Are they watching?

Sometimes things happen online that are simply too close to who you are not to believe that your data is being collected, collated and used for marketing (or observation) purposes.  

For my recent  trip to Dubai, I spent quite a bit of time researching things via google and even spent some time on the local google site for Saudi Arabia (possible client there).  My ticket was purchased only a few days prior to my departure and when I arrived at the airport I was pre-flagged for security with the triple-S.  The guy at the Emirates check-in counter said it was a DHS thing which means either they simply chose me randomly (and not either of my other colleagues) or they are checking with the big G.

About 10 minutes ago, I clicked a webclip link from within GMail through to the IHT and see an ad for Emirates Air and the Airbus A380 – the very plane and airline I flew home.  What an interesting coincidence…  I’m not feeling too paranoid or anything, but that’s seems more than just random selection to me.