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 Posted May 18th, 2010 at 11:05AM
Last Friday I received an e-mail from Google stating that my website was in violation of the terms of service for its AdSense advertising service. They flagged a post from five years ago, where I linked to an interview with the creator of “Real Dolls” and complained that a great deal of my site traffic was coming from search engine searches for said sex dolls (I had previously posted a link and excerpts from an article on them – they start at $5000, and apparently there’s a market. It had piqued my curiosity, what can I say?)
AdSense’s TOS restrict service to websites with “adult, mature, or pornographic” content. I’ve kept this in mind, but guess I focused on the key word of pornographic, as I tend to think of politics or even the weather as “adult” or “mature” topics – obviously there’s little sense in such a vague proscription. And my personal definition of pornography revolves around the express intent of getting off, which this website has never attempted to provide for anyone.
I requested a clarification on how exactly to bring my blog in line with their expectations – was their problem with the content, the linkage to the manufacturer’s site, or the long-broken image anchors? I received no response and my service was interrupted as promised three days after the initial notice.
It seems like Google allows itself to be the premier conduit for pornography the world over, but AdSense advertisers are expected to maintain a puritanical theme of fluffy bunnies and stork-delivered conception, suitable for the rug rat set whom Google’s advertising apparently targets.
I never made a dime with AdSense as this site never generated enough traffic to drum up the required threshold earnings (before they send your check), and I’ve only intermittently displayed ads in the first place. I might investigate alternative services, but for now it’s a low priority. Self-absorbed schizophrenic personal blogs have never been big money makers, after all.
So long, AdSense, it’s been nice sending you what limited traffic I could, for no compensation.
Expect a post soon about my Monticello track day. I had a blast and the car performed without fault.
Posted November 11th, 2008 at 10:38AM
I missed this little gem until Google (via their Free the Airwaves campaign) alerted me to it today:
All eyes are on the presidential election today, but another important vote just took place at the Federal Communications Commission. By a vote of 5-0, the FCC formally agreed to open up the “white spaces” spectrum — the unused airwaves between broadcast TV channels — for wireless broadband service for the public. This is a clear victory for Internet users and anyone who wants good wireless communications.
The FCC has been looking at this issue carefully for the last six years. Google has worked hard on this matter with other tech companies and public interest groups because we think that this spectrum will help put better and faster Internet connections in the hands of the public. We also look forward to working with the FCC to finalize the method used to compute power levels of empty channels adjacent to TV channels (we have a number of public filings before the commission in this area and it is a vital issue in urban areas).
I’ve always thought that there are a lot of really incredible things that engineers and entrepreneurs can do with this spectrum. We will soon have “Wi-Fi on steroids,” since these spectrum signals have much longer range than today’s Wi-Fi technology and broadband access can be spread using fewer base stations resulting in better coverage at lower cost. And it is wonderful that the FCC has adopted the same successful unlicensed model used for Wi-Fi, which has resulted in a projected 1 billion Wi-Fi chips being produced this year. Now that the FCC has set the rules, I’m sure that we’ll see similar growth in products to take advantage of this spectrum.
I’m very excited to hear the news and I think taking advantage of white spaces is the best chance of universal, low cost high speed internet. It’s especially encouraging that Google has taken such a stake in the issue.
Posted August 18th, 2008 at 4:58PM
There is a better way forward: free up the unused airwaves, so that more entrepreneurs can get into the market, build the wireless technologies of tomorrow, and roll out faster, low-cost Internet access. Right now, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering whether to open up a vast, vacant swath of spectrum — the TV “white spaces.” Rather than being sold to private companies via exclusive licenses, this spectrum would be unlicensed, owned by no one and available to everyone.
At Google, we believe that opening up the white spaces would have tremendous benefits not only for companies like ours but also for society in general. That’s why we’ve joined a broad coalition of public interest groups and companies in urging the FCC to “free the airwaves,” and why we’re appealing to you now.
The idea of easier access to less costly — or free — Internet sounds great. It also sounds like something the companies that have spent billions erecting wireless Internet networks will be unhappy about.
We only have to look as far as Verizon Wireless’s fight against Philadelphia’s free muni-Wi-Fi network. It argued that offering a free service that competed with its own 3G network was unfair.
Every other major network operator can make the same argument with respect to white spaces.
The FCC will be voting on the issue in the next month or two. The FCC is already seeing pressure from pols who believe in the idea. What will FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and Co. decide?
As regular readers may know, I’m limited to dial-up at home (or costly satellite) so I’m extremely interested in any possible technologies that’ll expand internet access. Especially when said access isn’t limited by the mono- / oligopolies of today.
White space. For some, the term might conjure up memories of art classes or visions of bad page layout. For a group of technology companies, it has a whole different meaning, one that could radically alter the broadband landscape in the US within a couple of years.
The White Spaces Coalition (WSC) is a group of companies devoted to making use of white space in the analog television spectrum to offer wireless broadband. It’s an impressive lineup: Microsoft, Google, Dell, HP, Intel, Philips, Earthlink, and Samsung are the group’s public members; there are also a couple of Coalition members who prefer to remain unknown. The group was in the news recently when it presented a device built by Microsoft to the FCC for testing.
The Coalition is making some strong claims, one of which should catch the eye of broadband lovers everywhere: download speeds of up to 80Mbps to our homes. All of this will happen by using the white spaces in the analog TV spectrum.
It sounds too good to be true, but you know someday we’ll look back at the internet access of today and think “WTF?” Kind of like paying $25 for AOL in the ’90s, or thousands of dollars for a cellphone the size of a brick back in the ’80s.
I think the technology is more than likely feasible; the difficulty will be getting past current (short-sighted + self-interested) internet providers.
Wow. Low cost 80Mbps internet. That’ll just be stupid.
More:
Free The Airwaves courtesy the heads at Google
Wireless Innovation Alliance
central FCC page concerning their ongoing testing
White space tests get mixed results via CNET
Posted January 9th, 2008 at 3:59PM
Two weeks ago I decided to give Google Analytics another try. It’s changed quite a bit since I originally set up my account, and it’s all for the better. After getting some data to parse, I have to say it’s one of the better site trackers I’ve used.
Unfortunately, the picture it paints is dreary. The average visit time is just a hair over one minute, and more than 80% of visitors view one page and then leave. 90% of visitors are new, which seems nice, but the largest draw continues to be two posts that I made about “Real Dolls” from a couple years ago.
As I’ve lamented before, the site is being pulled in a hundred directions, and it’s impacting readability and quality. Divvying up the posts from here onto multiple sites would take ages, and I like being able to access everyone from a single back-end.
So I’m going to renew my efforts of creating multiple front-ends for the categories. Mostly, I want to separate the “motoring,” “politics,” and “health” categories into their own mini sites.
We’ll see how it plays out.
Posted November 5th, 2007 at 12:45AM
Shipping Status Qty Item Price
Not yet shipped 1 MIDLAND LXT330VP3 16-Mile GMRS Radios $29.99
Shipping & Handling (Budget: 7 to 9 business days) : $0.00
Tax (NY) : $0.00
Google Checkout & Buy.com $10 Sign-up Bonus – Bonus may not appear on Buy.com’s web site or emails. -$10.00
Total: $19.99
So I finally broke down and bought a pair of 2-way radios. I often need these for car runs / rallies, usually with a variety of friends or dedicated MINI afficionados. Up till now, I’ve borrowed, which is a pain because I’ll have to re-learn how to use each radio. Plus I’m being a radio-borrowing schmuck.
I went with the Midlands LXT330VP3. Buy.com had the cheapest price. I was going for a more expensive Cobra unit, but ultimately decided it was a waste of money. (My research? The quoted “distances” that the more expensive units deliver are BS. Any 2-way that retails for less than $200 or so will only give you a 2-3 mile range, max.)
ANYWAYS.
Since I decided to cheap out, I figured I’d try Google Checkout to get the widely publicized “$10 sign-up bonus.” Coulda used Paypal, but damn I hate using Paypal. (For example.)
I hit the button, Google recognizes my computer, it takes two seconds to sign my life away (ie. give them my credit card information). Bingo bango, the radios are on my way, and after the ‘point of no return,’ there’s STILL a button that allows me to cancel a purchase 15 minutes after submitting it, in case a wave of common sense hits after an impulse buy. Groovy. Best of all, the pages load Google-fast, something that matters when you’re connected to the interweb at 24000 BPS! Paypal is always monstrously slow for me.
Just another way that Google will soon rule my life. When Google and Apple merge, it’ll be all over. Matrix shit. Just you wait.
Posted April 9th, 2007 at 11:09AM
I was doing some reading on green building today, for a profile I’ll be doing on an alumnus for the IC alumni magazine (now ICView, formerly the IC Quarterly). I read through all of the material on the guy’s site, did some googling, and then hit up Wikipedia for more on the basics. Well, what did I stumble on but several references to Freiburg, in the Germany section of a wiki page. It mentions the “Solarsiedlung” which sounded vaguely familiar, and then Vauban, which is where I actually lived during my semester abroad in the fall of 2005.
I’m not sure if I ever actually blogged about it, but Vauban was a French barrack until 1992, when it was turned into housing. 16 of the 20 units are for students of Albert-Ludwigs-Universität. The remaining four were expropriated by.. well, squatters basically. The entire complex is quite green and sustainable: portions using greywater, passive and active solar power, and all of the related tricks.
Regardless, I followed links till I happened upon pictures of Vauban. And, believe it or not, I sort of miss that place. Vauban, Freiburg, and Germany were certainly pretty interesting. I wish I did more while I was there.
Vauban, Freiburg entry at Wikipedia
Some info in English
Photos of Vauban (Click on the street names (the long ugly German words mostly ending in “Straße” at the end of the page)). And here’s where I lived! This site is great.
EDIT: Looking over my Germany category, you know another thing I miss? Glühwein. Ach!
Posted January 25th, 2006 at 8:25PM
Google’s launch of a new, self-censored search engine in China is a “black day” for freedom of expression, a leading international media watchdog says.
Reporters Without Borders joined others in asking how Google could stand up for US users’ freedoms while controlling what Chinese users can search for.
Its previous search engine for China’s fast-growing market was subject to government blocks.
The new site – Google.cn – censors itself to satisfy Beijing.
Google argues it would be more damaging to pull out of China altogether and says that in contrast to other search engines, it will inform users when access is restricted on certain search terms.
It is believed that sensitive topics are likely to include independence for Taiwan and the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, as well as human rights and democracy in China generally.
The Chinese government keeps a tight rein on the internet and what users can access through its so-called “Great Firewall”.
The BBC news site, for example, is inaccessible, while a search on Google.cn for the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement directs users to a string of condemnatory articles.
Google rivals such as Yahoo and Microsoft already use censorship in China.
…
Right. Google takes it down another peg.
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