ValueClick this week announced the divestiture of their lead-gen business unit, Web Clients. The stated reason is that ValueClick wants to stay focused on their online marketing services and technology businesses. That’s fair enough, but a look at the history of ValueClick and Web Clients raises questions in the minds of the curious.

Jason Calacanis has made a name for himself by being smart, funny and a vocal supporter of integrity in web publishing. He has also said that affiliates “pollute the Internet,” that “SEO is bullsh!t,” and that photos of affiliates holding up six-figure AdSense checks were “just pathetic.”

Let’s just say that Jason knows how to make friends.

2010 has started at a sprint.

Affiliate Summit is almost here with Las Vegas preparing for the influx of amped-up super-affiliates ready to party. Google has launched the Nexus One and staked an even stronger claim on the burgeoning mobile space. And Facebook is making waves already with in-game offers and virtual currency. But before we dive into all that, it’s worth taking a moment or two to consider where we are as individuals and companies.

The following piece was written by Eric Reyes and appeared in the Blue Book Guide to Ad Networks and Exchanges in November, 2009.

As ad networks keep proliferating, some industry watchers are asking whether there is an ad network bubble and whether consolidation will keep it from popping.

The following piece was written by Paresh Vadavia and appeared in Revenue Performance magazine in November, 2009. Affiliate Corner — Paresh Vadavia

Judging by the way our economy has plummeted in the last year, it seems the 2009 holiday season does not bode well for retailers — online or off.

Tens of thousands of people are still getting laid off every week, the job market simply won’t do us the kindness of opening up, and consumers are squeezing pennies so hard that Lincoln feels their pain.