@trevo, no, that's not what it does. It tells specific bots what they can and can't search. Don't want the Google freshbot clambering through your recent posts? Then tell THAT bot to stay out of THAT directory.
@emnem I think you hit it... part of the issue was that for "SEO" purposes, the Tribune published that article with eleventy million different URLS and interlinked the living hell out of them. Zell wants the Google hits, but doesn't want people to be able to read the content without hitting the site itself. He can't have it both ways. And I have yet to find a Google News article printed in its entirety, so what exactly is his problem? Or does he not really have one and just enjoys the press? Considering the source, I think we all know what the answer is.