Posted on 09/14/2005 5:37:46 AM PDT by imintrouble
Earlier this week we discussed the 9/11 Anniversary and one writer mentioned that Google had not placed a logo or identifying symbol on their opening page. I wrote an e-mail and received a reply.
I just sent an e-mail in return reminding them that I will not forgot to look next year to see what they have "come up with", and as far as "hurt feelings" of the international commuity, I thought Google was still a U.S. corporation. In addition there were lives from other nations lost in that tragedy.
A logo needn't be their "only answer" in opting to ignore the anniversary (which was their primary intent)... a simple phrase "We will never forget" would have sufficed. "Lest we forget" has done well in our memorials to WWI and WWII.
I also wrote their bias is showing through in their banner ads and their links for the general public and I personally feel if they are going to become a political activist company, I will spread the word to stop utilizing their services.
The sheer numbers of abstinence may make them think twice about where they are going in their philosophies or whether they intend to cover all spectrums of ideological belief.
Their response is as follows:
"Thank you for your note. We would like to explain to you why we didn't post a Google holiday logo for September 11 this year. As an international company, we'd like our logos to reflect the diverse, global nature of our user base. The decision whether to display a special logo for a holiday doesn't reflect any judgment on our part about the holiday itself.
Furthermore, Google's special logos tend to be lighthearted in nature. If we were to commemorate September 11, we'd want to express reverence, rather than mirth. This would be a particularly challenging design. We would not want to, in any way, create a graphic that could be interpreted as disrespectful. In light of the mail we've received about this, we're actively considering designs we could display on this day next year. We welcome any suggestions you may have.
Regards, The Google Team"
Yahoo search is pretty good. I just did a vanity search on both Google and Yahoo. Google found KarlInOhio on www.freerepublic.com 425 times. Yahoo found my name 5620 here.
Then again, I've never once clicked on a sponsored link, and therefore merely leech off the service and bring no revenue to the company, and as thus they should not care what I think.
I think people get too wrapped up in "memorials" and symbolism. Certain events can become the basis of a cult. Instead of recongizing something for what it is (a really F'ed up criminal action that our border policy allowed to happen and knew would eventually happen), we see it as some kind tie that binds some peopel together .... almost like an organized religion.
20,000 Americans are murdered yearly. Islamists are pretty far down the list of actual threats to the average American. How many of us commemorate the other 17,000? Should Google keep a running tally on their homepage, which is reset every year? How about a yellow ribbon for each person ... until the page has 20,000 ribbons in December?
Just live your life and don't worry about what little graphic Google does/doesn't put under their little textbox. You'll be happier. Seriously, you will.
And I had a relative in the Pentagon that partially lost their hearing, and HE doesn't want to hear (no pun intended) about frigging 9/11 anymore either. Nobody forgot it. Unless you are Momento, how could you forget it? And if you did forget it, a banner probably won't help as you would forget it the day after.
He doesn't need a stinking Google banner to remind him that he narrowly missed getting plowed by an airplane. He's moved on with his life. Seriously, what's the point? Oh yeah, 4 years ago 9/11 happened! There. Now what?
The border is still open. That is what should scare you.
I knew Yahoo sucked, you just confirmed it.
P.S. It was a joke ;-)
The search "Bush Quotes", gave me every moonbat site that hated the President. There were quotes that were simply not true (ones that "showed" his so-called stupidity, quotes that had previously been supposedly said by Algore and Dan Quayle, for example), or just used his words out of context. Try it yourselves.
Oh yeah. Darryl Worley had a fine song in Have You Forgotten?. IMO, too many of our countrymen have. Especially our blue state brothers and sisters. Politics trump proper respect of murdered Americans and outrage at our enemies, especially if it makes a Republican President they hate look good. The Left hates Republicans/Conservatives far more than the terrorists that kill us. As long as they have that attitude, they'll remain a minority party, God willing!
I've seen all kinds of things 'celebrated' in their logos from moon landing anniversary, to Mars rovers to dead artist's birthdays.
Frankly, this is pretty low on my list of things that matter.
Basically, everyone is upset because a company chooses to do business under its own logo, and we're fussing because they didn't change the design for one day to recognize a very sad historical event that isn't even a holiday?
I know some will scold me for characterizing 911 that way, but it's true. And whether Google (or WalMart, or Toyota, or Home Depot, etc.) choose to decorate their places of business is just irrelevant to me.
Sept.11, to me, should be a day of quiet reflection rather than one of celebration. One of Google's silly little logos would probably offend you, too. This is probably a no-win situation for them.
It's a free country, remember?
Give it up and spend your time on something important.
Thank you FreeRepublic - that I have the space here to rant against something I feel is a burgeoning illness in our country and it is becoming worse.
Your comment to my above statement:
"Pssst. FR didn't have a memorial anything up either. The day is defined by an attack on our country not a few squiggly lines on a logo."
Excuse me - Free Republic provided huge football fields of space for all our tributes.
There is no comparison between a logo and what we were allowed on FR and an aftershock such as my rant today.
I see you are not one to appreciate the "freedoms" offered quietly with respect and those never offered. I happen to appreciate the many freedoms offered by companies and groups which enhance my own life, such as the men and women fighting or guarding our country, the people in emergency mode in the south, and FreeRepublic for the space they and their donors offer to me for my outbursts!
Didn't bother me.
Well said, I agree with you.
Oh BTW, we already have.
Heck, you can't even securely own property anymore.
I will email Google on the anniversary of the Eminent Domain decision to see if they put up a black ribbon. If they do not, I will take my negative-revenue business to another service! No wait, since I am using the service for free, maybe I should use Google TWICE as much since it will cost them more. Oh dear, what to do, what to do ....
You want to switch horses from logos to content fine. Google "911" and "tributes" that's how they convey their content. Let me know if they have blocked all access to tributes of 911.
Simply not true. I don't know where you were on Sunday, but if you were on Free Republic I would think you wouldn't have missed them!
Thank you for your cautionary words.
The subject was brought up during our 9/11 Anniversary thread a few days ago. I had not thought of it at all and I checked Google myself to see if the statement was accurate.
I am not "offended" by others practicing their freedoms, yet how difficult could it have been to use some respect towards our tragedy.
Google has made billions on the backs of the American people....respect and responsibility are the backbones of freedom - not PC.
I too spent the day in quiet reflection and I am in agreement with your philosophical intention. I also could not ignore the fact that Google has been going political on a steady basis and have been using them for eight years so I do have a personal comparison.
If they are going to bias to the left as does AOL and AP then they should at least be honest about their offerings and use disclaimers.
Maybe you should ask them to have a logo for pearl harbor day. Or perhaps, a logo for the duration of the entire siege of Khe Sahn.
Perhaps a Battle of The Bulge logo too.
Oh, and don't forget Kasserine Pass day.
Clusty is great. I NEVER use Google anymore.
Why have large corporations and charities gone leftist?
I think it's because the young people they hire for their publicity and personnel departments have just emerged from totally PC universities.
Better move their corporate apparatus to a "friendly" muslim country.
Since they suck up so much in profits they can afford to take the UN with them!
Clusty the Clustering Engine. It's excellent.
Thanks. I just placed Clusty amongst my "Favorite Places."
If you feel so strongly about this, simply don't go to Google anymore. Seriously, unlike the local electric and cable company, a website should be the easiest thing in the world to boycott. Just don't type in the URL.
If they offend you, by all means, don't visit their site. Problem solved. Really, it's just that simple. Why get worked up about it?
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