The United States of Google

Disclaimer:
I live a 10 minute drive away from Google headquarters in Mountain View, California. I visited the campus a few times before, and enjoyed many exciting conversations with some really bright people. I had applied to work at Google once and they said no. I swear to you that I don't hold a grudge against them because of that, but I guess you're free to draw your own conclusions.

Now for the real post...

I ran across the following Washington Post headline the other day and it got me thinking:

"Tensions between Google and China complicate U.S. diplomacy"

To me this was a loud wake-up call. I mean, come again? Tensions between China and who?? complicate diplomacy??

The fact that the word Google sat there in one headline, shoulder to shoulder with the words China, U.S., and diplomacy got me to swallow slowly, sit back and think.

I mean, am I the only one who's thinking: this company is getting a tad too damn BIG???

As I closed my eyes in my seat, imaginary headlines started popping up in my head. I am an old man with white hair and a huge bald spot. I grab my Google phone, and pull up Google News headlines on my Google browser:

"Dalai Lama to visit Google amidst China row"

"Google recalls their ambassador in China"

worse still,

"All airline travel from China to Google suspended until further notice"

and eventually,

"Google launches a preemptive offensive in Shanghai"

In my worst dreams, WWIII is fought between the allies (Google, Apple, and Facebook) and BMW...