scary sh*t !

CBS TO IMPLODE SEE DRUDGE

Most of this tech stuff is over my head, I can't deny it. I'll have to read that article three times before I understand.

#1 noshariaincanada; that WebGrabIt program really does work for you! Unfortunately, they only make it for Windows, so I can't use it. Not that I would anyway -- I use my zombiesense, au naturel.

the bastards.

CAIR on Fox now

I just switched to yahoo, until i hear they are doing the same...5...4...3...2

Screwggle them!

google sucks

I can't even turn my cookies on or off.. so I have no idea what they are getting.., but I'd like to know.

#2

Yep, the fun and good times at CBS just keeps on...

#3 zombie

yes, and I don't mean to trivialize the issue of what Google's doing - people called microsoft the "evil empire" but it seems to me what GOOG is doing is far worse - 'cause it's not about computing anymore, it's about information access and distribution.

so if they really are out to get you are you still considered paranoid?

Invictus 75
Yahoo DOES use a new off-site tracking system.
They are tracking what sites & type of sites you're going to!
I'm guesing it's for advertisement purposes.
Fortunately, you can dis-able the system on your account.

I remember in the days of my youth, it seemed there was lots of right-wing paranoia, conspiracy theories, etc. floating about. Now the left has taken over the conspiracy theory market to explain those facts of life they can't deal with. After reading the article a few times, I don't think this is paranoia on our side. It's real. But what can be done?

yes, and I don't mean to trivialize the issue of what Google's doing - people called microsoft the "evil empire" but it seems to me what GOOG is doing is far worse - 'cause it's not about computing anymore, it's about information access and distribution.

To paraphrase Frank Herbert:

He who controls the Information, controls the Universe!

zombie, I read it a few times too, seems like they're grabbing info that web sites are making unavailable to others. Only a lib would do this.

Could Google be using the robots.txt files to intentionally harvest data people want hidden?

To answer Jack's question... No.

I am curious as to whether or not he set it up correctly to be honest.

Google is one of the best engines that reads & respects robots.txt. (MSN is the worst IMHO). As for why they list all the lefty sites? Hey, they've hired a bunch of lefty computer guys from Southern California, did you expect different? If their is an official policy on it, I'll get pissed, but right now it's human stupidity.

Google Rocks. Anyone smearing it as an uber liberal site needs their head examined. If you don't like it, don't use it.

damn good question.

anybody asked them?

Firewalls, firewalls, firewalls.

New Tactics:

NBC is reporting about abuses committed by US contractors. Perhaps the reports are true, but I suspect it may be something else.

NBC: US contractors allege abuses

I am wondering if this might be an attempt to get at the troops through an indirect means. First attack the contractors, and once they are properly smeared, hint that US troops may have comitted similar abuses. Since the first reports were true, people will be more likely to trust the later.

Perhaps I am just paranoid, but after hearing stuff like this I can't help myself.

(From the Kaiser Member Home Page)

They have a VERY interesting article on the fact that if you use Google's Desktop search, you will have a copy of all your personal information that you might have filled in on a confidential form for Kaiser can be brough up by anyone using your computer.

"Google has introduced Desktop Search, a new application that works in conjunction with Google's regular Web search feature."

"If you've downloaded Desktop Search onto your computer, you should be aware of a security issue that may allow others to view personal information--such as credit card and Medical/Health Record numbers--that you've provided on secure Web pages, even those that are password-protected."

(for the rest of this article, go to:
[Link: members.kaiserpermanente.org...]
and click on the Google article.)

I've mentioned before that Google removed some of my unflattering caricatures of Michael Moore from its Image Search, where they were on the front page.

I can see a political agenda behind this selective removal.

Oh yeah, Google? How about this - I'm hereby boycotting the whole Internet...catch me if you can.

This story does bring up the obvious question, just how do they make money without ads and without charging people who use the service? Is it possible that they quietly collect information from computers all across the net and then figure out how to package the info and market it? If they really are out there collecting information on the down-low from unsuspecting dupes like me, then its just a short leap for some rogue Google employee in a cubicle to use the technology to aid the efforts of terrorists, criminals, foreign agents, etc.

I don't know about this computer stuff.

All I'm sayin' is: I don't want the right of center to turn into the conspiracy theory crowd.

Is google *really* harvesting data from right-wing sites for some sort of hit piece?

I dunno: I will go so far as to suggest that their bias is apparant in their chosing to use Wonkette and DU as news sites, but not LGF, etc.

But, some sort of underlying, hideous conspiracy... I dunno, gang...

I welcome comments and criticisms...

I didn't read the comments yet, but here's a good site on all of Google's spooky stuff:

Googlewatch

#25 Tanker J.D.

Look at it this way: if the largest database about terrorist activities was controlled by CAIR, how would you react?

I think there is a tinge of paranoia. Look, they're in the business to make money. Google's a public company, with open books. If you think they're doing something screwy, become a shareholder. Your voice as a shareholder is more powerful than complaining to them in an e-mail.

If there was something to this, it would be a topic in Webmaster World. Webmasters are some of the most conspiratorial minded people you'll meet, and they're not seeing Black Helicopters over this.

[Link: www.webmasterworld.com...]

FWIW, the Google bots have been hitting my company's site pretty heavily for quite some time. We sell widgets, nothing political about them. Most likely they're spidering for their next update.

Google Watch? OK forget what I said in my previous post. The way everyone on the Internet is being watched by someone else, how can anyone get away with anything?

How can this be? Google's mantra is

DO NO EVIL

.

With a mantra like that, Googe must be up to only good things, right?

/sarcasm

Though I am generally opposed to Microsoft, I've lately been using MSN Search and am quite happy with it.

OT: Navy to Commission Attack Submarine Jimmy Carter

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy will commission its newest nuclear-powered attack submarine Jimmy Carter on Saturday, Feb. 19, during an 11 a.m. EST ceremony at Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, Conn.

President Carter is the only U.S. president to have qualified in submarines. He has distinguished himself by a lifetime of public service, and has long ties to the Navy and the submarine force. Carter graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946, served as a commissioned officer aboard submarines, and served as commander-in-chief from 1977 to 1981. Carter's statesmanship, philanthropy and sense of humanity earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

This will be the only submarine in the navy that will not attacked any Muslims or depose any sitting dictator.

Special release from the U.S. Department of Defense

Innismir -- i'm only a semi-demi geek-- so can you explain slowly how you know that the answer to Jack's question is "no?"

#24 mich-again, they DO make their money from ads. Text ads appear on their search pages, and they also make a lot of money with what they call Ad Sense, ad blurbs that appear on tens of thousands of web sites.

I am glad someone is poking around. Something is a bit fishy.

I googled google

I found a watch organization with a website :
[Link: www.google-watch.org...]
the site makes my head hurt...weird conspiracies with Bush and Rumsfeld linked..total opposite assumed stuff.

google goes global:
[Link: www.google.com...]

google corporate info:
[Link: www.google.com...]

Google does run ads, on the top of their search results (in blue), and on the right side of their search page. They also place ads on participating web sites.

They were hip when they were private, but now that they're public, huge and rich there'll be a backlash by the net's "counter-culture" against them.

Google I now hate you! And to think we were once the best of friends

#35

Ha! You saw that google-watch too.

The guy is a moonbat nutcase, but the technical points he raises are indeed spooky.

Did you see the pic of the hippy smoking a blunt? I think that's the founder.

And another thing...they are in the business of providing information, yet their corporate financial disclosure policy is as bare bones as it gets...

But hey, if Leslie Stahl does a puff-up 60 Minutes piece they're aok right?

I'm currently running an experiment -- a directory that's indicated ONLY in my robots.txt file. If I see any access to it, I'll let you know.

#33 levi from queens

I run quite a few web sites, all with robots.txt. One of my pet peeves are spiders that ignore the file, and I have never, /never/ seen google behave the way discussed on the post. I double checked my logs just now, google ignores it all.

(Also, I've been using Google since they were at Stanford. 1999? 1998?)

Thanks Pookleblinky and LouMinatti for the info. That Googlewatch site has some pretty creepy stuff. I've been using Gooogle for a couple years now but never really thought about how all of it works.

#20 Final Historian. still OT. Custer Battles (sp?) was the subject of a Senate Democratic Policy committee meeting yesterday (I think-I saw it on C-SPAN yesterday anyway). The minority leader (Reid) is conducting a witch hunt to find scandal in the CPA (Coalition Provisional Authority) running of Iraq.

There is a "whistleblowers" court case and they attorney presented his evidence to the committee. It was all very interesting. I have no doubt money was "lost" as a result of the CPA, but then again, there were no banks or wire services available at the time and they distributed million's of dollars IN CASH to keep the Iraq working. I found it alarming that the Democrats were ready to cry "FOUL" without asking too many questions or willing to consider the enormity of the situation as a whole.

I wonder, also, how much of the unaccounted $$ was funnelled into intelligence gathering.

There was also considerable discourse on how we handled "journalism" while in charge over there. Yawn!

I have to do more research, but I expect we'll be hearing more bad things from the MSM on Custer Battles.

Beware of Gmail. They state that their ambition is to organize all the information in the world.

Gulp.

All I can tell you for sure is that I have a website with all the HTML pages set to "NoIndex," and it's been that way for over a year. I just searched a fairly long text string at that site and Google doesn't find it or the term that's my domain. After a year, it should.

Anyone have any prototype sites that have been around for awhile using a txt file for noindex instructions?

We should be able to test this premise.

I just searched again for a two-word combination that's fairly unique, and Google didn't find it. NoIndex is working for me.

I am seriously bereft of any knowledge about all this computer stuff...I'm happy as long as my puter starts up and I can type...

Now, with that warning out of the way, can someone explain to me in simple english what are cookies (no smart ass replies) and should I have them turned off on my computer and how do I do such a thing?

Also, what is a good alternative to google to do searches?
I am more angry about their left wing tilt then anything!

Devon in Cowtown

#47

Cookies are little text files that tell sites that you've already been there. Good ones, like the ones for Yahoo mail, let the site know that you're logged in. Evil ones, like that zedo one, can track you down like a mexican pimp.

If you use Firefox ([Link: www.mozilla.org),...] you can set the browser to erase all the cookies when you close it. You can also set it to keep some of the cookies you need (yahoo, LGF, news-sites, etc).

spybot S&D has a thingy that automatically blocks cookies from about 2,000 sites if you use Internet Explorer.

OT -The Custer Battles saga --basically the same info I heard on CSPAN yesterday--although I don't know much about the site itself: [Link: www.corpwatch.org...]

To 47...

Thanks Pooky but my limited intellectu vis a vis the puter leads me to ask, then what is the purpose of a Cookie letting me know I was at their site?

Confused Darul Harbian

anyone with a mind to do so can create or configure a bot to ignore or abuse a robots.txt file.

they can also play games with the googlebot when it comes round, if they bother to look for the opportunity.

let the games begin...

#23 politicalinsomniac

Oh yeah, Google? How about this - I'm hereby boycotting the whole Internet...catch me if you can.

Note to self:

Boycott Google = Boycott my own blog. Then I would be down to, um, zero readers. Not a good idea. Maybe I'll just switch to Webcrawler for my searches, and use Google for blogging only. That should show 'em.

#50

If you log into yahoo mail, it puts a cookie onto your comp. You can close the window (assuming your browser isn't set to erase all cookies when you close the window), then open yahoo again and not have to log back in. Amazon.com does the same thing. Cookies let the sites know that you're logged in, so you don't have to keep logging into them.

Some sites require cookies to identify you, such as Blogger.com and Typepad.com. In this case, they not only tell the site that you're logged on, but they tell the site that you are indeed who you say you are.

According to the article, Charles has been trying, unsuccessfully so far, to get LGF listed with Google News. Unless it's a matter of pride or a need to generate more advertising revenue, I'm not sure why Charles wants to be listed on Google News in the first place. Who needs the additional aggravation that the additional traffic would cause.

Even without Google News, Charles and LGF get more famous each day. Look at the realities. Charles already has his fair share of cyber stalkers and has to keep LGF registration closed almost all the time now. I've even heard more than one lizardoid complain about the current level of traffic (not me, I could even be part of the problem).

/just sayin', be careful what you wish for
//really none my business of course

# 50
Set your internet preferences to clean out your cookie cache on a regular basis . Better yet, purchase a good firewall that blocks cookies from sites unless you give them approval

If you really want the LLL Moonbats to stop using Google, all you have to do is point them towards Google Watch (as mentioned by several earlier Lizardoids) and then tell them that one of the founders of Google is Jewish (Sergey Brin). With Google Watch's privacy conspiracy theories and the LLL "Jews control the world" mindset, pro-Google types will leave them in droves!

If you don't want a page to be seen in the Google listings and you don't want the page to be spidered:

1) Don't have any "normal" links on other pages pointing to it
2) Put them in a password protected directory
3) If you must, link to the page(s) in question from other pages using the following code example:

<span onclick="self.location='[Link: www.pajamahadin.com'"><u>Here...] is a link</u></span>

Something like this will make the link clickable for a user, but a search engine spider will not recognize it as a link to crawl and add to its index

Jesus, is anyone not funding leftist causes anymore? It's getting to be like breathing...

Scary stuff. Has anyone notice that their site don't load as quickly as they used to? I just cleaned out my favs. and I'm going to clean up all the cookies, etc. and see if that makes things a bit faster. Between Googlebots and others crawling all over my system I'm crawling along at snail speed.

I think the post responding to the topic post stating that the most likely cause for this behavior is to create an exclusions list is the most probable... ASSUMING the behavior is occuring in the first place.

Google may be populated by a bunch of moonbats, but that doesn't make them evil.

Just stupid.

I have uninstalled google. A company that engages in such unfair practices shouldn't deliver such biased information to anyone, especially me.
And who's worried about the Patriot Act and missing library books again?

You know the Left is claiming the exact opposite:
Google Mind Control

I realize this thread is just about finished, but there is something else for novice webmasters to consider before getting paranoid about Google.

Google's search technology loves inbound links. It will follow just about anything. If Google's robots are hitting a web page that is supposed to be blocked with a robots.txt file, it's because there are links to that page, not because Google's programmers have a political agenda. (Google programmers most likely don't give a crap. They're more concerned with their stock options.) Chances are those links to your "do not spider" pages aren't even on your domain, so you may not know about them. That's not Google's fault.

Even though Google's robots are hitting a "blocked" page, Google probably isn't going to display those pages in their search results. The robots.txt file I use works just fine.

Beware, the link goes to the (gasp!) dreaded Google's own instructions on how to Remove Content from Google's Index! One of the great benefits of the Internet is that it keeps a lot of cranks busily typing instead of wandering around annoying people

Most Jewish people are Democrats! Let's boycott Israel!
/sarcasm

Google is slightly more likely to include a left leaning blog than a right leaning blog in Google News. Any man-made directroy (google news sources) is going to be biased. Other than that, I don't see anything that indicates that Google is being biased.

Google has a lot of power, but I haven't seen them abuse it. If they do start to abuse their power, people will switch to another search engine.

htmlthis timely entry- how google is re-arranging search results

Has Google gone Republican?

asgeir (#67),

Has Google gone Republican?

No