The Rick Schwartz Domain Name and Traffic Blog RicksBlog.com.........Home of the "Domain King"

Domain Industry Surpasses Real Estate Industry?

Morning Folks!!

Do you realize that in time the Domain Industry will surpass the Real Estate industry in several categories? The first one may have already happened.  The number of total domain registrations vs. parcels of property on planet earth.  I know, you probably never even thought about it. But now that you have……

The second number that will fall and again may have already fallen is the number of domains transactions vs. number of real estate closings.  I don’t know the numbers, but I sure as hell know that one is gaining on the other at warp speeds.

The third number is the big one. The one we may never surpass. Then again, who knows? That would be the total dollar volume of domain transactions vs. the total dollar volume of real estate closings. But even here we are in a race that started thousands of years ago for real estate and only a decade or two for domains.

The parallels with real estate have always been very real. Except the domain can be much more powerful and has unlimited expansion possibilities. The domain has natural resources that have yet to be discovered.  The difference is now the world is beginning to see what we see. Even if only a few.

Real estate is just one of the parallels. I see many others as well. The world will see many others in time.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Bing is a Huge Success and Google Confirms it!!

Morning Folks!!

When Microsoft finally entered the search arena they did it in a big way and Google was unexpectedly surprised and put back on their heels. The proof is Google announcing an operating system that is a year away at best. What else could they do? Looks like Google was caught flatfooted and their bottom line is going to suffer at the worst possible time. They underestimated Bing. Microsoft is going to hurt Google and it will take at least a year for Google to get off the mat. They have been hit with a body blow from the mighty giant. In the meantime, Bing is taking market share as it improves and gets some pretty good reviews. Sit back and enjoy the show. It's the one bright spot in a lot of bleakness.

Add the mountain of trademark suits being filed against Google and I would say that Google is in for some very rough days and their stock will start to reflect that once folks figure out that Google is losing market share and is vulnerable for the first time. Personally I think Google will bow in light of all these lawsuits, however they will make many millions each and every day they delay.

So if the saying is “As GM goes so goes the Nation” and GM is belly up, what is the future of the newest biggest company on earth? What will a real challenge to Google do to Google? When it comes to search engines, I just have 2 words......"Alta Vista".

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

USA on brink of Bankruptcy!

Morning Folks!!

The USA is in the midst of the biggest waste of 1 TRILLION dollars the world has ever seen. The latest is the $18 MILLION dollar contract to redesign recovery.org that will track wasteful spending. $18 Millions for a website???? I want to be friends with the government and get a contract like that. Of course that is in ADDITION to the money they spent on the site in January. So $18+++ MILLION to do a WEBSITE!!! This is not wasteful, it is criminal. This is a PAYOFF. A BRIBE! To add salt to the wound, they will probably exceed their budget!

Numbers, Numbers, Numbers. They don’t lie, people do! Politicians do! The USA is heading into the abyss. The NUMBERS say so, not me. The numbers spell out the path we are on and it is a lesson in insanity.

Personally I think everyone in Congress who voted for any of these new programs without reading the bills should be removed from office. There are things in there destined to destroy the economy, the country and our futures. Special interests have put things in YET TO BE DISCOVERED! This is dangerous!

Folks, start paying attention. The standard of living throughout the USA is going down for the first time in my life. The government now owns the auto industry. Now owns the banking industry.  Now owns and controls the mortgage industry. Has their eyes on the Insurance industry. The government has basically destroyed the corporate bond market when they told the GM bondholders they would not get their money.

Madoff’s 65 billion is a drop in the bucket to the trillions the government is taking.  You won’t see an immediate impact. But I can tell you that the NUMBERS prove that everyone’s taxes will be raised significantly and in all types of different areas.

Sorry my friends, but once a government takes more than 50% of your earning as taxes, you are no longer free. You are a slave or an indentured servant at best. If you had the NERVE to sit down and do the NUMBERS, you would already see we are just a hair under 50%. That will change in the coming years and the standard of living likely won’t recover for many decades.

The evidence is mounting. This is my FIRST doom and gloom post. The seeds that are being planted are poisonous. The fall will be a disaster. The question becomes what is their answer in January 2010 when things have deteriorated and are much worse than they were in January 2009?

btw, the North Koreans have been hacking into the State Departments computers for the past 5 days. This is where we keep many of our most closely held secrets. The government said yesterday that the department with the job of protecting our national security only has the budget for 100 people. Are they kidding??!! Maybe some of that $18 million could have hired another 100.

Fine, you can think I am nuts! But California is INSOLVENT as I write this. California represents one of the top economies in the world. Much bigger than Iceland. lol. Larger than most countries. Insolvent!!!! Think about that. Think it can't spread??? Prepare for the worst, hope for the best and stay one step ahead of the masses.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Number, Numbers, Numbers and the Liars Behind Them!

Morning Folks!!

You can talk about religion, you can talk about politics, you could talk about everything that you are not supposed to talk about. But when it comes to numbers, the WORLD has Attention Deficit Disorder. (ADD)

I don’t know what it is. Numbers are an exact science of which there is no equal. There is no hiding from. There is no personality or political affiliation or religious one either. I can never hold somebody’s attention long enough to follow the numbers and see the result. The bottom line, they think miraculously they can WISH and make the answer different than it is. Well, good luck!

Numbers are the roadmap of the universe. WTF is wrong with folks that shy away from the absolute reality that a number provides? This to me is the most puzzling human nature phenomenon that I see and deal with. Are you scared of numbers? Do you know folks that are?

The bottom line is if you don’t KNOW numbers, embrace numbers, follow the numbers, then you will work life in the blind. With misinformation because you will be forced to swallow other peoples numbers because you have no idea about the real numbers.

Folks bastardize numbers to suit their cause. If you don’t know the numbers, if you don’t know they are full of shit, you will go through life being gullible and making bad deals. Believing anything anyone feeds you because you can’t figure it out yourself. The result will be many unnecessary failures. Very costly ones. They won’t improve your life. That is also an EXACT science.

There is no more satisfying feeling than when someone presents their numbers to you and you look them in the eye and say….”You are full of shit.” Then proceed to destroy their NUMBERS because it is based on nothing. And even if they get it all right, it is easy to go in and list all the things they just conveniently omitted They omit it because it is small and does not count. First of all believe me, it counts! Second of all be sure to multiply all the little stuff because amazing as it is, it always adds up bigger than the big stuff.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Appraiser of the Year Announced! Contest winner for Smartphones.com Announced!

Good Afternoon Folks!!

In April I ran 2 contests so domainers could show off their appraisal skills. Many posted their guesses but only 2 were able to win.

The first contest was for how much SmartPhones.com would sell for at TRAFFIC in Silicon Valley this past April. The actual selling price was $95,000 and Edwin Sherman came closest with his entry of $92,000. Edwin receives a free ticket to the New York Show in October. Congratulations!

The next contest involved a total of 6 domain names. 3 auctioned by RickLatona.com and 3 auctioned by Moniker.com.

From Rick Latona

Shows.com NO RESERVE and Sold for 102k
SmartPhones.com $50k Reserve and Sold for 95k
WaterPurifiers.com $15k Reserve and did not sell.

From Moniker.com

Exhibiting.com $1k-$5k Reserve and Sold for $5000
HotProducts.com NO RESERVE and Sold for $9000
GolfCaddy.com $1k-$5k Reserve and Sold for $5500

Total $ 216,500

The winning entry was submitted by Andrea Mignolo at $215,000 and thereby being named "Appraiser of the Year."  The award will be given at the New York TRAFFIC Show during our Awards Luncheon. And of course Andrea will also receive a free ticket to the show as promised.

Congratulations to both our winners who had the gut and guts to call the numbers in front of their peers!!

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Spectacle or Memorial?

Morning Folks!!

What can you say….we are about to see one of the most outrageous scenes ever unfold and it is going to happen before all of us at the same time. With a lot of people, a lot of things can happen. Is this going to be OJ with an MJ twist? They say 1 BILLION people are going to watch this spectacle. A celebratory memorial filled with celebrity wrapped up in a concert and beamed worldwide.  Wonder if there will be any sponsors?

So let’s just hope this day goes smooth and safe.  No matter how it unfolds, we will long remember this day.  We will long remember what unfolds today.  This is a story that is just starting, not ending. Arrests, trials, an under ground unmasked, a racial component and more is what is to come. This could turn very ugly. 

Either way, today and what is to come is a study in human nature. Look at it closely. The good news is new music will be released and some of it will be great.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Everyone Hates Domainers. Especially Folks Lobbying ICANN

Morning Folks!!

The way you put people asleep in this business is mention ICANN. This may be my least read post ever. If Michael Jackson dies again I will have many more readers and many more comments. ICANN? Yawn. But what if ICANN were to encourage criminal activity by their flawed policies?  Reverse Domain Hijacking the LEGAL WAY? Maybe I can get your attention even when ICANN is the keyword.

I have long maintained that domains would become so valuable that eventually they would come after our assets. Well if you have been following Mike Berken’s blog, you can tell he is a bit frustrated as he watches what is to unfold and the lack of interest from rank and file domainers. ICANN is about to put your futures in jeopardy. ICANN is about to put their own future in jeopardy if they adopt this bonehead change.

Everyone hates domainers. So let’s start there. No love loss for what we do. However, in their hate for us, in their zeal to stop what we do, they jeopardize the mom and pop websites all over the world. Those are the ones that get caught in the crossfire. Nobody wants to hurt them and that is why we should show how it hurts the little guy with one domain, one website, one business. How just one over reaching jackass can turn their world upside down. We can fight the jackass. We have our legal teams go up against theirs and we will duel to the death. But the guy on Main Street is not so savvy. He may be under represented and the ones that they were supposed to protect are the ones ICANN is about to slay. The "Rapid Suspension" process will put every domain holder on the defense and in a much weaker position than those plotting to grab your assets with the element of surprise on their side and new rules that will make reverse hijacking the new sport of the day.

While we have squandered a decade, our opposition has come together and have gained a lot of strength. This change if adopted will mark the beginning of the end for many. It gets worse from here, not better.  Prepare to go to Federal Court to protect your assets. To REGAIN ownership. To be reimbursed for your losses. Our best defense is to let these jackasses know they and their companies will pay a price for over reaching. A better defense would be not to allow this to happen. So even if it falls on deaf ears, make your thoughts known. One commenter put it this way:

"No system is infallible regardless of it's 
intent, but to actively create a system
with such visible fallacies in place is
criminal." 
Jonathan Rusca, Verdant Industries Ltd.

and I completely agree. If adopted, folks could accuse ICANN of extreme Negligence. They can CLEARLY foresee the abuse that can and will happen. If they wrecklessly move forward on this, knowing full well that it is flawed and can do unrepairable damage, not only the possibility, but probability, then we are going to see and witness some landmark legal cases and the restructuring of ICANN from top to bottom. It may actually be the best thing that ever happened to website owners.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

July 4th More than Fireworks? Spoiled Brats Take Notice.

Morning Folks!!

July 4th is much more than an American Holiday. It is a day to celebrate freedom throughout the world. A day in history in which people triumphed over oppression. Average people overcoming great odds…..isn’t that what life is about? We celebrate history so we don’t repeat past mistakes. However repeating past mistakes is the thing I see most in life.

I know it has been in vogue to beat up on the USA for a while now and apologize for this and that. But today we should offer no apologies nor should we ever. The USA is a great country that has done great things for the world and mankind over and over again and only the arrogant would apologize for that. Only the uninformed would believe that. Only the ill willed would spread that. Only the evil would try and destroy that.

So a big THANK YOU for every soldier to lay his life on the line for humanity before even the USA. To every family that offered their own. Hundreds of years of battle after battle after battle for the simple privilege of having the free will to write this blog and think the thoughts I want to think. Because of them we live in freedom and have escaped the type of tyranny we see in Iran and other places. The type of tyranny governments will impose if you don’t pay attention and learn from history. Indeed we are lucky and sometimes we need to pause and think what life is really about.

If you add up all the people that died in the world throughout history fighting for or against freedom, religion, land and those caught in the gunfire, you would find that number rivals the entire 300 million population of the USA today. All fighting for something we take for granted in this day and age?  Here are the numbers just from the USA.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

My 13th Annual July 4th Post

Morning Folks!!

It was 1997 when I started making my annual July 4th posts. Some have been public, most have been private. One of the times of the year to pause, take notice of where you are where you are going and why you are going there. They are always upbeat looking to a bright future. There is still a bright future with domains and in domaining. If not for realizing I/We have the best investments in the world. The most portable investments, the most lucrative and the most universally expandable, then I would be pretty nervous about the future and my friends, there is a LOT to be nervous about. More than at anytime in my life and even years before that. We are entering uncharted territory both economically and politically. A huge bust is coming if we stay on this path. Of course, all the "Experts" will be surprised. Seems they are always chasing the train that already left the station. Always a few steps behind. Keep in mind, we have yet to feel the impact and pain for those that have lost their jobs. This will begin to manifest itself now that unemployment benefits and savings are running out for those that got laid off early on and are still not employed. We are about to see what happens when a city or a region hits 15%, 20%, 25%. How desperation manifests itself where it affects the lives of others.

If you think I have been exaggerating about the state of the economy, the state of the industry and the future of both, let me take the time to tell you that it is you that is underestimating what is happening and what is to come. It is you that will be surprised and unprepared. It will be you that will be scrambling while those that prepare are sucking up opportunity. Because that is what my posts are about. Opportunity! But if you are not in a position to take advantage of opportunity, you will watch it pass by. If you are in denial about the pitfalls, you will surely be a victim of them. 

There are major shifts in strategy going on throughout the industry. Don’t think so? Then we are watching a different movie. Weak domainers are getting weaker. Strong domainers are smart enough to see what is coming and are scrambling.

That’s the way I see it. My record speaks for itself.  The reason I have a record is I say what nobody dare says. I ask the questions that folks don’t ever want to even think about. I say/ask it early and often. Could this be a summer of discontent?  Could there be a disastrous fall? Could things be getting worse, not better? Fasten your seat belts!

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Anything in between and prepare to pay a price. Dare to ask questions of “What if this”, “What if that?” Be bold enough to find the answer. The best answer. Even the ones you don’t want to find. Even when you are ridiculed for doing so.

Here is a secret. The only reason my 2008 and 2009 have been record years for me personally was I started preparing in 2007. When do you think it is time for you to prepare? You can disagree, but you can only avoid the gravitational downturn we are going to face by a plan and preparation and even that is no guarantee.  Last fall I said that after there is a glut of goods on the market, it would be followed by shortages. I can identify several items in society that are now in a short supply. Can you? Do you have a stock of these items? My job in life is staying at least one step ahead of the masses. One step ahead of you.

In the meantime, you can hear some more of my thoughts in this Podcast done by Ed at OzDomainer.com.

See you on the other side.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz