Friday, January 20, 2006

Google This!

 
I noticed the headline of the main feature on the front page of the Richmond Times-Dispatch this morning:

The Feds Want to Know What You’re Googling

Well, good morning, America!

The story started last summer when the White House wanted Google to provide a week’s slice of searches plus a sample of the URLs in Google’s databases, in order to figure out how to track more effectively the people who look for and traffic in child pornography.

We all know MSM version of the story by now: a further example of the Bush Administration’s intrusion into the lives of ordinary citizens, erosion of our civil liberties, trampling on the Constitution, etc blah yak. Remember, these are the pals of Al Gore and Hillary Clinton, who want to control the internet for our own good.

But when it’s the Republicans doing it, why, that’s different.

Isn’t that right, Mr. Mainstream Journalist? Or are you worried that they might find out that you were searching last night for “topless photos pamela anderson”? Hmm? Or maybe even “directory of dominatrixes in ann arbor”…?

Since I am somewhat of a libertarian, I have sympathy with people who resent the idea of the government watching what we do. I don’t like Uncle Sam looking over my shoulder, either.

But given the kinds of searches that send people to Gates of Vienna, I wouldn’t mind too much if the Feds found out about some of these people. Hell, I’d send ’em the IP addresses myself.

Dymphna has PTSD, so she can’t stand to look at the search word referrals on our site meter. (WARNING: Dymphna, if you are reading this, stop now! DO. NOT. READ. FURTHER.)

How about all the people who arrive here searching for “kill jews” or “I hate jews”? And all the ones wanting to know “how to make a bomb”? Or the perennial favorite, “how to make a bomb jihad”?

Not to mention all the people who use Google as an oracle to answer “did bill gates convert to islam?”

There are people who find their way here by typing “sex with little girls” and “filipino sex slave”. People who want to know more about “raping little girls”.

Then there are the peculiar or pathetic ones like “naked muslim women” and “bathing suit hijab”.

But mostly it’s “how to make a bomb”, over and over again, with occasional variants, such as “how to kill infidels”.

I tell you, it’s depressing sometimes to read the “search words ranked by visits” section of our site meter.

However, I’m not giving up all hope. The other day, someone with an IP address in Austria found us by searching for “how to defeat the jihad”.

If we find out, let’s let him know.

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