Good evening. Even as Google tonight wins some recognition from conservatives for its observing Veterans day on the search homepage, the firm is still under fire. As Machiavelli warned, become the big guy and everyone turns on you. Now it’s the big television networks going after Google. Specifically, they’re blocking Google TV from watching streams of their shows. Fox has since joined the blockade I believe.
This strikes me as a scared overreaction, and a poorly thought out one at that. As soon as Google TV’s User Agent is changed to match a desktop browser, the blockade is history and there’s nothing the networks can do about that.
Not all criticisms of Google are looking particularly interesting, though. When I see Halliburton invoked without irony, I seriously just stop reading. I’m sure Darrell Issa’s Oversight Committee will be plenty busy looking into the White House’s connections anyway, though. It’s not like he can’t print more subpoenas.
DIAGF, TSA. There’s a good metaphor for government in there somewhere, that any program ends with a bureaucrat’s hand where the sun doesn’t shine.
Oh, and just another little side note to remember when Net Neutrality advocates pretend that there’s no real competition among ISPs: wireless providers are rapidly becoming ISPs first and voice providers second. And it’ll only get more obvious once the newer wireless technologies come online.