John Dilbeck Musings

I guess each of us has our preferences for which search engine we like to use.

For the last couple of years, I’ve preferred to use Google for most of my searching, although I still use others to compare the results.

If I’m researching keywords or I want to see which sites place well on various search engines, I’ll use a metasearch engine such as ixquick.com.

A couple of weeks ago, SiteSell released their Search It!, which really isn’t a search engine, but is a front-end tool to help you search for a wide variety of things using preformed search queries.

Recently, I became aware that Amazon.com has released a9.com, which can search several databases at the same time, including google, google images, inside books at Amazon.com, inside a movie database, and more. You can read more about it at Why Use A9.com?.

A9.com has the interesting feature of saving your searches so you can reuse them later. It also has a diary and a place to store bookmarks. I haven’t used all the features, yet, but it’s great to be able to search for something, such as “Murphy, NC 28906″, and see results from Google, from inside books at Amazon.com, and images returned from Google. It offers some truly useful features that I’ll be using in the future.

Try it out for yourself and see what you think.

Ken Evoy, President of Sitesell, has always promised that the 5 Pillar affiliate program will be a great way to build a business for anyone who was willing to do the work necessary to make sales.

After all, why join an affiliate program if you don’t want to earn commissions from making sales?

He’s also promised that, eventually, he’ll close the program to new affiliates so that the people who have worked to build the company can maintain good sales and lifetime commissions. While closing the 5 Pillar program to new affiliates isn’t imminent, it’s closer than it was.

If you are a person who has access to webmasters and people who want websites that work — and make sales — then you may want to look into the 5 Pillar affiliate program. Earn generous residual, lifetime commissions from selling webhosting and infoproducts.

Ken’s always invited people to join the program and see what it’s all about. He still extends that invitation, but, now, you’ll be expected to work the program and not just read the newsletters. Don’t miss the chance to learn from one of the best online marketers. Sitesell’s products are outstanding and so is the company.

It’s an easy company to represent, because the infoproducts are leaders in their field and they offer great content for very reasonable prices. And, Site Build It! is simply the best web design, web hosting, and web promotion system on the planet. I’ve looked for years for a better service and haven’t found one yet. Sitesell delivers on that promise — as long as you follow the guidelines that have been proven to work.

(More information: Site Build It!, Case Studies of SBI users, Sitesell.com, Make Your Site Sell!, Make Your Knowledge Sell!, Sitesell 5 Pillar Affiliate Program.)

We’re approaching the end of September and people who run businesses are turning their attention from summer activities to gearing up for the final quarter of marketing before the end of the year.

Webmasters, marketers, home business owners, folks who auction products on eBay, and just about anyone involved in online commerce will find Sitesell’s newest tool, Search It! to be a very valuable addition to their online research tools.

How many sites do you have bookmarked that you regularly search? Do you remember all the different formats you must use to get the information you want? Let Search It! help!

If you open Search It! and park it in a window where you can easily get to it during your work sessions, you’ll find that it will become an invaluable tool to help you improve your websites, keep a close watch on your competition, look for ways to monetize the traffic to your site, look for more — and better — keywords and phrases, and do much more, easier than ever before possible.

The good news?

It’s free! Yep, Sitesell, once again, overdelivers and underprices.

Site Build It! owners get some extra functionality, but everyone can use this new tool as much as you want at no cost to you.

It’s a bit different, so be sure to click the help link and read it. One of the great things about Search It! is that the help (between steps 1 & 2 and steps 3 & 4) changes depending upon the type of search you are doing. This makes it easy to use without having to keep notes or just feeling your way around.

I’ve been searching on the Internet since before the World Wide Web even existed and I found some great resources by using Search It! that I never knew existed.

I heartily recommend this tool to you. If you’re searching for anything on the web, see if Search It! can help you.

Harris Interactive reports that 73% of adults are now online, up from 69% eight months earlier, 67% in late 2002, 64% in 2001 and 63% in 2000.

That translates into 156 million users, up 7% from late 2003.

Dilbeck Communications, in association with ShopforT1 and GeoQuote.net, is now offering business broadband nationwide in the United States.

Dilbeck Communications is a Proud member of the ShopFor Network: ShopforDSL, ShopforT1, ShopforDS1, ShopforDS3, ShopforT3, ShopforOC3,
ShopforPoint to Point, and ShopforFrame Relay.

We offer T1 service in the following states: Alabama T1, Arizona T1, Arkansas T1, California T1, Colorado T1, Connecticut T1, Delaware T1, Florida T1, Georgia T1, Hawaii T1, Idaho T1, Indiana T1, Illinois T1, Iowa T1, Kansas T1, Kentucky T1, Louisiana T1, Maine T1, Maryland T1, Massachusetts T1, Michigan T1, Mississippi T1, Missouri T1, Minnesota T1, Montana T1, Nebraska T1, New Hampshire T1, New Jersey T1, New Mexico T1, New York T1, Nevada T1, North Carolina T1, North Dakota T1, Ohio T1, Oklahoma T1, Oregon T1, Pennsylvania T1, Rhode Island T1, South Carolina T1, South Dakota T1, Tennessee T1, Texas T1, Utah T1, Vermont T1, Virginia T1, Washington T1, Washington DC T1, West Virginia T1, Wisconsin T1, Wyoming T1.

Additionally, we offer domain name registration and transfers, webhosting, and a full range of telecommunications services and products.

If you would prefer to speak to a live person about your high-speed Internet access needs, call us toll-free: 866-GEOQUOTE Ref#: 3088.

Dilbeck Communications, in association with ShopforDSL and GeoQuote.net, is now offering residential and business DSL nationwide in the United States.

Dilbeck Communications is a Proud member of the ShopFor Network: ShopforDSL, ShopforT1, ShopforDS1, ShopforDS3, ShopforT3, ShopforOC3,
ShopforPoint to Point, and ShopforFrame Relay.

We offer DSL service in the following states: Alabama DSL, Arizona DSL, Arkansas DSL, California DSL, Colorado DSL, Connecticut DSL, Delaware DSL, Florida DSL, Georgia DSL, Hawaii DSL, Idaho DSL, Indiana DSL, Illinois DSL, Iowa DSL, Kansas DSL, Kentucky DSL, Louisiana DSL, Maine DSL, Maryland DSL, Massachusetts DSL, Michigan DSL, Mississippi DSL, Missouri DSL, Minnesota DSL, Montana DSL, Nebraska DSL, New Hampshire DSL, New Jersey DSL, New Mexico DSL, New York DSL, Nevada DSL, North Carolina DSL, North Dakota DSL, Ohio DSL, Oklahoma DSL, Oregon DSL, Pennsylvania DSL, Rhode Island DSL, South Carolina DSL, South Dakota DSL, Tennessee DSL, Texas DSL, Utah DSL, Vermont DSL, Virginia DSL, Washington DSL, Washington DC DSL, West Virginia DSL, Wisconsin DSL, Wyoming DSL.

Additionally, we offer domain name registration and transfers, webhosting, and a full range of telecommunications services and products.

If you would prefer to speak to a live person about your high-speed Internet access needs, call us toll-free: 866-GEOQUOTE Ref#: 3088.

I love taking personality tests, even though I really don’t care too much about the results. This looked like a fun test to take. It’s a quick and easy series of questions (you can select how many from a list of choices) that don’t take much time at all to complete. So, here’s my results:

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

(I’m not surprised — big grin.)

Here I am, again, working alone in my office in the middle of the night adding some new content to my newest website at AYearFromNow.com and I just noticed that today is September 11.

In that moment of realization, my mind’s focus switched immediately from 2004 to 2001.

I had to stop for a few minutes and think back to that morning three years ago when I was sitting right here working on a website and the hosts of the Today Show announced that an airplane had crashed into the World Trade Center.

I didn’t get any work done for the next several days as I sat glued to the TV watching the tragedy unfold. I didn’t feel like working. I didn’t want to miss any of the evolving news. We grieved for those who were lost and raged against those who were responsible.

It was a day that changed the focus of several nations and the actions we took as a result — for good or bad.

For months, and even now, we watched the stories of those who were affected and that affected us, too, although to a lesser degree.

Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, stop a moment and reflect. Think of those who were lost. Think of those who worked so hard to help.

We came together for a few weeks and now we’re more divided than ever.

It’s a pity.

If we came together once as a response to a threat, why can’t we cooperate and work together because we are much more similar than we are different? Why do we need a common enemy before we can be friends?

Why do we like to be divided?

Why has it become a national sport to tear apart the reputation and try to assign the most cynical intentions to anyone who steps up and tries to be a leader in our country? Why is it not enough to vote for someone with whom you agree or vote against someone with whom you disagree? Why do we, instead, choose to revere one and demonize the other?

What do we gain?

As Dr. Phil would say, “How’s that working for ya?”

Admission Is Free To September 4 Heritage Walk and Festival in Murphy, NC

What began in 2001 with fewer than 100 souls braving the pouring rain to take a “heritage walk” through historic Murphy has blossomed into a 4th annual series of events coming Saturday, September 4, 2004.

Last year over 3,000 people turned out for a day long celebration of traditional mountain music, arts and crafts, blue ribbon memories of the county fair, and the heritage walking tours with characters from times past. Produced by Heritage Partners of Cherokee County in collaboration with a host of volunteers and sponsoring organizations, this year’s Heritage Walk and Festival features:

• The Heritage Walk — historic trade and commerce tours departing at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m.; pyramid tours departing at 1:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. from the Old LandN Depot

• The Cherokee County Heritage Fair — blue ribbon competitions in the traditional home survival skills, special events and community exhibits on display at the Old L and N Depot and outdoor county fair tent (9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
• The Appalachian Heritage Crafters Show — area artists and crafters on the Railroad Street festival grounds, behind the Old LandN Depot and Hackney Warehouse (9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
• Mountain Song — all day live stage performances feature traditional bluegrass, old-time and more on the Railroad Street festival grounds, behind the Old Hackney Warehouse (10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
• Becky and the Robber of Buckhorn Ridge — one act play performances by the Murphy High drama students, based on Jean Bravick’s story of pioneer life in Cherokee County’s 1840 Valleytown (First United Methodist Church at 11:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 1:00 p.m.)
• Cherokee County Historical Museum’s Heritage Day — a celebration of pioneering history and Cherokee Indian culture, on Peachtree Street
• Farmers Market
• Food Vendors
• Pocket Parks Collectibles Fair
• rides and activities for children
• and more.

And, it’s all free.

The public is invited to come out, and all festival guests are encouraged to park in town and walk to all events. Visit heritagepartners.org for more information.

The Scenic Circle

New Day Trip Guide Scheduled for Release September 4 at Heritage Walk & Festival in Murphy, North Carolina

Imagine a 50-mile radius circle drawn around the Cherokee County courthouse in historic Murphy, NC, and something to find your way to the outdoor wonders of that area. Heritage Partners of Cherokee County is pleased to announce its first publication of The Scenic Circle, scheduled for release at the September 4 Heritage Walk & Festival in Murphy. First in a series, the guidebook provides directions for easy day trips to mountain balds, lakes and rivers, waterfalls, trails and other outdoor attractions to be explored in the northwest quadrant of The Scenic Circle. And, as the first edition is coming off the presses, destinations for future editions are already being assembled for the northeast, southwest and southeast quadrants.

Elizabeth Carter, a part-time resident of Apalachia Lake who has a number of published trail guides to her credit, volunteered her time and energies to author The Scenic Circle. Enthusiastic about her soon to be full-time home, Carter is quick to say “the economics of heritage and ecological tourism are so important to our community, and the outdoor attractions of this beautiful mountain region are certainly something to share and celebrate.”

The OEO Small Growing Opportunities grant program agreed, having provided funding for the project’s first publication. Jonathan and Tammy Fleischer of The Computer Workshop in Murphy lined up to do the layout, photography and printing of the guidebook. Jonathan looks back with a smile about preparing for the publication, saying “we ventured out as a family and found every site on the map. It was really neat to see so many places we’d always heard of, but never knew much about or even how to find them.”

Copies of The Scenic Circle will be on sale for $3 each, or 2 for $5, at the Heritage Partners booth on September 4 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. by the Old L&N Depot. Author Elizabeth Carter will be there to sign copies of the book between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

All proceeds benefit the nonprofit works of Heritage Partners, proud sponsors of The Murphy River Walk Project, the annual Heritage Walk & Festival, the annual Holiday Taste of Cherokee County Home Tour, the historical children’s story set in 1840 Valleytown — Becky and The Robber of Buckhorn Ridge — and most recently The Scenic Circle outdoor day trip destinations guide series.

For more information about Heritage Partners, visit heritagepartners.org.