00.001-08:00

New Costa Rica Forum: http://ping.fm/mkrG8

2008-11-01T15:08:00.001-07:00

pedophile tourism in 3rd world countries is at an alltime high http://ping.fm/cgKv7

2008-11-01T14:08:00.001-07:00

http://ping.fm/QzLA6
10 Hectares in Playa Negra, Costa Rica. Ideal for an eco resort!

2008-11-01T12:24:00.001-07:00

How the media impacts your mind.
http://ping.fm/yf3EX

2008-10-31T16:56:00.001-07:00

The undecided voters are going for McCain http://ping.fm/lqBwT

2008-10-31T12:32:00.001-07:00

ping fm is missing mixx

2008-10-31T12:24:00.001-07:00

New forum, keep signing up peeps! http://ping.fm/SQna0

2008-10-31T11:50:00.001-07:00

testing ping.fm

Al Smith Dinner Video

2008-10-17T18:31:00.000-07:00

was way funny

Join my facebook group today!

2008-10-16T16:39:00.000-07:00

You HAVE to join and you HAVE to post. INtroduce yourself. Make a statement. Share an opinion.
This is THE Facebook group of groups so go at it NOW!

I'm a racist!

2008-10-16T16:35:00.000-07:00

OK the other day I was called a racist for supporting McCain. I asked for an explanation on how supporting McCain was being racist. And for the first time I got an explanation.
No it makes no sense but it was interesting.
The explanation was
"Obama is so much better than McCain, that the only reason voting for McCain would be because Obama is black".

Uh huh

Halloween Candy Coupon

2008-10-16T15:50:00.000-07:00

This is a great idea for halloween. Check out Halloween Candy Coupon .com
Halloween is coming soon. Kids love candy. You love coupons. So go for it!

O.J. Simpson is pretty much done

2008-10-12T00:58:00.000-07:00

I see his face, I realize how he is paying the price just like everybody will eventually. He did a bad thing 14 years ago. He got away. He caused a major media ruckus and was acquitted, but now it seems he is on his own and the support from everyone has faded. People are tired of the guy. Even those who supported him then have turned away from him since and want to see him pay the price.
Back then his now deceased friend Robert Kardashian read what sounded like a suicide note, so I would not be surprised if he will wind up taking his own life. It must be hard for his kids to know their father killed their mom. It must be tough to not wanting to see your dad go down, yet being more and more aware of the fact that he is the reason they have no mom.
This is very sad. Whatever your judge or jury may decide, you cannot hide from what is your destiny or doom.
What a way for a former hero to spend the final years of his life. Memories of his accomplishments have been overshadowed by his infamous years following football fame.
Robert Kardashian, a friend who went as far as choosing loyalty over his own conscience has died. So has Johnny Cochran.
What often happens with people who get away with something is that their mindset changes and they expect to get away with something less severe.
Coming back down to reality hits hard when you have once been so high on delusions of grandure and no longer old friends are there to catch you when you fall.
O.J. Simpson is back in the courts and I highly doubt that society or any jury will not make sure that he will pay for what he has done. 13 years ago and what has landed him back in front of a judge now.

In the house of stone and light

2008-10-11T21:16:00.000-07:00

cool song

Racism

2008-10-10T18:46:00.000-07:00

I find it absolutely appalling to hear that there are still people left in this world who will not vote for a candidate because of his color.
I think that people who have those opinions should not be voting at all.
If I was to run for an office, I would not want to win because someone likes my color more than my opponent's.
If you are a racist, then you should not be voting at all. Your vote should NOT count!

What do we know?

2008-10-09T21:26:00.001-07:00

Nothing. We are supposed to vote for somebody who we know nothing about?

Introducing Gap Bridge Web Hosting - Connecting the Dots of the Web

2008-10-09T15:35:00.000-07:00

Introducing Gap Bridge Web Hosting - Connecting the Dots of the Web

We have launched our Gap Bridge Web Hosting Service
and are currently offering the first 100 clients a 25 percent discount.

Email me at Sitetutor@gmail.com and I will get you all set up!

~ Mike Dammann
http://www.firetown.com

who are you

2008-10-09T02:56:00.000-07:00

Obama cannot pass a background check. Where is Fox News?

2008-10-08T08:01:00.000-07:00

I am wondering why a person who cannot get a job as a guard is able to run the country. Barack Obama has a dirty past, or his supporters would not be working that hard to cover it up.
Nobody has yet dugg deep enough to give us at least some answers or hints.
I have no doubt that the media knows some things, but why won't they let us know?
This is the election and before we make our choice, we deserve to know what it is that the candidates have done in their past.
The good and the bad.
Fox news or anybody who has contacts there:
We NEED to know what Obama has done in his past. We deserve to know what it is that he is hiding.
We have a right to know if someone is applying for a job, so we have the right to know a job applicant's history if he applies for the highest office on earth as well!

~ Mike Dammann

Should politics and business be completely seperate?

2008-10-07T15:36:00.000-07:00

Many have advised me that voicing my opinions is not good for business.
Following my Facebook group to help keep America from making a HUGE mistake I have made many new friends but also received messages from friends who even though some of them agree with my posts, don't think it's a good idea and even have told me that they are going to "have to" remove me from their friends, because associating with me may offend some of those they network with.
My comment to this is that you have to respect the other people's choice.
My choice to air my views, and theirs to not mix business and politics.
I personally believe that those with a voice online should go for it if they want to do it.
Voicing your political opinion can help and it can hurt, but regardless, it will bring along headaches.
Am wondering what you guys think?
What do you believe is the right thing to do for someone whose blogs get traffic and who has an opinion.
Share it or lay low?

~ Mike Dammann
http://www.firetown.com

True World Peace!

2008-10-07T13:25:00.000-07:00

You cannot force it. You cannot try to play hero and expect everyone to say "OK, this guy wants us to get along, so I will just drop all my hatred, the hatred installed in me since I was a child, everything, and start loving Jews".
Many who are going to the polls have little knowledge of what the world is truly up against, and I am talking about evil forces.
If you believe that I hate people based on their religion, you are wrong.
It is the poison used to brainwash those people which I hate.
You cannot ignore what 1 Billion people in the world are following and you cannot ignore the messages in the book which will empower many more fanatics to step up and tell everyone that their god wants you to exercise their hatred by quoting what is in the book.
Before you coin a religion as peaceful, you need to take a closer look and know that what people believe in, they are willing to die for and when a religion calls upon its followers to take certain people with them, then this is something that will not stop causing more and more problems in the world and if you ignore those for too long, more and more hate groups are going to feel encouraged to take it to higher levels without any fear of consequences and without governments stepping in to stop it.
Do you see Obama stepping in if elected President? I don't. Not when he accepts major donations from Palestinian groups.
Will he be pro America? The country his wife and reverend have no respect for?
Will he make the right decision?
You have to evaluate those possibilities before you allow your emotions to run wild.
Once America has chosen a President, there will be 4 years suffering the consequences if only 4 years.
This election is crucial.
Blaming America for the world being in turmoil is like allowing anybody in the world to do whatever they want, and when that happens, violence will succeed.
Thruout history whenever a country has been divided, whenever there was anger towards a government, some of the most evil people came into power right after as seen in Red October and getting rid of the old German aristocracy to be replaced by Hitler.
America needs to stay cool, calm and collective.
Americans need to be smarter than falling into the trap.
This is not about buying a car which you may have warranty on.
This is about the future of the world, and if you do not feel comfortable with a choice others try to tell you is the right one to make, then remember that every citizen has one vote.
It has to be yours, one you can stand behind and one you would actually die for.

God Bless America and the World.
Peace! :)

~ Mike Dammann

Costa Rica Bloggers!

2008-10-06T20:40:00.000-07:00

Here is a free opportunity for you to promote your business.
We are currently accepting a handful guest bloggers for Tico Ville Costa Rica.
Tico Ville Costa Rica is a website about anything that relates to Costa Rica.
Real estate, travel, places to go, surfing, you name it.
Anything that you and me believe to be interesting for people searching for Costa Rica related information goes.
Tico Ville Costa Rica is a group project and our goal is to turn it into THE number 1 Costa Rica related resource online.
If you are interested, then do not hesitate to register now and email me at sitetutor@gmail.com and tell me a little bit about yourself and what you're doing in Costa Rica!

~ Mike Dammann
http://www.ticoville.com

There has to be a leader!

2008-10-06T19:13:00.000-07:00

This is something I truly believe. I do not believe in communism or the ideology behind it, because it is against human nature.
Every country needs one leader and so does the world.
A lot of people are upset about my posts and in no way am I trying to put down people from Europe. But I have to say that America has been the nation in charge of the world, because all of the other nations including the United Nations have failed to provide reasonable security and solutions for the world.
America and Americans have made mistakes. Many. So what is better, to have European nations argue with each others over who has more control in the European Union while neglecting issues important to the world, or a nation which has overcome so much itelf and exercising experience to try to find solutions for the world?
America has been the country taking charge because someone strong had to and others were not up for the challenge.
America needs to continue set the pace, with the input of everybody in the world who wants to focus on creating a world which he and his family would like to live in.
Simplistic solutions will backfire, and too many Europeans and Americans underestimate the power of hatred which seem to center in the middle east.
Saying the U.S. is the reason for the hatred is bogus. You can look at the Palestinian Israeli issue from many, many angles, and that being THE number 1 issue to the United Arabic Congress (according to their own votes), I have to say that it's a MUST to look at that before one shall open his mouth about oil and other excuses they consider the reason for us getting involved over there.
I am not saying that oil and money is not a motivator for many in power, but I am saying it would be ignorant to state that as THE reason.
From a biblical standpoint, many consider this a holy war. Jerusalem. Christians believe in supporting Jews, and at the same time the Bible states that Jews will be judged harshly, but also be given a second chance to come to Christ.
The standpoint of Christians is not to judge, but to do their part to support Jews and then leave the rest in God's hands.
Support for Israel is at the core of American politics, and of course just like the "It's all about the oil" standard answer, there is the other one "America is full of Jews".
IMO it has nothing to do with either, or rather, whatever other factors may play into it, what the Bible says is what will happen. At least according to many voters. Many with voices and convictions. Many will be upset about me writing this, but why do you believe so many American voters want Israel supported, especially in the Bible belt?
You cannot write those people off at ignorant rednecks. People believe what they believe and saying religion and politics should be seperate sounds good on paper, but reality will always be far from that. What people are willing to die for is what they will also be willing to vote for. Plain and simple!
If YOU believe that God will want you to do something, you do it. Right?
There is a part in the New Testament saying the only unforgivable sin would be to go against the Holy Spirit, and if you go to church, or pray on your own and believe God tells you to support someone who supports the Jews, then why would it surprise you that that person will not vote accordingly?

In 1948 Israel was given to the Jews and the United Nations declared Israel a Jewish state.
There is a passage in the Bible saying "All thing work out for the best of God", not "All good things".
Out of evil comes good at the end, or rather God's will is still intact and the world is running according to His program regardless of all the evil done by humans.
Because of the atrocities of the 3rd Reich, the Jews went back to Jerusalem.
Germans no longer get blamed. Jews get blamed again. I am not saying Israel shouldn't chill, but I am saying that you can now see European nations such as France and Germany go back to pointing their fingers and many Germans have the nerve to say "Look, they are not any better than us, what they're doing to the Palestinians is just as bad as what Germans have done to them."
That is pathetic. One of the poorest and sorriest excuses, and I have read myself in German newspapers how Germans are now excusing their country's history using the current conflict trying to feel proud of their country again.
When I look at America's support of Israel, I feel like the U.S. is creating balance. Europe generally speaking is not in support of the Jews in Israel. Israel was attacked in 1967, unprovoked. Islam is full of leaders using scriptures telling followers to "dig out the Jews underneath each rock" and many other passages calling Muslims to exercise action against Jews (and Christians as well).
"But the Bible is full of violence as well!"
Yes, the Old Testament. But how about the New Testament?
What did Jesus preach?

If there is one issue I have, it is with simplifications, and I myself struggle sometimes when certain problems are brought to me which I cannot answer easily.
Is war the answer?
If it isn't, doesn't the Bible predict wars in the end?
The bottom line is that us judging and pretending to have solutions is wrong.
We are not created to control the world. Is America trying to control the world?
I'm sure many of the politicians at home would like to.
But who is to say that George W. Bush has that in mind when he deploys the troups?
Bush has written about his pilgrimage to Israel with Billy Graham, how Christ changed his life.
Of course, he is a rich Republican, so it's all a lie, correct?

I personally find a lot of flaw in Bush. But is he still the one who is meant to be President right now?
If you believe you can do a better job or that Obama really can create peace in the world, then do express this with your vote.
But if you have doubts, try to look at the world, God, human nature, forces of evil and whatever else you should consider being valid reasons to vote in one direction or another.

Whatever you vote, it has to be YOUR conviction and choice.
Free will. Not something you do because a pastor tells you to. Not something you do because it's "the thing to do" and not something you do out of selfishness because your tax bracket gets a break.

America is the leading nation in the world, and as such, it's citizens have a responsibility to grow above their own personal agendas when it comes to election day.

~ Mike Dammann

Confusion in debates

2008-10-05T16:12:00.000-07:00

I spend time on Facebook. I wake up to 100 notifications each day. People talk to me, even to each others on my profile. I love it, but many times I get put on the spot, and today would be a great example.
Rebecca wrote:
"I was reading this today:
"But the debate... Read More’s most telling passage arrived when Biden welled up in recounting his days as a single father after his first wife and one of his children were killed in a car crash. Palin’s perky response — she immediately started selling McCain as a “consummate maverick” again — was as emotionally disconnected as Michael Dukakis’s notoriously cerebral answer to the hypothetical 1988 debate question about his wife being “raped and murdered.” If, as some feel, Obama is cool, Palin is ice cold. She didn’t even acknowledge Biden’s devastating personal history."

...And I wondered what your take on this was. I personally, felt heartbroken for Biden; being a parent myself, I know I would be devastated if I lost my little lady. I would imagine that you would have similar feelings..."

So I responded:

"First off, the worst thing which ever happened in my life, was my first child being stillborn.
It's something I rarely talk about. No offense, but we have heard this story about Biden's family so much, that something I think, wow, why does this have to constantly be brought up again and again in a Presidential election.
I know that what happened in... Read More my case, is something I usually only tell very close friends.
In a VP debate where you have only so much time to answer each question, I think it's not right to bring this up again.
I mean, let me correct this: Yes, it's fine to bring it up, but you cannot expect this to dominate the debate.
I probably would have acknowledged it more, but then again, I can *somewhat* related, and she was there to do her job and you cannot hold against her after having heard about Biden's tragedy so many times and being prepared to do her job that night, to make a switch quickly. I hope I do not come off as insensitive, because my heart goes out to Mr. Biden I fail to see why we have to pay so much more attention to his tragey than 1,000s of similar ones happening to average people in the U.S. every single year.
This is about the 2nd highest office in the world and just like in a business meeting you don't bring your own personal story up again and again, we were watching the debate to get an idea of ... Read Morewhat that person may be like if elected as vice President."

and immediately felt bad adding:

"OK suddenly I feel bad about this post, because personal stories DO matter, but you cannot hold this against Sarah. I mean there is so much pressure on the candidates, I'm sure if she had a private convo with him, she would have been a lot more sensitive and receptive."

My point is that when you hold something like this against Palin, you have to also look at the fact that in politics you don't really want to bring in issues which are so far away from the cold hard world of elections, because it throws people off to the point where they are adrenalized and cannot simply switch emotions within a second.
Whenever Mr. Biden mentions his tragedy, I stand still. It touches me. And I do not like him as a VP candidate and think he would be an aweful choice.
Yes, Sarah should have stopped and acknowledged what he was saying, and then continue with her regular program.
She didn't. Does it mean she has no feelings? No! It may mean she is under pressure or overwhelmed.

Drug Dealers

2008-10-05T00:45:00.000-07:00

The world is full of them.
Costa Rica is even fuller.
There are several reasons for that.
1) Cocaine is cheap in Costa Rica. Unlike smuggling it into the United States, brining it from Columbia to Costa Rica provides little risk. In Columbia it's basically free, so once it gets here, a gram sells for about $10 to a tourist and about $7 to a local.
2) In the places where there is a lot of tourists, the parties last all night.
A high demand gets created by tourists.
Continue on my Costa Rica blog.

Last night's Vice Presidential debate

2008-10-03T05:07:00.000-07:00

I have to say I love how Palin presented herself, but have to give credit to Joe Biden who has the impossible task to gain credibility after clearly misrepresenting his own convictions and being unable to fit into the machinery by just being who he is.
Biden has appeal to a certain crowd, but he lacks credibility.
He lacks something people can feel comfortable with.
He is a talker, and he is one of the people who only do well while there is somebody up there they can villify.
In his case it has always been the well-to-do.
McCain to some degree, but more people like Dick Cheney who he likes to blame for the struggle of the middle class.
It does get old, but unless he keeps the anger alive, he has nothing that he can stand for and appears shallow and far too much of a politician.
Sarah Palin is one of us.
Biden can tell us all day that he is one of the common crowd, but he comes off like a stiff. He is probably a very nice guy. But he lacks "global view".
He sees the world thru only his eyes.
The issues close to his heart which he is an expert in do not excuse him not putting the right effort and wisdom into areas more important to humankind.
I believe that McCain will win.
We will have an awesome 4 years ahead of us.
Sarah Palin will do well and become President of the United States as well.
May God bless America!

Character

2008-10-02T22:45:00.001-07:00

is what matters. You will elect who you consider credible. I am sorry, but Biden is a snakes oil salesman. He is the kind of person who will believe his own illusions. He may think that he is entitled to tell people what he wants them to believe.
Joe Biden is a swindler at heart. He doesn't care what he told you yesterday.
He will change whatever he has believed in to adjust to his present agenda.
He "sells anger" towards successful Americans.
Joe Biden has as much credibility as a child which has been caught in a lie trying to come up with a new one to cover the old one.
He respects McCain, doesn't respect Obama, and whether or not he has any respect for himself has yet to come out.

What is the difference between a bitch and a whore?

2008-10-02T21:15:00.000-07:00

My friend Daniel comes up with the best stuff.
I will have him guest blog.
Here is one of the wisdoms he likes to share:

What is the difference between a bitch and a whore?

A whore will have sex with anyone. A bitch will have sex with anybody except you.

Louisiana Biker and Harley Davidson event

2008-10-02T13:54:00.001-07:00

Roosters and K-BUCK 92.3 present Country Legends Confederate Railroad Live at Roosters in Delhi, LA on October 17

Tickets can be purchased in advance here:

http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=828730&cobrand=roosterscountrybar

Raffling off a 2007 Harley Davidson Street Bob with proceeds benefitting

The Ray “Ray Baby” Best Foundation – A foundation to assist the Families of Fallen Bikers

Ray Baby left us last year after a tragic motorcycle accident. He is deeply missed by his family, friends, and this foundation will assists families in similar situations.

Bike will be raffled at the Confederate Railroad concert on Oct 17th. Winner does not need to be present to win!

Raffle Tickets are only $10 each and can be purchased at the bar or online here:

http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=857136&cobrand=roosterscountrybar

Empty Garden

2008-10-01T16:23:00.001-07:00

How not to solve the homeless issue

2008-09-28T18:26:00.001-07:00

Read this.
"I was talking to a friend of mine's little girl, and she said she wanted to be President some day. Both of her parents, liberal Democrats, were standing there, so I asked her, "If you were President what would be the first thing you would do?"

She replied, "I'd give food and houses to all the homeless people."

"Wow - what a worthy goal!" I told her. "You don't have to wait until you're President to do that. You can come over to my house and mow, pull weeds, and sweep my yard, and I'll
pay you $50. Then, I'll take you over to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out, and you can give him the $50 to use toward food or a new house."

She thought that over for a few moments because she's only 6 years old. And while her Mom glared at me, the young child looked me straight in the eye and asked, "Why doesn't the homeless guy come over and do the work, and you can just pay him the $50?"

And I said, "Welcome to the Republican Party." Her folks still aren't talking to me. "

Paul Newman dies

2008-09-27T11:29:00.001-07:00

at age 83
RIP

Sarah Palin Ms. Alaska 1984?

2008-09-26T16:50:00.001-07:00

No, I would have not voted for her there, but dang sure this time :)

End pedophelia tourism in 3rd world countries

2008-09-20T06:44:00.001-07:00

It's bad enough that Costa Rica is full of expat losers unable to get laid in their own countries. If you want to be with someone who gets paid, that's your problem.
It's another issue when it involves children and people in central American and Asian countries "rent" their kids to tourists.
It's just a few isolated cases, so no big deal, right?
WRONG
It's VERY common, and if you believe that the right thing to do is help raise awareness, then please join my Facebook group called End Pedophelia tourism in 3rd world countries and share some ideas how to end this.

John McCain for President

2008-09-17T22:33:00.001-07:00

Join the cause.

Help be a part of getting the best option for the next presidency elected!

John McCain for President

2008-09-17T22:33:00.000-07:00

Join the cause.

Help be a part of getting the best option for the next presidency elected!

Chinese eye test

2008-09-16T21:52:00.000-07:00

Obama only talks ... again

2008-09-16T00:55:00.000-07:00

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/378772_murdockonline12.html
I am getting to the point where I cannot even have a political discussion with my Obama loving friends anymore.
There is no discussion. The guy is a joke. He is not even qualified to make any statement he has been making. He mentions again and again that he wants equal pay for women, but while his male campaigners average $55k a year, his female campaigners only make $45k.

Preschedule Tweets

2008-09-15T03:14:00.001-07:00

If you're active on Twitter, you can now pre schedule tweets for the times you are not going to be able to tweet. Doesn't everyone Tweet from a blackberry these days anyways?

AOL selling DMOZ to Best of the Web

2008-09-15T02:48:00.000-07:00

I met the owners of Best of the Web. While back, in 2005. This is something I see happening. This is something where everyone is going to benefit.
Thanks to Jeremy for pointing this out.

New blog coming soon!

2008-09-15T02:13:00.001-07:00

OK this blog will soon be moved. This is only a temporary solution. I know, having a blogspot subdomain blog is lame, but so be it.
My main blog is Searchfeature.com.

If anybody has the "sticky blog post" plugin handy, please link me.

The era of telling

2008-09-15T02:06:00.000-07:00

I am disappointed. I am disappointed that so many people out there use whatever they can to get attention to what others are doing for SEO. I cannot believe this recent post by Grey Wolf .
If someone gives me a gift and I am thankful and link to that person on my blog, am I subject to being penalized for it?
I think that this blog post of his is taking it far too far.
How long will we have to read this kind of stuff?
Are you guys really that interested in what everyone else might be doing?

Louisiana Country Bar

2008-09-14T19:43:00.001-07:00

If you are ever anywhere in Louisiana, you need to check out Rooster's Country Bar located in Delhi, Louisiana. The place is off the hook. If you are on Myspace, add Rooster's Country Bar as a friend.
Louisiana is full of garden containers. A very green state worth visiting for sure!

The Obama hype

2008-09-14T19:05:00.000-07:00

I see some well posted thoughts all over the place regarding worries that Palin may not be the best running mate for John McCain.
Do I have a problem with those posts?
No!
I actually agree with many points made, even though a part of me likes the idea of an underdog with heart to come in and make a differece (I know, this is not Rocky, but still).
The problem I have is the no solution solution.
What those posts imply.
OK, she is not the best, so let's just vote for Obama!
The one thing Obama wants you to do is look at anybody except him.
He stands for nothing.
The closer you look at him, the uglier and less presidential he looks and the only chance he has is fueling anti Bush/McCain hatred to the point where people overlook what 10 years ago would have kept him from even being considered for any position in the Federal government.
When I qualify someone as a potential candidate I look at character.
"You are who you hang with."
Let's see.
Obama has a wife who hates her country so much that she cannot keep it to herself despite the fact that it might hurt her husband's chances for getting elected.
He follows a pastor who advises him who makes a living preaching anti Americanism.
It's pretty clear that Obama himself has no respect for his own country.
Let's not look at that though. Let's look at how many people live in Alaska.
Let's ignore everything Obama has said in the past about being ready to side with the Muslims and about white people.

Quote of the Day

2008-09-13T14:12:00.001-07:00

"Great ideas often receive violent opposition from mediocre minds. - Albert Einstein"

MySpace marketing without friendadder

2008-09-13T13:46:00.000-07:00

Now that MySpace has a 280 friend request restriction and that they are better at detecting automated friend adding devices, my recommendation is to add celebrities and comment on their profiles. You will that way have a TON of people see your comments. Look at Jesse McCartney for example with 300k friends. How many people do you think get to see your comment?
It's also good to use a funny image when commenting. Something that people like and gets their attention.
It's a lot easier to wake up to 300 friend requests a day than having to deal with the adding yourself.
There are profiles out there with over 2 Million friends, but if you want to know what they are, do the homework yourself. :)

Trust me, this works best right now.

I'm lik Obama

2008-09-13T02:31:00.000-07:00

Wordpress blogs, protect yourself

2008-09-12T23:57:00.000-07:00

No matter how great your theme is and how you are afraid to mess it up by upgrading, you HAVE to get the latest versions or you may be doomed.
I mean, it is easy for skilled hackers to get into those as well, but you will minimize the chances of those with average skills doing it.

Is Sarah Palin a terrible choice?

2008-09-12T23:40:00.001-07:00

First of all, she was not my choice. I would have chosen Lieberman. I read a lot of predictions about how McCain may day and she would be the worst President ever.
I truly believe that if she has to rise to the challenge and she will do fine.
You never really know what people are capable of doing when they are put into a spot where they have to give something their all.
One thing I would never trust to make good decisions is Senator Obama.
Anybody can talk the talk and live the hype.
Before you cast your vote, think about who would be a better team?
A guy who bashes and redicules McCain as being computer illiterate and such with a running mate who has written him off until being offered a spot on the ticket or a man like McCain who has proven to be responsible, serve his country and a lady who loves America and can add something new to the leadership.
Think before you fall into the trap.
What we need is a responsible team and the last thing I want right now is someone in office who has nothing to offer other than MTV appeal because he promises to be different.
Obama has no experience. He has absolutely nothing to offer. Obama is the type of guy who fights his way up there and once up there will be completely lost.
We need 4 years of McCain to establish unity in this world and find a positive solution for Iraq.
Obama will only run from real issues. McCain will face them!

Costa Rica Wind Energy

2008-09-12T14:23:00.001-07:00

Please stay tuned for our latest project called Costa Rica Wind.
Alternative energy is one hot potatoe here in Costa Rica.
Look out for what we have to say about the subject!

Top Web Designers

2008-09-12T10:32:00.000-07:00

One of the best designers out there is this guy. Follow him on Twitter, he runs Xemion.

Taliban Singles Online

2008-09-11T16:34:00.000-07:00

As seen on Individualism

Taliban Singles Online

Trying to disprove God's existance can be costly

2008-09-10T14:51:00.000-07:00

So need to read this to understand just how much money some governments waste.

I grew up in Europe and remember how much my parents paid for taxes.

Unbelievable.

No-follow bogus

2008-09-10T10:02:00.000-07:00

This is one of the many pointless discussions where SEOs are beating dead horses to the point where they wear themselves out and lateron take credit for killing it.
No-follow is complete bogus. The only one I remember calling it out before was Aaron Wall and few have the courage to say anything.

Please read more on the subject on Searchfeature.com

Coming out! What is the gayest song you like?

2008-09-10T09:18:00.000-07:00

OK, everyone has skeletons in their closet. We all like some songs we don't always fess up tp.
So how about you guys all make a comment and admit to liking something which you normally do not admit to :D

I start:

One More Try George Michael

Here is more:

This is really liberating.

How about Phil Collins too :) :

PLurk, you're a needy bitch

2008-09-09T13:14:00.001-07:00

This is pretty funny, make sure you read the comment section.

Web Hosting Services

2008-09-08T20:18:00.001-07:00

Here are a few I recommend. Those are not affiliate links. Those are the ones I either use myself or have heard excellent things about:
The Planet, Server Farm in Texas
Great to get your dedicated server for as low as $59 a month depending on specials.
Host Monster
Highly recommended.
Amp Hosted - Cheap Hosting
This one is great, I have been using them for about a year back when it was Toasted Penguin.
Great support!
If you know of a good one, feel free to post it below and share feedback on your own web hosting experiences.

Mike

Matt speaks, twitter (no)follows

2008-09-08T19:55:00.001-07:00

This to me is no solution for any network. What a good network needs to have is good moderation and INTELLIGENT spam control rather than lashing out at everyone because of bad apples.
This makes very little sense and it's becoming the norm. Hubpages and Squidoo are quality networks, and they "follow" from what I know.

Michael Kane - Anil Dash

2008-09-08T15:41:00.000-07:00

So I have just come across this blog post about Anil Dash where Mike seems to have an issue with Anil telling people to grow up. Anil Dash is now getting exposed.

One of Mike's projects is this new image uploader. Easy and free. Go use it!

Mike

What Muslims want

2008-09-08T06:58:00.000-07:00

In addition to this post I want to add that Islam is NOT a religion of peace.

Censorship and SEO

2008-09-08T04:44:00.000-07:00

Reading stuff like this really annoys me. You say something like DaveN did and sure enough, Matt emails the twitter people and they bow down immediately and submit to Google's wishes. Dave's comment regarding the twitter links was pretty blatant I must say, and I am not surprised that it had consequences. But this is simply a reminder that everything you put on Sphinn will be subject to Google's scrutiny. Freedom of speech is something that does not exist in SEO. You say what you say to the people, but you're REALLY talking to the Google engineers who may read what you write.
It also explains the vast amount of garbage search engine optimizers put out there and the fact that real info cannot be found on public places.

Concern about website's sales tactics

2008-09-01T17:35:00.000-07:00

http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/2050617
Why am I posting this? Because Sarah King is in the video.

Sarah Palin is McCain's running mate

2008-08-29T11:32:00.000-07:00

Just got the announcement thru email.

"My Friends,
I am honored to announce that I have chosen Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska as my choice for the Republican nominee for Vice President. As a father with three daughters, I can't express how proud I am to choose the first female Republican Vice-Presidential nominee.

Sarah Palin is a trailblazer and a reformer. As the first female governor of Alaska, she challenged a corrupt system and has been a tireless advocate for reform - passing a landmark bill on ethics reform. She has taken on the old politics in Alaska and reformed the state's energy industry. She rejects wasteful pork barrel spending. She's fearless - exactly the type of leader I want at my side and the type of leadership we will bring to Washington.

My friends, together Sarah Palin and I make the strongest presidential ticket and I know that she joins me in asking for your support as we head into our Convention week in Minnesota. We're shaking things up in this campaign - and Governor Palin and I are ready to bring real reform to Washington.

The polls indicate this will be a tight race as we head into the fall campaign against Senators Obama and Biden. I expect the polls to remain close all the way up to Election Day and that is why any help you can give today will go a long way to make history on November 4th.

You may already know that I have decided to accept federal matching funds for the final months of this campaign- keeping a campaign promise I made. But that means that August 31st marks the last day I can accept your primary contribution. Will you make an immediate donation of whatever you can give- whether it's $50 or $500 to ensure Governor Palin and I win in November?

You can be assured that as President and Vice President, Governor Palin and I will always put country before all else. We are ready to lead and I ask that you join our campaign today. Your support is deeply appreciated.

Sincerely,

John McCain

P.S. I have chosen Governor Sarah Palin as my running mate and today we will hold a joint campaign rally in Dayton, Ohio. Please tune in to any of the cable news stations to watch this rally at noon eastern time. After watching the rally, I hope you'll visit my website to financially support our ticket as we head into next week's Republican Convention. Thank you.
"

Shawn Hogan is accused of Cookie Stuffing

2008-08-28T22:47:00.000-07:00

This is pretty ugly and since I am banned from posting on DP, I will do it here.
Regardless of what happened and what the outcome of the trial might be, I am very sorry to hear about this.
I am not surprised to see ebay looking for someone to make an example of and choosing someone as high profile as Shawn.
Seriously, this is one of those moments where I really don´t care what happened and will happen as long as nobody truly gets hurt.
The lawyers will have their way with this. Shawn has done a lot to help many.
One thing I have noticed is that ebay is using a number like $5k.
If a guy like Shawn was to do cookie stuffing, the true amount would be in the ...
gazillions.
So ebay is lowering the number to discouraging others from trying it, or something else is not right about that lawsuit.

Forums and social media .... the future?

2008-08-27T01:22:00.000-07:00

I predict a lot less forum activity in the future. Personally, I have not posted on any forum in about a week. Social media and especially facebook are so much better for networking and I personally cannot see how many new forums will survive.
I believe that many of the older forums will be around 100 years from now, and people will say "wow, I wonder what it was like to be around back in those days when people like Mike Dammann posted". Or something like that. No, I am not flattering myself, just thinking it's cool to be a part of something new. So anyways, unless you have a really good idea, I would not recommend putting up another forum about something that has been done so many times before.
Start a social network, come up with some ideas. Forums are generally speaking for people who also like to read books. Social media is like watching TV.
Not everybody reads books, but almost everyone that I know does turn on the tube.

That is where I believe the future to be headed.

Dreams from my Father by Barack Obama

2008-08-26T23:51:00.000-07:00

For those of you who may not be too familiar with what Barack Obama has written before he ran for president, you may want to check a few exerpts from the book and you are also invited to join my facebook group called Obama is bad for America and the World
if you find it disturbing to think about a person with such opinions leading the strongest nation in the world:

From Dreams of My Father: 'I ceased to advertise my mother's race at the age of 12 or 13, when I began to suspect that by doing so I was ingratiating myself to whites.'
From Dreams o f My Father : 'I found a solace in nursing a pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mother's race.'
From Dreams of My Father: 'There was something about him that made me wary, a little too sure of himself, maybe. And white.'
From Dreams of My Father: 'It remained necessary to prove which side you were on, to show your loyalty to the black masses, to strike out and name names.'
From Dreams of My Father: 'I never emulate white men and brown men whose fates didn't speak to my own. It was into my father's image, the black man, son of Africa , that I'd packed all the attributes I sought in myself , the attributes of Martin and Malcolm, DuBois and Mandela.'

And FINALLY the Most Damming one of ALL of them!!!

From Audacity of Hope: 'I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.'

OK, now let me make a final comment.
What irks me is when I am accused of being a racist because I write negative about Obama. I can guarantee you that if he was caucasian with the same beliefs and agendas he has as a politician, I would probably be even harder on him, because I do know that anything I may say will be used within the "Ignore what he writes, he is just another white racist" excuse, and I believe it's time for Obama supporters to stop hiding agendas behind the "make whitey feel guilty" strategy.
Many white Americans feel like they should be voting for Obama and it would be a way to "give back" to African Americans which is complete bogus.
If you want to do something, create opportunities for all Americans regardless of color. Do your part. Within your community. Anywhere, your church, you name it.

But when it comes to voting, you should exercise your judgement better.
What Obama said in his book is disturbing.

The hype is so strong, that arguing will fall on dead ears. But if YOU want to make a difference, help me do one thing, and that is stating facts.
Facts will be on people's minds when they go to sleep at night after partying with fellow supporters.
The facts can not be changed. Hype changes.
We need to pray that those misguided will make the right decision when the hammer hits, so don't give up until the votes are in and counted. :)

~ Mike Dammann

The Bayou Bash is coming up!

2008-08-26T22:53:00.000-07:00

You can still secure your own lot. Corey Smith will be headlining the 2008 Louisiana Bayou Bash in Delhi at Rooster's Country Bar.
Contact your fraternity or sorority leaders if you want to attend.

This is the official website with more information and a link on the bottom to their facebook group in case you'd like to join!

How to dance like a white guy!

2008-08-26T20:28:00.000-07:00

44 tips to help da boys...its what girls want but dont say!

2008-08-26T12:44:00.000-07:00

Read it

ok i just noticed you cannot read it unless you are her friend, so I post it here and ask her if it's cool:

1. Touch her waist.

2. Actually talk to her.

3. Share secrets with her.

4. Give her your jacket.

5. Kiss her slowly.

6. Hug her.

7. Hold her.

8. Laugh with her.

9. Invite her somewhere.

10. Hangout with her and your friends together.

11. Smile with her.

12. Take pictures with her.

13. Pull her onto your lap.

14. When she says she loves you more, deny it. Fight back.

15. When her friends say i love her more than you, deny it. fight back and hug her tight so she can't get to her friends. it makes her feel loved.

16. Always hug her and say I love you whenever you see her.

17. Kiss her unexpectedly.

18. Hug her from behind around the waist.

19. Tell her she's beautiful, but ONLY if you mean it.

20. Tell her the way you feel about her. you need to do to show her you actually do mean it.

21. Open doors for her, walk her to her car- it makes her feel protected, plus it never hurts to act like a gentleman.

22. Tell her she's your everything - only if you mean it.

23.If it seems like there is something wrong, ask her- if she denies something being wrong, it means SHE DOESN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT- so just hug her

24. Make her feel loved.

25-kiss her in front of OTHER girls you know!!!!*
~~WE MIGHT DENY IT BUT WE ACTUALLY LIKE AND KINDA WANT YOU TO TICKLE US~~

26-don't lie to HER.

27-DON'T cheat on her.

28-take her ANYWHERE she wants

29-txt messege or call her in the morning and tell her have a good day at work {or school}, and how much you MISS her.

30-be there for her when ever she needs you, & even when she doesn't need you, just be there so she'll know that she can ALWAYS count on you.

31. Hold her close when she's cold so she can hold YOU too.

32. When you are ALONE hold her close and kiss her.

33. Kiss her on the CHEEK; (it will give her the hint that you want to kiss her).

34. While in the movies, put your arm around her and then she will automatically put her head on your shoulder, then lean in and tilt her chin up and kiss her LIGHTLY.

35. Dont EVER tell her to leave even jokingly or act like you're mad. If shes upset, comfort her.

36. When people DISS her, stand up for her.

37. Look deep into her EYES and tell her you love her.

38. Lay down under the STARS and put her head on your chest so she can listen to the steady beat of your heart, Link your fingers together while you whisper to her as she rests her eyes and listens to you.

39. When walking next to each other grab her HAND.

40. When you hug her HOLD her in your arms as long as possible*
~~MAKE SURE SHE KNOWS SHES LOVED~~

41. Call or text her at night to wish her SWEET DREAMS*

42. COMFORT her when she cries and wipe away her tears.

43. Take her for LONG walks at night.

44. ALWAYS Remind her how much you love her

Bill O'Reilly calls Madonna a pinhead

2008-08-26T12:32:00.000-07:00

I totally disagree with that, because she is very smart, but whether or not you are smart will not keep you from being misguided by any political movement or religious ideology.

DRUGS

2008-08-26T11:29:00.000-07:00

Responsible for Americans finally learning the metric system.

Universal Healthcare

2008-08-26T11:11:00.000-07:00

To many Americans this is a keyissue in this election. I grew up in Europe and remember my aunt sending my cousin in the U.S. money, because they couldn't afford their doctor bill at the time and I was thinking "No free healthcare? Since when do you have to pay a doctor?".
Years later I wound up in the position where I wound up in debt over a surgery my wife needed and I realized that indeed, there are situations in life where you do need help. But the reason it happened was because I delayed singing up for a healthcare plan the company I worked for offered by a week and guess what, within that week the emergency arose.
I do believe that the free market is the only way to go given that everyone has an opportunity to rise and succeed. Unlike Europe where you have a strong class system, America does not judge people by their background. It's actually a badge of honor having grown up poor and succeeding at the end while in Europe it's not that easy finding respect amongst the upper class if you dad was a plumber.
I choose a society where I have the opportunity to fight for my needs over one that puts me in a box and then hands me a cookie here and there to shut me up.

The Bee Gees kick ass!

2008-08-26T10:42:00.001-07:00

Seth Godin

2008-08-25T16:10:00.000-07:00

Seth has suggested clicking on Google ads as a way of saying "Thank you!" to the bloggers who create content you like to read. Of course, a donation button should be clicked instead if you really like it.
But in his defence there is something I need to say:
Not all clickfrauds are created equal, and while clickfraud in general is downright theft, and encouragement to click a couple of ads can still benefit the company which is paying for the ad. It's exposure. No, I do not believe in clicking Google ads to say "thank you", but let's not forget that real clickfraud, the one costing advertisers billions, involves high volume clicks and not a couple of clicks here and there to say "thank you" to a blogger.
What I have noticed is that many people on several networks already are doing this.

"We are united!"

2008-08-25T10:43:00.000-07:00

This is pretty fun for sure, Hillary now supports Obama and all of a sudden we see unity. Hillary must be so mad, but one thing I have to give her, she is professional. I don't believe that the democrats overall have good agendas, but Hillary is mind over matter. Obama is not. He is emotional and will make emotional mistakes. The convention is going to be pure comedy. You cannot take anything seriously which you are going to watch, but you should definitely tune in for same grade A entertainment.

the promise of hope

2008-08-24T19:22:00.000-07:00

is yet to arise the beebaby
is the loove of my life
the fear you conquered
never in you life
i will defeat
and i won´t blink my eye

No, we can´t ...

2008-08-24T17:31:00.000-07:00

make a difference in America if hatred guides our hearts.
No we can´t do anything if we have no respect for our forefathers.
No we can´t, be selfish and play on our race to win an election.
No, we can´t ... believe that confusing the ignorant will lead to the most important position in the most important office on earth.

Obama Bin Laden?

2008-08-24T08:55:00.000-07:00

Is it just me or does
Obama - Binden
look a lot like
Osama-Bin Laden
?
Seriously whenever I read that on TV, I remember the news years ago and think it says Osama Bin Ladin. What is missing would be the letters
sla
just like the group that abducted Patty Hearst.

Umm, no it means nothing, just something I had to get off of my chest. ;)

voterfraud@foxnews.com

2008-08-24T08:47:00.001-07:00

For those of you who believe to have evidence for voterfraud being committed anywhere in the U.S., email the address in the title and let them know what you know.

It's ok to lie, it's only politics

2008-08-23T15:58:00.000-07:00

I hate how this line is being used to make things even worse. When Biden said that Obama would be an aweful choice for president and how he would be honored to run with McCain, I do believe that that was the real him.
Say "Hi" to the fake Biden who has a shot at the White House now and hear how he attacks McCain right away.
Ouch. Flip flopping is common, but this one takes the cake.
This is a matter of integrity and if you don't have any, then you should not be in a position where others depend on your weak decisions.
Obama may not be a bad guy, but come on guys, do you really want a president who supports this?

Being successful is a crime

2008-08-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

My mom's side is very well off and my dad's side probably what would be considered lower middle class.
My mom's dad always said "It doesn't matter what it is you do, just be great at it and take pride and you will make it in life" and I love a lot of what he said, which unfortunately had to be passed on to me by my mom since he died when I was 6 months old.
I hear what Mr. Biden said about McCain's 7 kitchen tables and I have immediately realized that a guy like him is going to be an aweful choice to handle economical issues.

If you are of a jealous nature, you need to live a life which doesn't impact others too much. Negativity and jealousy has no business in the oval office. My dad's side would always make negative comments out of envy yet they never did anything to improve their own lives. They even tried to discourage me from doing what I had to to be successful in life and wanted me to always play it safe and just live the sort of life that would not make them even more envious of me.
Sad!
But that is how a lot of people are and there is a reason that we elect successful people. Winners. McCain is a winner in life. I want him up there and not some little whiner or victim.
America needs to be bigger than that. In Europe it is the way to go, talk bad about those who are doing better than you. Take the high road guys.

Pick a winner and not a whiner!

Obama shot himself in the foot

2008-08-23T12:51:00.000-07:00

A lot of you misunderstood my comments on facebook. I have chosen the title "McCain loves war" because of friends' comments about how McCain supposedly wants to keep this war going forever and it was my way to reach those who I believe to be misguided.
Obama chose Biden. He just ended his chance for becoming President and it goes to show that he will never be able to make good decisions. At least not for a while.
Choosing your own worst critic as a running mate indicates that you constantly need approval from people and it indicates that you lack some serious self esteem.
One prominent web marketer gave me a piece of advice once which I will never forget:
"Never ask for permission to do something, if you believe in it, just go for it."
As a leader you have to have that attitude. You have to want to do the right thing and then rely on your own judgement. BO is too much of a pleaser and you cannot have someone like that in office.
Him and Hillary would have been strong, but him thinking he can do without her shows that right now he is way ahead of himself.
I almost feel sorry for him now that he is gone.
He is a great example for an average guy thrown into extraordinary circumstances and being so unprepared that he becomes his own worst enemy.
Barack Obama is done and I am looking forward to more people being able to understand what it takes to make a nation strong and keep it from falling apart.
McCain is all we have, and if John is smart, he will choose Lieberman.
Time to watch Fox News and get on top of the current events.

~ Mike Dammann

Ahmed the Terrorist

2008-08-22T15:35:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, Ronald Reagan was president. I loved the guy and still hold him in the highest regard. But there were a lot of jokes made about him and I laughed at many of them. If we allow people to joke about good people, then we need to let people make jokes about bad people, and by bad people I do NOT mean ANYBODY based on their descent, but their belief!

ENJOY:

John McCain loves war!

2008-08-22T14:09:00.000-07:00

This is most likely the biggest myth coming from the Obama camp.
John McCain seems to me according to his record more anti war than most politicians, but as an experienced military guy he does understand what it takes to end something without suffering worse consequences.
Let's assume that we pull out of Iraq right now. What are the dangers?
I am so far from being an expert when it comes to military issues, but if I had to bet money on what would come next, this is what I would feel safe to invest about 80 percent of what I have in the bank right now:
1) A group of new militant Muslims and old militant Muslims will come together and in their believe that Allah will bless killing Jews and Americans, they are taking over the country thru intimidation, murder, terror and putting religious fear into those who are already confused.
2) The pulling out will be interpreted by them and other supporters as victory over the infidels and that Allah is calling them to do even greater things and continue to conquer the world by the sward.
3) Europe will be pleased, and they are going to assume that the United States is now in their hands. Doesn't independence day stand for us following our instinct and faith in God's coming blessing rather than submitting to some government 10,000 miles away in order to help them establish an even bigger status as a world superpower?

Let us face it: The United Nations is corrupt and powerless and only benefits their delegates.

America needs to be strong and united and if you don't like Bush, don't throw the baby out with the bathwater and listen to where the candidates stand on important issues.
Join my Facebook group and if you believe that my words there might be too strong, let me know and I may change it.

~ Mike Dammann

McCain needs Lieberman

2008-08-21T17:42:00.000-07:00

John, if you or anyone close to you reads this, you NEED Lieberman to win!

Meghan McCain

2008-08-21T10:02:00.000-07:00

Meghan McCain is John McCain's daughter and her blog is a perfect example for a natural, well written blog that is lacking SEO.
It ranks for all sorts of terms, city names, blues music, you name it, but nothing about what her dad's campaign is really about.
One may say that it is targeting the undecided masses and doesn't need SEO, but the reality is that just a few blog posts targeting terms related to gas prices etc. could work wonders.
The ppc campaign is targeting very cheap terms and getting organic results will not be that hard either since those are not that commercial and the internet marketers working for both candidates seem to either be overworked, asleep or just not passsionate enough to get them all of the traffic that they could.
It would probably take 3 or 4 hours of work to attract a large amount of visitors interested in political issues which are likely going to influence the way that they will vote.

If you read this, Meghan, contact me, I will be more than happy to talk to you about it.

~ Mike Dammann

Rock the vote

2008-08-20T19:56:00.000-07:00

What I have a huge problem with when getting others to register to vote is the fact that those people tend to be so undecided who to vote for, they will cast their spell for whoever those signing them up will tell them to.
If you don't care about who you should vote for, you should first be educated and then vote if you are inspired to exercise your priviledge for someone whose agenda you believe in.
Mr. Obama is getting a huge advantage over John McCain thru the drive to reach out to those who have a voice but really no idea what these elections are all about.
This drive is absolutely perfect fit into a campaign which has nothing to do with substance and everything with hype.
This is a presidential election and not the Grammy awards for crying out loud.
Obama has no agenda other than attacking the current government and instigating more hatred amongst Americans.

If you truly believe in Obama and whatever agenda you think he has, sure ... vote for him. That is your right.
If you have no clue, then please don't let anybody decide for you who to vote for.
Everyone has ONE vote and it is up to everyone whether or not and how they want to use it.
Do what you believe in. Or start taking an interest in the future of this world.

Getting back into the SEO game.

2008-08-20T16:44:00.000-07:00

It has been a few years since I really did this other than having a few clients and some sites of my own, but now I'm back in the game and love it.
It took some time to rekindle the fire. The one thing I can tell you right now is that in order to do SEO right, you need to have an interest in it other than money, or you need some good employees who are into it.
SEO can burn you out so quick and once you are on the wrong train, you will start hating Google, clients and everyone who asks you questions which you may or may not have the answer to right now.
Once you get to the point where you rank again and get good results, you will be able to go the extra mile knowing that as soon as you get it right, everything else will fall into place.
Here is some advice that I myself need to remember and some of you should definitely read:
1) Don't waste time on forum signatures or directory submissions unless you pay someone reliable to submit to good directories for you or get a good deal on some reputable forums member's signature links.
2) Contextual links from sites that Google likes benefit you in many ways.
a) Those blog posts, hubs or lenses usually rank immediately for a few terms that can get you business right away. If you create professional looking posts and informative hubs, people will contact you thru the link within those and you will be able to benefit within a day or less if done right. Spammy posts are not only dangerous when it comes to the well being of the blog they are on, you will also alienate potential clients. Find good places to post with a couple of links to your pages and put your heart into those, treat those like this is all you have right now to make a great impression to first time visitors.
b) Contextual links within blogs with good text will help you with credibility in Google and also with ranking you for terms related to surrounding text and anchor text of the links. It may only take you 3 or 4 of those posts to already make an impact and move you up. The better the links, the sooner you will have a trusted site of your own and be able to just maintain by adding meaningful content and getting links from other good sites as opportunity arises. The key is to break the ice with Google. It's almost like when you're dating, you say a few things here and there which get the girl's interest and once you get to the point where she likes you, you're in unless you really screw up (and believe me, whether it's with girls or Google, once you get arrogant and careless, that can happen and Google is patient, but not a doormat).
c) If you really want to benefit from links on forums, forget signatures. Adding one or two links in your long introduction post and a well written review request will benefit you just like links from blogs. But be personable, and networking is going to be a big part of it. Take your time when writing the posts. Share something that other members may not know. Establish credibility in the eyes of the readers and search engines will follow.
d) Do something that gets readers' attention. Whether it's a little joke or some info most readers are not aware of. It will go long ways, once you have moved up in Google, it's crucial to bank on it and keep the ball rolling. If you do things right in the beginning, you're golden.
3) Think outside of the box and find any site that seems to get traffic for terms you are after. Find out what it takes to get your banner or link on there. Pay, link back, do whatever. Make sure you get some good banners done, anything that get's people's attention. At the end of the day it's all about business. Algorithms change and the more presence you create, the better off you will be and you never want to depend on Google 100%.
4) Network with reputable marketers and get the word out about your own niche, and they will remember you when they come accross a potential client for you or a site which you may benefit from. Never be selfish, offer free links to those who do you right. Cut off the leaches, but don't be "link greedy". If you trust someone and he gives you a link, don't bug him asking him to change your anchor text daily. First of all, he has no time and secondly, instead of changing current anchors, your focus should be on spreading your word further and getting a variety of anchor texts on new blogs and sites. Work fast, jump on good opportunities and reward those who help you get results.
5) Spy on your competition. Look at the sites of those which are where you want to be. Don't copy their style, but get an idea on what it may be that gets them to be there. This is the part I love doing. Once I get an idea on what it is I haven't been doing and complete the circle by trying something new and moving up because of it, that is when things usually get a lot better and I learn some valuable lessons for many future projects as well as present ones.

If you are a beginner, I recommend learning on SEO.com, if you know a little bit more, read SEO Book and check out some of the interviewees on Search Feature.

You may also want to check out Search Engine Roudtable to get a better feel about the industry. More than anything you need to find your own style and do what works for you. If you copy someone else's style, you will lose the respect of your peers and the interest of your readers.
After years in this business, I can tell you that reputation is everything.
An extra backlink is never worth losing it. When you have passion, energy and an interest to learn, then good things will come your way.

I'm planning to add a lot more info here and also work on some new interviews with SEO people which I personally have questions for. Less fluff, more substance. Those of you who have questions, leave them here or start a discussion there.
Share some of your own experiences and struggles when it comes to getting sites ranked and I'm sure others will chip in and get something out of it as well.
If there is anything I have learned, it's that positive energy never dies. What you put out there, you get back eventually.
And in everything you do, don't be afraid to be unique. Don't be scared to be you.
You can play it safe and stand on the sidelines afraid to get in the game or you can go for it and gain respect from onlookers for doing your best and getting better.
Watch some of those movies where the geek becomes a good football player and gets the girl.

That can be you.

In SEO and in real life. :)

Cheers,

~ Mike Dammann

Why I still like Costa Rica

2008-08-20T02:19:00.000-07:00

Regardless of how much I miss certain things about the United States, I am not planning to leave Costa Rica for a while. I actually feel like this is one of those groundfloor opportunities I always fall into early on. Costa Rica is the place where I would like to start something that means something. Not sure what it will be yet though.
Many of you have the wrong impression of Costa Rica. Costa Rica is not like the rest of central America, and neither is Panama. Those of you who don't really know this, Costa Rica is the hottest real estate market on earth.

If you are interested in more information, you can contact us thru 506 Properties Costa Rica.
You can find more information about Costa Rica on Tico Ville Costa Rica and some on this reggae blog.

Political SEO

2008-08-20T01:47:00.000-07:00

Came across a post by Aaron where he asks about what we think about the job that Presidential Candidates and their teams have done when targeting keyterms that could help web searchers get on their side and it got me thinking.
So rather than posting an article there, I do it here and want to tell you why this has been causing me to remember me first blogging when I had no clue what the blog was going to be.
Presidential candidates change their voices, maybe not their stand but the way they prioritize with their issues and so many times they get adviced to just cool it and move to another subject that makes them look better than their opponent. Before you target a term, you need to know that you can benefit from it before you spend time energy and money on it.
It has to be worth your while.
There are certain terms that will always be good, but how about the many phrases that are often so small but add up and would cause people to pay more attention to you since people typing those things in should be an indicator that those issues might be important enough to the searcher to decide their vote upon it.
I think all Presidential candidates have failed when it comes to using the web to get their word out and not targeting the undecided voters more. McCain is keeping things as simplistic as he can, Obama decides he hasn't said something he actually did and Hilly just tags along waiting for her chance to make the headlines with whatever is popular RIGHT NOW, so as always, there is nothing really anybody wants to stand for to the point where it cannot be changed later.
Or so it seems.
Had is been me, I would have ordered my staff to write huge articles about what impacts the gasprices and then add my 2 cents on how to fix that.
Same with the war, same with whatever else.
You don't always have to make all of your content say what you want to say. BUT ... you can keep info general and then add some of your opinion to it to where it makes sense to the general public and leads them into your direction.
Will be interesting to see if in 4 years the candidates will have a better grip on this. :)

My Blogs

2008-03-24T06:45:00.000-07:00

Don't you guys get it, this is my old blog, so why are you here? ;)

Anyways, for those who don't know, here are my other blogs:

Fire Town
My personal and semi business blog.

Search Feature
My hot new SEO team blog! MUST VISIT

Frog Engine
Stuff

More blogs owned by me are:

Costa Rica Unplugged and Property Hogs

Drop on by and leave me a comment. If you really cannot get enough of me, then sign up at the old Frog Engine Forum and you will be emailed whenever I have something new to fish you guys with.

Trust me, my members will be happy to confirm that the above stated is the truth, the whole truth and not a thing but the truth.

Peace out!

~ Michael Dammann
The world's most famous blogger!

Greatest real estate agent in the world

2008-03-16T01:24:00.000-07:00

This contest is pretty fun. Real estate marketing has always been something that came easily to me.
And now that I own a Costa Rica Real Estate Company, I am more interested than ever in real estate.
Selling homes and houses myself has taught me the value of targeted traffic more than ever.
One thing I hate is when people just shop around and don't have the money or won't have the money for a very long time.
Pre-qualifying is key.
Targeting the search phrases which are most likely going to help you close a deal is key.
My team is currently number 1 for greatest real estate agent in the world and this contest has been and is a lot of fun.
Feel free to blog about it and link to http://www.ericonsearch.com/greatest-real-estate-agent-in-the-world-your-name-here
to help us win this thing. :)

seocontest2008 information

2008-02-11T08:20:00.001-08:00

Some of you are suckers for those, so why not go for it. Here is some info on seocontest2008.

Genesis Misunderstanding

2007-11-01T10:21:00.001-07:00