PP HOLIDAY READING: AdViewGlobal Stories Dominated Reader Interest In 2009; ASDMBA And ADV4U Coverage, Bowdoin Proffer, Guest Columnists Commanded Attention

UPDATED 1:25 P.M. ET (U.S.A.) AdViewGlobal-related stories comprised eight of the 10 “Most Popular” posts on the PatrickPretty.com Blog in 2009, as determined by a software scoring system that measures a range of data. The result suggests that readers were intensely interested in coverage of the controversial autosurf.

The finding also suggests that AVG members were worried about the future of AVG and their participation in it. At the same time, the data suggest that AVG members were turning to the PP Blog to monitor AVG developments because they were not satisfied with the information provided by AVG and sought a “Big Picture” analysis, as opposed to relying exclusively on AVG to form their opinions.

AVG-related stories and conversations dominated reader interest, largely beginning in the second quarter of the year. The most popular PP story of 2009 — weighing a range of factors beyond the single metric of post views — was an AVG story published June 3, under the headline, “AdViewGlobal Promoter Says Prospects Can Bypass Company And Purchase Ad-Packs Directly From Sponsors To Ensure They Get Credited With 200 Percent Match Before Deadline.”

The June 3 story, however, was not the PP story that attracted the most readers, using “Single Post Views” as the only factor weighed by the software. That honor, if it can be called that, belonged to a March 24 post titled, “BREAKING NEWS: AVG Loses Banking Privileges.”

The only two posts in the “overall” Top 10 — as weighed by several factors — that were not largely or exclusively about AVG were an April 18 column by guest writer Roxy Lewis and an Aug. 28 article about a claim by the AdVentures4U (ADV4U) autosurf that it was suspending cashouts amid reports that its purported owner, Steve Smith, had been threatened.

Lewis’ column, titled “GUEST COLUMNIST: ‘Shocked’ And ‘Scared’ To See Her Name In Friedman Lawsuit Paperwork; Says She Was Told To ‘Examine Your Finances’; Sees Move By Dallas Lawyer As ‘Intimidation Tactic’ And Says She Won’t ‘Roll Over’ — was the 9th Most Popular post overall, as weighed by several factors.

PatrickPretty.com has published 521 posts in the past year.

In the Lewis guest column, the self-described member of the AARP generation told her story about various email interactions concerning her attempt to get a refund for her contribution to ASDMBA, an organization whose de facto head is ASD story mainstay Bob Guenther. Some ASDMBA members complained about obnoxious behavior by Guenther in their interactions with him, saying ASDMBA provided accounting that was less than transparent and bullied members who questioned its operation.

ADV4U’s announcement, meanwhile, put the Ponzi forums in an uproar — and provided yet another compelling example of the “wink-nod” nature of autosurfs. On one hand, people throw money at the surfs to collect surfing “earnings” and sales commissions, and deny they are illegal. On the other hand, they become paranoid when a surf begins to show signs of trouble and then demand refunds or flock to Ponzi forums to complain, even though no autosurf has ever passed the test of time and demonstrated legality and mathematical sustainability.

The story about the ADV4U announcement was the 2nd Most Popular Post, as weighed by several factors. Because ADV4U was known to be popular among members of AVG and AdSurfDaily — and because autosurfs in general are known to have common promoters — the data suggest that many people raced from one autosurf disaster to another in 2009.

In the bizarre world of the autosurf, the people who entice others into joining one disaster after another — and pocket commissions for doing so — are known as the “leaders.”

The Top 10 ‘Overall’ Posts As Measured By A Range Of Factors

Here, in reverse order of popularity, is a list of the Top 10 Overall Posts on the PP Blog since December 2008, as measured by a range of factors, as opposed to the lone one of “Single Post Views.” To give you an idea of how the software works, consider that Tiger Woods may not lead the PGA Tour in all statistical categories, but may be the “overall” statistical leader when a range of variables are considered and averaged. Readers should view these results as a somewhat reliable estimate, as opposed to a scientifically pure one.

No. 10: (July 1, 2009): AdViewGlobal Withdraws Announcement Of New Payment Plan; Initial Announcement Baffled Members

No. 9: (April 18, 2009): GUEST COLUMNIST: ‘Shocked’ And ‘Scared’ To See Her Name In Friedman Lawsuit Paperwork; Says She Was Told To ‘Examine Your Finances’; Sees Move By Dallas Lawyer As ‘Intimidation Tactic’ And Says She Won’t ‘Roll Over’

No. 8: (Aug. 5, 2009): DID SURF FIRM JUST MAKE HISTORY? AdViewGlobal Says It Filed State, Federal Complaints About $2.7 Million Theft; Surf Wants New CFO, Compliance Officer, Department Managers; Asks Members To Keep Surfing

No: 7: (June 25, 2009): AdViewGlobal ‘Surf’ Firm Suspends Member Cash-Outs, Threatens Media With Copyright-Infringement Lawsuits

No: 6: (July 10, 2009): AdViewGlobal’s June 1 News Release Had Typo That Directed Traffic Away From Website Firm Was Showcasing

No. 5: (Aug. 7, 2009): And The Ponzis Will Die As One . . .

No. 4: (June 30, 2009): BREAKING NEWS: AdViewGlobal Cited As Extension Of AdSurfDaily In RICO Complaint Against Andy Bowdoin

No. 3: (June 23, 2009): Members Say AdViewGlobal Problems Are Mounting

No. 2: (Aug. 28, 2009): BREAKING NEWS: AdVentures4U, New Darling Of Surf World, Says It Was Threatened; Note Says Cashouts Will Be Suspended Soon And Members Will Have To Make Do With Their ‘Advertising’ Purchases; Ponzi Forums In Uproar

No. 1: (June 3, 2009): AdViewGlobal Promoter Says Prospects Can Bypass Company And Purchase Ad-Packs Directly From Sponsors To Ensure They Get Credited With 200 Percent Match Before Deadline

** Finishing just out of the Top 10 overall — in 11th Place — was this story about a dramatic announcement by the government in the AdSurfDaily Ponzi forfeiture case, published April 24, 2009: PROSECUTION BOMBSHELL: Bowdoin Signed Proffer Letter Prior To Submitting To Forfeiture And Told Investigators That Government’s Material Allegations Were ‘All True’

*** No. 12 went to this post, published May 19, 2009: Patrick Pretty ‘Poof’ Penalty Plagues Portal Posters

**** It is possible that the Bowdoin story now in 11th Place could eke its way into the Top 10 by the end of the year, as it currently is in a virtual tie for the No. 10 spot. Adjustments involving other stories also could occur.

Sampling Of Top 10 Stories Scored By ‘Single Post Views’ Since December 2008

No. 1: (March 24, 2009): BREAKING NEWS: AVG Loses Banking Privileges

No. 2: (Sept. 23, 2009): WHO’S IN CHARGE? AdViewGlobal Surf Domain Now Resolves To GoDaddy; Registration Appears To Have Expired

No. 6: (Dec. 13, 2008): Giant Wall Street ‘Ponzi Scheme’ Collapses; Potential Losses In Madoff Fraud Pegged at $50 Billion Amid ‘One Big Lie’

No. 8: (Dec. 13, 2008): Two Friday Bank Failures Will Cost FDIC $212.5 Million

No. 9: (Dec. 14, 2008): Judge Orders Freeze Of Madoff’s Assets; Investigators Will Try To Determine If Funds Were Co-Mingled In Ponzi Scheme

No. 10: (Dec. 15, 2008): Madoff Victims Include Foundations, Business And Entertainment Icons, Mom And Pop

** Four of the other Top 10 stories measured by Post Views since December 2008 were updates instructing readers about our progress in switching to the WordPress publishing platform. It seems readers missed us when we were offline or down for maintenance. :-)

*** The Most Popular Story in the past 90 days is this one, published on Sept. 30, 2009: ASD Mainstay Bob Guenther Lectures Federal Prosecutor, Says He’ll Call On ‘Political Connections’ To Embarrass Justice Department; Claims Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio Not Tough Enough On Crime

**** The 2nd Most Popular Post in the past 90 days is this one, published on Oct. 1, 2009: Guenther Softens Comment That ‘Sheriff Joe’ Arpaio Was Soft On Crime; Says Recent Email Lecturing Veteran Federal Prosecutor Was Sent At Behest Of Crime Victims

***** The 3rd Most Popular Post in the past 90 days is this one, published on Oct. 12, 2009: Site That Used ASD’s Name And Made Odd Claims While Bowdoin Was Negotiating With Prosecutors Goes Offline

****** The 4th Most Popular Post in the past 90 days was this one, published on Oct. 14, 2009: EDITORIAL: Our Best Wishes To ‘Gomer Pyle,’ AUSA

******* The 5th Most Popular Post in the past 90 days was this one, published Sept. 29, 2009: OBSTRUCTION? ASD Spokeswoman Whose Name Appeared In Secret Service Filing Says She Instructed Members NOT To Fill Out Government Form; Now Appears To Be Advising Members To Clam Up If Contacted By Agents

******** This post, published on Sept. 28, 2009, is in a virtual tie for the 5th Most Popular Post in the past 90 days: BREAKING NEWS: Prosecutors Go Back To Court, Provide Judge Copy Of Transcript From Bowdoin’s Call Last Week

********* This Jan. 3, 2009, post by guest columnist “Entertained” scored very well overall for the year and finished in the Top 20 overall posts for the year: ‘Black Box’ Method Exposes ASD Sustainability Myth

********** This July 9, 2009, post by guest columnist Gregg Evans also scored very well overall for the year, finishing in the Top 30: GUEST COLUMN: Payment Processors That Give Refunds Unilaterally Help Surf ‘Industry’ Live To See Another Day