One of my few academic memories from junior high school is “Question Day.” This was a 45-minute period where our science teacher would permit the class to ask about anything. It was cool that we were able to go beyond since science, with his rationale being it all comes back to it anyway.

Back then, without the Internet, it was a great idea. Our question-asking options were limited. You simply couldn’t turn to mom or dad, an older sibling or the library for the “important” stuff. There’s nothing like knowledge imparted by strangers.

If information truly is power, we must all be superhuman at this point. The Q&A market is completely saturated.

Yahoo! Answers covers the bases, ChaCha helps you out on the go, and SocialThumbs makes sure we never have to make an independent decision again.

Is it possible that we are asking way too many questions and being barraged with too many answers. Always the analytical type, I’ve recently found myself bogged down with too much information. Decisions that were once made after a few minutes of thought now become a great big opus. I can barely move an inch without consulting with other people.

What has happened to me?

I need to Shut-up the strangers and put myself back on the road to self-reliance. Decisions about jobs and houses and kids and health – freom people who know nothing about me – mean nothing.

Do you feel the same way?

Jeez, another question! Make it stop!

How do you gracefully tell people to F off these days? Since everyone likes to play Internet P.I., it’s become increasingly difficult to end relationships. Something, quite frankly, I used to be very proficient at.

DeadSpace. EndSpace. LonerSpace.

That’s what the Web needs. A Website where you have no desire to tell anyone where you are, who you’re married to or what your current mood is. The site would be designed to tell people not to waste their time looking, because you have taken preventative measures not to be found. And even if the person does manage to track you down, this Website sends a message that you are not to be disturbed – forever.

Anonymity is a beautiful and important thing. I want mine back. Proxy servers help keep my surfing activity private. Can I get a
human proxy server?

From what your house is worth to how much money you make, the Internet reveals too much.

If I haven’t called, written or texted you in more than six months, it’s highly unlikely I want to receive a LinkedIn request from you.

Let alone grab a beer.

It’s no secret that as we get older we tend to shed our circles. Heck, mine is starting to look like a funnel. But that is by choice.

Before you send me (or anyone else) a friend request, I ask you to visualize the following:

Pretend there is no Internet. No computers. That means, any communication we have will have to be face to face.

Still want to connect? Probably not. Because these types of relationships take work – something most people are too lazy to put effort into. If you honestly want to reconnect, call me or drop by.

So consider the ‘Do Not Disturb’ doortag hanging on the door and buzz off!

The pope came to New York City, The pope left New York City. And the city that never sleeps is exactly as it was 72 hours ago. However, there were several moments of magic. The pope pulled off several feats that I never thought possible.

He Reversed Traffic. Who knew that one human being could be important enough to shut down vehicular traffic on Fifth Avenue for over a mile?

He Drives a Glass Car. No one questioned how many miles per gallon the pope mobile gets. I always though that Segways were silly looking. I challenge you to find me a sillier-looking vehicle.

He Looks Like Liberace. Is it just me that sees a resemblance between His Pontiffness and a certain 70s/80s ivory tickler?

He Likes Lace. I’ve been to mass and have never seen so many men wearing intricate lace clothing. And fur. Heck, maybe he IS Liberace.

For 81 years of age, the man is a walking marvel. He’s fit, lucid and a true messenger of good will. Thankfully, he is also speaking out against the abhorrent actions of a handful of child-molesting priests.

What the media fails to realize, however, is that only 25% o the U.S. practices Roman Catholicism. In short, many people simply don’t care. The top stories have been dominated for days. All I want is the five-day forecast.

If we’re going to be honest, the pope is a mane that represents a religious contingency that won’t acknowledge homosexuals, is anti-abortion, and against divorce and the death penalty.

I have to wonder, out of that 25%, who’s left to care?

Lunch was going swimmingly well. Delicious soup. A nice meatball panini. And the good news that my boss was promoting me.

Then it emerged…

The largest, slowest cockroach I have seen in my life. It paced behind my boss’s head. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that the restaurant he raved about was also a motel for the pest elite.

I understand that critters are everywhere. However, in hundreds of dining experiences, this is only the second time I’ve encountered a roach.

Despite good service, sharp food and a pleasant atmosphere, I’m a little bugged out.

And this raises the big question: Do you blacklist a restaurant if you see a bug?

I’m conflicted. Part of me vows never to return; part of me wonders if I’m being too harsh. Have my standards dropped so low that I’m making excuses for an establishment that allowed the unacceptable?

Perhaps I’m just mellowing with age. After all, nothing is perfect. Our significant others have flaws, dream homes become money pits and even your favorite sports team will employ a cheater. Does that mean you should get divorced, live in a studio apartment and stop rooting for the home team?

Who am I to say.

What would you do? Are 10 long, dangling legs enough to get in the way of a good meal?

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?

My personal house hunt continues.

Living about 20 minutes outside of Manhattan, it’s difficult to find a house in our price range (I’m a blogger, she’s a teacher = you do the math!). There always seems to be a catch: train tracks, water towers, scary electric looking things, busy streets, and so on.

Is finding the right house impossible, or is it just me?!

While I find many of these things to simply be eyesores, they could have much larger ramifications. For example, what about the air we’re breathing in?

Since the air we breathe is often taken for granted (after all, it’s clear and odorless!), it’s easy to overlook air quality when house hunting.

But it doesn’t end there.

What about the 8,000 power plants scattered across America? Don’t you want to know what the Carbon Dioxide emissions are in your future or current neighborhood?

Of course you do.

Thanks to Fizber, you can now research data on climate change and the affect it’s having on the nation. Find out which U.S. states and cities are the most polluted. As you know it’s not just in our air…

it’s in the ocean too!

Whether or not you believe Global Warming is a phenomenon or a myth, there’s no disputing the fact that the Earth is constantly in a state of flux. The areas most likely to be hit the hardest by change are our 12,000 miles of coastline.

So before you buy that home that’s on the water…or even that condo that’s 2 miles inland…you NEED to understand what is happening to the surrounding area.

Using a neat Google map mashup, you can view a visual representation (an aerial, three-dimensional snapshot) of what the anticipated sea level rise will look like. After seeing portions on New Jersey and New York underwater – literally – I’m suddenly wondering if I should consider the middle of the country.

I’ve gotta run. There are a few open houses on the docket for the end of this week. However, rest assured, I’ll be researching more than just the crime and school districts of each town. I’d advise you do the same.

I know that dream house has to be out there…somewhere…

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.

Is anyone still pressured by a hard sell? You know the type.

“Just sign on the dotted line. These could be gone by tomorrow! Prices are going up.”

Many industries still employ these irritating tactics, yet I tend to believe that Generation X, Y and everyone in between is more likely to take action with a soft sell.

Sorry Annoying Salesperson Guy, things that I want, sell themselves. You see, I operate on instinct; not just with what I’m buying, but with you. And my Spidey Sense tells me all you are about is making this month’s sales quota.

For some strange reason, salesfolks employ their full-court press routine when BIG purchases are at stake – cars, homes, life insurance and so on. However, these are usually the types of investments that the buyer will have thoroughly researched. They are also personal in nature. The last thing I want to think about when my car breaks down, my home goes up in flames, or my heart gives out, is that some slick-talking charlatan with an associates degree convinced me of what was good for me.

I’m confident that most JOAB readers will agree. But a single question remains: Who the hell still buys from these people?

Clearly, someone is still driving commissions. But why? Are you scared to say no? Desperate to just get away from this creep? Getting filibustered to death?

These might be the same folks who fall prey to Nigerian refugees looking to wire money to your bank account. Or perhaps they are waiting by the mailbox for their “miracle” pills to arrive.

Or maybe, we’re finally experiencing a true societal renaissance: The death of the salesman.

Somebody please shed some light.