I mentioned earlier that Google News had kicked ScienceBlogs off their news feed, but left the Discovery Institute's blog. Well, look at what showed up today in my "Google Alerts" for the query "human evolution":
- Log in to post comments
More like this
Now, now, now, say you, why would I go off on Google in such an unseemly manner? Well, it's really very simple. Google no longer lists any scienceblog sites in their news feed, but they still list other blogs written by liars such as Stop the ACLU, WorldNet Daily and the Discovery Institute. WTF??…
As Kevin Beck points out Google News dropped ScienceBlogs.com, but kept the Discovery Institute's blog. If you have issues this with particular pair of decisions, tell Google.
Remember when I invited readers to take a survey on the Miss USA evolution answers? And I was kinda vague about why I was doing it? At last it can be told, I was working on a guest blog post at Scientific American. You should read the whole thing, but here's the bit about how I used the survey…
Dudes, I don't even drink soda. Of any kind. Ever.
Seriously, though, I'm saddened by the loss of several of my sciblings. Many of them are individuals who I consider role models, and look up to. Dr. Skyskull is attempting to keep a list of new locations for them, here, and I've been adding links…
I just sent a note to Google. Told them I'm getting really tired of seeing my evolution news container clogged with press releases from DI instead of actual news. I sort of suggested they change the name to Google PR.
So that's what they mean when they say they "Google-ID" us!
My note to Google:
I am amazed that pseudo-scientific hacks like the Discovery Institute remain on Google's news feed, while Seed magazine's high quality "Science Blogs" has been removed.
If this is an oversight, I urge you to remedy it at once.
If it is policy, I must consider Google's usefulness severly compromised - so much so that I may discontinue use of my Gmail account, news alerts, and many of Google's services.
Please remember that, try as you might, Google isn't the only wheel in town.... topix and other services offer alerts. Yahoo, MSN, and others offer searches. Customizable sites existed well before iGoogle. Other advertising servers welcome the chance to step in when Google stumbles.
I sent a note to Google as well after reading the last post about removing science blogs and simply asked them why. I will post back here if I get a response.
I wonder if this is any way related to the story that Google is allowing qualified comments to news stories...
http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9756942-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=…
That or another example of the DI's constant mis-use of terms and institutions to pass themselves off as more serious than they are. Some category-minded person at Google probably figures that "Science Blogs" sounds too alternative-media-ish while "press release" is inherently news.
Though as we all know, a press release is just any sort of mush you try to pass off to the press. So why that should be any more "news" than Razib's latest Kat post is inclear to me.
honestly, i don't mind SB being kicked off google news much compared to DI remaining. i do use google alerts to keep up to date on things and it's pretty offensive to have creationist propaganda show up on their feeds.
I sent an email as well. I hope they listen.
Google being what they are, massive impersonal mega-corp, I don't think any of us will see a response to our emails. They probably were deleted directly from the junkmail folder without being read. Such is the "customer service" I expect from google..
I think they have Discovery Institute confused with Discovery Channel.
Can a blog issue a "press release"?