Month: January 2005

Google to fight blog comment spam

From Google Blog:

If you’re a blogger (or a blog reader), you’re painfully familiar with people who try to raise their own websites’ search engine rankings by submitting linked blog comments like “Visit my discount pharmaceuticals site.” This is called comment spam, we don’t like it either, and we’ve been testing a new tag that blocks it. From now on, when Google sees the attribute (rel=”nofollow”) on hyperlinks, those links won’t get any credit when we rank websites in our search results. This isn’t a negative vote for the site where the comment was posted; it’s just a way to make sure that spammers get no benefit from abusing public areas like blog comments, trackbacks, and referrer lists.

(story continued)

What’s really nice about this current effort is that it involves a partnership between Google, MSN Search and Yahoo! on the search side and several popular blogging sites and software including WordPress, Livejournal, Blogger and MSN Spaces among others.

The linked article has information on how you can get involved with fighting comment spam through your blog today.

American Airlines asking about your friends

From Cory Doctorow:

Why is American Airlines gathering written dossiers on fliers’ friends?

Last week on a trip from London to the US, American Airlines demanded that I write out a list of the names and addresses of all the friends I would be staying with in the USA. They claimed that this was due to a TSA regulation, but refused to state which regulation required them to gather this information, nor what they would do with it once they’d gathered it. I raised a stink, and was eventually told that I wouldn’t have to give them the requested dossier because I was a Platinum AAdvantage Card holder (e.g., because I fly frequently with AA).

(continued)

How long until there’s a multiple-choice quiz followed by an essay section you have to pass before you’re allowed on an airline?

Unintentional consequences of amendment

From WCPO News:

Some attorneys are attempting to use Ohio’s new gay marriage amendment to defend unmarried clients against domestic violence charges.

The constitutional amendment took effect on December first. It denies legal status to unmarried couples.

In at least two cases last week, the Cuyahoga County public defender’s office has asked a judge to dismiss domestic-violence charges against unmarried defendants. The attorneys in the two cases argue that the charges violate the amendment by affording marriage-like legal status to unmarried victims who live with the people accused of attacking them.

Advocates for victims of domestic violence have worried about the effect of the amendment since it passed in November. They fear defense attorneys around the state will copy the tactic used in Cuyahoga County.

Of course, the the victim could still press charges for assault even if this defense works, but it would curtail the ability of a third party, usually the state, to press charges even if the victim refuses.

Darth Tater

From Yahoo News:

“As seen in this photo released in New York by Hasbro, Inc., Friday, Jan. 14, 2005, Hasbro, Inc.’s Playskool division is launching a new Mr. Potato Head figure, Darth Tater. Available at stores nationwide in February, kids will be able to have all kinds of mix ‘n match, Mr. Potato Head fun with this wacky spud dressed as the infamous Star Wars saga villain, Darth Vader.”