Word of the Day: ptarmic - substance causing sneezing - Sheesh! That pepper is really ptarmic, man!
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Google surrenders to China
INTERNET SEARCH SERVICE Google has shut down its search engine in mainland China after it stopped redirecting users to its uncensored website in Hong Kong.
It is still possible to get a Google search in mainland China, however. Chinese web surfers are able to click on a link on the Google.cn home page that takes them to the Hong Kong site.
The move is a concession to Chinese government mandarins, who had threatened to revoke Google's licence to operate in the glorious People's Republic if it did not kowtow to their demands.
In a blog post Google said it is changing how Internet users in China access its search engine.
The hope is that Google will be able to renew its licence to offer online content in China. Why it would want to do this, when it made such a big show about leaving, is anyone's guess.
It remains unclear whether the Chinese government will accept what one analyst called a "peace offering". A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said at a regular press briefing Tuesday that he had not seen Google's statement and had no specific comment.
However there is no real reason for the Chinese to want to have Google in the country, particularly after it has publicly stated its opposition to the totalitarian government's censorship rules. µ
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If Google cannot take the heat, they should get out of the kitchen.
If they want to stay in China, they have to conform to their standards, simple.
What? Is Google god-sent for the human kind?
Is the gig up for Google? After boldly defying Beijing censorship by sending search queries to its Hong Kong site, Google is trying to find a way back into China before its license expires this month. Now the secret is out, Google will use choogle.com
See: http://chinareallysucks.com/Site/New_Stuff/Entries/2010/6/30_Google_sneaking_into_China_with_Choogle.html
At least China admits it censors the Internet, unlike here where "freedom" is used as a quasi-religious brand name while anything can be shut down under "anti-terrorism" legislation.
But who goes to read stuff about Tiananmen or Falun Gong every day anyway? We're all too busy watching videos of Susan Boyle.
China isn't totalitarian, it's authoritarian. North Korea is totalitarian.
+1
Google pulled out because it calculated that it would generate more positive PR/spin and, therefore, more money from that action.
As soon as it becomes more profitable to go back they will.
But I *do* lean toward that the commies are telling the truth here, far as they go: they're just flat out censoring. On other hand, what go_ogle is doing makes no obvious sense, and I'm *not* going to believe that their motive is to stand for freedom. Never yet been a corporation that puts ideals ahead of profits.