If you haven't been to West Palm Beach, FL I highly recommend it.  The weather is great even with the humidity, and if you like good looking people it's not a bad place to be. :) Fortunately for me, I had the pleasure of spending most of last week in West Palm Beach, albeit on business, but who's complaining?  United Franchise Group, the umbrella corporation for such recognizable brands as Sign-A-Rama, Embroidme, and Billboard Connection, held their 1st Annual Vendor Alliance Summit and I'd say it was a huge success.  Vendors from all over the U.S. and abroad arrived at UFG's headquarters and participated in one of the most inspirational and productive meetings I've ever taken part in.  As you can see in the photo to the right, the Summit was a huge success and I know that all of the vendors left feeling great about the direction that UFG and it's underlying brands, is heading.

Load.com is the primary Web-based technology provider for UFG. We deliver services ranging from corporate e-mail communication, web analytics, hosted DNS, content management systems, and domain name management.  We also have been tasked with the challenge of optimizing all of UFG's online initiatives for organic search results.  Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a very effective method of generating leads cost effectively and UFG is very progressive with it's strategy and implementation of various Web-related services.  We're looking forward to the new SignARama.com website and we're certain that all of the Sign-A-Rama franchisees will love what's coming down the pipe. We'll keep you posted!

ReviewJournal.com Planning Big Online Moves with Load
Las Vegas' #1 local newspaper continues to expand it's online initiatives and LoadStats will be in the mix.  We recently met with their Online Advertising Department and figure to have a big hand in the development and optimization of their online properties.  One of the many advantages associated with LoadStats Web Analytics is our Search Engine Optimization reports. LoadStats monitors the organic search results for keywords and key search phrases as defined by the client.  LoadStats' ability to identify current search position and then historically compare organic search results over time makes Load's Web statistics solution invaluable for many clients, including the Review Journal.

Barry Bonds Hits 756 and then explodes...
Okay.  If you don't know that I'm a HUGE Barry Bonds fan, now you do!  Here's my take and I'll get off my soap box. Barry Bonds is, quite simply, the best hitter I've ever witnessed.  You can argue about Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Joe Dimaggio, Ted Williams, etc.  The fact is, I haven't seen those players in real life, so I won't comment on them.  However, I DO think that those older players played during a time when pitching talent was harder to come by and teams did not use a strong bullpen system to close out games.  So, my estimation is that there were a lot of home runs coming off tired pitchers late in the game.

For those of you that want to talk steroids, I'm tired of hearing it.  He's still hitting the ball and you can't guarantee me that pitchers he faced were not juicing.  Play the averages and I bet it all evens out.

Also, take into account that Bonds pretty much lost the better part of two (2) seasons recovering from surgery and it's pretty remarkable that he has accomplished what he has.  If he plays healthy for those 2 seasons, you could possibly add another 60 home runs to his total.  So, YAY for Barry, boo on you for not paying attention.

Michael Vick Pleads Guilty...
Man, I don't even know where to start.  If you don't know what this topic is about, I'd like to congratulate you on waking up out of your coma.  It breaks my heart that this young man blew his opportunity to change his life and the generations of Vicks coming after him. Nevermind the fact that there are a number of young men looking up to him that have been let down.  You can get into the money and the team being let down, but quite frankly, I'm just sad to see such a great talent with so much potential be wasted.

Fantasy Football is set to Kick Off...
I spend most of my time talking to non-technical people and apologizing for talking over their heads when describing what Load.com is and what my functionality is within the constraints of the company.  Now, I have to apologize to all of the technical people I know that know absolutely SQUAT about football and think Fantasy Sports is a waste of time.  The truth is, IT IS a waste of time, but so what!!!  What really matters is how much useless knowledge you can put together during the season to really make people aware of your ability to rattle off non-sense on a whim.  And, if you want to pull the wool over on your significant other's friends, please see the tip sheet below:

Things you should incorporate into your pre-game and in-game rituals during the football season

• If your spouse has a favorite team, know who their best players are.
• Yell obscenities during the game to show your passion.  Examples include, "That's a bullsh*t call!" and "We got totally screwed by that replay official."
• Bet $5.00 on the game you're watching.  You'd be amazed how even the chance to win $$$ to pay for your appetizer heightens your senses.
• Wear a jersey during the game (Ladies this is pretty sexy.)
• Call your friends after big plays and sound overly excited!  Also yell obscenities to make you seem really pumped.
• High-five everyone in the room after touchdowns or scores that give your team the lead.

Now, this is by no means a comprehensive list, but it's a good start.  I hope you enjoy the football season and if you need help deciding on which tight end or which sleeper receiver you should pick up for your fantasy squad, just shoot me an email.

Until next time, go Trojans!