Thin skin? Then don’t even think about becoming a successful blogger.

I’m not sure if this is a true story or not, but somewhere along the way I picked it up and have remembered it ever since…

Baseball player Jeff Kent was once mired in a dreadful slump while on the New York Mets. Fans, who can be relentless when players don’t perform up to their standards, decided to share their displeasure with Kent. How? They got personal. After getting wind that Kent’s dog Gunnar has passed away they broke into a sing-songy chant. “Gun-nar…”

Ouch.

Kent might be a millionaire and part of a fraternity of several thousand professional baseball players, but he’s human. And not deaf.

Shortly after the cruel chant, Kent was traded away, vowing to never play for a New York team again.

It’s easy to be super-critical of public figures. After all, we expect great things from them since they make great money. The misconception that they are immune to criticism is foolish. They might be more used to it than us ‘regular folks,’ but that doesn’t mean the daggers don’t hurt.

And speaking of us, the same goes for blog writers and blog commenters. The more I blog, the more I realize that blog commenters are more likely to leave a comment if they disagree or take issue with something you write. That’s cool. But there’s no need to get personal.

Before you pull the trigger on that comment asking ‘who the heck I think I am’ – let me tell you. I’m a hard working, regular guy who likes to blog as a therapeutic outlet. I enjoy writing and need the few extra dollars (literally) that this hobby affords me. Slicing and dicing my writing style, pointing out typos or arguing with my angle on something just for the sake of arguing sucks. Comments make blogs great – just don’t get personal. Think before you post.

When I plop down my hard-earned cash to attend a concert, I do so in order to hear the glorious band and the soaring voice of the vocalist. I do not attend to hear YOU sing. That’s right, I’m talking to you, fellow concert attendees.

There’s an alarming trend that is taking place at venues around the globe: massive audience sing-a-longs that drown out the real thing.

There is a similar movement within the blogosphere. Your favorite blogger begins to drift off into the distance, as “guest” bloggers start to fill the space. Before you know it, you rarely hear from the person who was your entire reason for reading in the first place.

Building an ensemble cast is nice, but if your favorite character goes away, you might not be as inclined to read or watch. Imagine LOST without Jack. You would probably still watch, but if he was your favorite character, you might lose interest.

A blog is an even more personal experience. Writers build bonds with their audience, and should be very careful when phasing themselves out of the equation.

I’m not fooling myself, I realize every blogger is replaceable. But keep in mind that your visitors are there to hear you sing – not the audience. Before you pass the mic to another performer, make sure you’re not damaging your overall product.

I’m tired of Websites that rely on user-generated content, yet make the foolish decision to launch before they stock up.

You know the kind I’m talking about. They’re the ones that promise to show you what other people earn; what their house is worth; how clean restaurants are; how they feel about their boss, etc. You show up at the front door expecting to find a wealth of information waiting with open arms. Instead, you input your search criteria and are met with zip, zilch and their good friend zero.

That’s why this blog entry should serve as a reminder to anyone who is planning to launch a new Website. Cool your jets until you have the goods.

It’s not OK to launch thinking that you will grow content along the way. You only have one chance to impress your visitor. Blow that and you’ll likely never win them back. And why should they ever return? Far too many of these Websites are eventually abandonded by their owners, leaving limited data behind. With so much to do and see on the Web, you only have one chance. No content, no visitors.

I’m a busy guy. I don’t have time to waste on your incomplete repository of information. At the very least consider hanging a shingle for your front door alerting visitors that there’s a good chance that you will not find what you are looking for. Sure, they’ll probably still bail – but at least they won’t be as angry.

As a New York resident, the news that Willie Randolph was axed as the manger of the Mets, created a media firestorm. In fact, the move has landed the baseball club on the front and back page of every New York daily.

Despite employed PR experts, media mavens and so-called ‘baseball minds,’ the team managed to botch the firing so bad, that they turned Public Enemy No. 1 into a sympathetic figure.

First, they allowed Randolph to make the trip to the West coast. Then, they allowed him to finish a game (which the team won). The ax fell at around 3:12am ET. Lame.

Yesterday, at a team press conference, General Manager Omar Minaya, who claims the decision was his and his alone, tried to confidently work his way out of this mess.

He failed. In fact, his verbal communication skills were quite weak, bordering on offensive. Apparently Minaya has attended the school of ‘repeat it and they will believe it.’

So what’s missing for the equation?

A BLOG.

I could be simply missing it, but I was unable to dig up a team blog. One that could address Randolph’s dismissal and the thinking behind it. One that could have addressed the news in the middle of the night. This is , after all, the Internet Age – and we have a 24/7 news cycle that can’t be ignored. You can’t run and hide from it. Not even at 3am on another coast.

Major League Baseball does allow team’s fans set up personal blogs thanks to MLBlog. But in cases like this, I am looking for a blog that comes from the top down, offering the type of transparency that makes criminals shutter.

Forget the new stadium. Forget the new manager. The New York Mets need a blog. It certainly couldn’t make them look any worse and it’ll cost a whole lot less.

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.

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.

Your blog often reveals a lot about your personality. From the words you use to the frequency with which you post, a WordPress account can be a window into your soul.

What if we tried to guess the types of blog would-be American presidents would keep?

Blog Like Hillary. The tone of your blog changes with your underwear. You become what you think your audience wants, thus losing your credibility.

Blog Like Barack. Catchy headlines will lure people from RSS readers to your Website, but the lack of research in each post will be evident.

Blog Like Huckabee. Rife with humor, this well-crafter blog seems like the read deal. That is until you visit the ‘About Us’ page and find out that the blogger believes that God created the Internet

Blog Like McCain. That old Blogger template has gotta go. Haven’t you heard of WordPress? Pointing to the success of ugly sites like Craiglsist, sometimes age beats beauty.

THE FALLEN

Blog Like Romney. The homepage is Flash and AJAX, but when you try to click on any of the content, you receive 404 errors.

Blog Like Edwards. This is a passionate blog, but each entry is repetitive, often starting with something about you being ‘the son of a mine worker.’

Blog Like Nader. It’s weird. This blog only posts every four years. But somehow, it manages to eat into your traffic.

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.