Google-owned sites generated $3.81B while partner sites generated $1.69B.
I think the act of comparing the amount Google makes from AdWords to AdSense is moot -- Both of these channels are very successful. Both of these numbers end with a capital "B".
So question: Do I become an ad broker and take on Google or simply utilize Google to display ads on my property and make some coin?
At this point, I don't care how much Google is making off of me as a percentage, but I do care how much money I actually do put in my own pocket.
"take some simple steps to ensure that you don't bork your site"
unborked[.com] is currently available.
A site dedicated to stopping all of the borking going on out there.
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I think some cheap, simple sql dumps from the db, burned to an external HD and taken home would've been a good first step -- your data would be dated but somehow restorable nonetheless without the need for off-site, replicated, heart-beat monitored databases.
IMHO you really need an expert database admin (of which I am not) to get all of this up and keep all of it going; a caretaker who's only job in life is the maintenance of any and all persisted data.
On another note, backups are really useless unless you have actually tested the restores.
I agree. It seems like you never get enough oomph from an engrossing session of WoW - never really satisified, always feeling empty after the latest chapter/quest.
It's kind of like reading a Robert Kiyosaki book - getting to the end and needing to buy the next book right away. The content makes you feel good but it always leaves you feeling a bit undernourished, hoping the next fix will finally complete you - leaving you whole.
The preceding was a bit of self-reflection, perhaps. :)