As demand increases for skilled workers in the search engine optimization and search engine marketing industries, more educational options have become accessible during 2006. The latest option is called “Certification Pathways”, offered by the Search Engine College

The courses follow 3 distinct tracks of study:

• Certified Search Engine Optimizer, consisting of:
  

• SEO101
• SEO201
• Any other SEC certification course (e.g. Web Site Copywriting, PPC101, Web Site Usability, Link Building, Keyword Research)

• Certified Pay Per Click Marketer, consisting of:
  

• PPC101
• PPC201
• KWR101

• Certified Search Engine Marketer, consisting of:
  

• SEO101
• SEO201
• PPC101
• PPC201
• Any other SEC certification course (e.g. Web Site Copywriting, Web Site Usability, Link Building, Keyword Research)

The Search Engine College remains the only online educational facility that I’m aware of that includes website usability with its SEO/M education. This school has always understood how the two skillsets work together.

Courses are designed for immediate employment in the industry. Fees are reasonable.

Kalena Jordan, Director of Studies for Search Engine College, claims that the Certification Pathways are a first for the search industry.

“Most of our tutors have worked in an agency or corporate environment, so we understand what drives employers and what they expect from SEO/SEM employees. Completion of one of our Certification Pathways indicates to a potential employer a graduate’s proficiency in the very latest search engine algorithms, guidelines and methodologies taught within our curriculum. I’m not aware of any other institution that has developed courses so specifically aimed at gaining employment for graduates within the search industry”.

For additional information, please read Search Engine College Certification Pathways.

For those who know and love Dave Childs Child, aka “ILoveJackDaniels”, and wish to join in his roast, toast and otherwise well deserved send off, you can bid farewell in Dave Childs Child Is Leaving His Moderator Post.

Dave has been with Cre8asiteforums since 2002, during its turbulent, formative years as a new SEO/Website Design forums. He started out as a moderator, before taking over the Technical Administrator position.

In that role, he worked on holidays and weekends during scary times when our server was compromised. We’ve watched his skills and career soar and, as happens when people reach for their dreams, we saw less and less of him. He gave his Tech Admin role to Michael Motherwell (aka ProjectPHP) and returned to moderating as one of our technical pros.

He leaves that role, again, due to time constraints. We watched him get married. We witnessed his huge success with ILoveJackDaniels and his famous cheat sheets.

He’s earned public thanks for his time and devotion.

I’m sad to see him go, but thrilled that life is good for Dave Child. (Apologies for taking liberties with your name Dave! When did you get it changed? LOL)

It didn’t bother me. In fact, I thought to myself how cool it is that I can make a turkey, order the kids around and check forum posts at the same time. Thanksgiving day and “Black Friday” resembled a regular weekend at Cre8asiteforums. We were mobbed with spam.

At Cre8asiteforums, it’s been so bad that we finally had to stop being nice (and dumb), and switched on the validator. This means that a new member must verify their email address to be able to join. This has been a small help.

In fact, it removed all my fun of stalking new members who joined with obviously bogus information. The moment they tried to post, their post was removed and they were banned. Repeat offenders and duplicate spammers get their IP banned.

I don’t get to stalk new member prey as much now.

To our surprise, Paul (aka Send2Paul) found a nifty software application that automatically sends posts to places like our forums. It’s designed to link drop and post useless conversations on purpose. They say the goal is to get search engines to find links in signature lines and posts. You don’t have to be there and your information can be as fake as plastic surgery.

We’ve always scrambled links and sent them on a nice long journey into the Universe. So link drops are useless. We make that information available, but an automatic signup and post application can’t read.

A friend’s forum shares a Tech person with mine, and he reported to us a situation they discovered where links are hidden inside posts. Porn sites are desperately competitive and completely disrespectful of anyone’s web property or time. I only visit adult sites with class. Ahem.

So, while most people were enjoying their families, I was enjoying mine and protecting the forums from the onslaught of junk. I swear people purposely target registering junk posts and invalid signups on holidays and weekends, when they think nobody is around moderating. I can baste and blast at the same time…just you watch me.

Regular members have a blast when someone spams and a Moderator is asleep at the wheel. They show no tolerance for spam. If you want your site to be publically tormented, go ahead and make our day.

One of the things that fascinates me about spammers is their lack of intelligence. For example, we look at the user name and email address when new members signup. We run searches and check other things we have available to us, so we can study their history. So many people use words in their emails or user names that just scream spammer, or someone who is looking for topics we just don’t go into in a web design forum.

Despite the sheer number of daily new member signups and spam posts that members never see, there are, of course, legitimate signups by people who really want to join the cre8tive community. Members have their moods.

Witness:

Rambling About Members “titles”

Travis Is Seeking a Sex Goddess ??

Psychological Test, Web Designer’s Edition

to name a few.

When I’m not shooting spam, I’m laughing my head off at the entertainment.

Related: ‘9 out of 10 e-mails now spam’

For about 20 years or more I’ve detested this holiday. There’s several reasons why. Mostly it was because this holiday, and the Christmas one, are so filled with stress that I only wanted to avoid it all. Family gatherings can be strange things. I didn’t have the patience or tolerance for it all. I rarely hear women admit it, but the idea of making a gigantic meal just so that all the men can fall asleep in front of football games on TV seemed incredibly unfair!

Then, there was the issue of the Indians.

Whether it’s due to my ancient Cherokee, Shawnee and Blackfeet ancestors, or just my keen sense of the Native American spirit that’s always surrounded me somehow, when I found out the Pilgrims later killed the Indians they befriended, I stopped celebrating Thanksgiving. If I had to, I’d go through the motions, but my heart silently grieved.

With my new husband (we leave for Chicago Search Engine Strategies on our second wedding anniversary), I’m lightening up. I haven’t been feeling so much like a Scrooge since he and his family welcomed me to their huge brood. Eric puts up with me so well. It’s not an easy job. You have no idea how many times he is put on hold because I have to answer email, or be at Cre8asiteforums with members and moderators. My kids have grown used to my odd hours, and even odder working habits. My “office” is wherever I am in the house.

Last year, at Cre8asiteforums, some of the male members taught me how to “brine” a turkey. I’m doing that again this year because last year’s turkey was the best I’d ever made. It’s amazing how many web design folks are also kitchen gods and goddesses. When they get to talking about food in the forums…it’s always educational.

Tomorrow Eric and I host a Thanksgiving gathering. It’s the first one for us. We usually go somewhere and my kids have gone to be with their father and his family every year since forever. Tomorrow I have all of our kids, my parents, some in-laws, a daughter’s boyfriend, and some potential drop-ins, including my ex-husband and his fiance. I’m prepared to offer a feast.

It’s a good sign for me, that I can do this without feeling resentment towards the Pilgrims. I like football because my son plays and I “get it” now. Maybe this year I will fall asleep in front of the TV and the men will wash the dishes.

Okay. Maybe I’ll just get to watch football.

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends and global hug of gratitude to everyone else. I’m lucky for the chance to get to know you.

At this year’s Pubcon event, Google’s Matt Cutts asked a question at the start of a session that had nothing to do with search engines. The story goes, as told by Rand Fishkin at SEOMoz in One of the Most Talked About Incidents at Pubcon, that Matt asked about age and political opinion. Now it’s an “event” all on its own.

There’s probably some unwritten rule somewhere that says, “Never ask anyone their age.” Asking at a conference is simply asking. A gun wasn’t held to anyone’s head demanding a response. Whoever chose to admit being under or over 30 years old rose their hand. Seems harmless. I would have replied to the “over thirty” with gusto, since I’m far, far past that magic number and can still walk upright.

Rand recaps:

“Matt rose to the stage and first, asked a few questions of the audience. He wanted folks to raise their hand if they were over 30 or under 30 (I couldn’t see the audience, but he said it favored the under 30 crowd). He then asked how many folks were more red state or blue state (I believe he specifically re-worded it as “How many people were happy with the mid-term elections”). I couldn’t believe my ears and stood slightly to turn around the room and look - it appeared to be about 65-70% “happy with mid-term elections.” Two gentlemen to my right appeared to take quick offense, and one muttered to the other (as the “blue state” types were raising their hands) “f–kers.” Almost simultaneously, a woman behind me said something to her friend about “damn liberals” - I imagine that there were negative comments during the “red state” hand-raising as well, but didn’t hear them from where I was sitting. From talking to others afterwards, however, I gathered that I wasn’t alone in hearing antagonistic mutterings.”

This color identification has to stop.

Newsweek ran a map recently with the United States colored in red or blue. My state is one color, but I couldn’t find myself in that map. I don’t have a color. I have life experiences. I have some education. I play roles in life. I work. I do stuff that I regret later. I change my mind all the time. I laugh, cry, scream, and stare at the gray hair on my head. I look for good people and feel the good inside those who make you work harder to “get” them.

What the heck color is all that?

I don’t think, for a second, that Matt Cutts was anything other than being gloriously curious. I rejoice in that. He asked questions. I rejoice in that. He asked one of the questions in a way that could have been offensive because it focused on color, and therefore, was restrictive. I wouldn’t have chosen to ask the question that way.

However.

How sad that he might never ask anymore.

How tragic that we might all stop asking questions anymore, because the way one is asked can be intrepreted in so many ways.