Here's the official Google explaination of how it happened...
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Googlebombing 'failure'
9/16/2005 12:54:00 PM Posted by Marissa Mayer, Director of Consumer Web Products
If you do a Google search on the word [failure] or the phrase [miserable failure], the top result is currently the White House’s official biographical page for President Bush. We've received some complaints recently from users who assume that this reflects a political bias on our part. I'd like to explain how these results come up in order to allay these concerns.
Google's search results are generated by computer programs that rank web pages in large part by examining the number and relative popularity of the sites that link to them. By using a practice called googlebombing, however, determined pranksters can occasionally produce odd results. In this case, a number of webmasters use the phrases [failure] and [miserable failure] to describe and link to President Bush's website, thus pushing it to the top of searches for those phrases. We don't condone the practice of googlebombing, or any other action that seeks to affect the integrity of our search results, but we're also reluctant to alter our results by hand in order to prevent such items from showing up. Pranks like this may be distracting to some, but they don't affect the overall quality of our search service, whose objectivity, as always, remains the core of our mission.
In comments here , James brought up an interesting piece. One of the most common questions I hear up here when yet another example of Bushian idiocy, incompetence, or corruption shows up is, "Why aren't people more outraged by this down there? Why isn't anyone making a fuss?" From up here, it often looks like almost everyone's going along with Bush, though that's certainly not the case. Of course, one of the big reasons for that is that the major news networks don't think it's newsworthy when people do make a fuss. But serious opposition to Bush and his policies is almost invisible up here, except to those who make a special point of following US politics from a liberal perspective. I hear this a lot, and it drives me nuts. Millions of Americans are making a fuss. I know because I used to be one of them. Here's my reply in that same thread: A fuss? We were - oh, that's "they are" - making a huge fuss. But the Bushies control all bra...
"Cash bonuses on Wall Street are expected to drop by 14 percent during this year's 'bonus season'." Only 20 billion dollars will be doled out, with the average bonus totalling $121,000. How sad. That's billion, with a B. Bankers' trophy dates are sad, too . Be sure to click - and read to the end for maximum impact.
Thanks to ALPF, I have learned that another American war resister is seeking asylum in Canada. I am so out of the loop, lost as I am in the ancient world . Good thing you guys keep me informed. US Army Pvt. Brandon Hughey, 20, told the [Canadian] Immigration and Refugee Board that he refused "to kill people or lose my life under false pretenses." Hughey said he believed the war in Iraq was illegal and his conscience obliged him to desert his Ft. Hood, Texas army base last year. He said when he joined the military at 17 he was looking for a way to put himself through college and respected the military. "I believe some things are worth fighting for, like defending my home and my family," Hughey told the board. "I had no moral objection to fighting back then. In some circumstances, war can be justified." He believed US President George W. Bush had proof that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, so he initially supported the war. But he later deter...
Bwa! Passing it on ...
ReplyDeleteOh, those clever Google folks! Right in my own backyard, I'm proud to say, I even know a couple of folks who work there.
ReplyDeleteGoogle is a business. They're not going to set up a political joke.
ReplyDeleteThis one is very old, but always worth repeating!
Btw, "miserable failure" works, too.
Btw, "miserable failure" works, too.
ReplyDeleteOops, that's what David's link says.
Here's the official Google explaination of how it happened...
ReplyDelete------------------------
Googlebombing 'failure'
9/16/2005 12:54:00 PM
Posted by Marissa Mayer, Director of Consumer Web Products
If you do a Google search on the word [failure] or the phrase [miserable failure], the top result is currently the White House’s official biographical page for President Bush. We've received some complaints recently from users who assume that this reflects a political bias on our part. I'd like to explain how these results come up in order to allay these concerns.
Google's search results are generated by computer programs that rank web pages in large part by examining the number and relative popularity of the sites that link to them. By using a practice called googlebombing, however, determined pranksters can occasionally produce odd results. In this case, a number of webmasters use the phrases [failure] and [miserable failure] to describe and link to President Bush's website, thus pushing it to the top of searches for those phrases. We don't condone the practice of googlebombing, or any other action that seeks to affect the integrity of our search results, but we're also reluctant to alter our results by hand in order to prevent such items from showing up. Pranks like this may be distracting to some, but they don't affect the overall quality of our search service, whose objectivity, as always, remains the core of our mission.
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OK Whatever!!
It's still damn funny
ALPF
Thanks ALPF! I did wonder how that happened, but never bothered to look it up.
ReplyDeleteI find it best not to question these things. IMO, it spoils the magic :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, L!