Don't Be Good Google's corporate motto is "Don't Be Evil". Today, Google has announced the name of the Chinese version of their site: ‘Gu Ge’ or ‘Valley Song’. In doing business in China, Google has also agreed to censor their results. This means that Google is actually modifying their results based upon the policies of a Communist government. The report goes on to say:

Talking to reporters later, Schmidt said Google's managers were stung by criticism that they accepted Chinese censorship, but said they haven't lobbied Beijing to change its rules.

"I think it's arrogant for us to walk into a country where we are just beginning to operate and tell that country how to operate," he said.

Asked whether Google might try to persuade Beijing to change its restrictions, Schmidt said he didn't rule anything out, but said it hasn't tried to change such limits elsewhere. He noted that Google's site in Germany is barred from linking to Nazi-oriented material.

"There are many cases where certain information is not available due to local law or local custom," he said.

This sounds good, but it doesn't hold up when applied universally. If a Islamist government asked them to filter out everything offensive to Islam, would they do that as well? We've always trusted Google to show us what is truly out there, now it appears that at least some of us (the Chinese) cannot.

It appears that "Don't Be Evil" works great until you are faced with a question of profits. What a powerful statement it would have been for Google to refuse to agree to China's policies. More analysis hereand here.  ¶ 6:54 AM 0 comments

  Christians and Science As the Intelligent Design debate is making headlines, the media is portraying Christians as anti-science zealots. And we are partly to blame: the way we present ourselves sometimes gives the impression that we are going to ignorantly hold our positions despite scientific evidence to the contrary and, worse, that we don't care if we are contradicting science. Personally, I believe that scientific fact and the Bible will always be in 100% agreement. When a scientific theory or discovery is made that gives the impression of a contradiction with the Bible, then one of two things has happened: either the science is incorrect, or else our understanding of what the Bible has to say is incorrect. If it is the former, then we have science on our side: new discoveries and interpretations will eventually correct the previous ones. If it is the latter, must we be so dogmatic that we lose our credibility with the world? I believe that, on certain interpretations of scientific fact in the Bible, we must remain open to changes in our understandings. Now, I am not saying that we should constantly be changing our beliefs so that we are always in agreement with science. Instead, I am saying that we should carefully examine our beliefs and choose our battlegrounds. Was the world created in six literal 24-hour days? I am open to discussion. Did Jesus exist as a man on this planet approximately 2000 years ago? I am not open to debate.

Give me your comments and opinions on this one.  ¶ 9:40 AM 0 comments