Jack of All Blogs favourite Michael Arrington has been at it once more. A supposedly French hacker forwarded several stolen/found Twitter documents to the Techcrunch staff and other online publications. They were obtained by guessing or recovering the password of both a Twitter employee and Twitter’s co-founder Evan Williams’s wife. Twitter uses Google Apps for domains and apparently Google has a simple password recovery method.

Although I missed the memo, it is an acceptable journalistic strategy to blame ‘Do no evil Google’ and get away with any moral issues. Moral issues about posting stolen documents and company secrets. Moral issues about posting these documents and at the same time knowing everyone who works at Twitter.

It’s not our fault that Google has a ridiculously easy way to get access to accounts via their password recovery question. It’s not our fault that Twitter stored all of these documents and sensitive information in the cloud and had easy-to-guess passwords and recovery questions.

Although Arrington a ruthless, self-centric, machine is, he does not seem to have enough of gut to blame people for being dumb and use simple passwords in the first place.

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?

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!

Everyone knows that the really, really good looking folks do TV. The ugly ducklings get to do radio. But what about bloggers? Where on the hot-o-meter do they rank?

Like any profession, there will be exceptions to the rule and anomalies that leave us scratching our heads. But like anything else, appearance stereotypes will be rooted in some kind of truth.

Are bloggers mostly short and fat or bald and geeky?

The phrase “good looking blogger” only turns up 166 results and 9 images in Google. Man, I gotta go tag myself. Even if it’s not true.

Many blog mavens choose to remain faceless. Others pick the very best 100 x 100 pixel crop of their noggin’ that they can find (undoubtedly after an exhaustive search).

Do an author’s looks translate to clicks? It probably didn’t help Stephen King sell books. But does it help bloggers like John Chow, Michael Arrington or Darren Rowse, (who all have no trouble putting their mugs out there for the world to see) gather clicks? Perhaps. Are these our blogging hunks?

Harvey Levin of TMZ and Perez Hilton have turned online gossip endeavors into mainstream media ventures, both using their faces along the way.

Are they hot or not?

I’m not one to judge. First off, I’m a happily married heterosexual dude. Second, I enjoy the anonymity of the Web. Is it because I’m hideously ugly? My mom and I tend to think that’s not the case, but who knows.

With the emergence of Web video and the ability to find an image for just about anyone on the Net, will pretty faces translate into more subscribers for text-based content? Or is that trend already underway?

Looking at Business Week’s People to Watch in ’08, all the good looking folks might have made it to Hollywood after all.

Studs or duds? You decide.

I recently had the displeasure of recruiting new writers for one of my blogs. For the measly few bucks a post I was willing to shell out, I was hardly expecting David Foster Wallace. However, I did expect eighth-grade level writing. And people who understood what they were applying for. And people, who when asked for 250 words, delivered 250 words.

It’s with the utmost respect that I remind you folks trolling around Blogger Jobs and similar sites that there are rules when you apply for jobs:

- Follow the job posting’s instructions

- Provide error-free copy

- Make your inquiry unique

- Make your contact information crystal clear

- Do not ask for $75 for a 200 word post

It doesn’t matter if you’re applying to be a part-time blogger or a full-time CEO. And yes, someone really did expect me to pay almost 50 cents a word for a blog post!

It’s a crowded playing field out there friends, and rest assured, there are people out there who can write twice as well as you – and will take half the pay. I’m not above the law. You’re not above the law. John Chow and all of the Probloggers out there are not above the law. It’s the law of life. No matter what you do for a living, never forget it.

One final note. I was overwhelmed at the number of stay-at-home moms that are looking to blog for bucks. Do you really need the cash or are you just trying to stay sane by making ‘adult’ contact?

My wish for the world is that there are enough freelance blogging gigs for all of us. And may they each pay $75 per post.

On behalf of bloggers across the nation, I would like to thank Google for lowering the RageRank of blogs that participated in any paid link or pay per post activity. Rather than slap the “offenders” on the wrist, the Google gang went all gulag on us and dove in straight for the kill. No warning. No immediate recourse. Just deflated numbers and lower traffic.

Sometimes life lessons need to be tough. Like the time dad didn’t let me take the car to pick up Alexandra on our second date because I called him a prick.

Let’s just say that my eyes have been opened. How dare I look to profit from my passion/hobby/love of blogging. Apparently, I need to be more like Google and just work for the sheer “kick” of it all.

Personally, one of my blogs (not this one) dropped from a PR5 to a PR ZERO – overnight. How would Google like it if they woke up one morning and they found that their stock price had slid from $651 to zero? Well, lucky for them, no one entity can play God with the markets. The same, however, can’t be said for PageRank.

Again, thanks for the life lesson.

As you are already aware, most bloggers have more money than they know what to do with. I don’t know about you, but I tend to blog from the East Wing of my palace.

I guess I was just being greedy when I decided to tell my audience about a business or service that might actually be of interest to them. That’ll teach me to be so darn multi-dimensional.

Consider me put in my place, Why would a blogger of my stature look to earn $10 for 200 words when I can earn four cents for 200,000 with AdSense? Math isn’t my strong suit, but that’s an equation even I can grasp.

Many people are reporting on the imminent demise of PageRank. I sure hope that’s not the case. Get those algorithms tweaked and hit me with a big stick – I like it. Please sir, may I have another?

Just like Alexandra back in eighth grade, Google managed to turn me into a zero without a single word of how I can win her (them) back.

That just means I’ll have to try twice as hard. I hope you’ll consider this heartfelt thank you as a solid start. In the meantime, who don’t you cook up a negative PageRank rating system, cause this zero thing just ain’t low enough. Not for the bad boy I’ve been, prick.

This post has been sponsored by no one.