Google plus one, no script, and ghostry

This page is for people who do not see the Google "+1" button on the web pages. The purpose of "+1" is to let people who like a web page increase its google rank. Lacking this, it is hard for new sites to be found, as Google relies heavily on links from other sites.

The short answer is:
If you use NoScript, then allow both of the following two websites:
https://apis.google.com
https://plusone.google.com

Important: Make sure it is "httpS", and not just "http".

If you use Ghostery, then permit Google +1.

If you do these, then you'll see the plus 1 button, and can tell Google that this blog of mine is of value. If you are seriously concerned, you can use "temporarily allow" from noscript.

Now for some details. Feel free to skip this if you are not interested.

First, Google apis are a set of tools. They are not in and of themselves either good or bad -- it is how they are used by the calling sites (and those are the sites to permit or block in NoScript). So permit google apis, and block sites that misuse them.

Second, there is a real problem with internet security. If you permit the non-secure version, then you really are opening yourself to potential abuse from your ISP -- who could modify those scripts in a way that you would never notice. Likely? About as likely as a government insisting that phone companies install components that permit government agencies to spy on phone calls or internet conversations; about as likely as government agencies just issuing demand letters to search engines saying "Please give us everyone's search logs for national security reasons". Both of these have happened (Google refused the search request, by the way. Bing did not exist at the time. Yahoo, and everyone else, just gave the government your search records.) This is why you have to use the secure version -- and, you probably should use secure google search and/or Google Sharing (firefox extension) if you want to hide your searches in the crowd.