Don’t know how I missed this on Monday, but here’s an uplifting piece of information to ponder over the holiday weekend.

Whenever an online-related announcement bears a headline containing the word “stabilization,” my first feeling is that of disappointed skepticism because "stability" is not a word often used in this industry. Yesterday was no exception.

With only a few weeks left of the holiday shopping season, it’s nice to know that things are moving along quite well for the e-commerce universe, but it looks like online travel spending is beginning to slow.

One thing that struck me as a little odd at this week’s @d:Tech conference was that everyone was so surprised at the positive attitude of everyone else in attendance. Many people I talked to mentioned the “good mood” and the “enthusiasm” in the air, adding that it’s a little weird to see all that happiness considering everything the industry has been through. Well, why shouldn’t we be positive?

As some of the busiest travel days of the year approach, it's very well documented that consumers are turning to the web for tickets, deals and specials, thanks in no small part to the fact that the travel category is the fourth largest industry advertising online. And who said online ads don't work?

The second day of the @d:Tech conference in New York covered many issues, starting with day parts. In the morning keynote, Yahoo’s Chief Solutions Officer Tim Sanders said that based on the many studies that prove daytime is primetime on the Web, the Internet’s ability to target audiences by time of day -- especially during the day – is essential to online media's role in the media mix. “If you want to reach them during the day, get good at using the Internet," he said.

Despite the usual “there is a pot of gold at the end of the interactive rainbow” opening keynote yesterday morning, @dTech New York is shaping up to solidify its position as the leading conference of the online advertising industry. The sessions are informative, the exhibit hall is packed, and there’s definite enthusiasm in the air – a welcome change from years past.

Two recent studies tell an interesting – albeit somewhat predictable - story about the search side of online advertising.

I promised I wouldn’t talk about online holiday shopping unless something significant happened, and it looks like the silence ends today. I’m happy to report that the online advertising industry is learning from its mistakes.

Even though the announcement hit yesterday and has already fueled many a water cooler discussion, I think it’s worth repeating that there might be a very basic reason for the low response rates most email marketers are currently struggling with.