Does google "like" links to google?

Google links back to google

[heretic]

I never heard anyone mention this but I wonder if they will give you preferential treatment for a link back to them?

[kurky]

I never thought that Google really took any interest in links to them until this last update.

The number one position for one of the keywords I target has a link to google on it from it's home page.

The website in question was way down in the results before, the front page has a low page rank (much lower than any of the other sites), hardly any text (an image and a TINY bit of text), loads of outward pointing affiliate links etc. and a link to google.

I have tried comparing this site to the others in the first page and the only difference I can see is that the link to google is there. Please tell me if I'm allowed to post the keywords so that you can see for yourself and perhaps so that others can offer some insite. Bewildering!

[makemetop]

>they will give you preferential treatment for a link back to them?

Plenty of banned and PR0 pages have links to Google - so no, not really.