Spyblocker is a program that will block them. Single pixel bugs are the mainstay of CNN. If you use spyblocker and go to that site, none of the pictures show up, makes the site useless. I stopped going to CNN.

http://personal.bellsouth.net/mia/k/r/kryp/index.htm

If you're the paranoid type, then block them.

edit - Where's the link to the article you read????