Terrorists attacking British bases in Basra are using aerial footage displayed by the Google Earth internet tool to pinpoint their attacks, say Army intelligence sources.

Documents seized during raids on the homes of insurgents last week uncovered print-outs from photographs taken from Google.

The satellite photographs show in detail the buildings inside the bases and vulnerable areas such as tented accommodation, lavatory blocks and where lightly armoured Land Rovers are parked.

Written on the back of one set of photographs taken of the Shatt al Arab Hotel, headquarters for the 1,000 men of the Staffordshire Regiment battle group, officers found the camp’s precise longitude and latitude. -The Telegraph

Is it Google’s fault? Not directly. Any media–including new media–can be used for evil purposes. Just like how newspapers, television networks and radio stations can be used by evil regimes for propaganda, the same goes with the web. Evil people can still get to use products and services that everyone else uses, and they use these in their own twisted ways.

However, Google probably slipped up. Before aerial images became popular web destinations for armchair tourists, these were usually limited to engineering teams, mapping companies and reconnaissance/intelligence personnel. High-security government and military installations would also usually require a certain no-fly radius, so they cannot be included in aerial photographs. Of course, satellites could always take pictures of these. Even planes can take photos of no-fly zones (from different angles, though). But no one has gone as far as making these publicly available until Google launched Earth and Maps.

Suddenly, secret encampments found themselves in the public eye. Google should have had some sort of protocol where supposedly classified info was kept that way. And true enough some establishments have been greyed-out on Google Earth and Maps. But not all, apparently.

The British security services are concerned that terrorists will be able to examine in detail sensitive infrastructure such as electricity stations, military basis, and their own headquarters in London.

And yes, even if Google were to take these images down now, those planning to do evil would have already had their hands on the information by now.

Okay, I’ve probably said the word “evil” more than I should, and I’m probably crossing the line on political correctedness, but that’s what I’m here for, right?

Related posts:

1. Life without Google
2. Google Updates AdSense Policies
3. 7 Really Evil Blogging Networks

That is, if you’re doing anything that could potentially be against Google’s new AdSense policies. AdSense is known to be the staple of most probloggers and casual bloggers looking into monetizing their sites, and I have personally encountered bloggers whose accounts have been suspended due to violations. Even minor violations can be a cause for suspension (and therefore the prospect of ever getting those hundreds or even thousands of dollars accumulated in your account).

Jensense gives a heads up on the recent changes to the Google AdSense terms of service, and some of these are pretty drastic.

In a nutshell, here’s what’s new.

• Referrals – AdSense now allows for more referrals. Previously, publishers were only allowed four referral products, with one ad unit each. Now publishers can have up to two referral links/buttons for each product. It is speculated more referral products are underway. Google has also disallowed requiring users to submit email addresses in conjunction with AdSense referrals.
• AdSense units with Images – Google has previously announced that it is now taking a firmer stance against placing images beside AdSense ads where the images might be confusing (or too relevant to the ads). It’s now part of the AdSense policies.
• AdSense for Search – Apparently, publishers can now include ad link units on search results pages.
• Domain parking – Reference has been removed, although under parked domains still fall under “no-content” pages, and hence AdSense is disallowed.
• Student essays or papers – AdSense now disallows sites that sell or distribute student essays. This is likely also part of the copyrighted material clause (below).
• Copyrighted material – Google has reworded this clause to refer to a broader sense. In a nutshell, you cannot have ads on a page that is potentially infringing on others’ copyrights.
• Competitive ads and services – This is quite drastic. Publishers can no longer use ads from competing ad services if these resemble AdSense (in color, appearance, font, etc.)

The change considered to be most drastic is the clause about competitive ads and services. Previously, publishers could get away with laying out third-party ads or even direct sponsorships with the same appearance as AdSense ads. Now even the phrase “Ads by (insert name here)” might be misconstrued as copying the “Ads by Google” tagline.

Arguably, a lot still do put up AdSense ads and get away with some violations. Perhaps it’s both difficult for some publishers to keep track of the changing policies (and have to make adjustments accordingly, especially on a large scale), and for the AdSense team to keep track of erring publishers.

Related posts:

1. AdSense Gets Targeting All Wrong
2. Google Tools Used For Evil
3. Will We Soon See Free Google Hosting?

Months long I steered away from the iPhone. It was boring. Jobs had to announce one today. And then he was going to conclude with

…one more thing

Today it was

That’s it.

There is no more thing.
Only once I could believe an iPhone concept : touchscreen with iPod. Slick. Very slick.

But I got a question.

Is it compatible with Vista? MS paid for my Vista. I even didn’t disclose it. Or use it. But unless Cupertino will pay me a MacBookPro Quad, I won’t switch. So is that iPhone compatible?

…one more thing

Leopard _is not_ ready.

I wonder how many bloggers will point that out.

Related posts:

1. How Twisted Can A Blogger’s Opinion Be?
2. Are You Buying A New Computer?
3. Safari for Windows Debuts. So What?

Together with a design overhaul TIME Magazine started a new concept today : TIME The AG

Get a concise summary of the day’s most important news stories on …

In other words, a link blog. TIME The Ag [the Aggregator] is an element of a much nicer site to spend time on and read. The alignment of the whole online edition (not every part has been overhauled yet) has become much better and the TIME user experience is not that claustrophobic anymore.

TIME The Ag is an interesting concept for a MSM web site, especially since the entries are short and heavily link to other websites (so far mainly more popular news sites and their blogs).
This new strategy, which will be 24/7 instead of the classic static TIME Magazine, immediately provokes some questions in me.

Is this just a logic evolution of the new web (TIME Magazine voted YOU as Person of the Year 2006) or is there a hidden strategy behind this evolution?

It is great to notice that magazines such as TIME start accepting that news also interesting is outside of their own portal. Even on blogs. But how far will this new concept go?
Does TIME Magazine really plan to build one of the greatest link blogs or is this just a first step in a whole strategy?

Conquer The Web Back!

Could it be that TIME plans to hire popular bloggers, feed ogres just to write short stories about their niche. Is this the first step in getting the blog reader back to the main stream news?

Imagine TIME Magazine covering and linking to the most popular blogs. Imagine top bloggers tomorrow writing for Time The ag. Or Natali Del Conte. Is this just the first move to get the blog reader back to the MSM news portals?

Related posts:

1. Yet Another Link Whoring Scheme
2. Is The Link Industry Killing Relationships and Personality in Blogs?
3. Does Technorati Actually Care About Blogs?

If bloggers know how to do one thing really well, it’s fight.

It is obviously we have to react. And we won’t put up a fight, no we won’t. Because that would only be what Michael Calore is looking for.

I’d rather enjoy the freedom of being able to write what I want to write. Without having to wait for the authorization of an editor.

Or do anything to get some incoming links.

The blogosphere. Look into its eyes and it will turn you to stone.

Michael, I hope you are ready to do so and this post was not only to save your paycheck. I don’t think you will get turned into stone. No one will do you that honor. You might get stoned though.

On second thought. No, no one will bother about you.

This was a good try, but your article misses the guts to start a fight. The blogosphere is a pretty tight and smart group.

We know how you guys play.

How were it if you would stay in your own garden and play there. Don’t YOU dare to attack the WSJ?

Bloggers are straightforward. Admit it, you are jealous.

And would love to have the paycheck of any blogger you mentioned in your article.

Related posts:

1. So Microsoft and Edelman Scored A Major Hit
2. Follow The Blogosphere With Only 20 Feeds (Part I)
3. How Twisted Can A Blogger’s Opinion Be?