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Google to Launch Government Search Site

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the uncle-sam's-table-of-contents dept.

Billosaur writes "Word has come out via the Washington Post on Google's plan to launch a a tool for searching US Government web sites. The tool, usgov.google.com, is meant to be used by Federal employees who may need to search across several different sites for information, and '...is also designed to help citizens navigate convoluted pages of government-speak and tailor news feeds to their interests. Users can customize the layout of their page to remain updated on government-related news from official and commercial sources, including the White House, Department of Defense, The Washington Post and CNN. Google is also working with agencies to increase the frequency of news updates to keep content current.'"

123 comments

  1. Hardly new - this search was already in google by timecop · · Score: 5, Informative

    Well, this isnt exactly new - there used to be a http://www.google.com/unclesam which is similar to their custom searches like /linux and /microsoft, and limited results to .gov sites. The only thing that looks different now is they have personalized newsfeeds related to government stuff, which you could already do on your personalized page anyway, if you were so interested.

    1. Re:Hardly new - this search was already in google by dubmun · · Score: 0

      It now searches .mil as well as government sites with .com, .net, and .org extensions.

      --
      (end of post)
    2. Re:Hardly new - this search was already in google by greyduk · · Score: 1

      So it is different. I guess I shouldn't believe parents so blindly.

    3. Re:Hardly new - this search was already in google by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's searched .mil sites for at least the last 3 years I've been using it. You shouldn't believe replies so blindly.

  2. Dejavu by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I've seen that kind of search before

  3. an easier-to-remember url by bunions · · Score: 0, Redundant

    http://google.com/unclesam

    --
    there is no need to sign your posts. this isn't usenet. your username is right there above your post. stop it.
  4. In other news by obeythefist · · Score: 5, Funny

    In other news, Google Inc have announced they are changing their logo to a more classical look. Spokesman for Google's marketing department said "We find the new glowing eye in a pyramid logo to be more appealing to a broader range of customers."

    --
    I am government man, come from the government. The government has sent me. -- G.I.R.
    1. Re:In other news by mentaldingo · · Score: 0

      Do you think AOL would sue Google for using their logo?

  5. Be careful! by Funkcikle · · Score: 5, Funny
    It is just a phishing site! Once you search for stuff, it will inform you that the information is only accessible by Government employees.

    "Please enter your employee login and password to continue."

    Those sneaky Googlers...

    1. Re:Be careful! by gbobeck · · Score: 1
      Once you search for stuff, it will inform you that the information is only accessible by Government employees.


      I don't think so. I searched using the term 'bullshit' and I was able to access virtually every result.
      --
      Navicula hydraulica plena anguilarum est. Omnes castelli tuus nostri sunt. Ed elli avea del cul fatto trombetta.
    2. Re:Be careful! by Amouth · · Score: 2, Funny

      ok .. i started looking under "bullshit"

      this is great.. i would have loved to been there when this was created

      http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dockets/05n0345/0 5N-0345-EC872.htm

      --
      '...if only "Jumping to a Conclusion" was an event in the Olympics.'
    3. Re:Be careful! by kfg · · Score: 1

      Director of the FBI: Get me the file on this guy who filed for it under the Freedom of Information Act; and if he doesn't have a file - start one!

      KFG

    4. Re:Be careful! by whoop · · Score: 1

      I chuckled that the first link for "bullshit" is Office of the Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer. I don't see "bull" or "shit" anywhere in the text, but it's mighty funny.

  6. Use it to find hacked sites by martinde · · Score: 3, Interesting

    View source on this page. Doh! I guess hidden information in a wiki isn't exactly hacked... But I wonder what's in it for the people putting that stuff on there?

    1. Re:Use it to find hacked sites by bunions · · Score: 1

      Better PageRank scores, I'd imagine.

      --
      there is no need to sign your posts. this isn't usenet. your username is right there above your post. stop it.
    2. Re:Use it to find hacked sites by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ask the spammer

      registrant-firstname:            Jason
      registrant-lastname:             Scott
      registrant-organization:         JMS Internet, Inc.
      registrant-street1:              PO Box 278
      registrant-pcode:                93613
      registrant-state:                CA
      registrant-city:                 Clovis
      registrant-ccode:                US
      registrant-phone:                +1.5593234283
      registrant-email:                jason@jasonscott.com

    3. Re:Use it to find hacked sites by martinde · · Score: 1

      As someone else pointed out, it's been fixed. Use google's cache to see what it had:
      http://64.233.161.104/unclesam?q=cache:xyJ5Dvqg_CA J:tools.ca.sandia.gov/mediawiki/index.php/Main_Pag e

      (Again, "view page source".) It's got these comments "we are delicate, we do not delete your content" and then a bunch of URLs to various spam/warez sites.

    4. Re:Use it to find hacked sites by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hacked? It's a wiki for crying out loud - you're allowed to change it!

  7. Yes, but more importantly... by denebian+devil · · Score: 2, Funny

    What I want to know is when Google will be able to help me search for my shoes in the morning.

    1. Re:Yes, but more importantly... by geekoid · · Score: 1

      One's under the computer desk, the other is by the back door.
      Key's are in the freezer.

      All joking aside, my brother used to call information(this was before the internet existed.) and ask questions like that.
      Scary thing is, they were ofter correct.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    2. Re:Yes, but more importantly... by Chrax · · Score: 1

      Behind the couch.

      And the dog needs to be let outside. Now.

  8. If the shoe fits by Joebert · · Score: 1

    Does this mean that the government sites will be rushing to make new laws, err I mean content ?

    --
    Wanna fight ? Bend over, stick your head up your ass, and fight for air.
  9. I'm glad. by BrainRam · · Score: 5, Funny
    It's a good thing that Google launching a government search site. I've been looking for the US government for years, but haven't been able to find them. This would have really have been useful last year during Katrina, since I know a lot of other people were looking for the government then as well...

    Oh, wait, there they are knocking on the door now. Guess I don't need the government search site after all.

    1. Re:I'm glad. by bigpat · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Oh, wait, there they are knocking on the door now. Guess I don't need the government search site after all.

      Well after today's supreme court decision, knocking probably means it isn't the government, because they don't have to knock anymore.

    2. Re:I'm glad. by freedom_india · · Score: 1

      Its a pity you have been modded as Funny instead of being modded Insightful....

      --
      "Doing what i can, with what i have." ~ Burt Gummer
    3. Re:I'm glad. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      ... been useful last year during Katrina, since I know a lot of other people were looking for the government then as well ...

      No kidding! I've been looking for 'em, too. I want another $2000 FEMA-card! Those Houston lap-dances ain't cheap, and I promised my baby-momma another vacation (some more whiskey wouldn't hurt, too ...)
  10. So, uh... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    When do we get to search through the federal government's private emails and download mp3's of their phone calls? ...parooze their transaction summaries, nose around in their medical records, see what they've been looking up in the library of congress, and run statistical analysis on seemingly random characteristics?

    I'm not holding my breath.

    1. Re:So, uh... by Reverend528 · · Score: 1

      It depends, there are 20,600 hits for Illegal Wiretaps. Odds are some of those are for federal employees.

      --
      Badass Resumes
  11. you can do this manually by erikus · · Score: 5, Informative

    You can just use the regular google search with site:.gov OR site:.us OR site:.mil (maybe a few others) appended to your search to get the same results.

    Compare these results:
    usgov search
    manual search
    1. Re:you can do this manually by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Iowa is listed on the regular site. The unclesam site has justly removed it.

    2. Re:you can do this manually by demachina · · Score: 1, Insightful

      If this has already been done, I'm wonder if maybe instead Google could straighten out all the fucked up computers at the FBI so they could communicate with each other and maybe stop the next 9/11 like they should have the first one when agents started getting reports of Arab men training to fly but not land airliners but they weren't talking to each other so....

      Then maybe the U.S. wouldn't need to resorting to massively spying on everyone, torturing people, invading random countries, etc. to deal with this little terrorism problem.

      If Google could do that instead of just "do no evil" they could make their motto "do good". Since /. seems to think Google is like God and can do anything, I think straightening out our messed up government, and nipping this police state in the bud, is a simple thing. If Google is concerned about being in the Chinese police state, what are they going to do if they let their home country turn in to one.

      Go Google!!!

      --
      @de_machina
    3. Re:you can do this manually by MrNougat · · Score: 1

      Notice the difference in the "Sponsored Links"? Top of the list on the manual scan is "Mortgages at Countrywide," which is not even displayed at all on the usgov search side. Also, the manual scan reports 37.5 million results, while the usgov side reports only 31.8 million.

      There's a definite difference between the two searches. I wonder what the basis for that difference is. One might jump to the conclusion that there's some kind of censorship going on, were one fully outfitted with a TFH.

      --
      Web 2.0 == Giant Blogspam Circle Jerk
    4. Re:you can do this manually by rm69990 · · Score: 1

      Ummm....why the hell would a search engine company, who also happens to have a couple consumer AJAX applications be responsible for straightening out the FBI's computer systems to ensure they could talk to each other? I think the most important question however, is, who the hell modded you insightful?

    5. Re:you can do this manually by dkf · · Score: 1
      Not all .us sites are governmental it seems.

      And anyway, why is the federal government so unpatriotic as to not use .gov.us instead of .gov? You'd think they loved their country more than that...

      --
      "Little does he know, but there is no 'I' in 'Idiot'!"
    6. Re:you can do this manually by demachina · · Score: 1

      "who the hell modded you insightful?"

      I'm guessing it didn't register with you I was being sarcastic and making a kind of joke.

      If you recall history, as posted on slashdot, one or more computer companies have attempted to upgrade the FBI's computer systems under the code name Trilogy and Virtual Case Files. I believe SAIC and or CSC. Tens of millions were spent and the software developed was so bad last I remember it was never deployed, which is kind of standard for government contracted software development.

      I wager the people at Google would do a wonderful job at instituting this system probably using off the shelf open source solutions. It kind of sounds like they need a good internal search engine, some blogs so agents can share information with one another, but unfortunately there are a lot of security issues that frustrate the free flow of information.

      Now Google has no actual incentive to do this. Government contracting is for no talent companies like CSC, SAIC and EDS who make a living winning and screwing up government contracts, and in the process screw up our government. But on the other hand the FBI actually does need the brilliant people at Google to fix their screwed up information systems. If the FBI had computers and networks that worked they would have "connected the dots" before 9/11 and correlated the fact that there were multiple reports of Arab men in U.S. flight schools training to fly but not land airliners, one of whom, Mossaui was arrested a month before 9/11.

      I was just dreaming of a fantasy world where Google fixed the government so it worked for a change, and they caught bad guys before they did bad things, but without turning the U.S. in to a police state. I've returned to reality now, where we are getting a police state and they probably still wont catch the bad guys before they do bad things.

      --
      @de_machina
  12. Peek at future slashback: by smittyoneeach · · Score: 1

    Sadly, despite the support of Google, which raised the count of hands from "both" to "effectively infinite", the US Government could not its booty find.

    --
    Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
  13. They'll never learn... by packetmon · · Score: 1

    The U.S. government is humorous. A recently released FBI report about the compromising ties between a Chinese-American Mata Hari and her FBI-agent lover is a stark reminder that after terrorism, the greatest threat to our national security at home is espionage." (source). Couple this with government employees giving data away, and we've got the making of a new way to spy on the US without planting swallows, cobblers, ravens... I wonder how fast after this service is up will we be reading about a government slip-up via that portal... Anyway, this truly isn't anything new. I've used Google's Uncle Sam search plenty times...

    --
    Infiltrated dot Net
    1. Re:They'll never learn... by Neal+Saferstein · · Score: 1

      I totally agree! Neal Saferstein

  14. Well, it appears to be working by cliveholloway · · Score: 4, Interesting

    14,000 results for "do not distribute".

    Now all they have to do is learn what not to index :)

    --
    -- Trinity in high heels carrying a whip: The donimatrix - there is no spoonerism
    1. Re:Well, it appears to be working by Gothmolly · · Score: 1

      14,001 if you count your post.

      --
      I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
    2. Re:Well, it appears to be working by Jah-Wren+Ryel · · Score: 1

      Seems like those are exactly the kind of documents we want indexed. If it is a security matter, it will be classified and handling procedures ought to keep any classified documents off the public web. If it's not a security matter, then there ain't much justification for trying to hide it, the government is supposed to be accountable to the people. Informal investigations via google-hacking seems like the modern equivalent of the "surprise" audit.

      --
      When information is power, privacy is freedom.
    3. Re:Well, it appears to be working by idonthack · · Score: 1

      If you actually read the results, most of it is pages with phrases like "we do not distribute phone numbers" or "we do not distribute samples". But there are a few actual files that appear to be distributed incorrectly; right on the front page is a .doc that says "FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY - DO NOT DISTRIBUTE". It appears to just be a report on logistics.

      --
      Why is it that when you believe something it's an opinion, but when I believe something it's a manifesto?
    4. Re:Well, it appears to be working by belg4mit · · Score: 2, Interesting

      "do not distribute -e-mail, 843 results.

      A couple are irrelevant but the signal to noise is much better than the GP query.

      --
      Were that I say, pancakes?
    5. Re:Well, it appears to be working by stev_mccrev · · Score: 1

      refine it further with intitle:"do not distribute".

      23 results.

    6. Re:Well, it appears to be working by belg4mit · · Score: 1

      For some definition of "refine". Instead of just removing spurious results you've tacked on
      a highly restrictive criterion. It seems to me that "Do not distribute" could accompany any
      number of qualifiers on a title page, but not be part of the actual title.

      --
      Were that I say, pancakes?
    7. Re:Well, it appears to be working by forgotten_my_nick · · Score: 1

      Top Secret works as well somewhat.

      Its also interesting to read all the sping earlier years. I typed in "Weapons of mass destruction" and gives you details on how Iraq had WMD. lol.

    8. Re:Well, it appears to be working by inKubus · · Score: 1

      confidential filetype:xls

      top secret filetype:xls

      confidential filetype:mdb

      Wee.

      --
      Cool! Amazing Toys.
  15. Let me be the first to say: Cool by 2bitcomputers · · Score: 1

    I think this is cool. If half of the people who watch fox news found out about what their goverment is really doing then maybe they will stand up and do something about it. Wouldn't it be great if they added a big fucking "Email your congressmen about this issue - using your gMail account" button at the top of every article?

    --
    -- Please insert another quarter
  16. In Soviet Russia... by SonicSpike · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...government searches you!

    --
    Libertas in infinitum
    1. Re:In Soviet Russia... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      s/Soviet Russia/United States/

      Careful of those typos...

  17. Can't this be done? by drpimp · · Score: 1

    inurl:".gov" big brother

    --
    -- Brought to you by Carl's JR
  18. Oh boy, here comes trouble by malus · · Score: 1

    If pr0n didn't get google in enough trouble, then this certainly will. The feds just don't want it's citezens to have easy access to this information. Cheers, google. Perhaps now *I* can find those kick ass grants mathew lesko is hawking! profit!

  19. FOIA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Now, if only they could use this kind of technology to speed up FOIA requests. Of course, then you'd actually get the information you were searching for.

  20. Existing search engine by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Doesn't the government already have a pretty search engine?

  21. I got it up now! by SeaFox · · Score: 1


    Nothing for you to see here, please move along.

    Looks like the site is working fine. All the information the govenerment wants accessable to the people is at my fingertips.

  22. Totally Broken by iluvcapra · · Score: 1

    A Search for "Montauk Project" returns nothing on the secret Time Tunnel. So much for comprehensive information :p

    --
    Don't blame me, I voted for Baltar.
  23. That title is just *wrong*. by Jester998 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I got it up now!

    Uh, congrats? :)

  24. It works perfectly! by rabiddeity · · Score: 4, Funny

    SELECT * FROM The_Government WHERE Intelligence > '0'

    Your search returned no results

    1. Re:It works perfectly! by HappyDrgn · · Score: 3, Funny

      ERROR: Unknown column 'Intelligence' in 'where clause'

    2. Re:It works perfectly! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      FATAL ERROR: Multiple columns are not supported.

  25. Dear NSA, please open a file on me by Gothmolly · · Score: 3, Insightful

    My entire search history, my email, and my interactions with the Federal and State governments will all be neatly catalogued by an online service, whose records, I am sure, you will have no trouble in subpoena-ing when necessary.

    Thank you,
    John Citizen

    --
    I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
    1. Re:Dear NSA, please open a file on me by Kuciwalker · · Score: 0

      Why would they have to subpoena anything when they could already do a search of their own data? Dumbass karma-troll.

    2. Re:Dear NSA, please open a file on me by Gothmolly · · Score: 1

      Idiot, the NSA doesn't have your google search history or your email.

      --
      I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
  26. Interesting news by twistah · · Score: 1

    This is much easier than typing "site:gov"

  27. Even worse! by Johnny+Doughnuts · · Score: 3, Interesting

    us gov search for "confidential "do not distribute"".

    The results are astounding, someone should get fired over this.

    1. Re:Even worse! by Tony+Hoyle · · Score: 1

      Oh it gets better... there's a couple of legal stuff in there...

      Just reading one. It contains internal government emails, private correspondence between a client and their attourney.

      The start cracks me up though "you need to start reading from the bottom and read up" - Outlook users, lol.

    2. Re:Even worse! by Tony+Hoyle · · Score: 1

      Oh yeah, found it...

      "The unauthorized disclosure or interception of e-mail is a federal crime. See 18 U.S.C
      SEC.251 7(4)."

      Someone's toast.

  28. Quick! by scolby · · Score: 3, Funny

    Somebody do a search for Area 51!

    Hmm, how do I search for those black marks they use to cover all the good words?

    1. Re:Quick! by BobSutan · · Score: 1

      Its called redacting.

      --
      "On a scale from 1 to 10, people are stupid"
    2. Re:Quick! by dangrover · · Score: 1

      Be my guest: http://www.dotgov.gov/

      It's a bit expensive though, at $125/year. :-)

  29. Freedom of Information Act by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Google should do FOIA requests on everything imaginable and compile a database of all the documents, that way we can search through that too instead of having to file the requests our selves... just a thought.

  30. Engage the cloak! by tacarat · · Score: 1

    They're piercing the bureaucracy!

     I hope Google adds a "euphanism" translator while they're at it. I can see an explosion of new words and phrases being made to try obfuscating information and guiding public opinion. Not that it hasn't been going on already...

    --
    "Common sense will be the death of us all"
    1. Re:Engage the cloak! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We hope they have a dictionary too.

      http://www.dictionary.net/euphanism :

      No entries found for "euphanism"

      We have not found any entries on our dictionary databases for the word you entered. Perhaps you are looking for one of the following instead?

      euphonism:
      Euphonism \Eu"pho*nism\, n. An agreeable combination of sounds; euphony.

      Nah ... must be tacarat figures Google should employ this chick (GENDER: male !) instead :

      http://suicidegirls.com/members/Euphanism/

      "Sadly, unless Euphanism tells you more about Euphanism, this is all you'll ever know about Euphanism."

      I'm starting to wonder what "girl" means in "suicidegirls" ???
      Maybe it's a euphemism...

  31. This has been around forever. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    As a member of the Armed Service I have been using this site for well over a year (under the /unclesam). It is a very good quick way to find pubs and forms that you need access to for work, but it's function beyond that is minimal. Sorry guys, no black boock top secret info here, just a bunch of fun filled documents and paperwork.

  32. Great, I know exactly what this leads too by pelsmith · · Score: 2, Funny

    One month from today, the word will come out that sensitive information is available on Google, and being actively utilized by China, Iraq and France.

    Two months from now, DoD sys admins will be told to block Google.

    Twenty years from now, the following questions will still be on the security clearance application form:

    206. Have you ever used any of the following "hackor" tools:
    SATAN YES/NO
    PGP YES/NO
    Google YES/NO

  33. Thankfully... by Ieshan · · Score: 1

    The google search for Miserable Failure seems to have been uncorrupted by this latest move.

    A true testament to Google's ability to gracefully decay when replacing all the substantive information with political crud.

    1. Re:Thankfully... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Miserable Failure
      Whatever you're looking for
      you can get it on eBay.
      www.eBay.com

      and also

      Fed up with Windows?
      Discover the freedom, power,
      and stability of Linux computers
      open-sense.com

      No, really.

  34. whaaaa? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Does this mean US Government employees will have valuable information at their fingertips and will be able to become efficient at their jobs? Oh wait, they're looking at US Government websites.

  35. Serach porno. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If you search the word 'ponro' you will get some odd sites. Some sites you might not think should be host on .gov tld.

  36. I hope it is useful by frovingslosh · · Score: 2, Insightful
    I just hope they make it useful. In the past I know there has been information that I wanted on publically finded, publically open sites, because I found it, but when I asked Google for the same information I was told that my search got zero matches. I was told here that the likely cause of this was someone flagging the page or pages above the information "no robots" or whatever the flag is to keep spiders out. This is a complete crock for public information, and I hope that Google indexes as much as it can, no matter what flag some low level tax-payer paid employee decided to stick on it.

    If the don't, the terrorists have won. (Heck, that argument seems to work for anything Bush wants.)

    --
    I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
  37. Logs by Jaxoreth · · Score: 1

    I guess this time Google WILL be handing over the search logs to the government.

    --
    In general, it is safe and legal to kill your children. -- POSIX Programmer's Guide
  38. Chineese Government Search by wideBlueSkies · · Score: 2, Funny

    When google implements their search for chineese government sites, this is what we can expect to see.

    Nothing found for your search.
    IP Logged.

    --
    Huh?
    1. Re:Chineese Government Search by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Except in "Chineese" I suppose. It is a funny post, though. Too bad my mod points expired about 15 minutes ago.

  39. Now you get get the scoop by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    On poop. W00t!

  40. Do Not Index this posting by xkr · · Score: 1

    Google lists 813 government documents (.gov) discussing "Area 51"

    --
    I will create a sig when innovation restarts in the U.S.
  41. A re-branded Uncle Sam search? by j1mc · · Score: 1

    I have http://www.google.com/unclesam bookmarked in my del.icio.us bookmarks, which now redirects to this new search page. Seems to me like they've been offering this specialized search for at least a little while (not sure when they may have started it), but now they've just refined it - adding som U.S. government news content to the search page. (It used to be just a straight-forward specialized search ala the Google Linux search page.)

  42. Quick! by rjamestaylor · · Score: 1
    Someone register google.gov real quick like! You'll make a billion!


    (Note: this is an example of sarcasm. Enjoy. If you actually have the connections to register Google.gov, please move along, this isn't the tax payer you're looking for.)

    --
    -- @rjamestaylor on Ello
  43. Notice by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Notice the syntax when you search...

    google.com/search?hl=en&q=bushisaqueef&btnmeta%3Ds earch%3Dunclesam=Search+Government+Sites

    A rose by any other name would smell as sweet...

  44. Nothing to see here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...please move along.

  45. tax code just got easier... by a_greer2005 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Now you can find that tax loophole with the power of google parsing through all of those IRS publications... Thank you Google.

  46. What a non-story. by raehl · · Score: 3, Funny

    Talk to me when they can analyze my congressman's calling patterns.

    --
    paintball
  47. I don't get it? by raehl · · Score: 1

    The sponsored links are clearly in a different order.

    --
    paintball
  48. I would be scared by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If the government wasn't so incompetent. How is the war on drugs?

    Will we turn on the 6 o'clock news and see arrests of 14 year old boys downloading porn, playing Grand Theft Auto, and while posting naked pictures of himself on My Space. I doubt it. Just more pre-election hype.

    My .04 cents

  49. Speaking as a Political Science student... by jelton · · Score: 2, Funny

    I just made a mess in my pants. This is like manna from heaven for the research I do.

    --
    I am not a lawyer. This post does not constitute any form of legal advice.
    1. Re:Speaking as a Political Science student... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How's this different from adding /site:.gov/ to your query? Or /site:.us/ and /site:.mil/ as well?

      I'll get excited when we see Chinese government search available from Google.

  50. Top Secret! by posterlogo · · Score: 1

    Lots of cover sheets for TPS reports type stuff when you search for "top secret" http://www.google.com/search?site=unclesam&restric t=unclesam&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&output=unclesam&q=%2 2top+secret%22&btnG=Search

  51. google keywords by RedHatChilliPeppers · · Score: 1

    hmmmmmm...........

    Google Search: inurl:www.nsa.gov "index of" Area 51 *.doc, *.pdf

    Google Results:
    index of/Area 51

    roswell report hoax.pdf
    bush is an alien.doc
    bill gates is from mars.doc
    bill gates report.pdf

    click bill gates report.pdf

    xpdf runs Project: BGR (Bill Gate Report)
    !@#!@%$^

  52. In America by dcapel · · Score: 1

    you search the Government.

    In Soviet Russia, the Government Searches you. ...wait a minute...

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    DYWYPI?
  53. "Beware of the leopard" by jellybear · · Score: 2, Funny

    Finally a solution to the problem that confronted Arthur Dent:

    "I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them."
    "That's the Display Department."
    "With a torch."
    "The lights had probably gone."
    "So had the stairs."
    "But you found the plans, didn't you?"
    "Oh yes, they were 'on display' in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying 'Beware of the leopard.'"

    Now you'll be able to simply create an RSS feed for your house.

  54. new features by Oopsallberries · · Score: 1

    I'm always for new features. I might not use it that much but it's nice to know that it's there if I wanted to.

  55. Even more curious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://www.google.com/search?site=unclesam&restric t=unclesam&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&output=unclesam&q=%2 2CowboyNeal%22&btnG=Search

  56. Soon to be... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...shut down in the name of "National Security"!

  57. The real purpose by elyk · · Score: 1

    Is probably an attempt to appease the us govt after successfully challenging the subpoenas. I wonder how long until they add a special version of trends designed specially for the government, including the ability to drill down to individual queries. Or for that matter, how long until they create a new cabinet-level Department of SEO

    --
    MS-DOS: Most Severe Denial of Service
    Free Online Backup
  58. So where will they lean? by dezert_fox · · Score: 1

    It will be very interesting to see where the Google usgov search engine comes out in terms of the political spectrum.

  59. As usual, the first hit is all you need to know by CousinLarry · · Score: 1

    Search: Iraq War

  60. Google to Launch Government Search Site by TempeTerra · · Score: 1

    At last! I, and I'm sure many other slashdotters, have been trying to find a new government for years. I think Google's on to a winner with this service!

    --
    .evom ton seod gis eht
  61. So much better than gov's doing it themselves by gjuk · · Score: 1

    I'd much rather entrepreneurial organisations like google do this than Governments doing it themselves.

    As ever - the British Government wasted millions of pounds on a poorly thought through and badly implemented project to bring all of e-government together - direct.gov.uk.

    Specifically to the google point; some British techs came up with the rather cheaper www.directionlessgov.com - which compares google results when you search for government terms to the results from direct.gov.uk. Unsurprisingly - google turns out to be rather more effective than the government.

  62. D*** G-men, changed the site... by drachenstern · · Score: 1
    according to this:
    This page was last modified 03:26, 16 June 2006.
    So what did it say? What the AC replied to your comment?
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    2^3 * 31 * 647
    1. Re:D*** G-men, changed the site... by martinde · · Score: 1

      It had a bunch of comments (or otherwise invisible text, I guess, since google had indexed them) nested in the page source leading to warez sites, mp3s, etc. When I say a bunch, I mean a BUNCH - probably 500 or so links. The comments also had something like "we're easy on your site" in them, basically saying "we could have defaced your site but we didn't".

  63. You are correct by drachenstern · · Score: 1

    .us can also be used for many other purposes, including, IIRC w/o looking it up, that states utilize something similar to XX.us much the same as UK companies utilize co.uk instead of .com

    the reason why the govt gets to use .gov is because the us controls the internet, of course. especially since we had a VP who created it one night in his basement with a jar of pb and some old clothesline [/sarcasm]

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    2^3 * 31 * 647
  64. shhhh by drachenstern · · Score: 1

    you're not supposed to tell anyone about that unt*23(*FAN3&&#(*@#$*(ADF(* $#*@#

    -- TRANSMISSION TERMINATED. GOOD-BYE

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    2^3 * 31 * 647
  65. Latest news! by Dasch · · Score: 1

    Google China has just launched truth.google.cn, a tool for searching Chinese government verified information. Several video feeds are available, such as "execution of traitors" and "bloggers being arrested". Enjoy.

  66. Porn by 4D6963 · · Score: 1

    Too bad they don't have a US Gov Image Google search as well, would have loved to see what "porn" would have returned. However a text search on "porn" returns almost only stuff about "child porn".

    It also teaches you about interesting things, such as Dial-a-Porn, that porn will damage you and your whole family, that PORN can be a bad disease, that Porn can be a last name, or even that P2P actually means Porn-to-Porn (notice the name of the poster btw)

    Google taught me new things again today!

    --
    You just got troll'd!
  67. Surely this isn't new? by BradyB · · Score: 1

    Aside from the "new" front page of the government search, it's the same as it has been. The http://www.google.com/unclesam search has been available for years. I guess just changing something that has almost ALWAYS been available with a new look, will make it a BRAND NEW product.

    I love it personally, but come on it wasn't really NEW news.

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    Good is never enough, when you dream of being great!
  68. Hard? by Ash-Fox · · Score: 1

    Err, couldn't they just do something like this?

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    Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
  69. Hope for improvement... by basotl · · Score: 1

    As a government employee,I often find myself needing to search various sites for regulations and policies. Often these sites are outdated and have many broken links. I hope that as Google is making .gov web administrators aware of this, that those administrators might update their content occasionally. It's astounding how often I have to search through pages of bogus outdated content. I can understand a few months old, but 4-6 years! I hope as they realize their content is being used, that they will update it for guys like me.

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    HTC EVO 4G LTE w/ CM 10.2 | NookColor w/ CM 10.2 | Samsung Epic 4G w/ CM 10.1
  70. Don't forget firstgov.gov.. since 2000 by the-pdm · · Score: 1

    Firstgov has been serving this function for 6 years. http://firstgov.gov/

    FirstGov.gov is an interagency initiative administered by the U.S. General Services Administration. It got its start when Internet entrepreneur Eric Brewer, whose early research was funded by the Department of Defense, offered to donate a powerful search engine to government. That gift helped accelerate the government's earlier work to create a government-wide portal.

    In June 2000, the President announced the gift from the Federal Search Foundation, a nonprofit organization established by Brewer, and instructed that FirstGov.gov be launched in 90 days. FirstGov.gov went online on September 22, 2000. The GSA and 22 federal agencies funded the initiative in 2001 and 2002. Since 2002, FirstGov.gov has received an annual appropriation in President Bush's fiscal year budget.

  71. there ya go mr bush! look for him through this! by urbieta · · Score: 1

    http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=usama+bin+lad en&btnmeta%3Dsearch%3Dunclesam=Search+Government+S ites

    That will show him!

  72. NSA + Google = Teh New MySpace? by Mark+LeMunyon · · Score: 1

    Soon they'll add search to the NSA's database to create their own MySpace competitor. Users will never need to update their personal pages because they already know everything about you!

  73. Re:Don't forget firstgov.gov.. since 2000 by jahknow · · Score: 1

    Yes, and firstgov.gov sucks a lot less than it used to, thanks to the clustering thing from Vivisimo that it now employs to group reults.

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    ^^
  74. backwards by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    In Soviet Russia, the government searches you!

    Oh wait, it's the same in the USA now.

  75. Government & Google by nephridium · · Score: 1

    Seeing Government and Google in the headline really sent a chill through my spine. I know that Google is supposed to be "not evil" and that it hasn't given us too many reasons to think otherwise. But the fact remains: Google is organizing information; from personal e-mails over weblogs over homepages to corporate and government documents. And more and more of this information is being fed into their own local databases.

    What if, for whatever reason, the current 'policy makers' at Google quit their job and somebody else takes over (be it in a few months or in 50 years) - all this accumulated information will then serve what the new Boss decides to be the "best" use for it. Seeing as power has almost always corrupted people in history this makes me quite worried. And this is why I'm not hyping Google just like the next guy.

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    And when you gaze long enough into the code, the code will also gaze into you.