NC Media Watch

Measure twice and cut once is good advice

Russ Steele

Measure twice and cut one is often the advice given to those new to do-it-yourself crafts.  This is perhaps good advice for those build knowledge when using search engines. Google is the most popular search engine and is used world wide by millions as their primary Internet search tool.

For years Google has been my primary starting point on the web. But, now I am beginning to wonder if this was just measuring once.  It maybe time to be measuring twice, checking Google's performance with another search engine, such as Microsoft's Bing. 

Over the years I have tried to avoid Microsoft products, but have been testing Bing. What caused me to change my mind? One has been Google's lurch leftward and articles like this one at NewBusters by Noel Sheppard: Al Gore Advised Google About 'Search Quality'

We really do not know what was done to modify Google's search algorithms. They might be manipulated to favor liberal news outlets over conservative points of view, or make sure that global warming hysteria were on the top page, sending opposing views to bottom of the search page.

. . . Gore raised some concerns about "search quality," and then sat in Google's office for three hours watching ten "search-quality researchers and specialists in charge of this part of the business" work on solving problems he shared with the company's owners.

NewBusters writes:

How does this all relate to Gore giving Google search quality tips a few years ago? Who knows, but as NewsBusters has been reporting almost since its inception, Google has regularly demonstrated a liberal leaning as well as anti-conservative proclivities:
    •    Is Google Becoming Big Brother?
    •    YouTube, Google, and the Liberal Bias Virus
    •    Is Google Purging Conservative News Sites?
    •    Is Google's Earth Day Logo Advancing Global Warming Alarmism?
    •    Google CEO: Internet Key to 2008 Presidential Campaign
With this in mind, NewsBusters would be very interested in exactly what concerns Gore shared with Google a few years ago, and what the company's experts did in response.

It seem to me it would be wise to use more than one search engine when doing any research on politically sensitive issues like climate change, Obamacare, or gun rights.  I now have a second browser with Bing as the opening home page. This makes cross checking much easier. 

Opening Pandora's Music Box

Russ Steele

 
Painting by Warwick Goble

I like to listen to music when I am working on a project in my office, or just for relaxation when reading or napping. The music shuts off the noise of the outside world.  For years I have been using the XM Radio on the Internet, no commercials on most channels. We have XM in the our GMC Truck and Airstream Trailer, and for an additional fee we can listen on the Internet. Great listening on the road, choose the music that fits the road and scene.

Recently listening to XM on the Internet has become choppy, with lots of drop outs. Very annoying! In addition, with the merger of XM and Sirius, some of my favorite channels went a way to be replaced by music for the brain dead. A few weeks ago my son-in-law Darrin suggested trying Pandora Internet Radio.  Wow! What a difference. You get to create your own station (channel) by picking an artist. Enya, Jimmy Buffett, Dave Brubeck or Ray Lynch, these are some of my favorites. Or, just chose a genre: blues, classical, electronic, new age, hip Hop, etc, and be surprised.  

The results have been stunningly clear, crisp with no drop outs. Right now I am playing it through the Bose Radio Aux input, and the music fills the room. When relaxing I use my laptop and earphones, and last night it was a front row center experience. You could almost hear Brubeck's drummer sweat. Highly recommended. 

Pandora has mobile Apps for phones, including the iPhone. I am going to try it on my iPod Touch later today.  I will report the results