IP addresses are like the numbered mailboxes in a post office. Anyone can send mail to or from a numbered box without using any identifiable information. That's all the IP address is - a numbered box. Ms. Shepherd's web analyst, like any good web analyst, took note of the fact that the same box number has been used repeatedly when posting about this article. I do the same for a website I manage. It alerts me to an impending denial-of -service attack or hacking attempt. There are valid technical reasons to understand how often a particular IP address has accessed a website. Ms. Shepherd explained two possible scenarios of how a single IP address can be used to abuse a website or blog. I saw no accusations or implied improprieties in her response.

Cookies are not as life threatening as people make them sound. Your browser and other security software can be set to prevent any cookies from being created on your computer, regardless attempts to personalize you interaction with a website. Most privacy notices, end-user license agreements, and terms & conditions all say the same thing. Yahoo uses a "web bug" or "tracking beacon" to record every web page you visit on their website and any other website you link to from one of their pages. The bug/beacon is turned on by default. You have to find the link in Yahoo's legal documents and follow it to another page to turn off the bug/beacon. I find that more intrusive than a newspaper using cookies to decide which advertising I should see.

It is only fair that visitors to this website know when the site is being abused, if in fact that is what is happening. Remember that this is the Beacon's website and they are free to operate it as they see fit. If you do not agree with the Beacon's terms of use, please don't post comments here. Flaming Ms. Shepherd because she is a good steward of her company's resources is wholly inappropriate.