Bush and Google Search

The Bush administration has requested that a Federal judge order Google to turn over information from it's databases to the government. Ostensibly, it's part of an effort to reinstate the Online Child Pornography which was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2004. The good news is that Google has refused on grounds that the request is too broad & they don't, bless their hearts, want to invade their users' privacy. MSN, Yahoo and AOL have already sol . . . er . . . complied with Bush's wishes. Google, according to Forbes Magazine, contends that the order is "unduly burdensome, vague & intended to harass." I think it's yet another attempt to invade our privacy.

I don't know about you, gentle bloggers, but I am getting tired of these people wanting to know my business. It isn't so interesting to merit such measures as Bush and his cohorts are proposing. What's next? Chat room transcripts? IM conversations? E-mail? I don't think the government needs to know my, or anyone else's, travels across the internet except perhaps those of known felons, predators, revolutionaries, or terrorists.

Have you ever been less than specific when you did a search on the Internet? I can a recall an incident 'way back when I was an Internet rookie when I decided to look for a job online & simply typed in the word: "jobs." Without going into detail, some of the hits left me blushing furiously & I rapidly closed the search window & used more specific wording. Some people never learn -- e.g., me. Recently I needed a picture of a man for something I was putting together sooooooooooo the old girl typed in "men's pictures" &, again, I was left a lovely shade of crimson. I'm guessing that we've all had moments like that when we type first & think later. I sure as hell don't need or want an FBI agent at my door asking, "Why did you do that, Kay?" Should one of those fellows turn up here, I'm afraid I might forget I'm a lady. Twenty-eight years of marriage to a former submarine sailor taught me the finer & more graphic points of cussing but that's another blog

The reason the Bush administration is so dedicated to getting Google's information is that Google holds 46% of the market & frankly, with their stand against Bush, I hope that number will grow immensely. I recommend that, when you need to search online, choose Google because they seem to be the only search engine who honestly believes in their users' right to privacy & are willing to fight for them.

Bush is hiding behind child pornography & the threat of terrorism and is inciting hysteria in order to invade the lives of everyday people & that is in direct violation of the Constitution. Tell your people in Congress to pay attention; let them know that instead of taking money from Jack Abramoff, you want them to do their job & protect your Constitutional rights. Back in the day, I used to laugh when a wacky friend of mine would say, "I know my Constitutional rights . . . I can call my mother any time I want." The way things are going, that might be the only right we have left . . . although you might be wiretapped.

Kay Dennison