Nowadays, a search engine and a directory (AKA) Google and Yahoo!--number one and number two respectively, have "the power," and we handed it to them on a silver platter.

The aforementioned search engine and directory are two biggest players in multi billion dollar pay-for-search industry.

Our stubborn and foolish reliance on search engines have helped to open up a "Pandora's Box" of greed, arrogance and theft.

Yahoo! Express is a perfect example of all three of those evils! Check out their terms:

"Please keep in mind that payment does not automatically guarantee inclusion in directory, site placement, or site commentary. As with all sites suggested to us, final judgement remains solely with Yahoo! editors. Yahoo! Express Guarantees All Yahoo! Express submissions will be evaluated within seven business days. You will receive an email response within seven business days, stating whether your entry is accepted or declined. (If your entry is denied, you will be told why.) The Cost of Yahoo! Express Yahoo! Express requires a US $299.00 non-refundable, recurring annual fee per submission, or US $600.00 non-refundable, recurring annual fee for submissions offering adult content and/or services. Yahoo! Express does not guarantee a listing in Yahoo! directory, nor does it guarantee type of placement or description that your site will receive if accepted. Please read our Yahoo! Express Terms of Service to review terms and conditions of Yahoo! Express."

I mean, think about this for a second. You pay $300 to $600 to get listed in their directory, and they tell you they can't guarantee your website will be listed. And by way, if your website is rejected, we'll just keep your money!

Why does Yahoo! do that? Because like "lambs going to slaughter," we allow them to!

Here's another example of greed, arrogance and theft? Check out this statement from Google:

"We are exposed to risk of fraudulent clicks on our ads. We have regularly paid refunds related to fraudulent clicks and expect to do so in future. If we are unable to stop this fraudulent activity, these refunds may increase. If we find new evidence of past fraudulent clicks, we may have to issue refunds retroactively of amounts previously paid to our Google Network members."

Now, I don't know about you, but I for one refuse to believe that bunch of poppycock about Google being powerless to stop click fraud. The problem is, there's no incentive for them to stop it. It really doesn't matter to Google how many times someone fraudulently clicks on your ad. Why should it? It doesn't affect their pocketbook. They still get their money either way!