Google News Headlines gives thanks to Jason Kottke

February 9, 2002 11:00 AM

Has anyone noticed that Google News Headlines gives thanks to Jason Kottke? (Scroll to the bottom of the page.)
posted by jacknose to general weblog-related at 11:00 AM (24 comments total)

Sorry if this is old news. I just noticed, and out of curiosity searched Google and MeFi to get some info on this connection with no luck.
posted by jacknose at 11:03 AM on February 9, 2002

When Google first launched it, kottke did a revision of it (for sake of clarity, less cluttered) that Google then incorporated into the News Headlines section. Hence the thanks. (You should be able to find it in his archives.)
posted by ltracey at 11:36 AM on February 9, 2002

here.
posted by panopticon at 11:59 AM on February 9, 2002

I thought we were all required to thank Kottke on our pages. Kinda like when you say grace before a meal...

</gratuitous Kottke snark>
posted by jpoulos at 1:17 PM on February 9, 2002

jpoulos: tempt him not, lest he return and taunt us second time.
posted by MrBaliHai at 2:38 PM on February 9, 2002

Who is this little weasel Kottke? And why does everyone tongue his ass? (I mean, he's kinda cute in a dorky out-of-work web developer sort of way, but really...)
posted by evanizer at 3:33 PM on February 9, 2002

We're not talking about Jason, we're talking about the Kottke, the larger concept of Jason Kottke and how it binds all things together. There's a little Kottke in all of us and his derision is your derision. Even if the personification of Kottke (Jason) was to die the Kottke archtype is immortal. When that sad day comes you'll find youself taking up the Kottke slack.

Oh, and Lord Vader is your real father. Sorry.
posted by skallas at 4:01 PM on February 9, 2002

Our Kottke, who art in Kottke, Kottke be thy name...
posted by jpoulos at 4:15 PM on February 9, 2002

Ha! check out the bottom of the page!
posted by jpoulos at 4:17 PM on February 9, 2002

Matt, you are quick like a cat. May the force be with j00.
posted by j.edwards at 4:19 PM on February 9, 2002

Shit, I just realized I stole that from fnirt. I knew it sounded familiar. Sorry, bro.
posted by jpoulos at 6:23 PM on February 9, 2002

Question from an ignorant outsider : Is this "With Thanks to Jason Kottke" stuff similar to how Kevin Bacon's "Six Degrees of Seperation" stuff began? Is this the epicenter of a quake (with parlor games, Master Card TV ads, one man Broadway shows to follow) ?
posted by Voyageman at 6:27 PM on February 9, 2002

*bows to the Rifflord

(and la Kottke too)
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:10 PM on February 9, 2002

Evan, if you don't know him, how do you know he's a weasel? He doesn't deserve your derision just because other people "tongue his ass." And anyway, they're not "tonguing his ass"; please adjust your sarcasm detectors. And anyway anyway, I thought you agreed to leave your sexuality out of this.*


*That last part IS A JOKE.
posted by rodii at 7:25 PM on February 9, 2002

Reject the gourd, follow the shoe!
posted by DaRiLo at 4:57 AM on February 10, 2002

Well, rodii, obviously your sarcasm detectors are not detecting the sarcasm emitted by my correctly operational sarcasm detectors. So I was being sarcastic about my sarcasm, but your sarcasm didn't allow you to see the sarcasm below the sarcasm. OK?

And anyway, Jason's a mensch. If he were bent, you can bet I'd be there quicker than Clinton on an intern.

Sorry, but my sexuality decided to leave me out of this one. Apologies, rodii. Baby.

*wink*
posted by evanizer at 8:11 AM on February 10, 2002

Evan, you're gonna go places here at MeFi. I can tell. Welcome.
posted by jpoulos at 9:46 AM on February 10, 2002

Bukottke.

Yes, I know it doesn't fit here, I just like saying it.
posted by dong_resin at 10:50 AM on February 10, 2002

I actually think that's really cool. Kottke's suggestion for improving the News Headlines page was really very good (though I think it did come some time after Google first launched it), and it's really cool that Google a) saw it (though I wonder if he also emailed them or something); b) recognized it as good; and c) actually did something about it. That they gave credit where it was due on that page itself is, well, mindboggling (the most I would have expected them to do would be a credit on an About page or something).
posted by mattpfeff at 11:43 AM on February 10, 2002

Hey, I just found out how easy it was to become part of the world wide web over at the ultra-cool bizarro JK!
posted by MiguelCardoso at 11:49 AM on February 10, 2002

How many megabytes of text saying "with thanks to Jason Kottke" do you think Google has already served up?
posted by Hildago at 12:04 PM on February 10, 2002

Well, rodii, obviously your sarcasm detectors are not detecting the sarcasm emitted by my correctly operational sarcasm detectors. So I was being sarcastic about my sarcasm, but your sarcasm didn't allow you to see the sarcasm below the sarcasm. OK?

Oh Evan, you're whole hierarchies of sarcasm below/above me. I am so sarcastic even I can't tell when I'm being sarcastic. Now?

Now?

Now?
posted by rodii at 12:58 PM on February 10, 2002

matt and kottke, sittin' in a tree...
posted by mcsweetie at 4:47 PM on February 10, 2002

me, personally, i dig google, and i think its great that they used his idea but...i'd much rather have a thank you in the form of a Check if it was me.
posted by th3ph17 at 4:34 PM on February 12, 2002