Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Understanding Sitemeter

Last Saturday, many of you experienced problems accessing this blog. With some help, I solved the problem. However, I'm guessing some of you may not understand Sitemeter... basically it's an IP address tracking device. And while I've normally kept it hidden to maintain your privacy, I thought for a day I should let you see it and understand it... again, it tracks site visitors... so I thought you might be interested... not only in this site, but in all the sites that track you. Anyway, here's an example of the ability to track:

See this post on the F&S Oil biodiesel plant. And read the comment at 7:13.

Then go to the very bottom of this webpage and click on the rainbow-ish square.

Then type in the username: s23timwhite98
and password: timwhitelistens

If you click on "details" (to the left), you can see all sorts of information. For instance at 7:14, someone was visiting TWL from the "YORK HILL TRAP RCK QUARRY CO."

So the person at 7:14 logged on after the above mentioned comment was posted.

Just thought you should be aware of how much information is gathered by the internet.

Tim White

UPDATE: I locked sitemeter. So it's all "anonymous" again... though as I've mentioned before... be careful what you write here. The FBI has investigated such things in the past.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Who works at york hill trap rock co and cares about this blog?

Anonymous said...

Mike Ecke works at York Hill Trap Rock, but he doesn't read "the bathroom wall." So it can't be him, can it?

Anonymous said...

Too bad you didn't keep that info to yourself. I bet you know most, if not all, the other TC members from time to time read this and/or comment.
It is a shame this is the only way we can get info as to what is going on in this town. Perhaps if other TC members had blogs or the town had a better way sharing information with its citizens, we would be able to see all sides of arguments.
Just be careful about sharing too much computer info with everyone. Many of us like to post anonymously and are more open to it. In a small town like this, we need to play the political game, even if our thoughts and ideas are completely different from our friends, employers, and neighbors. This is one place for us to vent.

Anonymous said...

The real issue is that people that participate on this blog fail to have the backbone to sign their name. Anybody can and will write anything when they do not have to admit who they are. Just compare how many people respond to the Underground Town Hall website and to this one. When you have to sign your name and acknowledge responsibility for comments 99% of the folks run away.

Anonymous said...

To bill kunde
Does it matter if they put their name to a comment?
Most people will be more open if they can do it anonymously.
Don't fault those of us who prefer to remain anonymous, there could be many reasons why we prefer it tha way.
These blogs are here to makee us think and come up with our own ideas based on the info that is providedd. Not so we can finger point at specific people.

Anonymous said...

Does it matter if they put their name to a comment?

I've consistently said that anonymous comments should be taken with a grain of salt.

To me, it's a mixed bag.

I'm quite sure that over the past few years, many elected officials have visited this site. And many times there have been sincere questions asked... that helped move the dialogue along... but the elected officials chose anonymity because they feared someone saying they "hate this" or are "anti-that."

In that case, I think the anonymity is beneficial... even if in a utopian world... no anonymity would be necessary.

On the flip side... there are some rather obnoxious, unnecessary comments made that add no value to the public discourse.

In those cases, I've either deleted the comments or defended the person against whatever charges are made.

Anonymous said...

funny thing about this blog... for all the hemming and hawing I hear from members of the majority about how issues are first raised during meetings of the full Council...

I've brought far more issues to their attention via this blog... than anything I've first raised during Council meetings...

And if they thought about it, they'd realize it. But do they acknowledge that fact?

No.

It's easier to complain than to deal with the substance of various issues.

Anonymous said...

It is a shame this is the only way we can get info as to what is going on in this town. Perhaps if other TC members had blogs or the town had a better way sharing information with its citizens, we would be able to see all sides of arguments.

I agree. But you may recall last year when I tried to get a link of Council video and Council meeting minutes added to the town website homepage... where did that go? Nowhere. And I was even accused of "micromanaging."

remember...

Control the information and you control the agenda.

It's as old as Robert's Rules.

Anonymous said...

"Mike Ecke works at York Hill Trap Rock"

No wonder he backs "Hard Matt"'s cement-head agenda of paving the town over.

BTW, some of us have jobs in state govt. and post anonymously since we don't want Hall, Milone, Altieri et al calling our bosses to complain.

Anonymous said...

I'm quite sure that over the past few years, many elected officials have visited this site. And many times there have been sincere questions asked... that helped move the dialogue along... but the elected officials chose anonymity because they feared someone saying they "hate this" or are "anti-that."

If it's ok for elected officials to post anonymously, then it's ok for anyone to post anonymously.

Tim used the keyword "fear" - that's the main reason, I believe that many people don't leave their names (that's my reason anyway). If you work for the town or have lived in this town for any length of time you don't want the flack your employer could give you for any of your comments. Or you don't want any flack from some of the others in this town who could cause you problems.

I think most people can sift through the comments and take what's important from them. Hopefully the elected officials are paying attention to the comments on this blog.