A Collection of Daily Wisdom by Dennis Sylvester Hurd since September 2003.

Previous blog entries about this park.

I passed in the marks for my course on Monday of this week. This, in essence, means I am free for about five weeks. I will probably teach weekends throughout the summer.

So, I was looking on www.expedia.ca to see what we could do for a week or so. We settled on a vacation to NYC from May 9th to May 18th. America West has some reasonably priced fares although it means a change of planes in Nevada! Talk about weird: the per-ticket price to get just to Las Vegas is about $95 MORE than we are paying to go all the way through to Newark.

I haven't been in Manhattan since a trip during my college days. For reference, that may have occurred back when both New York City and I were broke. We're happy to be going to the city that doesn't sleep. This is primarily because we haven't booked any accommodation yet!

Labels: New York City

I send apologies to friends who don't like reading about my views of technology.

First, God created Yahoo, (In reality, it was David Filo and Jerry Yang.) In the mid-1990's that site was a directory of web links compiled by hand. By 1997, I had moved to Alta Vista. Relatively soon after that, I stopped typing searches there and went to Google not because of its clean interface or 'coolness', I moved because it was simply better at providing a world of useful links. Google was able to comb through and index more of the Internet than any competitor. When we're looking for something, access to as much as possible is what matters most.

Unfortunately, when one's the king of the hill there's no place to go but downhill. Google's supremacy spawned an entire industry which tried to 'optimize' a site to rank well there. Google has had to respond by creating algorithms that weed out spam and underhanded methods to manipulate their results. Dealing with these concerns has eliminated their once, undisputed lead in searches. Now the company is simply too nervous and secretive to let people know they are throwing out a lot of babies with the bath water. This is too bad.

Here's some slightly-modified, recent correspondence:

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ORIGINAL MESSAGE

To: Google Support
From: Dennis
Subject: pages in domain search but not indexed.
Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2005 14:24:09 -0000

I know you are busy with important details. I have tried to look around the net to find a reason for the following but have been unsuccessful.

I have a blog that presently contains around 90 weekly pages of information. At one time googlebots used to stop by daily and all pages were indexed. My blog section has a PR of 5.

Now, I find only about 10% of my site's pages can be found with snippets in a search of my domain. The majority appear there without title or text. Do you know what factors can lead to this?

Google Search: site:www.dennissylvesterhurd.com

Language: en
WebUserLocale: en
IssueType: other_webmaster

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GOOGLE'S RESPONSE #1

Thank you for your note. The Google index contains two types of pages: fully indexed and partially indexed pages. Some of your pages are currently partially indexed. Because our robots were unable to completely review its content during our last crawl, your site appears without a cached copy or detailed title. Instead, it's listed by its URL.

We understand the frustration this situation may cause you. We're always working to increase the number of fully indexed pages in our index. You may be able to improve this page's visibility in our search results by ensuring that a number of high-quality sites link to it. While we can't guarantee that pages in our search results will always be fully indexed, "crawler-friendly" pages have a greater chance of being fully indexed. Guidelines for creating a "crawler-friendly" site are available at http://www.google.com/webmasters/guidelines.html

Regards,
The Google Team

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MY NEXT MESSAGE

What a wonderfully quick response! I'm happy to hear back so quickly and completely. Further questions:

Your Paragraph 1 - (a) Am I correct in that the 'partially indexed' pages are not actually scanned and therefore information on them will not be returned on Google searches?

Your Paragraph 2 - Most traffic on my site goes to my blog, therefore most links go to www.DennisSylvesterHurd.com/blog/ . That index page has always been listed. Although with a PR of 5 it now only receives visits a few times per month. The 'partially indexed' pages are the archives. (b) Can 'partially indexed' pages stay that way forever?

(c) Could it be googlebots don't want to hit them because all the pages start with initial text and they're trying to avoid duplicates?

I'd love to hear your ideas on questions (a) (b) and (c) at your leisure.

==Dennis

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GOOGLE'S RESPONSE #2

Hi Dennis,

Thank you for your reply. As you may know, we don't personally review individual sites, nor do we comment on webmaster techniques or the details of our search technology beyond what appears on our site.

We've dedicated an entire section of our site to answering the most common questions from those who maintain and/or promote websites. You'll find all of our publicly available information posted at http://www.google.com/webmasters/index.html

Besides this section of our site, we've created a newsgroup discussion forum for passionate Google users. At http://groups.google.com in the http://groups.google.com/groups?q=google.public.support.general group, many webmasters and Google users share their questions and expertise.

We recommend performing an advanced search on this group if you feel your question is particularly challenging and you've been unable to find an answer on our site. To do so, go to http://www.google.com/advanced_group_search?hl=en and enter your search terms in one of the "Find messages" fields at the top of the page. Type "google.public.support.general" in the "Newsgroup" search field, and click "Google Search." If you don't find an answer to your question, you can always post your question to the group to see if other newsgroup users have helpful advice. Please be aware that this content isn't posted by Google, and we cannot verify its accuracy.

Regards,
The Google Team

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THE END

Thank you for copying this bit of standardized text from a template.

I guess what I was trying to politely say is something is broken at Google. Your "mightier than thou' attitude may not last forever. I see your company fast trying to use cash to expand into areas outside of search.

This is a good for two reason, I can immediately think of:

1) Yahoo and MSN completely index my site without forcing me to resort to any additional strategies. Eventually the average web user is going to figure out you're not the only game in town.

2) I remember when Alta Vista was king of the hill. We will love you dearly until the next best thing comes along.

Have a nice day.

Dennis

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Labels: complaints, Google, software

Here's a Yankeeism of which I wasn't aware.

In the recent articles about Sylvester Kiggins, there were references to the Boston Post cane. Apparently. he used one of the 431 created. The tradition is briefly explained in the second paragraph of this link. I like the idea of a marketing strategy that far outlives the institution for which it was designed!

Last Saturday, I re-typed an old newspaper article from 1967. It contained information about a relative's 100th birthday celebration. Then, earlier this week, I tried to find out more information about the guy.

Rather than looking on the Internet, I should have gone back to the envelope containing the newspaper clippings. Today's entry was there although this one was originally written in the Argus-Champion, Newport, NH in April 1969.

I had never intended to post an obituary on my blog. I started this just to find out a bit more about my middle name. Yet, somehow, in some weird way, I feel obligated to include this. The next time search engines visit to index my eJournal and images, a larger piece of Sylvester Kiggins will continue to exist!

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Vesty Kiggins, 102, dies
By Madlon Karr

Death stilled the oratory of Sylvester W. Kiggins this week.

No more will the fraternal organizations he loved so well hear his recitation of 'Deacon Slocum' and the 'off-ox'.

Two months into his 103rd year, his body gave out. He died Monday morning at his home on 110 N Main St.

HE HAD returned home recently from the Claremont Nursing Home where he had been convalescing for surgery for a broken hip which he suffered in a fall at his time. Until the accident, he had continued his activities which included daily constitutionals, weather permitting, replete with his familiar top hat and Boston Post Cane, and attendance at club meetings and card parties.

Mr. Kiggins was born in Concord March 6, 1867, but had lived in the Newport-Lake Sunapee area most of this life. He resided in Goshen for many years, and was the owner of a retail grocery store, Perry and Kiggins. He also had operated a trucking business. He was educated in Claremont and Goshen schools, and was noted for his recitations.

DURING HIS LIFETIME, he owned 30 new automobiles. The first was a 1908 Ford and his latest, which he purchased when he was 97 years old, was a Datsun. On his 98th birthday, he announced that he could no longer get a driver's license because of failing eyesight.

He was a registered Republican and took pride in the fact that he was the first citizen to cast his ballot at the polls for many years. On his 100th birthday, he received congratulations from Pres. Lyndon B Johnson, which he read personally to his birthday guests, as well as telegrams from many senators and congressmen. Although feted, he did the entertaining with his oratory at this tribute.

HE WAS ONE of the oldest Grange members, if not the oldest, in New Hampshire, having received a 75-year membership pin two years ago. He was a member of Sunapee Mountain Grange, Goshen, and when he was 98 years old was still helping chop wood for the Grange Hall stove. He was also a member of Cold River Valley Pomona Grange and former member of Sullivan County Pomona Grange and the New Hampshire and National Granges.

He was a longtime member of the Newport Lodge, Knights of Pythias, which presented a life membership to him at his 100th birthday party. He was the oldest member of the Pythaian Lodge in the United States.

He was married to the late Jennie Hurd.

He is survived by a niece Miss Mabel Simpson, Concord.

Funeral service will be conducted at 2 p.m. today in the Newton-Bartlett Funeral Home by the Rev. Robert Curry, minister of the South Congregational Church. Burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery.

Knights of Pythias memorial services conducted by present and past Grand Lodge officers of the Dominion of New Hampshire and Grange memorial services were conducted in the funeral home last evening.


Senate adjourns for Vesty Kiggins

CONCORD - Sylvester Kiggins, who died in Newport Monday in his 103rd year, was honored by the New Hampshire State Senate yesterday. Sen. Harry Spanos, Newport, moved that the Senate be adjoined in respect to him, and it was. Newport officials wonder who now gets the Boston Post cane and will welcome suggestions.

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Labels: Internet, New Hampshire

Since the beginning of the month, our pool area has been closed for maintenance. There was major painting and renovation work which is almost complete.

The swimming pool and hot tub are between the two residential towers of this complex. Our buildings are built on quite an incline. The swimming pool is on the 'ground floor' from the Carnarvon Street side of the buildings, but a number of storeys above Columbia Street and the Skytrain station. The glass enclosed area is one reason we chose to buy here. (Please click yesterday's little picture here to show as a larger image in a new browser window .)

Labels: maintenance

Google is so widespread that it's a verb too. I cannot say with any certainty that the results from this blog are an indication of how your searches will go. Yet, it does give pause for thought. Perhaps, we should try multiple sources if looking for something important.


Green shading indicates the best option. The data was
collected at 3:46 pm this afternoon.

Labels: Google

I saw mention of it on the Internet. I have to admit I'm a sucker for useless gadgets and this little darling was available at Wal-mart. It looked like an item one would use for fifteen minutes and then put in a drawer until ... forever. Still, I rationalized buying one because I decided it cost only as much as a calculator. (Actually, it was a bit more as I'd forgotten calculators are now just $2.19.) I don't think I went expressly to buy the Radica's 20Q but as long as I was there ...



You know the game of 20 questions, don't you? This is just an electronic, handheld version that has uncanny accuracy. The user just thinks of an item. I'll use 'refrigerator' as an example. Here's our conversation:

Gadget - I know what you're thinking. Ready?
Dennis - yes
Gadget - Q1 Is it an animal, vegetable, mineral, other, or unknown?
Dennis - other
Gadget - Q2 Is it flat?
Dennis - no
Gadget - Q3 Would you use it daily?
Dennis - yes
Gadget - Q4 Does it bring joy to people?
Dennis - no
Gadget - Q5 Can it bend without breaking?
Dennis - no
Gadget - Q6 Is it smaller than a loaf of bread?
Dennis - no
Gadget - Q7 Does it use electricity?
Dennis - yes
Gadget - Q8 Is it a common household object?
Dennis - yes
Gadget - Q9 Can it be found in a classroom?
Dennis - no
Gadget - You think you can beat me. Let's see. Q10 Is it larger than a microwave oven?
Dennis - yes
Gadget - Q11 Do you open and close it?
Dennis - yes
Gadget - Q12 Does it get wet?
Dennis - no
Gadget - Q13 Can you hold it?
Dennis - no
Gadget - Q14 Can it be stolen?
Dennis - no
Gadget - Q15 Was it used over 100 years ago?
Dennis - no
Gadget - Q16 Do you use it in your home?
Dennis - yes
Gadget - Q17 Does it come in a box?
Dennis - no
Gadget - Q18 Does it contain a liquid?
Dennis - yes
Gadget - I will ask a few more questions ... before I win! Q19 Does it get really hot?
Dennis - no
Gadget - Q20 Would you find it in an office?
Dennis - sometimes
Gadget - I think you thought you were tricky! Is it a refrigerator?
Dennis - yes
Gadget - That was easy. I know you want to try again?
Dennis - no

Labels: games, lists, Walmart

I couldn't date the newspaper article from yesterday's entry. Because I was furiously typing in the text about Sylvester Kiggins, I neglected to consider doing a web search. It really didn't cross my mind because, after all, the guy would've been born during the 19th century.

What data could possibly be available on the Internet? This isn't Star Trek where one could just say, "Computer, access data base of Kufmub Prime and open the planet's genealogical records."

Though little did I know, thanks to the US Census Bureau and Social Security Administration, we're approaching that version of a future. Check the third entry on the listing here:

Social Security Data

The location verifies we've got the correct man. (Although, apparently there was another person by that name from Ohio.) It shows the date of birth for Mr. Kiggins as March 06, 1867. This gives me the date of his 100th birthday a century later. I was able to confirm that, as the article stated, the date was a Monday. If I recall correctly, the weekly paper used to come out on Wednesdays. This would mean that yesterday's entry probably ran in the March 8, 1967 issue.

I learned that he lived a bit more than two years after the celebration contained in the article.

Additionally, his social security number was 001-36-5160. Yet when President Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act in 1935, Sylvester Kiggins would've already been 68 years old.

How that for detective work?

Labels: Internet, New Hampshire