I love books. I love learning. But I’d also like to remind bloggers who aspire to great heights the importance of beating to their own drum and ‘arriving’ on their own path.

The self-help aisle at the local book store chain grows everyday. Is anyone really getting better at anything?

How-to blogging guides can be useful in giving you a fundamental understanding of the conventional ways one could achieve success. SEO basics, monetization, the power of headlines, etc. – all good stuff. But I’m willing to bet that the blogosphere has become so saturated, that the next big thing – and I mean REALLY big thing – will be someone who breaks all the rules.

The path to success has more roads then we can imagine. Why not dream up a new one?

I also think there’s something wickedly ironic about the recent glut of bloggers inking book deals. Sure, I’d sign one in a heartbeat. But at some point, recycled content is just getting recycled once again, no?

The announcement of ProBlogger the book is sure to get people’s attention, and will undoubtedly make a ton of money. And I respect the authors immensely. I know you WILL learn from the book! I’m merely suggesting that you ask yourself if you’re playing the game by yours – or somebody else’s rules. I don’t want to keep up with the pack – I want to take the lead.

I have not seen or previewed the book. And am admittedly speaking in generalities. But let me ask you this:

What would you expect to read in a book on blogging that you haven’t already read on a “pro” blogging Website?

Just a thought.

The New York Times has sent a wave through the blogosphere, the way only old media can, by suggesting that the endless news cycle bloggers face is a serious health hazard.

I’ll concede the fact that striving to produce fresh content and cover a 24/7 beat is far from easy. However, I argue that, all things considered, bloggers are the least likely to croak because of their profession.

LOVE. We often hear, ‘Do what you love and never work a day in your life.” Since blogging is a labor of love for 99.9% of the people who do it, isn’t it fair to assume that the act of blogging is not taking a dramatic toll on their bodies.

Let’s take a pro baseball player, for instance. They are forced to perform while under great duress. Yet, (and correct me if I’m wrong), I don’t think they tend to die any younger then an electrician or used car salesmen. Athletes love what they do (you have to to make it to the pros). Therefore, stress and the toll it takes on your body, is instantly reduced. Don’t believe me? Next time you have to do something against your will that you don’t agree with, monitor your body and how it feels. Of course, stress is relative to the individual, irrespective of profession.

NO BOSS. Ask anybody who has ever collected a paycheck; one of the most sickening aspects of work is reporting to the dreaded boss. With the birth of large blog networks and corporate blogging, many bloggers are experiencing the pinch of somebody else’s editorial process. However, the bulk of bloggers report to one person: themselves. And unless you really hate yourself, it’s easier than reporting to some random douche bag.

Keeping yourself motivated and holding yourself accountable is not easy work. But it’s highly unlikely that it will send you to an early grave.

HOME. Full-time blogging is generally considered a work-from-home type job. Last time I checked, travel-related deaths (auto crashes, etc.) were a main culprit in snuffing out youth.

POOR. Despite a few money-making, A-list bloggers, the majority of us do not make good money. This can be the gateway to poor eating habits, something that actually can shorten your life. Long hours and low pay are a recipe for fast food, no exercise and poor sleeping habits – the trifecta for disaster.

I will give the New York Times credit: bloggers across the world are chatting this article up. But a few words of caution…

A New York Times reporter (who does their job well), is three times more likely to die young.

Hey, are you guys hiring?

We live in a world of opinion, yet when it comes to sharing how we REALLY feel, there’s an innate tendency to self-censor. Even when using the world’s only true unfiltered medium: the Internet.

Your humble blogger fully admits he’s just as guilty as you.

What is it that keeps us from sharing how we truly feel? Probably the same thing that keeps us from kicking open an ATM machine: the fear of getting caught.

Terrorists can hand-deliver threatening videos to television stations, but we can’t say what we really think about people, politics, religion, and death – at least not without the fear of serious ramifications.

One minute we’re sounding off on Hillary Clinton, and the next we’re being escorted from our desks holding a cardboard box.

Rather then break into a full on rant on why most of us are fearful of serious backlash for writing about controversial topics, I’d like to ask the bloggers out there a question:

When you self-censor your blog, are you being an upstanding human being or you just scared?

And don’t tell me you don’t self-censor. We all do. Even me, right now, in this post…

Copying other people’s blogs, and posting the content on your own blog, does not make you an authority on a given subject. In fact, you shouldn’t even consider yourself a blogger.

If you’re a chronic Ctrl + C / Ctrl + V kind of guy, there’s a good chance you think I’m looking a gift horse in the mouth. After all, you’re kind enough to attribute the story to the blogger. Or, if you’re super generous,you’ll only copy half of a story, sending people to my blog to read the rest.

If my wife cooks dinner, and I move the steak from the stove to my plate, it doesn’t give me the right to claim myself an Iron Chef. Even if I add salt.

Imagine if you will, that Pepsi decided to sell Coke. Oh, it’s in a Pepsi can, just filled to the brim with Coke. If you look closely at the bottom of the can it tells you that it’s Coke inside.

One more comparison for these blog leechers.

Here in New York, how would the New York Times feel if the Daily News started to publish their stories – without permission – in there entirely. Even with proper attribution, it’s illegal and would never fly.

Tell me why we give these so-called self-proclaimed bloggers, who are nothing more than human content aggregators, the license to steal. The Internet might be the Wild Wild West, with enforcement impractical. However, I urge you, dear readers, to take the law into your own hands. Do not give these copy and pasters your business. Just go to Google and research the topic you’re interested. Cause at the end of the day, that’s all these bloggin’ wannabes are doing.

If you’re going to take the bulk of my post, I don’t want your click-throughs. I hope other authentic bloggers agree.

It’s called creativity. Go find some.

Attention blog commenter: Show some intestinal fortitude and state your name. If you’ve got something to say, good, bad or otherwise, you should NOT be allowed to remain anonymous, For far too long the media (including blogs) have been able to hide behind the cloak of anonymity.

Recently I blogged about Paul Tilley, a high-level ad exec who offed himself by plunging from the roof of the Fairmont Chicago Hotel. Some folks believe that mean-spirited comments portraying the now deceased in a negative light, contributed to his decision to commit suicide.

We’ll never know for sure. And this is obviously an extreme case. However, it brings the importance of accountability front and center. We enjoy freedom of speech, but are we showing that beautiful right enough respect? That’s a question that I encourage all bloggers and blog readers ask themselves before submitting their two cents.

Before you run to a proxy server to cover up your identity, think about the far-reaching impact your words can have. Sometimes it’s tough to have your voice heard on the Web, and sometimes your corner or the earth can shake the universe.

Other good questions to ask yourself:

Am I being truthful?
Am I being insulting?
Am I just angry?

For safety’s sake, you should assume that the comment CAN and WILL be traced back to you. Do you have the facts and information necessary to back up your claims?

Cause nothing really stays anonymous for long.

The latest reality TV sensation to hit the American airwaves is The Moment of Truth, a FOX show that hooks a willing participant to a lie detector device. The individual is peppered with deeply personal questions. The goal is to tell the truth, all the way to $500,000.

Since the show has become a worldwide sensation (airing under different names in 23 countries), the editors here at Jack of All Blogs asked – no demanded – that I be hooked up to a polygraph for this blog entry. Being that they’re offering a prize of $10, I figured ‘why the heck not!’ So, without your permission, I’ll answer their questions, speaking on behalf of bloggers everywhere.

Q: Do you genuinely enjoy writing blogs?
A: Yes
Result: TRUE

Q: If presented with the opportunity, would you blog full-time?
A: Yes
Result: TRUE

Q: Would you stop blogging if your employer doubled your salary?
A: No
Result: LIE

Q: Do you adhere to copyright laws when using images on blogs?
A: Yes
Result: LIE

Q: Do you get angry when you see a similar post to one you’ve written – but crappier – on the front page of Digg?
A: Yes
Result: TRUE

Q: Do you leave comments on your own blogs?
A: No
Result: LIE

Q: Do you ever search porn when you hit a writing roadblock?
A: No
Result: LIE

Q: Do you research or write blogs on company time.
A: No
Result: LIE

Dear blogger, if you answered differently below, let us know in the comments section. Though we know you’re lying.

Media mega-star Howard Stern has always credited his haters for helping him achieve a sick amount of fame and fortune. Many people tune into his radio show to look for reasons to be offended. In the process, rather than unplugging his mic, they are giving the show more juice, hence, adding to his audience.

Don’t make the same mistake when it comes to blogs that piss you off. Even if it’s this one.

“Spying” on your enemy or seeing what your blog competition is up to can be useful. But if you’re hitting refresh every few hours, all you’re really doing is giving that blog a jolt of traffic. Occasional “eavesdropping” has a purpose, but obsessive monitoring doesn’t help you differentiate your product.

If you build it, they will come. Or not. If you look away, they will fade. Or not. At least you did your part.

The best way to punish a blog you don’t like is to look the other way, never visit again. never mention it to anyone – in fact – don’t even think about it.

Often, bloggers will use their Websites as a way to attack the destinations they disagree with. You’ll usually find these posts lacking links. Big deal. Search engines will still pick up the word and Average Joes will still search the site to seek it out.

If a store screws you over, don’t return.
If there’s a fly in your soup, don’t order again.
If a blog makes your blood boil, click the little black “x.”

Ouch. I just saw our subscriber count drop. Good for you!

This past week’s one-on-one debate between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton was shrouded in civility. The two candidates danced around each other, for the most part, playing nice-nice.

We all know that both sides of the aisle want to appear composed, together and unified. But why then, do I sense the same phony relationship between many bloggers and their readers.

Case in point.

John Chow, who I believe runs a fine blog on being an “evil” media mogul, recently announced a contest with an advertiser, iBusinessTalk. What gets me is that the advertiser’s domain is iBusinessTalk.com. However, when you get to the Website, there are banners everywhere spelled iBUSSINESSTALK.

Whoa.

I know that the experts say there is no correlation between spelling and intelligence. However, how can I take business advice from a Website that can’t even spell the word right? That’s biz 101, no?

Errors happen. In fact this post might be rife with them.

What irks me is that, just like the debate, no one wants to take John Chow to task and say, “Hey dude, the company who’s plastered on your Web site totally lacks credibility.”

I know everyone is desperate to win the contest (you get some free ad space on Mr. Chow’s Website) and make a buck, but I expect more from intelligent bloggers and blog readers. As of this post, 37 comments on Chow’s post, and all of them are just fluffy praise.

C’mon people. Let’s not be sheep! That makes us no better than phony politicos.

Jack of All Blogs vows to make self-improvement a priority in ‘08. We want all bloggers to find salvation. That’s why we’ve taken it upon ourselves to write resolutions, not only for ourselves, but for you too, dear blogger.

Stop Stealing. Just cause it comes up in a Google Image search does not mean you can use it. Either pay for images or hunt down royalty-free shots.

Blog Jacking. Taking an excerpt form someone else’s blog and putting it on your own does not make you a blogger; it makes you a copy and paster. Go write some original content.

Less E-mail Checking. Your blog writing would greatly improve if you controlled your A.D.D. Set aside designated times to check your e-mail (a la the 4-Hour Workweek) and control the urge.

Cut Clutter. You can’t control the flood of widgets that are available but you CAN control how many you throw into your sidebar.

Stop. Don’t launch until you have a content plan and are fully committed. If not, you’re wasting valuable domain space that someone else could be running with.

Micro-Blog With Purpose. Only tell us what you’re doing if you are doing something interesting. Don’t tell us that you’re twittering on Twitter.

We All Digg. I don’t need you to tell me what’s been featured on the Digg homepage since I’ve already been there.

Network Offline. Building it isn’t enough. You should promote your content both online and off.

Numbers and Questions. Sure they’re catchy to draw readers in, but hopefully people are starting to see through the gimmick. If your content doesn’t back up your headline, repeat visitors will go repeat somewhere else.

About Us. Go clean up your About Us page. It should not only tell people about YOU but about your mission/goal behind the blog. For good measure, also include your contact information.

We’ll do our best to stick to these resolutions and hope you do too. At least when we drop the ball on January 2 we won’t be alone!

Now cue all of the new “let me chronicle my weight loss” blogs.

Good luck and Happy New Year!

Now that’s what laptops were invented for, right? Computing power anytime, anywhere. Lugging around a 15-inch MacBook Pro isn’t quite my idea of how to best digest my RSS feeds while doing my thing, though. Thankfully with my latest gadget I won’t have to worry about getting a $2,500 device wet and rusty.

AdSense check just cleared and with a few extra bucks I got myself this Christmas season’s must-have gadget (aside from the iPhone)—the Asus Eee PC, the two-pound $400 wonder. Sure most modern laptops today will run circles around the Eee in terms of specs but this baby has hit the sweet spot in terms of price, portability, features and functionality.

The Eee measures just 10 inches diagonally and runs on a 900 MHz Celeron-M processor with 512MB of RAM and a 4 GB solid-state drive. It has three USB 2.0 ports, a VGA-out port, built-in mic and stereo speakers, MMC/SD slot and a webcam. Battery lasts three and a half hours.

Sure, it’s not top of the line in terms of specs, but again at $400 and at 2 pounds, it is worth considering, isn’t it?

Most other brand laptops close to this size will be more powerful and with more features, but also the closest competitor costs four times more. And at $400, the Eee is an Internet-ready computer with a light and fast operating system (Linux-based). Good enough for blogging anywhere there’s a WiFi connection. Perfect for those in the blogging biz like me.

I can now bring a full-fledged computer anywhere without breaking my back—and the bank.

So am I really blogging from the bathroom? Well, my home WiFi signal does reach to the bathroom, but to be honest I’d rather not read my RSS list while sitting on the throne. Too much crap can be a bad thing.