Google Analytics is a powerful tool that tracks and analyzes website traffic for informed marketing decisions.
Service URL: policies.google.com (opens in a new window)
_gac_
Contains information related to marketing campaigns of the user. These are shared with Google AdWords / Google Ads when the Google Ads and Google Analytics accounts are linked together.
90 days
__utma
ID used to identify users and sessions
2 years after last activity
__utmt
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests
10 minutes
__utmb
Used to distinguish new sessions and visits. This cookie is set when the GA.js javascript library is loaded and there is no existing __utmb cookie. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
30 minutes after last activity
__utmc
Used only with old Urchin versions of Google Analytics and not with GA.js. Was used to distinguish between new sessions and visits at the end of a session.
End of session (browser)
__utmz
Contains information about the traffic source or campaign that directed user to the website. The cookie is set when the GA.js javascript is loaded and updated when data is sent to the Google Anaytics server
6 months after last activity
__utmv
Contains custom information set by the web developer via the _setCustomVar method in Google Analytics. This cookie is updated every time new data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
2 years after last activity
__utmx
Used to determine whether a user is included in an A / B or Multivariate test.
18 months
_ga
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gali
Used by Google Analytics to determine which links on a page are being clicked
30 seconds
_ga_
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gid
ID used to identify users for 24 hours after last activity
24 hours
_gat
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests when using Google Tag Manager
1 minute
Great description here. I wonder what will happen if they go to O’Nally’s, get new gear, and come back and dig some more?
Great characters, too. Nicely done.
Great marketing campaign. Get people to break their picks and shovels, then tell them where to get new ones. The beginning was really funny – implacable human nature.
This was quite amusing!
Loved the line where he said his shovel was not looking “too healthy”. 🙂
That was a bizarre sign, but happy that it made a great prompt for you!
*laughs!* I didn’t see it coming. And I’ll never see those road signs the same way again.
That sign REALLY appeals to my curious side. What IS under there?!
That is clever!!!!!! Good one, you got me. 😀
That is a fabulous sign. No, I can’t blame you for prose-dreaming about violating the law. That it all might be an advertising ploy is hilarious.
Nice twist at the end. I didn’t expect that.
This made me laugh.
I’ve always thought that if you wore a bright orange safety vest, put out some witches hats and a tape cordon, you could dig anywhere you wanted and no one would question you.
Adam
haha, very funny twist! Your preamble made me laugh too, I want to dig up a public highway now 🙂
You’ve got me going now, I fear a trip to London avec shovel may be in my future. 😉 Really enjoyed this, I particularly like the dialogue between the characters. I wonder if O’Nally’s card is all there is, or might there be something else waiting to be discovered deeper in that hole?
I think a teeny bit of me might have been influenced by Ghostbusters 2!! But whenever I see people digging in the street, I ALWAYS wonder how official they are. The street outside my office gets dug up about every five weeks or so. Why?!
Ha Ha! Great way to drum up business. We all want to do what we’re told not to… What a strange place to put that sign.
Brilliant marketing! Good story. And you’re right. What is it about human nature that makes us only want to do certain things after we’re told not to?
The sad thing is, you know they’ll buy a couple more shovels and keep digging!
Oh I *love* it! You really had me going there – and I rarely read a story that makes me laugh out loud. Thank you!
Great job, Icy. Thought they’d find a scary old tomb with something undead. The ending left me laughing so hard I think my spleen burst. Great play on human nature. We always want what we can’t have. Loved it.
@Emma – Glad I made you chuckle!
@Maria – Yeah, normally I’d go for something creepy or horror-related but I’m in a good mood at the moment so I thought I’d have a go at humour!